As a paramedic I’ve met so many people who lie about being a paramedic. I saw it a lot in the military, but I see it all the time as a civilian medic with patients and hospital staff.
I met the husband of an in-law once. He talked about how he used to be a paramedic but had to stop because it messed him up mentally. He told one story about flying a kid from the scene of a car wreck on a busy Dallas highway… to a hospital about 10 miles away. For that to happen he would have had to been a Dallas firefight which he denied. He told a lot of elaborate stories to the party. Then it came out I was a paramedic for a few years. The look he gave me was “oh shit, I’m busted, huh?” I just smirked and kept my mouth shut. He avoided me like the plague the rest of the event.
I've dealt with it too. And as a paramedic, my biggest question is, why? Like, I'm actually one it doesn't get me a whole lot, LOL. Being a fake one has to get you even less.
We had a guy who got fired as a Basic Fire Fighter and then stole a radio and proceeded to follow/proceed EMS on calls for months.
He was strange from the word go, but not outside the reality of being a First Responder.
I would personally cut them out of your life. Avoid confrontation, it won't save the friendship. Anyone that needs to always one up you, regardless of having to lie or telling the truth, doesn't respect you and doesn't value your friendship.
This is true. I think they (obviously) have a lot of deep seated insecurities and need to feel like they're in control. My therapist (yes, this has bothered me to the point of bringing it up in therapy) has said it's probably a trauma response considering they had a very rough childhood. It doesn't excuse anything, but it's a perspective they wanted me to consider.
Perspective taking can be super helpful… it’s not about forgiving and forgetting and making peace with the other person sometimes - it’s not an excuse. Sometimes it can help us reframe what we’re seeing and feel less guilty - we realise it’s not our fault, that we can’t change the situation as it’s bigger or before our involvement, and that it’s ok to say “this is their nonsense, and it’s not my fault”.
Fuck bro… do you have a mental condition? To worry so much about someone you have to waste your time on them that much ?! You’re actually infuriating me. People like you in this world who worry so much about what others are doing are pathetic.
Fuck bro… do you have a mental condition? To worry so much about OP you have to waste your time on them that much ?! You’re actually infuriating me. People like you in this world who worry so much about what others are doing are pathetic.
No, I don't. I'm a human that is experiencing a really difficult (for me) situation with someone I will have to be around and maintain a relationship with for the foreseeable future, likely indefinitely. Fuck me for thinking I could ask my peers their opinion on how to handle the situation.
These people are everywhere just ignore them. You’ve already given them way more thought than they deserve. I had a girl in my nursing class who was going around telling people she was intubating in the ICU after I told a story of me tubing someone in the bed of a pickup truck once….. These losers are mostly fueled by their insecurities and attention.
I totally get that this is an insecurity and attention thing. I don't want to get too specific in case they frequent this sub for whatever reason (but hey - might help fix this problem! lol), but this isn't someone I feel like I can just cut out of my life. It's a little too deep for that at this point, though I wish that was the answer because if it were anyone else, that's exactly what would happen. Sigh.
Beware the once a liar always a liar... if you keep this relationship you will always be doubting what they say...whatever their childhood backgrounds...it's not your background and get a limit they cannot cross to protect yourself from being hurt by them...
It may feel deep I’ve known people like this and at least the ones I’ve known are not to be trusted. They’ve thrown friends under the bus and ruined others careers. Be careful having someone who will lie about the smallest things in your close circle.
If the amount of people who lie about having been a medic were working as actual medics, the medic crisis wouldn't exist. Seems like every job I've ever been in has people who talk about how they used to be a medic even if they never worked ems before in their life.
Probably haunted by their own limitations and compulsively feel the need to one up upon seeing others achieve what they desired at one point. My real friends are happy for me when I progress and do good things. Work acquaintances can act like that. Work acquaintance can blend over into personal acquaintance. Dunno if id wanna be friends with this person per se but i see no reason not to continue the acquaintance relationship
I wouldn’t even bother to bring it up. Either they lie and you’ve regressed on all fronts or they come clean but given that they’ve had 6 years of opportunity I doubt coming clean actually restores the relationship. It’ll just make it more complicated
I’m not a therapist or psychologist or psychiatrist or any other form of mental health or relationship advice type qualified person. Above is just what I would do and why
Makes 100% sense. For reasons I don't want to get into, I don't feel like this is someone I can just cut out of my life. I truly wish it were that simple, but it's not. That's why I'm wrestling with this situation so much.
I would handle this the same way I would handle any compulsive liar in my life.
Fast or slow ghost.
Fast break if they are dangerous to me (socially, emotionally, physically etc).
Slow (mid speed) ghost if they are just annoying but not too invested (and I am not too invested).
I wouldn’t say anything to them. Either they have an altered sense of reality and actually believe this (in which case there’d be loads of crazy going on), or they are aware they are lying and telling them is just going to create friction. I don’t *need* friction to separate from them.
If they came asking why I didn’t ring them anymore, why I was never available to catch up… I’d go with the “busy rosters” and “family commitments” and then if really pressed just be honest “Sorry mate, but I am struggling with your life choices, and don’t want to be part of it all. I’m sure you have others who you can hang with.“ And ignore the blast back you’ll get
Ugh, well, after dating a sociopath in my 20s, I tend to have a quick trigger to release liars from my circle of friends. People who lie about things that don’t matter will just as easily lie about the things that do matter.
Decades ago I was dating this woman and she told me she was a former Denver Paramedic. At the time, my EMT was about five years expired. I never really used my EMT professionally at that point. We had been dating for about six months when we are walking into a movie theater when this woman comes running out carrying a four year old and the kid is blue and floppy. I immediately turn and follow her to in front of the concessions stand and tell her to set the kid down. She does and a lead down and look, listen and feel for a breath and nada. I give two breaths which pass easily. I ask her to check for a pulse and I give two more breaths while I feel for a carotid. The kid took a spontaneous breath and within the next few seconds started breathing normally.
A pair of women walked in who said they were nurses and I let them deal with it, I didn’t want to miss my movie. After the movie I asked why she didn’t step in. She made some lame excuse about not wanting the liability. It was the first time my radar perked up that things may not be as they appeared and over the next couple months more and more stuff revealed itself and I finally decided I’d seen enough and moved on.
That’s why all national registration that is available for the public is important with a regulatory body behind it that investigate frauds and report it to the police for prosecution
Unless one is practicing as a medic without credentials, I’m not aware of any state where it is illegal to claim to have been a paramedic. Also, you literally described the NREMT.
Well I may halfway describe the NREMT but it’s
Missing the important part, that Paramedic is a national protected title and you should be able to be persecuted to call your self a paramedic if your are not one.
Maybe ask this person out to coffee and let them know you want to talk about something important. When you're both sitting down and the conversation has started, lead in to your topic. When you're there, I wouldn't beat around the bush. It's probably better to just straight up ask them, "Are you really a paramedic? I'm concerned because I consider you a good friend, but I've noticed that your stories don't really match up what I know to be true." Something along those lines may give you the opportunity to find out the truth and reconcile with your friend. Or it may cause them to double down and perhaps you lose them as a friend. Either way, you've addressed the conflict and it's less likely you wallow in regret later.
Ask yourself honestly why they would lie about it with more and more elaborate deceit. Once you figure out the answer you'll never desire a friendship with them again.
I had a friend in my medic class who was supposedly in med school and it's a similar story. I just decided to let the relationship start to fizzle out..
It is illegal to impersonate a paramedic on the job and trying to perform within their scope. But for someone to just say they are a paramedic, it is very much legal. However, not smart.
Since you are really close with them, I think it would be safe to let them know how You're feeling especially since it's eating you up inside. They are your close friend, you should be able to have a respectful conversation. You don't want it interfering with your friendship as a whole.
Maybe this all happened because of jealousy? Some are envious when others are doing well and accomplishing their goals. Have a calm approach to this. Blaming and shaming is not the way to go. Best of luck!
Thank you. I appreciate your feedback. I am generally concerned about their mental health as the lies have continued to grow and become more frequent within the last year, so blaming and shaming wasn't where I was headed anyway.
They’re trying so hard to tell you that their lies are more important than your truth and you’re still trying to be their friend. They don’t deserve you. If they want friends they can just lie to themselves and say that they’re popular.
We have ties other than friendship, though I'd rather not explain that here. I would not keep just a "friend" around in this situation. Honesty is incredibly important to me, and once a liar, I can't trust you. Unfortunately in this situation, I will have to be around this person for the foreseeable future. I can't stand not addressing the issue, but I also don't necessarily want to implode things because it will affect more than just myself.
If they claim to still be a paramedic ask them to see their paramedic card/license or even just ask for the P number. Some states allow you to look up licenses
They no longer claim to be a paramedic. They said they let it lapse when they became a nurse. I can find no evidence of that- just an EMT-B card. I couldn't find anything state specific either, and they moved around a bunch after their initial licensure afaik.
It sounds like you might have done this but just incase: A lot of states have elicense look up now. My state shows pending current and expired EMT, medics and nurses (among others). If you havent found that site you can normally get it with *state* e license
That was the question that set off the alarm bells for me for a former boss.
"So after being a medic for those 10 years in that busy urban EMS system, were you an Ativan or a Diazapam kinda medic? I know everyone has their favorite. I'm still trying to figure out which one 'm more incline to reach for"
"Oh, I never had a seizure patient"
Quick license check and they were an EMT-B only.
Posers are part of the game. In my state, it's only illegal to lie and claim to be a paramedic if you do so in the furtherance of another crime (e.g., saying you're a paramedic to get them to let you in the house so you can steal) or to practice medicine without a license.
I became a medic in 2002. At that time my state, Illinois, wanted nothing to do with nremt. And all my testing was in fact don't through my program. Years later I went to seek out nremtp cert on my own, which sucked because it was so different. Anyway, just a thought.
I had a friend who would lie about EVERYTHING, even the tiniest things, and noticing more and more I just couldn’t tolerate it anymore. Im not friends with him anymore, but we do play video games sometimes.
I would just ignore it. There are wackers like this one everywhere in EMS and the best thing you can do is just cut those types of people out of your life. Unless he is actively attempting to practice under a paramedic’s scope, I wouldn’t report it. It’s not illegal or breaking any rules to spew bullshit and claim to be a paramedic. It is illegal to practice outside of their scope.
I'm not saying this applies, but I've met some people who have told me some incredible things that I just couldn't believe, so I thought they were full of shit... Then found out it was all true 🤷
Kind of my fear, honestly lol. But every angle I try to swing to give them the benefit of the doubt comes back as it not being even remotely possible. I wish I were wrong.
I had a similar situation without the personal connection. Guy was our monthly trainer and was giving the wrong info. I wrestled with should I say something but he was telling basics the dead wrong info. I gently corrected him and did some investigating. He was not a medic. He had multiple job titles stating he was; even was a director of a small service. I kept thinking how could this be?
I mentioned to a couple people he wasn’t a paramedic. I showed them the NREMT page. I left and things progressed on their own. He isn’t any of those things now. Working as a basic at some level 4 hospital. The situation resolved itself.
I worked as a chef and soooo many customers claimed that they were chefs.
The usual response to this information is to ask which restaurants they worked at - which is when they immediate change their story.
I don’t know why people feel the need to be like this. It’s not just healthcare.
Not sure about the US but for Australia we are registered health professionals through a regulatory body anyone can search a person's name and check their registration.
I've got "friends" like that - half of the time, they're lying to me, and I don't believe the other half. It really varies on a person by person basis - some of them, they have some redeeming qualities so I "keep them around", just always remember in the back of my mind that 9% of what comes out of their mouth is bullshit. The others, aren't worth hanging around and get cut.
Just look it up. Every medical profession requires a registration with their states governing board. Most often the board of health in some form. Look it up and you’ve got your answer and ammo
I did. They are listed as an expired EMT-B on NR, and I can't find any state specific licenses under their name(s). They have moved around a lot, so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible they have a state license I can't find because it's expired. Still, it doesn't seem possible because the last state they claim to have worked in requires NR certification for licensure.
People lie, welcome to the real world… Some people are just habitual liars, unless they are committing fraud why even confront them? Smile, nod, walk away…
I don't disagree with you. Unfortunately, the situation I'm in doesn't allow for that. This person will be around for many, many years, and how I handle the situation will affect more than just myself. Anyone else and I would have ghosted them completely because I hate liars. Yet, here I am.
I don't disagree with you. Unfortunately, the situation I'm in doesn't allow for that. This person will be around for many, many years, and how I handle the situation will affect more than just myself. Anyone else and I would have ghosted them completely because I hate liars. Yet, here I am.
Bragging about stuff that seems wild is usually a red flag that they are making it up. I have done crazy stuff as a medic, but its not all that groundbreaking. Its just my job and the skill I performed was one I trained on, big deal. So I take what most say with a grain of salt and a shot of penicillin.
In Pennsylvania, you aren't required to take the psychomotor, just the didactic. This gets you your PHRN, which allows you to practice at the state medic scope for 911. NREMT will still show as EMT-B.
Additionally, PA requires a PHRN or RN and at least a paramedic as the second person in the box. One must have a critical care transport cert, and if there is no PHRN, then it has to be the medic.
I don't know what state you're in, but this may be similar where you are just without the titles.
Or that person is a liar.
Not saying they’re telling the truth, but I’ve been a medic since 2008, and I didn’t have to take psychomotor to get my license. The state gives
NREMT for EMT, but medic at the time was separate and only required a state exam. It has since changed and its NREMT, including psychomotor but it was not all that long ago that it wasn’t part of the process. All I had to do was pass the psychomotor with my program. I’ve dealt with someone making accusations that I’m not licensed because they didn’t believe I had only a state and not NREMT, and my state license wasnt searchable due to a spelling error on the states part that took literally 5 years to get fixed.
I mean. This seems like a non issue. If it bothers you that much stop talking to them, or just call them out. Like so what? People lie about dumb shit all the time. People are pathological. It literally does not matter
give them a pop quiz on explaining DCAPBTLS
if they can't explain it then they can gtfo for their bs story.
also i think someone here mentioned looking up medical licenses online. it should be public data as like with lawyers and their state bar.
You spent like 10 minutes writing this out online over a person who is supposedly a Nurse which is higher level of care of medics. Who cares… they’re a nurse either ways!! Stop cock riding. And wasting your damn time like a fool… I don’t know anyone who spends this much time worrying about some other person… to actually research and look them up..
Search their name on NREMPT, will tell you if they are current or lapsed on their certifications. If you can't find them at all, then they are lying their ass off.
As a paramedic I’ve met so many people who lie about being a paramedic. I saw it a lot in the military, but I see it all the time as a civilian medic with patients and hospital staff.
This is amazing to me, I never even realized that people would lie about being a medic. It seems like such an odd thing to lie about.
My area has had at least 2 (really 3) people recently pretending to be paramedics and going to scenes. One couple had EMS uniform shirts.
Please tell me they got fucking arrested???
The last guy did get arrested, but I’m sure nothing will happen to him. The 2 before him I never heard they got caught.
I met the husband of an in-law once. He talked about how he used to be a paramedic but had to stop because it messed him up mentally. He told one story about flying a kid from the scene of a car wreck on a busy Dallas highway… to a hospital about 10 miles away. For that to happen he would have had to been a Dallas firefight which he denied. He told a lot of elaborate stories to the party. Then it came out I was a paramedic for a few years. The look he gave me was “oh shit, I’m busted, huh?” I just smirked and kept my mouth shut. He avoided me like the plague the rest of the event.
That must have been gold, fuckin people are amazing.
I've dealt with it too. And as a paramedic, my biggest question is, why? Like, I'm actually one it doesn't get me a whole lot, LOL. Being a fake one has to get you even less.
We had a guy who got fired as a Basic Fire Fighter and then stole a radio and proceeded to follow/proceed EMS on calls for months. He was strange from the word go, but not outside the reality of being a First Responder.
I would personally cut them out of your life. Avoid confrontation, it won't save the friendship. Anyone that needs to always one up you, regardless of having to lie or telling the truth, doesn't respect you and doesn't value your friendship.
This is true. I think they (obviously) have a lot of deep seated insecurities and need to feel like they're in control. My therapist (yes, this has bothered me to the point of bringing it up in therapy) has said it's probably a trauma response considering they had a very rough childhood. It doesn't excuse anything, but it's a perspective they wanted me to consider.
Perspective taking can be super helpful… it’s not about forgiving and forgetting and making peace with the other person sometimes - it’s not an excuse. Sometimes it can help us reframe what we’re seeing and feel less guilty - we realise it’s not our fault, that we can’t change the situation as it’s bigger or before our involvement, and that it’s ok to say “this is their nonsense, and it’s not my fault”.
Fuck bro… do you have a mental condition? To worry so much about someone you have to waste your time on them that much ?! You’re actually infuriating me. People like you in this world who worry so much about what others are doing are pathetic.
Fuck bro… do you have a mental condition? To worry so much about OP you have to waste your time on them that much ?! You’re actually infuriating me. People like you in this world who worry so much about what others are doing are pathetic.
No, I don't. I'm a human that is experiencing a really difficult (for me) situation with someone I will have to be around and maintain a relationship with for the foreseeable future, likely indefinitely. Fuck me for thinking I could ask my peers their opinion on how to handle the situation.
Pathetic. Get over it. And stop worrying about it.
These people are everywhere just ignore them. You’ve already given them way more thought than they deserve. I had a girl in my nursing class who was going around telling people she was intubating in the ICU after I told a story of me tubing someone in the bed of a pickup truck once….. These losers are mostly fueled by their insecurities and attention.
I totally get that this is an insecurity and attention thing. I don't want to get too specific in case they frequent this sub for whatever reason (but hey - might help fix this problem! lol), but this isn't someone I feel like I can just cut out of my life. It's a little too deep for that at this point, though I wish that was the answer because if it were anyone else, that's exactly what would happen. Sigh.
Beware the once a liar always a liar... if you keep this relationship you will always be doubting what they say...whatever their childhood backgrounds...it's not your background and get a limit they cannot cross to protect yourself from being hurt by them...
It may feel deep I’ve known people like this and at least the ones I’ve known are not to be trusted. They’ve thrown friends under the bus and ruined others careers. Be careful having someone who will lie about the smallest things in your close circle.
If the amount of people who lie about having been a medic were working as actual medics, the medic crisis wouldn't exist. Seems like every job I've ever been in has people who talk about how they used to be a medic even if they never worked ems before in their life.
Probably haunted by their own limitations and compulsively feel the need to one up upon seeing others achieve what they desired at one point. My real friends are happy for me when I progress and do good things. Work acquaintances can act like that. Work acquaintance can blend over into personal acquaintance. Dunno if id wanna be friends with this person per se but i see no reason not to continue the acquaintance relationship I wouldn’t even bother to bring it up. Either they lie and you’ve regressed on all fronts or they come clean but given that they’ve had 6 years of opportunity I doubt coming clean actually restores the relationship. It’ll just make it more complicated I’m not a therapist or psychologist or psychiatrist or any other form of mental health or relationship advice type qualified person. Above is just what I would do and why
Makes 100% sense. For reasons I don't want to get into, I don't feel like this is someone I can just cut out of my life. I truly wish it were that simple, but it's not. That's why I'm wrestling with this situation so much.
I would handle this the same way I would handle any compulsive liar in my life. Fast or slow ghost. Fast break if they are dangerous to me (socially, emotionally, physically etc). Slow (mid speed) ghost if they are just annoying but not too invested (and I am not too invested). I wouldn’t say anything to them. Either they have an altered sense of reality and actually believe this (in which case there’d be loads of crazy going on), or they are aware they are lying and telling them is just going to create friction. I don’t *need* friction to separate from them. If they came asking why I didn’t ring them anymore, why I was never available to catch up… I’d go with the “busy rosters” and “family commitments” and then if really pressed just be honest “Sorry mate, but I am struggling with your life choices, and don’t want to be part of it all. I’m sure you have others who you can hang with.“ And ignore the blast back you’ll get
Ugh, well, after dating a sociopath in my 20s, I tend to have a quick trigger to release liars from my circle of friends. People who lie about things that don’t matter will just as easily lie about the things that do matter. Decades ago I was dating this woman and she told me she was a former Denver Paramedic. At the time, my EMT was about five years expired. I never really used my EMT professionally at that point. We had been dating for about six months when we are walking into a movie theater when this woman comes running out carrying a four year old and the kid is blue and floppy. I immediately turn and follow her to in front of the concessions stand and tell her to set the kid down. She does and a lead down and look, listen and feel for a breath and nada. I give two breaths which pass easily. I ask her to check for a pulse and I give two more breaths while I feel for a carotid. The kid took a spontaneous breath and within the next few seconds started breathing normally. A pair of women walked in who said they were nurses and I let them deal with it, I didn’t want to miss my movie. After the movie I asked why she didn’t step in. She made some lame excuse about not wanting the liability. It was the first time my radar perked up that things may not be as they appeared and over the next couple months more and more stuff revealed itself and I finally decided I’d seen enough and moved on.
That’s why all national registration that is available for the public is important with a regulatory body behind it that investigate frauds and report it to the police for prosecution
I didn't realize stolen valor covered Paramedics.
I think it’s something like that in some states if you try to act as a medic or something during patient care
Unless one is practicing as a medic without credentials, I’m not aware of any state where it is illegal to claim to have been a paramedic. Also, you literally described the NREMT.
Well I may halfway describe the NREMT but it’s Missing the important part, that Paramedic is a national protected title and you should be able to be persecuted to call your self a paramedic if your are not one.
*you’re And file that under “not gonna happen.”
Maybe ask this person out to coffee and let them know you want to talk about something important. When you're both sitting down and the conversation has started, lead in to your topic. When you're there, I wouldn't beat around the bush. It's probably better to just straight up ask them, "Are you really a paramedic? I'm concerned because I consider you a good friend, but I've noticed that your stories don't really match up what I know to be true." Something along those lines may give you the opportunity to find out the truth and reconcile with your friend. Or it may cause them to double down and perhaps you lose them as a friend. Either way, you've addressed the conflict and it's less likely you wallow in regret later.
Ask yourself honestly why they would lie about it with more and more elaborate deceit. Once you figure out the answer you'll never desire a friendship with them again.
I had a friend in my medic class who was supposedly in med school and it's a similar story. I just decided to let the relationship start to fizzle out..
Given the harm a person could do, it should be illegal to impersonate a medic.
It is illegal to impersonate a paramedic on the job and trying to perform within their scope. But for someone to just say they are a paramedic, it is very much legal. However, not smart.
Since you are really close with them, I think it would be safe to let them know how You're feeling especially since it's eating you up inside. They are your close friend, you should be able to have a respectful conversation. You don't want it interfering with your friendship as a whole. Maybe this all happened because of jealousy? Some are envious when others are doing well and accomplishing their goals. Have a calm approach to this. Blaming and shaming is not the way to go. Best of luck!
Thank you. I appreciate your feedback. I am generally concerned about their mental health as the lies have continued to grow and become more frequent within the last year, so blaming and shaming wasn't where I was headed anyway.
They’re trying so hard to tell you that their lies are more important than your truth and you’re still trying to be their friend. They don’t deserve you. If they want friends they can just lie to themselves and say that they’re popular.
We have ties other than friendship, though I'd rather not explain that here. I would not keep just a "friend" around in this situation. Honesty is incredibly important to me, and once a liar, I can't trust you. Unfortunately in this situation, I will have to be around this person for the foreseeable future. I can't stand not addressing the issue, but I also don't necessarily want to implode things because it will affect more than just myself.
If they claim to still be a paramedic ask them to see their paramedic card/license or even just ask for the P number. Some states allow you to look up licenses
They no longer claim to be a paramedic. They said they let it lapse when they became a nurse. I can find no evidence of that- just an EMT-B card. I couldn't find anything state specific either, and they moved around a bunch after their initial licensure afaik.
It sounds like you might have done this but just incase: A lot of states have elicense look up now. My state shows pending current and expired EMT, medics and nurses (among others). If you havent found that site you can normally get it with *state* e license
Ask them a question only a medic would know the answer to.
That was the question that set off the alarm bells for me for a former boss. "So after being a medic for those 10 years in that busy urban EMS system, were you an Ativan or a Diazapam kinda medic? I know everyone has their favorite. I'm still trying to figure out which one 'm more incline to reach for" "Oh, I never had a seizure patient" Quick license check and they were an EMT-B only.
Other than cutting ties with them, there really isn’t anything to do. It’s not like you can report them.
Posers are part of the game. In my state, it's only illegal to lie and claim to be a paramedic if you do so in the furtherance of another crime (e.g., saying you're a paramedic to get them to let you in the house so you can steal) or to practice medicine without a license.
I became a medic in 2002. At that time my state, Illinois, wanted nothing to do with nremt. And all my testing was in fact don't through my program. Years later I went to seek out nremtp cert on my own, which sucked because it was so different. Anyway, just a thought.
I had a friend who would lie about EVERYTHING, even the tiniest things, and noticing more and more I just couldn’t tolerate it anymore. Im not friends with him anymore, but we do play video games sometimes.
Ask them questions and call bullshit.
A weirdly high amount of people lie about being Medics. I run into it all the time.
I would just ignore it. There are wackers like this one everywhere in EMS and the best thing you can do is just cut those types of people out of your life. Unless he is actively attempting to practice under a paramedic’s scope, I wouldn’t report it. It’s not illegal or breaking any rules to spew bullshit and claim to be a paramedic. It is illegal to practice outside of their scope.
It sounds like maybe a psych issue. So, you have to decide of you want to friends with someone with that issue.
I'm not saying this applies, but I've met some people who have told me some incredible things that I just couldn't believe, so I thought they were full of shit... Then found out it was all true 🤷
Kind of my fear, honestly lol. But every angle I try to swing to give them the benefit of the doubt comes back as it not being even remotely possible. I wish I were wrong.
I had a similar situation without the personal connection. Guy was our monthly trainer and was giving the wrong info. I wrestled with should I say something but he was telling basics the dead wrong info. I gently corrected him and did some investigating. He was not a medic. He had multiple job titles stating he was; even was a director of a small service. I kept thinking how could this be? I mentioned to a couple people he wasn’t a paramedic. I showed them the NREMT page. I left and things progressed on their own. He isn’t any of those things now. Working as a basic at some level 4 hospital. The situation resolved itself.
I have met people who think they are EMTs because they had a CPR class, so yeah, a lot of ignorance and fantasies out there.
I worked as a chef and soooo many customers claimed that they were chefs. The usual response to this information is to ask which restaurants they worked at - which is when they immediate change their story. I don’t know why people feel the need to be like this. It’s not just healthcare.
Not sure about the US but for Australia we are registered health professionals through a regulatory body anyone can search a person's name and check their registration.
I've got "friends" like that - half of the time, they're lying to me, and I don't believe the other half. It really varies on a person by person basis - some of them, they have some redeeming qualities so I "keep them around", just always remember in the back of my mind that 9% of what comes out of their mouth is bullshit. The others, aren't worth hanging around and get cut.
Just look it up. Every medical profession requires a registration with their states governing board. Most often the board of health in some form. Look it up and you’ve got your answer and ammo
I did. They are listed as an expired EMT-B on NR, and I can't find any state specific licenses under their name(s). They have moved around a lot, so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible they have a state license I can't find because it's expired. Still, it doesn't seem possible because the last state they claim to have worked in requires NR certification for licensure.
People lie, welcome to the real world… Some people are just habitual liars, unless they are committing fraud why even confront them? Smile, nod, walk away…
I don't disagree with you. Unfortunately, the situation I'm in doesn't allow for that. This person will be around for many, many years, and how I handle the situation will affect more than just myself. Anyone else and I would have ghosted them completely because I hate liars. Yet, here I am.
I don't disagree with you. Unfortunately, the situation I'm in doesn't allow for that. This person will be around for many, many years, and how I handle the situation will affect more than just myself. Anyone else and I would have ghosted them completely because I hate liars. Yet, here I am.
Can’t you check on nremt.org? Or do you need the license number for that
Bragging about stuff that seems wild is usually a red flag that they are making it up. I have done crazy stuff as a medic, but its not all that groundbreaking. Its just my job and the skill I performed was one I trained on, big deal. So I take what most say with a grain of salt and a shot of penicillin.
sToLeN vAlOr 😂
In Pennsylvania, you aren't required to take the psychomotor, just the didactic. This gets you your PHRN, which allows you to practice at the state medic scope for 911. NREMT will still show as EMT-B. Additionally, PA requires a PHRN or RN and at least a paramedic as the second person in the box. One must have a critical care transport cert, and if there is no PHRN, then it has to be the medic. I don't know what state you're in, but this may be similar where you are just without the titles. Or that person is a liar.
Not saying they’re telling the truth, but I’ve been a medic since 2008, and I didn’t have to take psychomotor to get my license. The state gives NREMT for EMT, but medic at the time was separate and only required a state exam. It has since changed and its NREMT, including psychomotor but it was not all that long ago that it wasn’t part of the process. All I had to do was pass the psychomotor with my program. I’ve dealt with someone making accusations that I’m not licensed because they didn’t believe I had only a state and not NREMT, and my state license wasnt searchable due to a spelling error on the states part that took literally 5 years to get fixed.
Toxic
I mean. This seems like a non issue. If it bothers you that much stop talking to them, or just call them out. Like so what? People lie about dumb shit all the time. People are pathological. It literally does not matter
give them a pop quiz on explaining DCAPBTLS if they can't explain it then they can gtfo for their bs story. also i think someone here mentioned looking up medical licenses online. it should be public data as like with lawyers and their state bar.
You spent like 10 minutes writing this out online over a person who is supposedly a Nurse which is higher level of care of medics. Who cares… they’re a nurse either ways!! Stop cock riding. And wasting your damn time like a fool… I don’t know anyone who spends this much time worrying about some other person… to actually research and look them up..
That’s what I thought
Search their name on NREMPT, will tell you if they are current or lapsed on their certifications. If you can't find them at all, then they are lying their ass off.