For the medical professionals and first responders out there

[Allison Chaynes]

One of the concerns my wife has always had is, if I were to have something bad happen and had to go to the hospital, that medical professionals might see me dressed. I figure most of these folks are too busy trying to get patients stable to really worry, but for those of you who are in the medical/first responder fields, have you ever had CD patients, and if so, was there a lot of snickering afterward?

[Emogene]

Given the carnage that most First Responders and ER people have to deal with I suspect my wearing women's intimate apparel would be a nonstarter.

If it brought a little humor and comic relief to their lives, I'm good with that. Besides which, if my leg is hanging by a thread, a bit of personal embarassment on my part is also not really all that relevant.

Besides, its a long shot, enjoy your life!

Oh, yes, I rode an ambulance for ten years!

[whowhatwhen]

I think you're in luck.
As long as people keep slipping and falling on phallic shaped objects (million to one shot doc, million to one) then all of those pros will have much better stories to tell than finding someone dressed.

[Diana1469]

I worked ambulance in Hollywood and saw plenty of TS people. Yes, the subject caused a lot of comments when away from the patients but that was all. Medical professionals take great pride in remaining 'neutral' as far as the patient's care is concerned. Finding female attire on a male was not a big thing. Sometimes they were so passable that I had to ask the ER nurses to tell me the patient's gender for my paperwork after they undressed the patient! Medical/Trauma situations happen to everyone and people come in such a variety of sizes/shapes/WEIGHTS that we didn't have time to worry about the small stuff. Getting around bodyshaping undergarmets to place EKG patches was the main challenge especially if the patient was doing OK and cutting off the garmet really seemed extreme.

[PaulaQ]

If you have to be taken in an ambulance to the hospital, odds are, your garments or any comments made about such, are the least of your concerns. I'd also assume that after a few months on the job, they'll likely have seen just about everything imaginable, and quite a few things that aren't.

[Kalista Jameson]

While not a first responder, I have worked in an Emergency Department and a hospital setting since 1992, and I can answer that, because I was always observing reactions for this very thing, being a CD myself. The answer in short is, yes, there will be comments under the breath the moment you are brought in from the ambulance. In spite of HIPPA, you will be noticed and commented on, maybe not to your face, but from one clinical staff member to another, one security officer to another, one ER Registrar to another. Ambulance crew will share their find over coffee in the EMS room about you.

I've not heard any long drawn out discussions or anything overly derogatory, but mileage varies depending on the staff. Some could give a rip, others are idiots as you'd expect. Some stay quiet because of the HIPPA mandate and don't want to get caught in a conversation that could get them in trouble, so you don't know what they think. But make no mistake, you will be noticed. It's up to folks to care about that.

Cheers,

Kalista

[mikiSJ]

I have one friend and one acquaintance who are ER physicians and while they do offer up the occasional 1,000,000 to 1 impaling on a phallic shaped object that Corinne commented on, neither has ever mentioned, derogatorily, a CD/TG/TS person coming into the ER. I think they are professional enough to understand the embarrassment needs to be lessened to adequately treat the individual.

There were some issues last year at UC San Francisco regarding TS individuals, but I believe the hospital resolved the issue adequately. (UCSF is in San Francisco - sheeesh!)

[noeleena]

Hi,

I was with the St Johns ambo service . We have a job to do & as far as im concerned what i see remains with me as to those i worked with id say in the main the same applys , we are to busy to take note of what one is wearing ,

We see a person who needs help thats our main concern any one around us is part of our team , others who may be there we really are not interested in , to be looking them over & at what or who is wearing whatever,

Iv had to get a male out of a bath so yes we'v seen it all. starkers,

Iv had to wash & dress wounds major surgerys & the like, I think youll find we are pretty professional in what we do,, & i do try & put people at ease,

...noeleena...

[ShyMichelle]

I can say that I am A " Rapid Response Unit " non medical,, but have not come across any 'CD'. But being one myself, I would love too. Would be able to have a conversation with them. And will add, that I have always been worried about the same concern as well, and why I have too afraid to embrace it as I didnt want to get found out.

[Teddie]

My problem would be, that I live in the city that I use to be a Fire Fighter/EMT in and I know everyone, Police and Fire, by first name. Believe me, in my case, it would be all over the place. But, in general it would be talk over coffee, (and with the PD, donuts), and forgotten when the next run was made.

[BLUE ORCHID]

My problem would be, that I live in the city that I use to be a Fire Fighter/EMT in and I know everyone, Police and Fire, by first name. Believe me, in my case, it would be all over the place. But, in general it would be talk over coffee, (and with the PD, donuts), and forgotten when the next run was made.

I also know so many of our first responders too that is another thing to worry about now,
Thanks a lot, Actually it's kinda funny to think about that now.

[NicoleScott]

Yes, reading ambulance reports was part of my job. I often heard co-workers reading aloud amusing parts of reports for an office chuckle, but never with identifying information. Without such identifying information, this flies WAY under the HIPAA radar. (By the way, it's HIPAA, not HIPPA).

[Lorileah]

the OP asks for First responders and medical personnel to respond. While I am sure you all want to support those people, please only the people that the OP wold like to hear from should respond... thanks

[Kalista Jameson]

Yes, reading ambulance reports was part of my job. I often heard co-workers reading aloud amusing parts of reports for an office chuckle, but never with identifying information. Without such identifying information, this flies WAY under the HIPAA radar. (By the way, it's HIPAA, not HIPPA).

Lol, you are right. I was tired when I responded and misspelled. I always think hippos when HIPPA is mentioned, guess it affected my fingers on the keyboard.

Cheers,

Kalista

[NicoleScott]

I always think hippos when HIPPA is mentioned, guess it affected my fingers on the keyboard.

Commonly misspelled, even by attorneys and health care professionals. When HIPAA was about to be implemented, I was sent to a conference to learn about it. There, I was given all kinds of handouts (regs, forms, etc.) and a refrigerator magnet shaped and drawn like a hippo, saying something like "HIPAA is almost here!" That sure didn't help us learn the correct acronym.

[Fire-girl]

As a firefighter I can tell you that they may not say anything
At a scene but they will after back at the station.

[kimdl93]

I know several first responders and non of them would give a moments thought to how you might be dressed if they were trying to assist you. Believe me, they've seen everything you could imagine and then some.

[EmilyPith]

The EMS folks I work with will make sure you are safe, do their job, and keep you alive. Unless you have a something sticking out of you that shouldn't be (vegetable in nature for instance,) you may be worth a chuckle later, but no big whoop.

I've heard some whoppers BTW. People gotta learn to chew their food better!

[Barbara Jo]

While not a first responder, I have worked in an Emergency Department and a hospital setting since 1992, and I can answer that, because I was always observing reactions for this very thing, being a CD myself. The answer in short is, yes, there will be comments under the breath the moment you are brought in from the ambulance. In spite of HIPPA, you will be noticed and commented on, maybe not to your face, but from one clinical staff member to another, one security officer to another, one ER Registrar to another. Ambulance crew will share their find over coffee in the EMS room about you.

I've not heard any long drawn out discussions or anything overly derogatory, but mileage varies depending on the staff. Some could give a rip, others are idiots as you'd expect. Some stay quiet because of the HIPPA mandate and don't want to get caught in a conversation that could get them in trouble, so you don't know what they think. But make no mistake, you will be noticed. It's up to folks to care about that.

Cheers,

Kalista

It's a fact of life, of human nature that people talk about other people when they are not around..... we all do it.
So, we have to assume that a a male wearing female clothing will certainly prompt this .
If this is the worst they can say about you when you are not around, consider yourself lucky on this matter.

[NurseSamGG]

I'm a nurse practitioner and have been in nursing for over 15 yrs. I have worked in various areas. I've had a handful of patient's over the years who CDed. I actually just recently had an experience at my clinic with the most wonderful and graceful lady which I posted on. I've seen CDer's in the ER and to answer the OP we are way too busy half the time to even notice what is under a patient's clothing. We are either too busy cutting clothing items off to really even notice or think about what garments we've seen underneath or the patient is stable enough and changes into their hospital gown on there own so we never know. I did have one patient on the surgical unit I worked on years ago and she actually brought in her own satin gowns and robes to wear during her recovery, I did hear a few snickers, mostly from other patient's and visitors, as she walked around with unit with her IV pole and all. One male physician in particular was just a real a**hole in general made the comment as we were discussing the days discharges "Well we get to get rid of the freako today." I was a new baby nurse at the time just barely out of school and still somewhat timid, shocked the reporting room of my co-workers as I quickly blurted out "Well Dr. **** I had no idea that today was your last day on staff!" Then room fell silent as his face turned red and he looked at me in disgust and replied "Not me you idiot the patient in room ***," he then grabbed his charts up and slammed the report room door. As soon as the door shut my co-workers began to laugh, and one said " look at nurse Sam she finally grew a set!" LMAO. What I'm trying to get at here is there will be people everywhere who are closed minded and ignorant, and yes unfortunately some of these folks are in the medical field. However, for the most part in my experiences anyways many in the field truly care about people or trust me we wouldn't do what we do, and put up with what we put up with. So I would advise do what you want to do and if an unfortunate event should occur, god forbid, let it go and be yourself and focus on feeling better because for the most part the people that matter will accept you as a person and treat you as such.

Xoxo
Sam

[DianeDeBris]

. I was a new baby nurse at the time just barely out of school and still somewhat timid, shocked the reporting room of my co-workers as I quickly blurted out "Well Dr. **** I had no idea that today was your last day on staff!" Then room fell silent as his face turned red....

Wonderful - good on you!

[Stephanie-L]

I have been a nurse or nurse practioner for 25 years, and have cared for a number of CD TG or TS folks. Yes, you will be talked about. You will not be outed, You will get the same level of care everyone else would receive. Most of us have seen things the average person could not believe, so someone wearing clothing of the opposite gender, mildly interesting at most.......Stephanie

[Allison Chaynes]

Thanks for all of the responses. I would not allow the worry about how anyone in the medical field perceived it to deter me, as the way I look at it is, if they want to talk negatively, it's lawsuit time and they're smarter than that for the most part.... I hope!

NurseSamGG, my wife is also a nurse, which is why it came up. I don't think she has encountered any of us where she works, but apparently the nurses do get a little gossipy about how some of their patients act toward the nurses sometimes. She doesn't tell me anything that happens, so as to to violate HIPAA. She just wanted me to know that they do occasionally discuss how patients act toward the nurses and worried it could come up in another hospital. But I like how you responded!

[Beverley Sims]

I am not a medical first responder but I had to attend an incident at an entertainment venue once, some years ago.
Yes I am an emergency first responder.
There was a van parked with a male and female occupants in the back.
They were stuck together, and not with glue.
I was informed that the girls pelvis had dropped during intercourse and they had remained stuck together.
They were transported to hospital that way and separated there.
Both people were about eighteen years of age, in the days when age of consent was 21.

We wondered what the parents and friends would have thought, and the male being a well known local sportsman we felt the girl would gain notoriety also.
It was an unusual event and one story that circulated for some years.
It never made the press and all we could think was,

The ignominy of it all.

[sometimes_miss]

While not a first responder, I have worked in an Emergency Department and a hospital setting since 1992, and I can answer that, because I was always observing reactions for this very thing, being a CD myself. The answer in short is, yes, there will be comments under the breath the moment you are brought in from the ambulance. In spite of HIPPA, you will be noticed and commented on, maybe not to your face, but from one clinical staff member to another, one security officer to another, one ER Registrar to another. Ambulance crew will share their find over coffee in the EMS room about you.

I've not heard any long drawn out discussions or anything overly derogatory, but mileage varies depending on the staff. Some could give a rip, others are idiots as you'd expect. Some stay quiet because of the HIPPA mandate and don't want to get caught in a conversation that could get them in trouble, so you don't know what they think. But make no mistake, you will be noticed. It's up to folks to care about that.

Cheers,

Kalista

^this. I'm now going on, what, 40+ years in the e.r., and while we won't let any personal feeling stop us from saving your feminized butt (or any other part of your body), but chances are that there are always a few people that will find it interesting to talk about it after the fact. hipaa laws can't stop human nature, some just love to gossip. The important thing is you're unlikely to run into anyone who will let their personal thoughts about crossdressing interfere with their work. Sure, there will occasionally be some news article about a trans gender person not getting the service that they want, but that's a rarity these days.

The real danger is in this age of electronic documents, a comment might wind up in your permanent medical records referring to your crossdressing, and a huge number of people have access to that information. Every hospital I've worked in, I've had full access to ALL the medical record's notations, not just on my patients, but any that have ever been in my hospital (we sometimes need to get more information about a potential patient that is on the way in but is not currently registered, so we have complete access). No, I'd never abuse that power, but there are always some that might.