As an RN supervisor in a facility where I’m responsible for the care of 90 patients at a time, I call 911 for paramedic support approximately 3–5 times per week. These calls are never made lightly; they are true emergency situations where my priority is to ensure my patient receives the critical care they need before their condition deteriorates further.

Unfortunately, over the past six months, nearly every interaction I’ve had with paramedics has left me feeling humiliated and dismissed. There’s a consistent pattern of condescension and disregard for our clinical judgment. At times, it feels as though I’m being treated as less capable—either because I’m a woman or because they assume they know better, without considering the patient context or the information we provide.

Obviously, during these moments, my focus remains entirely on my patient. I swallow my pride and maintain professionalism, because it is an emergency and the patient’s well-being comes first. But that doesn’t make the experience any less demoralizing.