When we think of EMS, we think of people who are there to provide medical care for those in need. For Tyre Nichols, this was not the case. The EMS workers who arrived as he was handcuffed, bloodied, and in pain did little to help. Research suggests that unconscious bias plays a role in the treatment of patients by EMS workers.

Was this why EMS workers neglected Tyre Nichols?

“The death of Tyre Nichols forces us to confront yet another moment where both those who have sworn to protect and those who have sworn to treat appear to have breached their duty,” wrote Donell Harvin, a homeland security and public health expert with EMS and law enforcement experience, in Politico.

For Christian Ventura, an EMT, it wasn’t surprising to see the EMT’s lack of empathy and action for Nichols. “I’ve seen it happen so many times,” Ventura said. “If it seems like we’re not treating someone as human, it’s because we’re not thinking of them as human.”

“Taken together, the high-pressure, resource-limited nature of EMS work, the field’s lack of diversity, and the reality of both racism and unconscious biases can all work together to the detriment of marginalized patients.” Experts discussed how vulnerable communities have been cautious of calling 911 long before Nichols’ death. “It would be ridiculous for me to say that now this is going to make people suspicious,” Ventura said. “They already are.”

Through the numerous stories of mistreatment by EMS told by minorities, we see the role racism, stereotypes, and bias play in medical care. These differences in treatment need to be addressed. Policy changes, increasing diversity in the EMS workforce, and practicing empathy are ways we can address these important issues.