Have you ever found yourself being too critical when on the other side?

[Pittsburgh77]

[Did a search, and read a few threads already but I need some current answers]

Lastnight I had to call for a unit to come to my house because my grandfather was hypoglycemic. He was at 41, and didn't improve after drinking sweet tea & eating a Clarks Bar. He tyically ranges from 200-380 and is fine with his sliding scale of insulin. He was cool/clammy and very confused to person/time/event. So after about 20 minutes, I decided to call into my station and asked my supervisor to send a unit in.

I found myself being overly critical on:
-The response time, considering my house is less than 3/4 of a mile from our substation. [Reponse time was about 9 minutes from the time I called]
-The medics assessment after I gave her a complete run down when I met them at the crub.
-Her IV start skills and her choice of cath. [20g]
-And the fact she didn't hook him up to the monitor, when I personally carried it in and requested a quick 3lead due to his previous heart conditions.

I didn't mention anything, or try to "work the call." I was just standing back and letting her do her thing.


So I just wanted to see how other forum members are when they have been on the other side of the call. [If you were the pt. or a family member/close friend]

Thanks.

 

[Veneficus]

[Did a search, and read a few threads already but I need some current answers]

Lastnight I had to call for a unit to come to my house because my grandfather was hypoglycemic. He was at 41, and didn't improve after drinking sweet tea & eating a Clarks Bar. He tyically ranges from 200-380 and is fine with his sliding scale of insulin. He was cool/clammy and very confused to person/time/event. So after about 20 minutes, I decided to call into my station and asked my supervisor to send a unit in.

I found myself being overly critical on:
-The response time, considering my house is less than 3/4 of a mile from our substation. [Reponse time was about 9 minutes from the time I called]
-The medics assessment after I gave her a complete run down when I met them at the crub.
-Her IV start skills and her choice of cath. [20g]
-And the fact she didn't hook him up to the monitor, when I personally carried it in and requested a quick 3lead due to his previous heart conditions.

I didn't mention anything, or try to "work the call." I was just standing back and letting her do her thing.


So I just wanted to see how other forum members are when they have been on the other side of the call. [If you were the pt. or a family member/close friend]

Thanks.

I was at my grandmother's house once when family had to call the squad for her. Since I figured that nothing they could do would ever meet my standards even before they got there, when they arrived I politely excused myself to start driving to the hospital while they did their thing.

I was sick enough to go to the ED I worked at once due to the delay in getting a PCP appointment. I didn't think 22 days was reasonable, and I wanted to be well enough to go to work 2 days later.

The staff were on eggshells to begin with and before even getting an examination, the doc asked me what I wanted.

I got to spend the night after I busted my face on the sink trying to get up and walk to the restroom after 25mg of promethazine.

I make a very bad patient.

 

[Aidey]

[Did a search, and read a few threads already but I need some current answers]

Lastnight I had to call for a unit to come to my house because my grandfather was hypoglycemic. He was at 41, and didn't improve after drinking sweet tea & eating a Clarks Bar. He tyically ranges from 200-380 and is fine with his sliding scale of insulin. He was cool/clammy and very confused to person/time/event. So after about 20 minutes, I decided to call into my station and asked my supervisor to send a unit in.

I found myself being overly critical on:
-The response time, considering my house is less than 3/4 of a mile from our substation. [Reponse time was about 9 minutes from the time I called]
-The medics assessment after I gave her a complete run down when I met them at the crub.
-Her IV start skills and her choice of cath. [20g]
-And the fact she didn't hook him up to the monitor, when I personally carried it in and requested a quick 3lead due to his previous heart conditions.

I didn't mention anything, or try to "work the call." I was just standing back and letting her do her thing.


So I just wanted to see how other forum members are when they have been on the other side of the call. [If you were the pt. or a family member/close friend]

Thanks.

1. Was it called in as a "Hey, if you've got a unit available can you send them my way?" or as a 911 call?

2. What about her assessment? That she did one or didn't do one?

3. What was the issue?

4. Just out of curiosity, why?


I've been a patient way more than I would like...4 ER visits in the last 2 years. 2 were work related incidents, and 2 were because I developed pancreatitis from gallstones. I've never had a problem with care beyond things like wait times, which I don't really blame the staff for.

The one thing I have noticed is that I tend to be aggressive when it comes to meds and test results. Why this dose and not that one, or why this med instead of that one, and I like to know the actual numbers not just "oh it was fine".

 

[LucidResq]

I was pretty much the nicest patient ever last time I had to go to the ED. When I found myself being too timid to bother the nurse for a blanket even though it was a slow night... I realized I was being silly. I also tend to clean up exam rooms after doctor's appointments out of habit. You know... get rid of the exam table paper and gown and stuff.

The one thing I have noticed is that I tend to be aggressive when it comes to meds and test results. Why this dose and not that one, or why this med instead of that one, and I like to know the actual numbers not just "oh it was fine".

I can be the same way. Not because I don't trust them... mostly because I'm curious.

I can be a mean dental patient though. Sorry, when you're sticking needles in my gums and drilling holes in my teeth... you're not just going to give me local... you're gonna give me nitrous dammit and you better not skimp on it.

 

[Pittsburgh77]

1. Was it called in as a "Hey, if you've got a unit available can you send them my way?" or as a 911 call?
-As stated in my post, I called the station and spoke to my supervisor. Referring to the place I work at.

2. What about her assessment? That she did one or didn't do one?
-I felt I gave her a solid assessment, with vitals obtained 2 minutes before she made contact. So I had a problem with the one she did, because I felt she was wasting time when all she really needed to do was gain IV access and administer dextrose.

3. What was the issue?
-Seequestions 2.

4. Just out of curiosity, why?
-Why was I being critical? I'm not sure, I think I was just comparing things the way I would have handled it.

But this post wasn't about how I reacted/thought of the situation, this post was asking others how they feel when they have other people tending to them/their family members.

 

[adamjh3]

But this post wasn't about how I reacted/thought of the situation, this post was asking others how they feel when they have other people tending to them/their family members.

When I get on scene, regardless of how competent the other off-duty provider is, and how much I trust them, I'm going to do my own assessment.



But, to answer your original question, my mom activated 911 for my pops just last week. An engine and an ambulance showed up, so there were six medics on scene, I just stayed back and used it as a learning experience since I'm still pretty new to the game.

 

[abckidsmom]

I once had a UTI so bad that, combined with my childcare problems, the only solution was an ambulance to get to the hospital. Yep, I'm the one who called for a UTI. Turned out to be pyelonephritis, and I was surprise pregnant at the same time, but still.

It was awful. I knew them, they were precepting a new guy, and they just ended up giving me phenergan and let me sleep off the trip to the er.

I get your deal, and it's hard. I like Vene's technique of just leaving. If the main reason for the ambulance is a ride, and there's not much they're likely to screw up permanently, I think I'll just vacate next time too.

ETA: You got a casual response because you made a casual call. It's always quicker to go through the proper channels (911) than to make a back-door call.

 

[Aidey]

But this post wasn't about how I reacted/thought of the situation, this post was asking others how they feel when they have other people tending to them/their family members.

I have no way of knowing if your supervisor kicked it through the 911 system. Where I work even if you call the agency directly it can still get kicked to the 911 system because of our contract. I agree with ABC, when you call casually like that, I wouldn't expect the same response time as if you had called 911.

The thing is, when someone is being critical I feel it is important to establish what they were being critical of. There is a difference between being unhappy EMS took 5 attempts to get an IV, and being unhappy becuase they used a 20g.

Now, I have to admit some confusion. You are irritated she "wasted time" doing an assessment, but on the other hand you are irritated she didn't do a 3 lead? I was also curious why you wanted a 3 lead on a hypoglycemic patient. Not to be critical of you, but when you pick up a patient from a facility for a transfer you do your own assessment, right? Yes, she is your co-worker, but I still can't blame her for doing her job. When you think about it, how often do you double check your own partner's findings? I bet everyone here does that sometimes.

I think that anyone with any medical education is automatically more critical when on the consumer side. I think it is important to realize that just becuase something isn't the way you (collective you) would have done it doesn't mean it is bad. I know that personally phlebotomists drive me bat sh*t nuts, but I can't blame them for the system.

 

[CAOX3]

Im pretty laid back as a patient or when a loved one is involved to a point.

I understand there are hundred ways to get where your going as a povider, Im not as concerned the way you get there as long as you do.

 

[emtchick171]

I believe we have a tendency as healthcare professionals to over analyze, or be much more timid than the normal person would be when it is ourselves or our family.


I went to the ER...I was fine with how everything went. However, when my uncle called me and said "the ambulance is on the way to get your grandma" I ended up beating the ambulance to her house...when I got there she was cool, diaphretic, having extreme chest pains, and couldn't hardly breathe. The fire dept. paramedic showed up first, then the engine company, and then the ambulance...everyone working the scene knew me really well and I don't know if that's what made the difference, but they spent no wasted time...had her on the heart monitor, IV established and en route to the hospital within 5 minutes of arriving on scene. I was pleased with how everything happened.

 

[MMiz]

Medics make the worst patients, just like as a teacher I dislike having to deal with parents who are teachers. For both careers, they're the most demanding, the least appreciative, and expect as though their little snowflake is your only priority.

As someone who has needed an ambulance, and been to the hospital, I try my hardest to separate my profession from my needs. I let others do their job, and am appreciative of the service they provide.

 

[goodgrief]

I ban myself from the hospital when family is invovled because I am just that a terrible terrible back seat EMT. I question everything and trust no one.

With that being said, I was recently asked to go our local ER for two of my friend's grandmothers. Both times there were serious problems with the care they were receiving and both times I called the nurse on the carpet for giving bad care, At one point I was asked to leave and I told the nurse that I would leave when she was removed as the patient's nurse. (It was a bad bad bad situation). She told me you arent family (my friend is greek and Im white redhead irish) I told her to prove it.

Funny enough it was at the same hospital.


BTW I am not anti nurse.

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

As others have stated, I feel that its best to leave them to their job entirely. You can be an informative bystander (meds, hx, etc.) if the patient can't provide it on their own, but other than that its best to let them do their job.

Everyone has their own routine for running calls, let them have their routine, let them get their own set of vitals and do their own assessment.

I like Vene's choice.