# Top 20 frivolous Calls



## 46Young (Mar 12, 2012)

I was wondering if we could establish a top 10 or top 20 frivolous calls in EMS.

I'll start: 

Last week, we were toned out at 0230 for the male in a BMW c/o being cold and wants to be checked out, literally one block from the station. U/A, the male was in the back seat. My partner and the cops approached him. The pt said that he had been drinking at the corner bar, wanted to sleep it off, and wanted a blanket. Then he got belligerent with the cops and my partner, who actually gave him a blanket (I wouldn't have). Then we left him with PD.

As luck would have it, the pt was still in the car as I was leaving the station, and there was a cop up the block doing a speed trap. I told the cop the story, and told him that he shouldn't let the guy drive. The cop told me thanks, and then backed up to the car, got out, and gave the guy a hard time. That was too perfect. If the guy wasn't nasty to my partner and the cops, I probably wouldn't have taken it that far.


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## Shishkabob (Mar 12, 2012)

Recently?

The middle aged female who called because she had a Pringles crumb stuck between her tooth and gum for 9 hours.


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## Veneficus (Mar 12, 2012)

*I'm in*

I think my best was being called for "vomiting blood"

My partner and I arrived to find a man who came home late drunk and his live in girlfriend pissed at him for missing the dinner she made to surprise him. (pasta and red sauce)

Apparently he vomited after hastily trying to consume it to placate her.
(Which only made matters worse for him)

So needing help he called 911 at 0' dark thirty. (I don't remember the time, but it was after last call)

As he walked to the ambulance to be transported, he moaned to his girlfriend he might be dying and please be with him in the hospital.

Once inside the box, he motioned to my partner, who was driving, and asked "How do I get a girl like that?"

To which I could only reply: "first you have to graduate highschool."

He gave a defeated sigh and muttered "damn, that always gets me."

At the hospital he was walked in and triaged to the waiting room.


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## Epi-do (Mar 12, 2012)

Let's see....  There's always the "I ran out of my prescription and need a refill."  Those people always want to go to the county hospital so they can walk over to the clinic and go to the pharmacy once they are dropped off at the ED.  And of course, my personal favorite - "I smoked some weed and now I feel funny."


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## DesertMedic66 (Mar 12, 2012)

32 y/o perfectly healthy female calls 911. Fire and ambulance get there at the same time. Patient wants her b/p and BGL tested. She has no medical history of HTN or Diabetes and does not have any kind of complaint today :glare:


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## Medic Tim (Mar 12, 2012)

Getting the weekly weekend calls to the police station for pts who think they will not go to jail if an ambulance is called. The most common one I see is ppl claiming to be diabetic when they arent. then freaking out when they realize their plan isnt working.


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## JDub (Mar 12, 2012)

I was riding with my local volunteer squad one day and we got toned out for a hemorrhage in the next town over. When we arrive we find a middle aged female who had recently undergone a surgical procedure and wanted some more 4x4s and transpore tape to cover her perfectly fine and not bleeding incision, so she didn't have to go to the store to get some. She said if we didn't have any that we could just take her to the hospital and she could get some there.


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## Niccigsu (Mar 12, 2012)

1st ride along got a call for mvc. Arrived on scene to see no damage to the car. We transported 2 passengers who couldnt keep straight what was actually hurting.  

2nd ride along the other day got a call for child hit by a car. Get to the scene and it turns out the child ran into the side of a stopped car and wasn't actually hurt. Didnt transport this 1.

Same day we get a call to treat a pt stating she was pepper sprayed. Get to the scene and she had clearly not been peppered sprayed. I go to flush her eyes anyway with saline and she complains that burns more than the pepper spray. Turns out she had stolen a car and got caught and thought if EMS came she wouldn't have to go to jail.


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## Sasha (Mar 12, 2012)

I feel sorry for the cop who ran this call... but we did a psych transfer for a guy who jumped in a lake, walked out, jumped in again, walked out, jumped in one more time, walked out and called the police.

When he was asked why... He told them the doctors told him he had a terminal illness and that made him sad so he wanted to die.

Wtf.

You're sad because you're dying but let's speed up the process.

For someone who jumped into a lake three times he stunk to high heaven.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 12, 2012)

Patients with a documented history of seizure disorder who are non-compliant with their meds then we get called when they have a seizure...


Drunk bums who are too drunk to go to the tank. 

The guy who tripped over the curb and got a bit of road rash on his hand today and was standing on the street corner smiling and waving as we pull up and asks for a bandaid and turns and walks away...after we and the FD came code 3 through downtown during rush hour.


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## Shishkabob (Mar 12, 2012)

2 weeks ago, got called for someone bit on their leg by an insect, hours before.  No complaints aside from minor redness and a raised bump.



Known system abuser.  Didn't transport.


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## Epi-do (Mar 13, 2012)

Some other things I have been called for:

"I need help getting into bed and no one here will help me."  (Three other able bodied adults were in the house.)
"We just wanted to know what the roads are like before we drive the baby to the doctor."
"I am not sure how to fill this out.  What do I do with this form the police officer gave me?"  (Six hours after the MVC, and referring to the mandatory proof of insurance form Indiana requires every driver to file after and accident.)


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 13, 2012)

Epi-do said:


> Some other things I have been called for:
> 
> "I need help getting into bed and no one here will help me."  (Three other able bodied adults were in the house.)
> *"We just wanted to know what the roads are like before we drive the baby to the doctor."
> [*]"I am not sure how to fill this out.  What do I do with this form the police officer gave me?" * (Six hours after the MVC, and referring to the mandatory proof of insurance form Indiana requires every driver to file after and accident.)



I would not hesitate to get PD involved in either of the two highlighted options.

For #2 they are going to get a strong tongue-lashing from myself and a PD officer if one was readily available. I wouldn't hesitate to talk to a cop about 911 abuse formal warning being issued either. Don't endanger my life, my partner's life and all the other drivers' lives on the road while we run code 3 for a call like this. 

#3 That's a police or DOT issue. Not my problem or job. PD can deal with it.


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## firetender (Mar 13, 2012)

*If memory serves...*

My all-time favorite went pretty much like this:

Called to a motor vehicle accident at an intersection. Clearly no more than a fender bender. Car #1, everyone inside, calm, but a little shook, no signs of injury. Outside of Car #2 (driver's door open), a woman is in the street, bending over, howling in pain, "My neck...my back...my NECK!!" She goes to her knees. On my approach I look into the car to see if there's anyone else. Nope, no one, but sitting on the back seat was an uncovered, unwrapped flat of 18, undamaged, untouched, perfectly aligned, raw EGGS!

I think it was the first time "I" refused transport!


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## mycrofft (Mar 13, 2012)

There can be a fine and blurry line between infuriating and frivolous. That line may actually be imaginary. There are dozens of headstones erected annually saying "I told you I was sick", especially regarding inebriated, incarcerated, stupid and stinky people.


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## johnrsemt (Mar 13, 2012)

Severe pancreatitis patient; who when he drinks it causes severe upper abd pain,  into the chest.

   He drank and called 911 over 400 times in 1 year


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## Shishkabob (Mar 13, 2012)

Just got sent on a call where the only complaint was insomnia starting last night....


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## MedicBender (Mar 13, 2012)

Top 2 off the top of my head would be...

Toned out at 0030 during a snow storm for a woman experiencing toe pain. Her big toe had hurt for 3 weeks. She had stubbed it in the bathroom. Rated pain 2/10. Decided midnight in a snow storm was the best time to go. She ended up being transported in our utility truck because our ambulance was stuck in the snow. 

Second would be a call at 0500, called for a guy who drank 3 beers the night before and now felt "slightly nauseous". Turfed to BLS.


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## WolfmanHarris (Mar 13, 2012)

This won't make any sense, but don't worry it didn't at the time.

Picture the middle of a heat wave, one of the hottest, sunniest days of the year. Called Code 3 (Non L&S), can't remember the chief complaint, PD also attending.

Arrive at the address and waved down by a lady ~60 y/o old, outside the residence and across the street. Pull up and roll down the window. (From here I'll try to remember as much of the dialogue as possible.)

Me: Are we here for you Ma'am.

Pt.: Can you take me to M---- (nearby town; I'm thinking the hospital there)?

Me: What seems to be the problem ma'am?

Pt.: I need to go to M-----.

Me: (Now out of the vehicle with partner) Okay, we can't take you to any hospital without knowing what's going on. Do you have a problem?

Pt.: I need to get to M----. How am I going to get there?

Me: I'm not a taxi or a bus ma'am, I'm happy to take you to receive medical care, but we will not be transporting to M--- Hospital, we will be going to S---- Hospital (another town and our closest transport from here). I need to know what the problem is though.

Police are now on scene at this point. Pt. begins rambling about anything and everything, can't remember exactly what but kept bouncing back to going to M----l.

Finally the cop reaches into his pocket and gives her $3.00. 

Cop: Ma'am this will pay for your bus ticket and can get you there.

Pt. takes it and continues to ramble for a few minutes. All of us are now drenched in sweat. Pt. seems disinclined to leave.

Cop: Are you going on the bus or what?

Pt.: I was going to go get a sandwich.

Cop: Then I want my $3.00 back.

Pt. hands it back and now says she lives with people who steal from her and do drugs and that "Larry" was threatening to kill her. We continue to talk with her and two officers head to the house to investigate. Rambling continues. Sweating continues.

Me: (Looking to end this) Ma'am, would you like to go to the hospital, cool down and maybe discuss these issues with someone? They might be able to offer you some solutions we can't. Maybe help you get around town better or find another place to live? (I'm laying it on real thick despite my mounting frustration and heat exhaustion.)

Pt.: *Looks at me like I've grown a second head, returned to rambling*

Police come back and say the house is empty and that it doesn't look like anyone else lives there or has.

Cop: Ma'am, your house is empty and safe to go back into. It's time to go relax and cool down.

Pt. continues to ramble about "Larry"

Cop: Go Home.

Pt. relents and starts walking into her house, stops at a couch on the front lawn turns to us.

Pt: Who will get rid of this?

Me: I don't know. Not us. Not my problem. Have a nice day.

I have never cleared a scene to get back to base and be second up so fast. I couldn't oblige seeing her again that day and I knew a call back was coming.


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## MedicBrew (Mar 13, 2012)

Linuss said:


> Just got sent on a call where the only complaint was insomnia starting last night....



:rofl: i ran on her last night!!!!

For some reason she had issue with it at 0400.. 

I know I did...


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## saskgirl (Mar 13, 2012)

Called out for a 24 y/o f complaining of having a miscarriage. Doing my assessment and asked how far along in the pregnancy she was, she said she was 2 weeks but she hadn't done a test yet, she just knows.
So then I asked her how many pads she's soaked and she told me "oh just one in about 8 hours"
Apparently it was a relationship going down the tubes and she decided she was pregnant to keep her boyfriend... gotta love it


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## Veneficus (Mar 13, 2012)

NVRob said:


> Don't endanger my life, my partner's life and all the other drivers' lives on the road while we run code 3 for a call like this. .



Just to point out, driving with lights and sirens does not mean you have to go too fast for conditions. It does not mean that you have to proceed through a red light, it doesn't require you to drive left of center or the opposite way down a one way street.

Because a person calls 911 does not mean it is safe, prudent, or beneficial to respond in an emergent manner, particularly in adverse driving conditions.

If you do, it is you who puts your life at risk, not the caller.


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## Aidey (Mar 13, 2012)

firetender said:


> My all-time favorite went pretty much like this:
> 
> Called to a motor vehicle accident at an intersection. Clearly no more than a fender bender. Car #1, everyone inside, calm, but a little shook, no signs of injury. Outside of Car #2 (driver's door open), a woman is in the street, bending over, howling in pain, "My neck...my back...my NECK!!" She goes to her knees. On my approach I look into the car to see if there's anyone else. Nope, no one, but sitting on the back seat was an uncovered, unwrapped flat of 18, undamaged, untouched, perfectly aligned, raw EGGS!
> 
> I think it was the first time "I" refused transport!



I believe that is referred to as "my neck, my back, my new Cadillac."


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## ATrain (Mar 16, 2012)

Had one just today, actually.  Elderly female calls and says she fell.  We get there, she's sitting in her recliner, feet propped up, comfy as can be.  Says she fell a week prior, but probably needs to go to a nursing home because it still hurt.  She also told us they gave her a brace to wear, but it made her leg too hot, so she would rather be in the nursing home.


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## johnrsemt (Mar 19, 2012)

Stupid call I wasn't on, but heard dispatched and listened to report from scene.  And it was stupid due to dispatch not the caller

  During a snowstorm after an ice storm:  engine and medic was dispatched to an intersection to investigate a slippery substance.    When they marked on scene and engine slid halfway through the intersection they reported to dispatch that the slippery substance was snow on top of ice.   dispatch replied that it was the caller thought it was but dispatch wanted to make sure.


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## adamjh3 (Mar 19, 2012)

Just yesterday, dispatched to a board and care on the opposite side of the county at 0200 for "infected leg"

We arrive on scene to find a 24Yo male, Hx of profound mental retardation and spastic quadriplegia, among a myriad of other issues. The nurse tells us he returned home from a field trip about eight hours prior with a laceration on his left lower leg they think it's infected. They have it dressed with gauze and triple antibiotic ointment. We pull that off to see a 1cm lac. About 0.25cm deep, no active hemorrhage, scabbing is forming with good color. 

I suggest they follow up with his PCP, that this doesn't really require the emergency room. They're insistent, we take him anyway. 

We were only halfway back to the station when we got dispatched to take him back home.


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## SoCal911 (Mar 19, 2012)

Last I checked they're RN's and doctors on site at an SNF, why does everything stupid go by ambulance, they should be able to "evaluate" the bs on their own.


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## Pavehawk (Mar 19, 2012)

Many times the nurse calls the covering MD and "paints a picture" and not always an acurate one. The Doc, who may or may not know the patient and all the complex history decides that "paid for transport and ER visit" trumps law suit, so frequently says's "Well Nurse Rachett, if you think it should be seen I will agree..."  

Which Nurse Rachett then translates into "Doctor Demento wants 123B to get seen at the ER... Ill be doing the chart, Margie can you pass meds for me please...."


And so another patient who doesn't need it is transported to the hospital for CYA. Health care at its finest!


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## adamjh3 (Mar 19, 2012)

Pavehawk said:


> Many times the nurse calls the covering MD and "paints a picture" and not always an acurate one. The Doc, who may or may not know the patient and all the complex history decides that "paid for transport and ER visit" trumps law suit, so frequently says's "Well Nurse Rachett, if you think it should be seen I will agree..."
> 
> Which Nurse Rachett then translates into "Doctor Demento wants 123B to get seen at the ER... Ill be doing the chart, Margie can you pass meds for me please...."
> 
> ...



This is also why you get dispatched for "low O2 sats" and get on scene to find your patient satting at 77% on a NRB... At 3lpm. Because "that what da docta orda"


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## shfd739 (Mar 19, 2012)

adamjh3 said:


> _"that what da docta orda_"



I laughed so hard at this part.

So scarily true.


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## EMTHokie (Mar 19, 2012)

adamjh3 said:


> This is also why you get dispatched for "low O2 sats" and get on scene to find your patient satting at 77% on a NRB... At 3lpm. Because "that what da docta orda"



Got dispatched to a nursing home for trouble breathing. 94 year old man on a non-rebreather with the tank CLOSED.  Yeeeeah...no wonder he was having trouble breathing.


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## jkrewko (Mar 20, 2012)

hahaha went to a nursing home for a sob. nurse states " i cant get her stats past 88% " pt is on nrb 2lpm. i pulled it off the pt. she says " ahh i feel better now thank you "

the nurse is my general managers sister in law so i bit my tongue

gotta love it


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## docmoods (Mar 21, 2012)

Ok, figured you'd all like this one a bit sorry its long winded but its worth a read...

0300 Hours dispatched to one of the local gas stations for an unknown. 
Arrived to find an elderly female sitting on the ground in a t-shirt and undies she reported that she was abducted from her home and was thrown out of the car into the gas station parking lot. She had no complaints, was completely oriented, and did not want our services. In an effort to keep her warm because it was around 50 outside and she was in her panties witch i did not want to see, we asked if she would like to sit in our ambulance while my partner got a good assessment and we could figure out what was going on. She declined and we gave her several warm blankets. I then spoke to several township police officers that were inside the gas station convienience store to see what they were going to do about the lady seeing as she was refusing EMS services and they pointed to the stores servalience camera screen where they were playing back the video of her running down the street from her home (witch was also in view of the camera) like a chicken then procieded to fall and strike her head on the pavement. PD went to her house where they woke up her husband who was oblivious of the situation after having more then a few too many that night. He said he would come get her and put her to bed. PD came back when at that point he decided to lay down on the couch and pass out. So PD stated that due to the fact her husband was sloshed and she needed to be watched for the night we had to transport her to the ER. So as they advised the pt. of this she was rather unhappy and wanted the police to arrest the drug dealer that lived next door to her and leave her alone. She repeated this the entire way to the ER. At the ER the triage nurse asked her what her chief complaint was. We had just transported a naked, pissed, elderly female for I WANT THEM TO ARREST THAT WOMAN. FML...

:glare:
-Moods


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## Kidquick (Mar 21, 2012)

Some quick ones off the top of my head from the last few months:

- 20 y/o male who "ate too much."

- A girl who stubbed her little toe while dancing in her living room

- 10 y/o scratched by a cat


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## ATrain (Mar 23, 2012)

EMTHokie said:


> Got dispatched to a nursing home for trouble breathing. 94 year old man on a non-rebreather with the tank CLOSED.  Yeeeeah...no wonder he was having trouble breathing.



Thats pretty bad..  

Worst I saw was at an assisted living facility.  84 y/o male woke up with SOB in the middle of the night.  We show up, and he has 3 canulas (canulae?) stuffed into his nose, each running to a different tank set on 6 LPM.  

Turns out all that happened was he turned over in his sleep and clamped his own canula tube off, but those CNAs were bound and determined to get that man some oxygen.


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## DitchDoctor44289 (Mar 24, 2012)

Ringing in the ears. Psych patient was sitting in her room wearing a bluetooth. Her mom was calling to check on her.


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## SoCal911 (Mar 24, 2012)

Family members calling 911 for no reason because they think the patient is weak or something... However the patient has no complaint...happens at least twice a day.


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## DitchDoctor44289 (Mar 24, 2012)

Dr office calling because they have a sick patient. Happens all the time.


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## DitchDoctor44289 (Mar 24, 2012)

And this Dr office calling is located 100yards accross from the ER.


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## bw2529 (Mar 25, 2012)

Had an old lady recently who slept on her arm and called us early in the morning because it was numb.

At least she was nice.


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## Anjel (Mar 25, 2012)

bw2529 said:


> Had an old lady recently who slept on her arm and called us early in the morning because it was numb.
> 
> At least she was nice.



I had that same call.


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## medic66 (Mar 30, 2012)

Working 911 in Humble, Texas a man called because his wife wouldn't fix him what he wanted for dinner. No joke! And we transported him to Ed. Later I found out he was fed and transported back home by a private service.


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## Shishkabob (Mar 30, 2012)

What was he transported for?

I would have called PD and a supervisor...


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## medic66 (Mar 31, 2012)

Unfortunately...he wanted to go to er. That's all it takes! Another ridiculous call was to put leads on a man that was found in a parked car...middle of summer, with pulsating blisters, eyes wide open and obviously dead. I could smell decomposition 20 ft away. Just a waste of resources


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## flhtci01 (Apr 23, 2012)

Called for a 17y/o with fractured arm.  UA he was standing on curb waiting for us.  He had been wrestling with friends and wanted a ride to the ER.  It was less than a block away and we could see the ER entrance from where we were standing.  He could have walked there in the amount of time it took us to respond.


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## truetiger (Apr 24, 2012)

I hate getting calls for intoxicated subjects. Show up on scene and these people are not injured, just drunk. The cops will give the person the choice going with them or going with us.


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## Medic2409 (Apr 25, 2012)

Mid 20's female, talking on phone, hand holding phone became numb while holding it to her ear, numbness traveled to elbow, and then to shoulder, all while conversing on phone.

Elderly gentleman sent out due to "abdominal spasms upon expiration."  Otherwise known as hiccups.

0300, slightly elderly female in an apartment complex, met us at the door, c/c?  "I itch down there."


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## EMDispatch (May 3, 2012)

I heard about these from coworkers, but didn't believe it till I got one:

Disp: "911, do you need police, fire, or ambulance?"
Caller: "All of them of them. There's an accident at *******."
Disp: "Yes Mam we're aware of the accident and have emergency crews on scene (for over 5 minutes)."
Caller: "Oh I saw the firetruck, I just wanted to make sure you knew about it."


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## EMSrush (May 4, 2012)

Call for blurred vision... (I lost my glasses and want new ones at the ED)

Call for ear pain... (I've got wax in my ears and don't like the way it looks)

Call for a fall... (2 weeks ago, just want to get checked out to be safe)

Call for a psych at a SNF... (When no one is looking, Pt looks at me, winks and says, "I'm just putting them on. I'm fine. I just wanted to go for a ride.")

REALLY!?!???


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## RocketMedic (May 4, 2012)

jkrewko said:


> hahaha went to a nursing home for a sob. nurse states " i cant get her stats past 88% " pt is on nrb 2lpm. i pulled it off the pt. she says " ahh i feel better now thank you "
> 
> the nurse is my general managers sister in law so i bit my tongue
> 
> gotta love it



It always boggles my mind how nurses, certified RNs, are defeated by O2 tanks on a daily basis. Seriously, how do you screw that up, and why are they not fired for it?


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## usalsfyre (May 4, 2012)

Rocketmedic40 said:


> It always boggles my mind how nurses, certified RNs, are defeated by O2 tanks on a daily basis. Seriously, how do you screw that up, and why are they not fired for it?



Many tanks don't go above 5lpm. Also the nurses may only have standing orders for 2lpm or less.


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## Shishkabob (May 4, 2012)

usalsfyre said:


> Many tanks don't go above 5lpm. Also the nurses may only have standing orders for 2lpm or less.



Then you don't put them on an NRB.  :unsure:


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## RocketMedic (May 4, 2012)

Linuss said:


> Then you don't put them on an NRB.  :unsure:



Pretty much- using an NRB at low-flow is asking for a lawsuit from someone who knows anything.


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## Cawolf86 (May 4, 2012)

Yup. I actually went on a call at an urgent care where a 70 y/o male with a hx of asthma and copd went in for acute sob. I went in and found the pt supine on the urgent care bed with a nrb at 2lpm. He was pale, cool, and diaphoretic with an o2 sat of 65%. 

Docotor was in the room with him... All he had gotten was a 12 lead and an abg. Really. Really. 

After sitting him up and turning on the mask followed by a couple treatments of albuterol he was talking in full sentences with good vitals. 

Tldr - doctors do it too.


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## DallasFireRescueMedic (May 4, 2012)

Cold, winter day in Dallas, ice and snow on the ground. Don't remember what it was dispatched as, but when we go there a mid-late 20's man is standing outside an apartment and said, "My feet are cold."

My partner, "Your feet are cold? Go inside."

Moron, "I can't. My mom won't let me in. Can you ask her for me?"

Uh, no.

Needless to say, we couldn't help him. My partner was so mad he slipped on the ice and landed flat on his back. Wish I had a picture.


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## exodus (May 4, 2012)

Why didn't you ask his mom to let him in?


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## DallasFireRescueMedic (May 4, 2012)

exodus said:


> Why didn't you ask his mom to let him in?



Because he's a grown man.


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## exodus (May 5, 2012)

Maybe there was domestic issues going on and he was afraid to ask? You're public service, so why not help him out, it's what you're payed to do.


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## usalsfyre (May 5, 2012)

Linuss said:


> Then you don't put them on an NRB.  :unsure:



Agreed, but we are talking about LVNs with a diploma mill degree...


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## mycrofft (May 5, 2012)

*The top? Here's my "top"*

I just _*KNOW*_ I've posted about the housewife who waited for hubby to go on duty, then called 911, and waited posed with her hand in the garbage disposer and naked. The phone was across the room.


Do I win?


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## Handsome Robb (May 5, 2012)

DallasFireRescueMedic said:


> Because he's a grown man.





I understand that's a frustrating call but how does that look in the public eye? 

Now what if he ends up with a cold exposure injury? Who's fault is it? I'm sure any decent lawyer could pin you up on a wall for that one. 

I didn't know Fire Medics were exempt from the less-than-stellar duties paramedics are called to help with. 

Stick your *** on the engine or truck and stay far away from the rescue, please.


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## Shishkabob (May 5, 2012)

usalsfyre said:


> Agreed, but we are talking about LVNs with a diploma mill degree...



I've seen RNs with supposed collegiate degrees at a certain jail near by you do the same thing, not just LVNs.


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## RocketMedic (May 5, 2012)

mycrofft said:


> I just _*KNOW*_ I've posted about the housewife who waited for hubby to go on duty, then called 911, and waited posed with her hand in the garbage disposer and naked. The phone was across the room.
> 
> 
> Do I win?



I reckon so.


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## usalsfyre (May 5, 2012)

Linuss said:


> I've seen RNs with supposed collegiate degrees at a certain jail near by you do the same thing, not just LVNs.



You've seen the billboards around town for a "university just for nurses" around town? A co-worker checked it out. For a mere $100,00 you can get your RN spoon fed to you so that even if you barely speak, read or write English you can pass...


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## Sasha (May 5, 2012)

mycrofft said:


> I just _*KNOW*_ I've posted about the housewife who waited for hubby to go on duty, then called 911, and waited posed with her hand in the garbage disposer and naked. The phone was across the room.
> 
> 
> Do I win?



No. I win. 

Schizophrenic patient who put an ear plug in her ear, took it out, and wanted to go to the hospital for possible nerve damage despite the absence of pain. 

I. Win.


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## mycrofft (May 5, 2012)

*Sasha. Wins. !.*


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## Shishkabob (May 5, 2012)

usalsfyre said:


> You've seen the billboards around town for a "university just for nurses" around town? A co-worker checked it out. For a mere $100,00 you can get your RN spoon fed to you so that even if you barely speak, read or write English you can pass...



You wouldn't happen to have the website or phone number to such a place, would you?  You know... for research.  Yeah, that's it... research. h34r:


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## 46Young (May 5, 2012)

NVRob said:


> I understand that's a frustrating call but how does that look in the public eye?
> 
> Now what if he ends up with a cold exposure injury? Who's fault is it? I'm sure any decent lawyer could pin you up on a wall for that one.
> 
> ...



I've personally seen providers from the privates, the hospitals, and also county run third service that are just as much of a skell as a fire based provider. Crappy providers are found in all types of systems.


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## Akulahawk (May 5, 2012)

jkrewko said:


> hahaha went to a nursing home for a sob. nurse states " i cant get her stats past 88% " pt is on *nrb* 2lpm. i pulled it off the pt. she says " ahh i feel better now thank you "
> 
> the nurse is my general managers sister in law so i bit my tongue
> 
> gotta love it


Took me a minute at first to catch the problem... :rofl:

Unfortunately, I seem to recall being told that the patient had their Oxygen turned "all the way up to 3 liters..." who was still SOB and heading towards cyanotic... more than once, only to be glared at by the Nurses when I wheeled the patient by on a NRB at 15 lpm... and obviously doing much better.


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## Akulahawk (May 5, 2012)

Sasha said:


> No. I win.
> 
> Schizophrenic patient who put an ear plug in her ear, took it out, and wanted to go to the hospital for possible nerve damage despite the absence of pain.
> 
> I. Win.



Indeed. Sasha Wins!


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## PotatoMedic (May 5, 2012)

I had a private emergency the other day that came in as hip pain but pt reported none it was a visiting nurse that called because the house was dirty.   So i had to transport someone to the hospital because their house was dirty.  That was an interesting short to the admitting rn.


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## Handsome Robb (May 6, 2012)

46Young said:


> I've personally seen providers from the privates, the hospitals, and also county run third service that are just as much of a skell as a fire based provider. Crappy providers are found in all types of systems.



Very true. 

There are brilliant, great fire medics out there. Unfortunately most of my encounters have been less than desirable.


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## STXmedic (May 6, 2012)

NVRob said:


> There are brilliant, great fire medics out there.



This.


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## RocketMedic (May 6, 2012)

Texas is awesome.

I had a patient come into sick call for foot pain. Screaming that it hurt badly, and that he could not walk.

I was really trying to ignore the fact that he'd ran up the stairs to get to the aid station and never even winced.


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## adamjh3 (May 6, 2012)

Sasha said:


> No. I win.
> 
> Schizophrenic patient who put an ear plug in her ear, took it out, and wanted to go to the hospital for possible nerve damage despite the absence of pain.
> 
> I. Win.



What about an abcess on the cheek x5 days, saw their primary care 3 days ago and got an antibiotic script. Abcess has shrunk to about half size and is now draining a clear fluid in place of the thick white pus it was originally draining. They want an ER visit because of the clear fluid. At midnight on Friday night at one of the busiest hospitals in county. 

Why, Nurse, do you want to send the patient for a wound that is clearly healing well? At midnight, no less?


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## DrParasite (May 6, 2012)

Sasha said:


> No. I win.
> 
> Schizophrenic patient who put an ear plug in her ear, took it out, and wanted to go to the hospital for possible nerve damage despite the absence of pain.
> 
> I. Win.


No way..... The only way you could have been declared winner would be if the schizophremic patient had an ear plug in her ear connected to an audio device, and her complaint was hearing voices.

now that would be epic


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## Sasha (May 6, 2012)

adamjh3 said:


> What about an abcess on the cheek x5 days, saw their primary care 3 days ago and got an antibiotic script. Abcess has shrunk to about half size and is now draining a clear fluid in place of the thick white pus it was originally draining. They want an ER visit because of the clear fluid. At midnight on Friday night at one of the busiest hospitals in county.
> 
> Why, Nurse, do you want to send the patient for a wound that is clearly healing well? At midnight, no less?



Until you get yelled at by a doll (her husband) I still win.


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## mycrofft (May 8, 2012)

Uh...could you hear the, er, _husband_ clearly?:unsure:


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## britmedic (May 10, 2012)

*Wow I have countless calls I could add*

A nurse who called 999 because she had a cold

A regular who used to insert biro pens into his penis then call

A man who used to call 8-10 times a day for various reasons like he was hungry, couldn't find his remote control and was cold.

Not sure how it works in the states but here in the uk if you dial 999 and say i want an ambulance they will ask what the problem is and if you swear and hang up if the calls come from a landline we are sent to investigate!


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## adamjh3 (May 11, 2012)

> Not sure how it works in the states but here in the uk if you dial 999 and say i want an ambulance they will ask what the problem is and if you swear and hang up if the calls come from a landline we are sent to investigate!



Do they dispatch an ambo, law enforcement, and fire for all hangups? Around here they just send LE non emergent most of the time.


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## britmedic (May 12, 2012)

*Hang ups*

No over here we are 3 very seperate services. We only call for police or fire if needed. Police and fire very rarely respond to their own hang ups.


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## britmedic (May 12, 2012)

*LE non emergent*

Excuse my ignorance but what is LE? I can guess it's non emergency but can't figure out what LE stands for :unsure:


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## MedicBender (May 12, 2012)

Law Enforcement


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## EMDispatch (May 12, 2012)

Our policy is dependent on the type of hang up. 
If we hear something suspicious we'll send law enforcement and other agencies we feel are necessary. Other emergency crews will stage away until the law enforcement clears the scene. If it's a cell phone, it also depends on whether they stay on the phone long enough for us to get a decent idea of where they are calling from. It's surprising how long it takes and how low the precision is in the tracking technologies used in 911 centers.

We always attempt callbacks on hangup calls, but a lot of the time we get persons calling from expired prepaid phones which will only dial 911 and not receive calls. The majority of our 911 hang up calls come from children who have been given old phones, taken their parents, or given expired prepaid phones... Parents don't realize that any cell phone can dial 911 even if it doesn't have a service plan.


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