BLS as BLS Transports Only

[MMiz]

When I first started working BLS we'd post/stage in a community we served, and act as first-response units, along with doing all the BLS transports. We'd have a 15-20 minute drive from the post to our main hospital, but it wasn't long, and I didn't think the hospitals minded.

Now management has completely pulled us out of the cities, and we stage at the hospitals and only do dialysis / BLS transfers. I must admit, even after only working a couple of shifts, it's getting old, real old. I liked the one or possibly two emergency calls we'd respond to, they really broke up the shift.

Does anyone else work BLS transports only? How do you get through it?

I'm evaluating my position in EMS, and am not quite sure where it's going to go from here

 

[CodeSurfer]

I will be working BLS transfers only when I finish the training etc. I am not really looking forward to it, but it is necessary for me to be a medic student. So these 6 months will be very long and I know the biggest challenge for me is going to be upholding the high level of care that is so important to me even though I know the calls are going to become mundane and repetitive. The way I see it, is even if for me it is just another dialysis run, to the patient it is important and they like it if you strike up a conversation.

We all know how bad SNIFs are and most of these people have to livethere. yikes... If an ambulance ride with "that friendly EMT" can put a smile on their face once a week, I can still feel like I make some difference without running 911 calls.

The only suggestions I have gotten to keep it from getting old are to really step up your interactions with the patients and get into ALS as soon as you can.

 

[Jon]

you hope for the bizzarre nursing home runs to ED's......

Jon

 

[rescuemedic7306]

When I first started in EMS I spent 2 years working BLS outpatient calls and non urgent BLS transfers - the only thing that kept me going was my partner and the thought of getting on to the 911 side. Having said that, patients are fun, even the routine mundane ones, they all have great stories if you ask them!

 

[KEVD18]

transfer shifts arent that bad. no stress. no horrifying situations. just a nice relaxing day. yeah, its fun to do the emergent work. lights and sirens. death destruction and mayhem. but sometimes, its just nice to basically take a day off and still get paid. load granny up. grab a set of vitals. talk to her a bit if shes aox3. maybe another set of vitals on arrival. unload. finish pwork. decon/redress the rack and off to another one. its relaxing is what it is

 

[rescuemedic7306]

The other thing to remember is: BLS patients are the bread and butter people that pay for the ALS services; AND some people forget (this forum excluded of course ) when they are raised to the exalted heights of Paragods, that BLS skills are what EVERY patient needs bar none - Airway/Breathing/Circulation. Never forget the basics when performing miracles!

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by KEVD18@May 15 2005, 01:37 PM
transfer shifts arent that bad. no stress. no horrifying situations. just a nice relaxing day. yeah, its fun to do the emergent work. lights and sirens. death destruction and mayhem. but sometimes, its just nice to basically take a day off and still get paid. load granny up. grab a set of vitals. talk to her a bit if shes aox3. maybe another set of vitals on arrival. unload. finish pwork. decon/redress the rack and off to another one. its relaxing is what it is

When I worked BLS Transport, it was always the same - Rush to call after call. Every time we trun around, we are being pushed to clear to take another. Never got lunch at a reasonable time.

Only time I ever had an almost guranteed luch time was when I was working at the Hospital-based retrivial team BLS discharge unit... their dispatchers KNEW we would BS times to get 20-30 minutes for lunch, and all of the "regulars" could expect to either get 30+ minutes around 1100-1300, or a begging plea that "I'll let you grab something after this one

When I worked ALS transport, it was mostly the same, lots of BLS, a few "holy crap" ALS runs that let me run around town with the blinkies and the whoo-whoo's, and a bit of ALS transport work.

My latest stint in private EMS was with a BLS transport squad that liked to play 911. Russian company, took residence to ER calls, NEVER liked to turf to 911, even for Chest Pain / SOB.... Also, took a few BLS trauma alerts (gotta love the new state protocols that make Fall+Coumadin = Level II Trauma ALERT) and did more bizzare prehospital calls there then I did with either of my other squads in the same time...

Jon

 

[SCEMT-B]

I'm currently working BLS transports, Dialysis runs/ BLS transferes, and the only thing that keeps me going is my partner, the emergency calls we get at least 4 times a week and the though of working 911 again when i get hired on at a county.