Checking ALS equipment on a BLS truck

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broken stretcher

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Just got ogg the overnight and had this debate with another provider... We run dual trucks (ALS+BLS provider)...most of the time. Every now and then we have a BLS only truck. If you are the BLS providers on the BLS truck, should you/ would you check the ALS equipment. In my opinion a basic is not required to check equipment they haven't been trained on. Sure most of them know where it all is and what it all generally does but should they be checking it off because who is a basic to say if ALS equipment is in good working order... what do yall think? Check it or write in the ALS sections of the check sheet "BLS only"?
 
I always check it. As long as you know what you are checking for and how much of everything there is supposed to be.
 
When I ran on a P/B truck, there were 2 check sheets. One for ALS that I did, and one for BLS that my partner completed. While I appreciate my partner looking at my stuff, it's the medics responsibility to check their own gear.
 
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At my old IFT job if you were on a unit that was normally ALS or CCT but you were only BLS that day they made you take out all the ALS/CCT supplies (monitor, drug box, ALS airway bag, Vent, IV pump, etc) so all you had on was BLS supplies.
 
thats annoying...what are you going to do when you get a paramedic intercept? waste time while the medic(s) carry all their gear onto the truck?
 
i would also argue that the monitor is BLS equipment because you cant do capnography and pulse oximetry
 
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If I were in that position I would check it over and make sure everything was there and ready to the best of my ability. If you were to have an ALS intercept, it is far more convenient for the Medic to be able to use the stuff on your shelves than to have to pack their kits and monitor into your truck, or worse, they leave their stuff behind assuming your truck has everything they need (as it usually would) and then find out things are missing.
 
EMT B said:
i would also argue that the monitor is BLS equipment because you cant do capnography and pulse oximetry
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Our monitors don't do pulse oximetry (well they do, but we don't buy the supplies needed). Also at the BLS level we use colorimetric capnography.

For my area BLS ambulances only carry BLS equipment. BLS/CCT carries BLS, ALS, and CCT equipment. ALS carries BLS and ALS equipment.

If we run into a problem where we need an ALS intercept we have 2 choices: move the patient to the ALS ambulance or have the medic hop in the BLS ambulance with their monitor and response bag (between the monitor and response bag they have everything).
 
EMT B said:
i would also argue that the monitor is BLS equipment because you cant do capnography and pulse oximetry
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We check pulse ox and I'm also trained to do 12 leads. So while it may be considered als equipment , it can be used by bls.

Our rigs are stocked als and bls since we have medics on our squad. When they use their medic bag they restock it. If a nurse transports with me and a bls crew they use the medic bags and it is my job to keep track of what is used. The hospital has pre stocked drug bags for us and all I have to do is switch it out in pharmacy.
The nurse will then give me syringes etc to replace and I put them where they go. We do this so we never have to worry about our drugs expiring.

I run a user test strip on the life pak , but the medics keep track of their inventory above just replacing the used stuff
 
Check out the ALS equipment, if something needs to be fixed it can reduce the downtime if you get the process started faster.
 
It's not your job, but your partner will love you for helping them out and restocking when it's needed. It's not your job, but it's one of these extra things that will make things go better between you and your partner.
 
EMT B said:
you guys dont nasal prong capnography at the bls level?
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Negative. We just got those for ALS around a year ago.
 
EMT B said:
thats annoying...what are you going to do when you get a paramedic intercept? waste time while the medic(s) carry all their gear onto the truck?
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This was my argument... if we were doing an ALS intercept the medic would bring their own equipment, that they checked, and that they know is in good working order. I would not want t go on a truck and assume that the ALS stuff was checked by a basic and then have stuff missing or not working. that's why I don't think it is necessary for BLs to check ALS equipment. They have no training in the equipment therefor have no ability to say if it is ready to go or not.
 
exodus said:
That has absolutely no use on a BLS unit.
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It's got fairly limited use on ALS units for the most part.

How hard is it to count the ALS supplies? I'm not talking about running a full check out on IV pumps or vents. But are you really not capable of counting stuff and checking expiration dates?
 
usalsfyre said:
It's got fairly limited use on ALS units for the most part.

How hard is it to count the ALS supplies? I'm not talking about running a full check out on IV pumps or vents. But are you really not capable of counting stuff and checking expiration dates?
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Pretty much what I was thinking. I don't know how to start an IV or intubate but I know all the gear that is required.
 
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