con artists

[traumaqueen5]

A few months back when I was still a "trainee" my partners and I were paged for a elderly female who had fainted in a local 24hr grocery store. Law enforcement of course was on scene due to the fact it was about midnight and they were bored..... Anyways we get there and the pt is laying on the floor "unconcious" so we proceeded to do what we do... Putting her on a heart monitor... As we do a she slightly states "oh don't touch me there" we have officers standing over us so its not like we don't have witnesses to what we are doing... Then she she becomes unresponsive again.. Load her in the rig another partner decides to put an IV in her not a peep outta her until he flushes the line with saline she asks what are u putting in me? I say oh a lil something to help u... (Which isn't a lie lol) and again becomes "unresponsive". Little do any of the 3 of us know she was a con artist and will sue u for anything she can. She is the pt that u load and go and u sit where ur partner can see u in the rearview mirror at all times you do no vitals on her you do not touch her. We didn't know this due to the fact she wasn't at home and we know her address not her name.... all we could say was it was a good thing that I was there so that there were two of in the back of the rig that night!

 

[Jay]

This is going to sound awful but when they are playing A&O x Zero, that's what airways are for. I can guarantee with absolute certainty that you will know their true level of consciousness upon inserting an oiled up, non-latex trumpet several inches into ones nose (a/k/a NPA). This seems like the type of PT that you would just know and act accordingly, my philosophy is if your bull :censored::censored::censored::censored:ing me, than a real, sick patient may be your sacrificial lamb and I do not have the time and/or patience to be playing that game because you got tired of suing McDonalds over the temperature of their coffee or don't have a finger tip handy to toss into some of Wendy's chili this week.

 

[spike91]

Always do the bull:censored::censored::censored::censored: test. Hold the hand DIRECTLY over his/her head, and release. If they smack themselves, its legit (unless they're REALLY sticking to it xD). If his/her hand falls to the side and misses his/her forehead, BULL:censored::censored::censored::censored:.

CYA my friend!

 

[medic417]

Always do the bull:censored::censored::censored::censored: test. Hold the hand DIRECTLY over his/her head, and release. If they smack themselves, its legit (unless they're REALLY sticking to it xD). If his/her hand falls to the side and misses his/her forehead, BULL:censored::censored::censored::censored:.

CYA my friend!

Yes and if they end up with a broken nose they just cashed in. Bad move.

 

[JJR512]

Yes and if they end up with a broken nose they just cashed in. Bad move.

He's not talking about cutting her arm off and using it as a club with which to beat her. He's talking about holding her hand a few inches over her face—her forehead area would do as well—and letting it drop to see if it drops straight down, or conveniently diverts to one side. A hand dropping a few inches shouldn't break anyone's nose.

 

[medic417]

He's not talking about cutting her arm off and using it as a club with which to beat her. He's talking about holding her hand a few inches over her face—her forehead area would do as well—and letting it drop to see if it drops straight down, or conveniently diverts to one side. A hand dropping a few inches shouldn't break anyone's nose.

Yes I know that technique that is no longer considered appropriate. Back in the day we used it then we advanced with education. As to breaking you might be surprised how easy some peoples nose will break.

 

[akflightmedic]

It is disheartening that an EMT B student, not even in the field is recommending this very old, outdated and highly Unrecommended therapy...

1 step forward, 2 steps back...

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

As to breaking you might be surprised how easy some peoples nose will break.

The OP may also be surprised that a hand weighs a bit more than he may think.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Eyelashes are a good substitute for the hand drop...any A&O person will flinch when you play with their eyelashes, gently of course...That's the way my preceptor taught me to check for possums...she did tell me about dropping the hand but it was more of a 'this works but don't do it type of thing.'

 

[TransportJockey]

Eyelashes are a good substitute for the hand drop...any A&O person will flinch when you play with their eyelashes, gently of course...That's the way my preceptor taught me to check for possums...she did tell me about dropping the hand but it was more of a 'this works but don't do it type of thing.'

I was taught that to check gag reflex, not so much to check see if they're just messing around...

 

[Shishkabob]

NPA

I mean, if they are unresponsive, how much control of their airway do they have?




h34r:

 

[EMS/LEO505]

In NM, we do sternum rub. That will wake them up real quick!

 

[Chimpie]

This is going to sound awful but when they are playing A&O x Zero, that's what airways are for. I can guarantee with absolute certainty that you will know their true level of consciousness upon inserting an oiled up, non-latex trumpet several inches into ones nose (a/k/a NPA). This seems like the type of PT that you would just know and act accordingly, my philosophy is if your bull :censored::censored::censored::censored:ing me, than a real, sick patient may be your sacrificial lamb and I do not have the time and/or patience to be playing that game because you got tired of suing McDonalds over the temperature of their coffee or don't have a finger tip handy to toss into some of Wendy's chili this week.

NPA

I mean, if they are unresponsive, how much control of their airway do they have?

h34r:

That's the first thing that came to my mind when I started reading this thread. And being vocal about it. Asking your partner for the 'nasal cannula and lube'. :lol: If you don't get a reaction to the words, slide it in.

 

[TransportJockey]

In NM, we do sternum rub. That will wake them up real quick!

Some of the drunks in ABQ are so used to it they don't even flinch any more. But an NPA will always wake em up

 

[EMS/LEO505]

Some of the drunks in ABQ are so used to it they don't even flinch any more. But an NPA will always wake em up

Haha, I wish they had a narcan for alcohol...boy we'd have a lot of people moving back to gallup :lol:

 

[FLEMTP]

i like the NPA idea... i use it often on questionable BS. But.. before I insert it, I say in a loud voice "Ma'am(or Sir) if you can hear me, i need to insert a tube into your nose to protect your airway, its very uncomfortable, if you can understand me, please let me know, otherwise im going to insert the tube now"

Sometimes thats enough... sometimes it takes inserting the tube.. before they realize you mean business and "wake up" suddenly cured.

 

[FLEMTP]

Something else i just thought about.. we had a patient who was a "regular" faker when I worked in Pinellas County here in florida. She actually made the news.. she was so good at faking a seizure & other medical conditions that she has been trauma alerted in the past.. been flown via helicopter to the ER, and yes, even took an ET tube (with no meds mind you) completely conscious, while "faking" her condition. I will look for a news story related to this if i can.

I once encountered something similar. The patient "passed out" on the sidewalk along a very busy road during rush hour.. flooding our 911 center with calls. We arrived on scene, and during the placement of an NPA she "woke up". I asked her if she actually passed out, or if she simply laid down on the sidewalk and waited for a passerby to call 911. She INSISTED she passed out.

So i kindly informed her that ALL of the light poles in the city have traffic cams on them hidden to catch speeders and red light runners and the sort. I told her i had just contacted the DOT for the city and they were reviewing the tapes..and that if she had indeed simply laid on the sidewalk to get attention, she would be on her way to jail with multiple charges (PD was standing next to me) she sat there a minute.. stood up and said.. ok .. fine.. you got me.. im sorry.. i just want to go home now. The look on the police officers face was PRICELESS as well as the fire crew who informed me prior to talking to her that I might as well transport her because she will NEVER admit to faking it.

Sometimes you just gotta use your head B)

 

[CAOX3]

One of the best one was for a woman unconscious, we get there she even pisses her self. Package her get her in the truck, we know her, shes got a history of laying it on thick.

Partners getting vitals, I pick up the mic A45 enroute with a 30ish yo female ONGT 10/10 ETA of 5.

My partners finishes up and is getting out of the back of the truck and with a sinister smile says to me "hey pick up her money shes dropping hundred dollar bills out of her pocket" Eyes open and she sits up "where".

Me: Good morning M'am how you doing, "

Her: You butt holes, well at least I fooled you"

Me: You did?

Her: Yeah, you already called it in 10/10 ONG something, something.

Me: M'am thats stands for the Ocscar nomination goes too, and the 10/10 was your performance and I didnt call anything in.

Her: Multitude of expletives about me, my partner and, I think are families.

Me: M'am I started this job in the morning, Just wasnt this morning. Now is anything truly bothering you today?

Drop her off at the ER

Have a nice day.

 

[CAOX3]

We then like to politely give them the talk about taking an ambulance out of service when it may needed for a truly sick person.

But most of them could care less.

 

[Sparky21]

In NM, we do sternum rub. That will wake them up real quick!

Ive met several people that no matter how hard you do your sternum rub they have the self control to take it without a flinch...though we still use it.h34r: