Crazy Lady on O2

[sop]

We got a call about an elderly woman with no blood pressure. On the scene she was sitting up in bed on O2. She had a bp. The care giver didn't know how to take a bp. lol We checked the elderly woman's vitals. She had an non-regular heartbeat. We suggested that she let us transport her, but she refused. Next thing, her daughter from out of town call and begged us to transport her. We tried again to suggest to her to let us take her but she still refused. We asked her why, and she started talking about Adam and Eve. :unsure: We did a D-Stick on her and put a band-aid on her finger. She took the band-aid off and tried to give it back to us. This old lady was crazy, with her hair standing up on her head, and the caregiver was no help to us. We got advice from control to follow the orders of the patient unless someone had power-of-attorney. We were happy to leave that chaotic scene.

 

[mycrofft]

Wait til you see her input and output figures.

Or does "cc" actually refer to "coffee cup"?

 

[reaper]

Was she competent to make that decision?

 

[usafmedic45]

Was she competent to make that decision?

That was my thought...she doesn't sound competent to refuse care.

 

[MrBrown]

...She had an non-regular heartbeat.

You mean like pulses paradoxus? How exactly did you figure this out? Rhythm strip? Any cardiac history or signs of cardiogenic hypoperfusion?

This old lady was crazy, with her hair standing up on her head, and the caregiver was no help to us.

If there is one thing which makes me madder than the Advocated For Fire Based EMS Coalition it is Ambo's who call people "nuts" or "crazy" or that job "bull", "stupid", "pointless" or complain that they have "better things to do".

What interaction was had between the Ambulance Officers and her caregiver? I man did you just automatically expect them to help you or did you try to illicit some assistance?

This lady was not "crazy" and not everybody wants to be of assistance to the Ambulance crew. Get over yourself and stop trying to pawn this off as a "crazy old lady"; that old lady is a person too you know. You show up out of the blue and start talking to her about going somewhere she obviously does not want to go and has every right to decline your recommendation to go to. Sorry if I missed it, but explain to me please what exactly makes her "crazy"?

...We were happy to leave that chaotic scene.

Was there any shouting or yelling and screaming or an irate family member coming at you with an axe? Did the cops show up and taser anybody or were there a bunch of bystanders yelling and shouting at you to do something for thier friend before they shank you?

Doesn't sound overy chaotic to me.

As for whether or not this person can refuse care; it would depend on your local guidelines and processes. Speaking locally so long as they understand the informaton that is given to them about why they should be transported and can consistently repeat that information they can refuse.

 

[LngJohnSlvr]

...Ambo's who call people "nuts" or "crazy" or that job "bull", "stupid", "pointless" or complain that they have "better things to do"...

Thank you for pointing this out. Too often it happens that people forget why they went into EMS to begin with! (I know i'm new... i can say that because I have worked in an ED for three years... I know a lot of burnout paramedics.)