Do you give vitals while patching?

[PapaBear434]

The only time we don't do a full report in is when we are inbound with a extremely critical patient. When that happens, it sounds like this.

"Leigh Base, Leigh base. This is 921."

"This is Leigh, Go ahead, 921."

"Inbound with an approximately 42 year old male, non-traumatic cardiac arrest. ETA 3 minutes."

"Roger that, 921, see you then."

That's the quick version. Most of the time, it's the long form. Usual version, for all our hospitals, goes like this. I'll just do a BLS right now, because quite frankly, it's shorter.

"Leigh Base, Leigh Base, this is 921 calling on the 800."

"This is Leigh, go ahead."

"Morning, Leigh, this is EMT <insert name here> with a BLS patient, an 84 year old male, complaining of pain to his upper thigh after a fall out of bed at approximately 0830 this morning. We exposed the site, found an obvious deformity, probable proximal femur fracture. No discoloration, swelling, or signs of shock so artery appears to be fine. Vitals are unremarkable, though slightly elevated due to pain. Pulse 96, BP 164/96, Respirations at 18 and regular, pupils are PERL, satting at 98% room air. Patient denies head/neck/spine pain, so patient was not immobilized, though the backboard was used to move patient from his bedroom. Patient also denies LOC and no obvious signs of head trauma. Extremity was immobilized with boards to prevent rotation. Patient rates pain at 8/10 and is in discomfort, obviously. Our ETA is approximately 10-15, do you have any further comments, questions, or orders?"

"No, 921, please continue transport and watch the pot holes, see you when you get here. Leigh out."

"Copy that, Leigh, see you then."

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

The only time we don't do a full report in is when we are inbound with a extremely critical patient. When that happens, it sounds like this.

"Leigh Base, Leigh base. This is 921."

"This is Leigh, Go ahead, 921."

"Inbound with an approximately 42 year old male, non-traumatic cardiac arrest. ETA 3 minutes."

"Roger that, 921, see you then."

That's the quick version. Most of the time, it's the long form. Usual version, for all our hospitals, goes like this. I'll just do a BLS right now, because quite frankly, it's shorter.

"Leigh Base, Leigh Base, this is 921 calling on the 800."

"This is Leigh, go ahead."

"Morning, Leigh, this is EMT <insert name here> with a BLS patient, an 84 year old male, complaining of pain to his upper thigh after a fall out of bed at approximately 0830 this morning. We exposed the site, found an obvious deformity, probable proximal femur fracture. No discoloration, swelling, or signs of shock so artery appears to be fine. Vitals are unremarkable, though slightly elevated due to pain. Pulse 96, BP 164/96, Respirations at 18 and regular, pupils are PERL, satting at 98% room air. Patient denies head/neck/spine pain, so patient was not immobilized, though the backboard was used to move patient from his bedroom. Patient also denies LOC and no obvious signs of head trauma. Extremity was immobilized with boards to prevent rotation. Patient rates pain at 8/10 and is in discomfort, obviously. Our ETA is approximately 10-15, do you have any further comments, questions, or orders?"

"No, 921, please continue transport and watch the pot holes, see you when you get here. Leigh out."

"Copy that, Leigh, see you then."

Are you guys hospital based?

Also that's a bit more than I would usually give in a report but I deem it acceptable and more desireable than giving too little.

Also, we don't transmit names over the radio, even our own. Is there a purpose to you transmitting your name?

 

[PapaBear434]

Are you guys hospital based?

Also that's a bit more than I would usually give in a report but I deem it acceptable and more desireable than giving too little.

Also, we don't transmit names over the radio, even our own. Is there a purpose to you transmitting your name?

Not hospital based, no, we work for the city. The hospitals are pretty much ALL run under Sentara, but we still give the same report format to non-Sentara hospitals. It's just what is expected around here.

Besides, I can easily get this out under 60 seconds. Not usually a problem. They just like to know what is coming in so they divert if needed.

As far as our names, it's only our last name. I don't have a problem with it. Our name is on all the paperwork, they all know us by voice at this point, and they see us when we come in.

 

[johnrsemt]

in Indianapolis where I worked for 10 years, it was like Epi says; depends on the hospital, and what is wrong with the patient.

where I am in Utah; the hospitals want details. I have been kept on the phone for 16min 43 sec, with a nurse asking for every set of v/s for both my patients (on a 1h 55min transport). then she got mad because I didn't give them enough warning that we were coming: we were at the hospital at the end of the call.

just depends where you are working, and the local protocols.

 

[VCEMT]

If it is BLS and the vitals aren't too low or too high, we don't give the numbers. It is not going to make a difference, we're going to be standing in the ER for at least 5-6 minutes before we get a bed for the patient and another 5-6 for a nurse.

For ALS calls, the medics will give vitals. Though, if there isn't imminent life threats, we're going to be waiting still.

 

[JeffDHMC]

30 seconds or less for a pt. you are transporting, no need for more. If it is a refusal that you are making base contact on, longer is better. Not long, but long enough to get everything across.

As far as vitals goes, WNL is crap, if you took them, give them. Same goes for the word "about", it should not occur in the same breath as VS. If you tell me the VR is about 16, my guess is you did not count it.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Not hospital based, no, we work for the city. The hospitals are pretty much ALL run under Sentara, but we still give the same report format to non-Sentara hospitals. It's just what is expected around here.

Besides, I can easily get this out under 60 seconds. Not usually a problem. They just like to know what is coming in so they divert if needed.

As far as our names, it's only our last name. I don't have a problem with it. Our name is on all the paperwork, they all know us by voice at this point, and they see us when we come in.

Yeah, that's a great report, just a bit more than I would do around here.

We try to keep our names off the radio. Once again I don't know why, but the officer will use their names sometimes on the scene of a fire (Captain Smith in charge or Batallion Chief Doe with accountability)

No one knows who we are around here. Maybe once in awhile you'll meet a nurse you know from somewhere else or a medic in the hospital who you've ran with out in the field, but with 2000+ EMTs and Medics, no one knows you by voice alone unless they are not on their unit day and are working a second job at the hospital.

 

[PapaBear434]

Yeah, that's a great report, just a bit more than I would do around here.

We try to keep our names off the radio. Once again I don't know why, but the officer will use their names sometimes on the scene of a fire (Captain Smith in charge or Batallion Chief Doe with accountability)

No one knows who we are around here. Maybe once in awhile you'll meet a nurse you know from somewhere else or a medic in the hospital who you've ran with out in the field, but with 2000+ EMTs and Medics, no one knows you by voice alone unless they are not on their unit day and are working a second job at the hospital.

Our system has about 3000+, not including those that run the medical transport companies from hospital to hospital. Remember, I am in a volunteer/paid medic hybrid system, so most of our members only volunteer four shifts a month (though half of them are medics, which I think is pretty impressive for a volunteer gig.) I'm JUST talking about the rescue squads. But you get to know certain nurses, especially the ones that answer the radio.

As far as our names go, we don't splay our names over the open dispatch channel. Our usual dispatch channel is on D1, which is labeled VBEMS. When you go to call a hospital, you zone up to E, and each hospital has it's own channel. E1 is Virginia Beach General, E2 is Princess Anne hospital... and so on. So it's not like we are blaring our name all over the open channels, just the restricted individual hospital radio channels.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Our system has about 3000+, not including those that run the medical transport companies from hospital to hospital. Remember, I am in a volunteer/paid medic hybrid system, so most of our members only volunteer four shifts a month (though half of them are medics, which I think is pretty impressive for a volunteer gig.) I'm JUST talking about the rescue squads. But you get to know certain nurses, especially the ones that answer the radio.

As far as our names go, we don't splay our names over the open dispatch channel. Our usual dispatch channel is on D1, which is labeled VBEMS. When you go to call a hospital, you zone up to E, and each hospital has it's own channel. E1 is Virginia Beach General, E2 is Princess Anne hospital... and so on. So it's not like we are blaring our name all over the open channels, just the restricted individual hospital radio channels.

Ours work the same way but they channels are not private. Anyone can still listen in as long as they are tuned to that channel.

 

[PapaBear434]

Ours work the same way but they channels are not private. Anyone can still listen in as long as they are tuned to that channel.

Same, but most people are going to be listening to the main dispatch or the tactical channels, where all the juicy stuff happens.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Same, but most people are going to be listening to the main dispatch or the tactical channels, where all the juicy stuff happens.

I guess, not being a whacker I wouldn't know!

On a related note, do any of you guys have trouble reaching the hospital to give report. It happens with a few local hospitals. Once we showed up and when they asked why we didn't radio in we replied they didn't answer. Some just don't have a person by the radio and sometimes don't hear it.

I usually counter the problem with a long introduction if I don't get an answer increasing the amount of time someone might hear the initiall call.

Something like:

"Central Hospital, Medic 1"
(no response)
"Attention central hospital. Attention central hospital. This is medic 1, inbound to your faclity with a patient. Ready to transmit our report."

Usually that'll catch the attention of a nurse sitting down the hall.

 

[firemoose0827]

BLS patches are asked to be 30 seconds or less with a very clear format:

Patient sex and age
Chief complaint
vitals if abnormal or say "within normal limits"
interventions and any changes
ETA

In my area we use this often, only to get numerous questions from ED staff. We operate out of a small rural Hospital with an 8 bed ED; 7 beds and a trauma room. They have one doctor 24/7, and a staff of 2-4 nurses depending on the time of day and available staff. We all know each other pretty well (EMS and Nurse Staff) and work with each other all the time, and some of the nurses become very comfortable with the skills of the local EMT's. But every once in a while I will give a short and sweet report on the air and state "Vitals within normal range" only to have them request the vitals. I dont get it some times especially with the CC's that I transport, like "Cant walk", or "Had a doctors appointment but had no ride". They actually asked me for vitals on that patient.

I keep my reports short and to the point, covering the Chief Complaint and treatments rendered. All the rest can be given to the nurse bedside in a verbal report or by reading the PCR. Im tired of hearing long drawn out reports covering the patients last meal, their extensive history, what they did that day prior to falling...is it necessary? The ED just needs a brief summary of whats wrong so they can prepare to handle the patient.

 

[Lone Star]

When I was in Detroit, if you were transporting a patient to any Detroit based hospital (those affilliated with the Detroit Medical Center), you only gave a radio report for priority 1 patients.

Outside of Detroit, you called every hospital, and gave them a full radio report. This included age, chief complaint, vitals, treatments and any changes in patient condition after the treatments.

 

[redcrossemt]

Following up on Detroit, Lone Star has it right. If we transported to any hospital in the DEMCA (Detroit East Med Control Auth.) area, we only gave P1 reports.

In the rest of Wayne County (Metro-Detroit), we are required to call in all patients. P3's are passed to the charge nurse by the Med-Com dispatcher on telephone. For P1's and P2's, we are patched to the hospital to give report.

I used to give much lengthier reports, including all vital signs. That was until I realized that the nurses/PAs/docs taking report didn't even write them down. Now I only call vitals that are unusual or pertinent to the patient's condition.

As far as provider names go, I only give my name if I'm asking for OLMC... e.g. speaking to a doctor requesting a post-radio procedure or drug.

 

[MrBrown]

Our radio reports (called an R40) are very short - the hospital basically leaves us alone to do our own thing. They respect our judgement and reporting so only really want brief details and the rest is handed over upon arrival and on the PRF. We are obliged to transmit an R40 for all status 1 (critical) or 2 (unstable) patients, or if we know the ED is busy and we want a bed in monitoring we call up and "reserve" one so to speak!

Typical example from the other night was as follows:

"Auckland emergency, Ambulance Mt. Wellington 1 how copy?"
"Loud and clear"
"Roger, bringing to you a 22 year old male, carbon monoxide poisoning of intentional origin, initial GCS was 5 but is now 10, patient is generally improving call him status two and we'll be with you in five minutes. Mt. Wellington 1 clear"