Emt approach

[sisoybolso]

Dang I thought I read it was a diabetic emergency, not that he just followed protocol for one. Lol.

Yes, I would still have gotten a bgl just because I do with all unresponsive patients. I just do.
Yes, all type 1 I have seen are usually diagnosed after severe thirst, fast weight loss, excessive urination etc. Which goes hand in hand with hyperglycemia, not hypoglycemia.

What was this patients outcome?

As I arrived to the scene I did not know it was a diabetic emergency (later I found out)

 

[Mariemt]

In Pennsylvania only ALS can measure bgl.
I am an EMT so that limits my actions

Seriously?
I measure BGL on all my unresponsive patients, possible stroke patients , intoxication calls....etc
You wouldn't believe how many possible strokes are actually low blood sugar. How many intoxicated people are hyper or hypo. And a majority of altered statuses are low bgl.

Take that away from basics and why have bls?

 

[sisoybolso]

Seriously?
I measure BGL on all my unresponsive patients, possible stroke patients , intoxication calls....etc
You wouldn't believe how many possible strokes are actually low blood sugar. How many intoxicated people are hyper or hypo. And a majority of altered statuses are low bgl.

Take that away from basics and why have bls?

I agree with you, welcome to the commonwealth of Pa.

 

[PaddyWagon]

Seriously?
I measure BGL
Take that away from basics and why have bls?

The reasoning around these parts is that basics stop short of invasive procedures and a stick is invasive.

 

[Jim37F]

The reasoning around these parts is that basics stop short of invasive procedures and a stick is invasive.

Which to me, is slightly ridiculous since BGLs are designed to be used at home by non medically trained people going about their daily lives. But I guess it's a slightly moot point when county dispatches ALS to every little call

 

[Mariemt]

Which to me, is slightly ridiculous since BGLs are designed to be used at home by non medically trained people going about their daily lives. But I guess it's a slightly moot point when county dispatches ALS to every little call

Not to mention someone slightly altered, a basic can give oral glucose and keep it basic level. This case no, the child needed Iv dextrose but many cases a bit of glucose does the trick. Saves the medics for more critical pts