First responders not providing any Pt care

[Hal9000]

Drama's no fun once you're past grade 10. Sent via PM to keep the thread on track.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

[DrParasite]

yeah, we have them when I first started. they would fly down the road with all their lights on, park either in the roadway or right in the driveway, and put the patient on a NRB at 15LPM, regardless of complaint. they might get name and DOB, but that's about it. but that's what happens when you use PD as the first responders......

in a perfect world, EMS would not need first responders. they are often used to bandaid an understaff and underfunded EMS system. but I digress.

however based on your post, I am more worried about what you want the FR to do.

I have arrived on scene after one FR and he just stands there in the way, and one time he talked a Pt out of O2 when the CC was a 72 y/o fall with back and leg pain.

Why would you want a FR to put oxygen on a person who fell and now has leg or back pain? where in their protocol does it say to put oxygen on a person with leg pain? or more importantly, where in your protocol does it say that? and if it doesn't, and you expect them to do it, what does that say about you?

Several of the Paramedics have had issues such as the FR not even opening an airway on a SOB Pt that was in the Tripod pos.

was his airway obstructed? was it compromised? just because he is tripoding doesn't mean his airway isn't open. so now I am wondering exactly how competent you are, esp when you are casting judgement on the first responders.

I feel if you respond to the call, at least take a BP, Pulse and SAMPLE/OPQRST so you can give the Paramedic a head start.

why??? because you say so? your credibility is already in question based on your earlier statements.

maybe it is you who is not familiar with the job of a first responder. a first responders "job" is to stop the clock, to prevent the situation from getting any worse, and to babysit the patient until EMS arrives. So, in a resp distress call, that might mean just putting oxygen on the patient and holding their hand until they calm down. or telling an injured person to not move until EMS arrives.

as for chiefs arriving and not doing anything, well, I can't argue with you there. many volunteer departments send a chief to the scene as an operational presence, not always as a clinical one. not saying it's right, only that it's done. and the job of everyone, whether it be the FR or EMS is to transport the patient to the hospital, so if EMS convinced the pt to RMA, and the FR convinced them to go, then "it's probably a good idea to go to the hospital to get checked out."

if you have valid complaints, put them in writing and pass them up the chain of command. if they are accurate, then it won't just be you who is mentioning them. however, based on what you said, the problem might not be as accurate as you are trying to say.

 

[EMSLaw]

yeah, we have them when I first started. they would fly down the road with all their lights on, park either in the roadway or right in the driveway, and put the patient on a NRB at 15LPM, regardless of complaint. they might get name and DOB, but that's about it. but that's what happens when you use PD as the first responders......

in a perfect world, EMS would not need first responders. they are often used to bandaid an understaff and underfunded EMS system. but I digress.

however based on your post, I am more worried about what you want the FR to do.Why would you want a FR to put oxygen on a person who fell and now has leg or back pain? where in their protocol does it say to put oxygen on a person with leg pain? or more importantly, where in your protocol does it say that? and if it doesn't, and you expect them to do it, what does that say about you?was his airway obstructed? was it compromised? just because he is tripoding doesn't mean his airway isn't open. so now I am wondering exactly how competent you are, esp when you are casting judgement on the first responders.why??? because you say so? your credibility is already in question based on your earlier statements.

I seem to recall from EMT class that the protocol is basically to give /everyone/ 15 LPM via NRB. Now, of course, nobody actually does that, but if your protocols are based off NR (or, like NJ, you don't have state protocols), then the protocol does call for giving the patient O2 regardless of complaint. (There have been long and erudite arguments here about whether that protocol is actually a good idea, or improves patient outcomes, but my only point here is that putting O2 on every patient is what the "book" says to do.)

I've had mixed experiences with the PD as First Responders (and, to a more limited extent, VFDs). Some are better than others. They ususually are closer, and therefore get there before us if dispatched at the same time, but giving O2 and starting a basic history is about all they do. That's fine, though - unless EMS response is delayed (say, because of the coming blizzard), there's no reason for them to do more.