Highest Medical Training??

[JPINFV]

We both know that because now I have to either release the patient or transfer care to another Paramedic for transport.

Err... whats wrong with releasing the patient after an assessment and minor treatment and why don't EMTs and paramedics working first aid at events or facilities face the same issue?

 

[ExpatMedic0]

JP, its not.. but lets say the patient has neck or back pain (and they always do at these events) I would rather the trainer (who has a masters degree in sports injury's) do this. I do not want to backboard and transport everyone. I can check pulse motor sensation in all extremity's, palpate the spine and check pupils but I do not have an xray machine. I would rather him handle it.

I do treat and release a lot of them, I do not always have the trainer. He can move around extremities and tell me which ligament or tissue is torn, if its a fracture or not.... I splint in place if in doubt. In my mind he can care for the patient better than I unless its a medical, or some classic major trauma call.

 

[bryncvp]

That pretty much sums up how we practice. Usually an athlete will come into the training room or come to me on the sideline.. 'VP...can you look at this?' I do an eval, come up with a treatment plan or return to play decision, and then we proceed. Sometime I will refer to the team physician..a lot of times I dont. We have it set up at my school where I can send them for an xray, mri, ct and blook work all without the doc's ok..mainly so when/if the athlete needs to see the doc, I have all the tests in hand already and a decision can be made. Things move pretty quickly like that in the school I work at because there is a game coming up pretty soon usually and coaches need a decision.

Another reason why we can treat and release is that I will see this athlete the next day or later that day...sometimes I am treating an athlete's injury 2-4 times per day, depending on when the next game is and the sport.

Schulz..I like that set up..the ONLY concern I would have is a parent in the stand freaking out because not only is the team athletic trainer going out, but now a Medic..I can just see parents coming on to the court too and the cluster F that would create..haha. Parents stay away!!!

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I only work adult sporting events so I never have to deal with the parents lol. that picture was from roller derby

 

[mcdonl]

bryncvp here is an example picture of how we are doing things. The trainer is in red, I have the hat and white shirt on with the orange bag. I just go out for show mainly and watch the trainer do his assessment. This makes the crowd, bystanders, and team mates feel better. If I feel its a 911 emergency Ill speak up, if not I just sit there by the patient and observe.QUOTE]

Thats how we handle the derby here too... we have a team physician but the EMT has to respond first for legal reasons but the MD is right there with you.

Also, the Maine protocol states that an MD can assume care of a patient providing the MD Is going to transport with the rescue unit... and the EMT may assist the MD as long as they stay within their scope of practice.

 

[bryncvp]

The way it works at the college I work for is the athletic trainer (ATC) is the one who is the first one on the field/court/ice when and injury happens...if we need it we them call out the team doc if it's a game where the doc is on the sideline. Then if we...together...determine we need to get the athlete to am ED..we get the EMS crew on scene either by waving them onto the field or calling them. If the doc is present, he assumes all control of the care given to the athlete and rides to the ED where he has permission to practice. If the doc is not at the game or it's a practice and EMS is summoned, the EMS crew takes over from the ATC. We actually take 2 days a school year and drill this (usually the docs aren't there but sometimes they are) and we drill from onset of incident to loading in the truck. We have 2 game fields, ice rink, gym, pool and weight room along with a hydrotherapy room in the training room. We drill each location. In addition we drill at our civic center downtown where the Men's Basketball team plays. We have 2 crews for that game; one for the floor and one for the crowd plus a stand by crew. We usually get around 12,000 for our games and the team is on TV alot...we don't want to look bad on ESPN. We have a pretty good set up.