How to address disabled family members.

[Shishkabob]

Even with IFT calls, the patient is my one and sole responsibility. I am able, and allowed, to refuse to let anyone else in my truck when I'm transporting, and have denied family before. I generally allow family to come with, and they almost always sit in the front seat. The ONLY time I allow a family member in the back is with a small child, and they are in the captains seat and belted in so they are safe and out of my way.


If they aren't a patient, I'm not going to lift, move, or do anything aside from offering a steady hand. I'm not keen on injuring myself for a patient, and I refuse the mere possibility of it for a non-patient.

 

[Paladin78]

The way I see it, the patient is the focus of our care/transport, not the family members. While I have no problem with a single family member riding along in the passenger seat or the box, I don't see any feasible reason to go out of our way to accommodate a disabled family member wanting to ride along. It may seem selfish, but again, the patient is our primary concern.

 

[Outbac1]

We do not transport wheelchairs of any sort. We have no place to secure them so they don't go flying around in the event of a mvc. In an severe emergency I don't normaly take family. In non emergent situations if they can get in the front themselves they can come, otherwise they have to find another way. We usually try to accomodate family if we can but it is the individual medics decision whether to take them or not. The family are told just because they went to the hosp. with us does not mean they will be able to go home again with us as well. We also don't transport tons of luggage.

you don't take family?
Dude, even in codes I am humane enough to put a family member requesting transport in the front seat.
__________________
AJ, MICP, FireMedic
FTM-PTB-EGH-DTRT-RFB-KTF

If its an emergent situation there isn't time for some family members to "Get Ready" to come with us. I've had family members ask me to wait while they change their clothes, find shoes, find keys, put in the cat, get their walker to move SLOWLY down the steps and out to the truck etc. A helping hand to step up into the amb is one thing. Picking them up from a w/c to put in is another.
I have also found out some family members don't make good passengers when you're going L&S to hosp. Some scream, take panic attacks and once, one even tried to grab my arm. You don't even have to be going fast. These people are poor passengers at the best of times. Just what I need another patient. As nice as it is to take a family member to the hosp. with you, sometimes it's just not practical.

 

[Aidey]

Ok, so no one has really addressed the hospital to home problem, which is the bigger issue.

Do you tell the person "sorry, to bad, you are SOL until the WC van starts running again". What happens if the person is the patient's caregiver? If the ER has discharged the patient can they be expected to keep them if the caregiver can't be transported home?

 

[Sassafras]

Good question Aidey. If it's just a wheel chair, I'm wondering if a regular taxi service can accomodate the family member. But maybe they will just keep the patient? Stranger things have happened.

 

[mcdonl]

Aidey, I have no IFT experience so excuse my ignorance... What do you do (Either to or from the hospital) with a patient who has a wheelchair... what would I do for that matter.

We do not have anyplace to safely store a wheelchair either. Like others have mentioned, I am sure either PD or FD could transport the chair but it is an interesting point.

Let alone a family member. We let 1 family member ride in the front, unless it is a pedi patient and having mom/dad hold the baby is appropriate but again, where would we put a wheel chair?

 

[Shishkabob]

Ok, so no one has really addressed the hospital to home problem, which is the bigger issue.

I have.



I'm not doing any lifting or moving of non-patients. Steady hand, sure, but that's it. If my partner wants to do more, fine, but I'm not.

 

[exodus]

Our company will tx both people home as long as the family can get in the ambulance without our assistance. And then we will return to the hospital later in the night as time allows to bring the w/c home. At no charge.

Edit: Our company also owns 4 w/c vans with lifts we can use. If there's a half crew or several crews sitting doing nothing. We will use them and just team tx the patient home.

 

[Aidey]

Those electronic chairs are HEAVY. And huge. I know one couldn't be fit in a car or SUV.

You're right Linuss, you did, I should have said "almost no one".

 

[ajax]

unless it is a pedi patient and having mom/dad hold the baby is appropriate but again, where would we put a wheel chair?

You let them hold the baby? I would most certainly be fired. Even brand new mom we call for a second crew to transport the baby.

And we have enough space at the end of our bench seats that we can fit standard wheelchairs (if they fold it's WAY easier), so that's what we do.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

You let them hold the baby? I would most certainly be fired. Even brand new mom we call for a second crew to transport the baby.

And we have enough space at the end of our bench seats that we can fit standard wheelchairs (if they fold it's WAY easier), so that's what we do.

Not your call. If the parents want to hold the baby, you can't stop them. Remember, you are treating the patients at their pleasure. If they say they want to travel with the baby, call med control and ask. If both are stable, they may say yes.

 

[Shishkabob]

No, jjesusfreak, it IS my call and I CAN stop them.




Now, whether you let a baby travel unrestrained by mom holding them is another topic completely...

 

[Sassafras]

No, jjesusfreak, it IS my call and I CAN stop them.




Now, whether you let a baby travel unrestrained by mom holding them is another topic completely...

Perhaps where you run, but it is within our protocols to permit a parent to sit strapped with their baby on the litter. It is also within our protocols for new moms to place baby in the litter with mom to initiate breastfeeding for the remainder of the transport. I have no methergane on my rigs to speed up uterine contractions so breastfeeding is a pretty big thing for us to initiate until they get to the hospital. What they do after that is their perogative (well if they breastfeed then is too, but we place more emphasis on it while in transit).

Piss of mom, you potentially lose your pedi patient and if something goes sour with baby it's my *** that's on the line for not convincing mom that junior needed treatment. I've not had many pedi runs, but the ones I have done, I fully understand in some ways I sort of have two patients, instead of one.

 

[abckidsmom]

You let them hold the baby? I would most certainly be fired. Even brand new mom we call for a second crew to transport the baby.

And we have enough space at the end of our bench seats that we can fit standard wheelchairs (if they fold it's WAY easier), so that's what we do.

So no holding babies allowed, but it's ok to have a 20-30 lb unsecurable projectile in the patient compartment?

OK.

I would encourage breastfeeding during the transport of a healthy newborn, while trying hard to suppress the carseat tech part of me. Every other time, I secure the child's seat to the cot, or the captain's chair if needed, and transport mom or dad nearby.

 

[ajax]

So no holding babies allowed, but it's ok to have a 20-30 lb unsecurable projectile in the patient compartment?

Yep. I would get called in for letting a parent hold a baby, or for refusing to take a wheel chair. Yay Management.

 

[mcdonl]

Didn't mean to steer the thread off course.

So, *IF* the w/c folded up small we could cram it either in between the back doors (Seems like a bad idea) or in the wheel well of the side door. We have 2, Ford PL Customs and they are pretty full.

Something to bring up at our next meeting for sure.