I'm almost afraid to ask... Blankets?

[Veneficus]

Really? Nothing about hypothermia in trauma and formation of the fibrin net, it's all "personal experience?" Where are my statisticians when this kind of thing happens? Nothing about creating a hypothermic patient, nothing about creating a hyperthermic patient? Have we really gotten to a place in EMS where we have to say "everybody gets a blanket?" In a couple of years, there will be some contraindication to this "everyone gets a blanket," and a decrease in post hospital outcomes secondary to inappropriate blanket usage.... I knew we were on a downhill slope, but Jesus!!! I guess as long as we can care appropriately for the patient and stop this cookbook monkey trick stuff, then maybe we'll all get through this, but really.... Rant Off...

You have no idea the self-restraint it took me not to comment on hypothermia in shock from any etiology.

Forget cookbook monkey, I am a feeze-baby. My thermostat is set to 82. I get a blanket if not 2 if you don't want it to be the most miserable transport of your life.

 

[Clare]

It's just a humanitarian thing, much can be achieved with the magic ambo blanket and drawer sheet!

*puts on drawer sheet like superhero cape, Clareamedic away!

 

[Veneficus]

*puts on drawer sheet like superhero cape

actually, it makes a great toga

 

[EpiEMS]

Did someone say "toga"?!

I'm curious if there's any health psych papers on this topic of blankets. Wouldn't surprise me. Comfortable patients are happier patients.

 

[mycrofft]

:rofl:

Really? Nothing about hypothermia in trauma and formation of the fibrin net, it's all "personal experience?" Where are my statisticians when this kind of thing happens? Nothing about creating a hypothermic patient, nothing about creating a hyperthermic patient? Have we really gotten to a place in EMS where we have to say "everybody gets a blanket?" In a couple of years, there will be some contraindication to this "everyone gets a blanket," and a decrease in post hospital outcomes secondary to inappropriate blanket usage.... I knew we were on a downhill slope, but Jesus!!! I guess as long as we can care appropriately for the patient and stop this cookbook monkey trick stuff, then maybe we'll all get through this, but really.... Rant Off...

After two hours on the phone to Resreve and veteran's offices, I needed that.

 

[Veneficus]

Did someone say "toga"?!

I'm curious if there's any health psych papers on this topic of blankets. Wouldn't surprise me. Comfortable patients are happier patients.

probably nursing stuff.

 

[EpiEMS]

probably nursing stuff.

Those journals get awfully fluffy awfully quickly though...Then again, it's a tough topic to evaluate without using self-reports.

 

[Sullybird89]

Call me a dork but I totally already Googled/Journal search-engined for an answer to this before I posted. Hehe.

Results? Nada. Other than the basics (like Luno mentioned) of hypo/hyperthermic pt.'s.

Be an interesting read if there was though!

I also greatly agree with the customer service aspect of it. I wouldn't mind if every pt. was my best friend at the end of the call... Keeps me worrying less!

 

[TheLocalMedic]

Don't forget the fact that covering them with a blanket BEFORE strapping them in keeps their funk and smegma off the gurney straps. Hooray for less to clean!

 

[Luno]

Hahaha

:rofl:

After two hours on the phone to Resreve and veteran's offices, I needed that.

Yep, after my week of working with people who haven't seen a patient in 6 months, and a bunch of people straight out of class, I pretty much lost it...

 

[leoemt]

We use hospital blankets that we steal....er, um borrow from the ER. Actually, all the ER's use the same blankets and they are the ones telling us to use them since they all come from the same source.

Every patient gets a sheet for dignity. Blankets are optional.

 

[bigbaldguy]

Think about when you were a kid, and you were sick. What would happen? Mom would come and put an extra blanket on the bed. I think it's psychological. But it always seems to make people happier, especially when they get in the back of a cold ambulance.

.

Also kept the evil closet goblins from pulling me out of bed if I kept the blanket over my head.

 

[CritterNurse]

Don't forget the fact that covering them with a blanket BEFORE strapping them in keeps their funk and smegma off the gurney straps. Hooray for less to clean!

When putting someone in a stairchair, I've been taught that putting a blanket on the chair, settling the patient on top of the blanket, then wrapping the ends around the patient before strapping them in does several things. First, it provides a barrier between their backside and the cold chair. Third, it keeps the straps cleaner as TheLocalMedic stated. Third, it helps keep them warmer on the way out to the ambulance. And lastly, it helps them keep their hands 'inside the ride' on the way down the stairs.

Of course if they object to having their arms under the blanket we're not going to press the issue, and wrap the blanket so that their arms are free. But I've rarely seen that.

 

[Medic Tim]

When putting someone in a stairchair, I've been taught that putting a blanket on the chair, settling the patient on top of the blanket, then wrapping the ends around the patient before strapping them in does several things. First, it provides a barrier between their backside and the cold chair. Third, it keeps the straps cleaner as TheLocalMedic stated. Third, it helps keep them warmer on the way out to the ambulance. And lastly, it helps them keep their hands 'inside the ride' on the way down the stairs.

Of course if they object to having their arms under the blanket we're not going to press the issue, and wrap the blanket so that their arms are free. But I've rarely seen that.

It also gives you something to grab in the event you need to place them on the stretcher.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

We keep a little heating pad in our ambulance so we can have warm saline, and I generally stick a few blankets on top.

"Oh my gosh! YOU have heated blankets too? I thought that only the hospital had warm blankets."

 

[mycrofft]

Also kept the evil closet goblins from pulling me out of bed if I kept the blanket over my head.

Your pulled you out of bed? Mine BIT!

 

[Milla3P]

"You have heated blankets, too?!? I'm going to call 911 more often and tie up a unit on nonsense while somebody dies on the sidewalk!"

But no, seriously, that's really nice. I've had a lot of problems with my services commercial IV warmers over the past few years.

 

[mycrofft]

We cold have SOLD heated paper towels at the last obstacle race I was at.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

"You have heated blankets, too?!? I'm going to call 911 more often and tie up a unit on nonsense while somebody dies on the sidewalk!"

Lol, right? I felt really bad for this nice young homeless guy the other week. Wasn't bothering anyone, but another homeless guy beat him up and stole his sleeping bag and shoes, so i gave him a couple warm blankets. Cop says, "Don't do that! It's like feeding a stray, now he'll never leave!" But, like a gentleman, the homeless guy returned the blankets to the hospital in the morning and even thanked us.

 

[the_negro_puppy]

Its the middle of summer here so more often than not we take a sheet to cover up / dignity. Have blankets available, I give em if they want it. I try to dissuade febrile pt's from covering themselves u p too much on a hot day.

Obviously with trauma etc we keep em warm