Making small talk with patients during long transfers

I had a third rider the other day on day four and we had a transfer that should have been 45 minutes but was 2.5 hours due to snow. We figured it would take that long anyway. I gave him some tips for conversation starters because this was a sit and babysit the PT for the ride. No major PMH or anything, just a slip and fall on ice and had surgery for it. Some conversations topics:
1 Where are you from
a. from somewhere else: how long have you been here
and what brought you here
2. what did you do for a job
3. kids? what do they do for jobs?
4. grandkids
5. stay away from weather because that is a conversation ender.
 
Tranports

We routinely do 90 min tranfers. I try to play off of the pt's mood..... if they lay back and close their eyes I just let them rest. If they seem anxious or are talkative, I will talk to them. I try to ask about their families. Most everyone has a family member they are proud of. I often get asked about why I am involved with EMS. I find it puts my pt at ease if I am willing to talk about myself some, they seem to be more willing to talk about their own stuff then.
 
I also do alot of transfers. I live in a small town with a level 4 hospital. Our transfers range from 45 min to 1 1/2 hours. I have found it easy just to make some small talk at first and find something to build on. If my pt. would like to rest, I will let them rest. Most of the time they enjoy the small talk, it kinda puts them at ease.
 
I sometimes can't find anything to talk about. So, I sometimes talk for a minute or two and then work on my paperwork. When we get closer to our destisation, I will explain what will happen. I love it when they can't talk to you.
 
Well I have gotten more practice with this, and many people so far seem un-interested in intelligent discussion. I ask them do they have alot of family here, or they from here? They answer and then ask questions back, but thats about it.

Some of them I really like to talk to, it makes me feel better about their mental status and if they can talk they are breathing. Some people its really hard for me to see chest rise and fall because they are breathing shallow etc. I had this one little old lady, she had dementia really bad and wouldn't go with us unless I assured her we were taking her home. Which we were taking her to a nursing home. We get there and she says its not her home but she has lived there for years, and ask to use the phone right away etc.
 
Some of them I really like to talk to, it makes me feel better about their mental status and if they can talk they are breathing. Some people its really hard for me to see chest rise and fall because they are breathing shallow etc.
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Bahaha. When I had patients who didn't want to talk but would go to sleep and they had really shallow breathing, I used to shake them every 10 minutes to make sure they were still alive. I probably would've gotten by by checking a pulse, but eh... it was quicker!
 
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