Medics Describe Horror of Chimp Attack

[VentMedic]

Why do some in EMS feel the need to tell their patient's story to the media before the lady even realizes she is being talked about by her caregivers? Do they not consider the family before releasing gorey details that they witnessed? Why not let the doctors prepare the families first?



Medics Describe Horror of Chimp Attack

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer


STAMFORD, Conn



http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=9014&siteSection=1

Ackley, a captain with Stamford's emergency medical services, and medic Matt Groves were among the first to tend to Nash. Police formed a perimeter around them with their guns drawn in case the chimp came back.

Blood was everywhere. Groves confirmed she was alive by checking her breathing.


"You ready?" Groves said. "One, two three."

The medics rolled Nash onto a stretcher and strapped her in. They stanched the bleeding with gauze.

Nash's hands were horribly disfigured, but still attached to her wrists.

"I would liken it to a machine-type accident," Ackley said. "She had some crushing injuries to her hands and some tearing injuries to her hands."
Her head injuries "involved her entire face and scalp," Ackley said. Nash's eyes were injured, but Ackley would not say how extensively. Her hair had been ripped out.

"She just had disfiguring injuries," he said. "Her nose was still there. There was some disfigurement. She did have injuries to her mouth that caused quite a bit of bleeding. It was very difficult to determine where everything was because of the blood."

 

[Sasha]

Why do some in EMS feel the need to tell their patient's story to the media before the lady even realizes she is being talked about by her caregivers?

Because they want their 10 minutes of fame.

 

[silver]

You also assume that they don't have consent for it from the family to release this information.

Hmmm this is my town by the way.
Sounded really scary on the scanner (I'm not home). The chimp was attempting to get into a police cruiser, got in and went after a cop. The cop then had to shoot the chimp twice.

 

[karaya]

You're jumping to conclusions here that the patient gave no consent. It appears she did in fact give consent for in addition to statements from EMS, both medical facilities (Stamford Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic)have also provided information to the media on her surgeries, etc.

The unusual nature of the incident and resulting injuries propelled this to a worldwide news story. Not uncommon at all to see additional information published about the extent of her injuries, treatment and impending recovery.

 

[bstone]

Isn't this a very plain HIPPA violation?

 

[karaya]

Isn't this a very plain HIPPA violation?

It's HIPAA. Read my post above.

 

[VentMedic]

You're jumping to conclusions here that the patient gave no consent. It appears she did in fact give consent for in addition to statements from EMS, both medical facilities (Stamford Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic)have also provided information to the media on her surgeries, etc.

But why not have some consideration and respect for the family by the healthcare providers? You don't see the nurses from the Cleveland Clinic or the staff from the first ED wanting to discuss all the cool details. If the hospitals have a statement to make, they use a spokesperson.

Where's the common courtesy? Asking someone mauled and their life changed forever if they can get their own 10 minutes of fame by discussing the details to the press? That just crosses the line for a medical profession. The media has their own agenda to get the news out.

I personally would have a difficult time trusting these two Paramedics with much of anything personal. Trust is something that patients much feel comfortable in giving their care providers. Some patients are hesitant to disclose alot of medical history to EMS providers.

 

[silver]

One of the people quoted was the captain, so was the in charge of EMS at that incident. Why not let him speak since this was released at a press conference where the chief of police spoke, officers on scene, and the mayor spoke to the press and recounted the story/situation? In addition Stamford Hospital had a press conference where the attending surgeon talked and was quoted.

 

[karaya]

But why not have some consideration and respect for the family by the healthcare providers? You don't see the nurses from the Cleveland Clinic or the staff from the first ED wanting to discuss all the cool details. If the hospitals have a statement to make, they use a spokesperson.

Where's the common courtesy? Asking someone mauled and their life changed forever if they can get their own 10 minutes of fame by discussing the details to the press? That just crosses the line for a medical profession. The media has their own agenda to get the news out.

I personally would have a difficult time trusting these two Paramedics with much of anything personal. Trust is something that patients much feel comfortable in giving their care providers. Some patients are hesitant to disclose alot of medical history to EMS providers.

I somehow have a feeling of deja vu. Vent, you and I have had similar discussions on this topic before.

You again are making an enormous amount of conclusions.

One, you assumed the patient lacks knowledge that information about her injuries is being discussed with the media. We know that's not the case since both medical facilities are also discussing her treatment with the media.

Two, you assume the medics are talking to the media unrestrained. For all we know their administrator or PIO is sitting right alongside while they give the interview. Perhaps they were already briefed as to the extent of their statements? Speaking as a former PIO myself, I actually thought the interview was done remarkably well and well withing the bounds of decency when you consider what the medics had to encounter. Many times I allowed medics one on one interviews with the media if the circumstances where such that the story could be better conveyed by the on-site crew.

Keep this in mind also. The cat was well out of the bag as to the extent of her injuries well before the medics gave their interview. What they described was really no surprise.

Oh and by the way gang, its 15 minutes of fame not 10.

 

[AJ Hidell]

But why not have some consideration and respect for the family by the healthcare providers? You don't see the nurses from the Cleveland Clinic or the staff from the first ED wanting to discuss all the cool details. If the hospitals have a statement to make, they use a spokesperson.

Where's the common courtesy?

It's just not so common anymore.

Silver, are they vollies or professionals?

(Yes, I realize that their actions have shown them to be less than "professional", but I'm not asking for a semantic argument, just their employment status.)

 

[VentMedic]

I somehow have a feeling of deja vu. Vent, you and I have had similar discussions on this topic before.

You again are making an enormous amount of conclusions.

One, you assumed the patient lacks knowledge that information about her injuries is being discussed with the media. We know that's not the case since both medical facilities are also discussing her treatment with the media.

Two, you assume the medics are talking to the media unrestrained. For all we know their administrator or PIO is sitting right alongside while they give the interview. Perhaps they were already briefed as to the extent of their statements? Speaking as a former PIO myself, I actually thought the interview was done remarkably well and well withing the bounds of decency when you consider what the medics had to encounter. Many times I allowed medics one on one interviews with the media if the circumstances where such that the story could be better conveyed by the on-site crew.

Keep this in mind also. The cat was well out of the bag as to the extent of her injuries well before the medics gave their interview. What they described was really no surprise.

Oh and by the way gang, its 15 minutes of fame not 10.

Just because all the neighbors are talking about it doesn't mean it is okay for healthcare professionals to yak too.

How many RNs, PTs, or RRTs from a hospital setting have you interviewed directly about specific information about a patient?

Besides all that HIPAA stuff which is a different matter totally, almost every state has their own privacy laws about healthcare professionals discussing patient care. If a PR person from the hospital does so with the proper consent, then great. As a healthcare professional one should have the patient's best HEALTH care interests at heart and not those of hungry attorneys who are probably circling this case or the media guys just wanting a story.

Show me a couple of articles where RNs or RRTs have interviewed with specific details about a patient's condition. I will then search to see if they have had their licenses placed on notice or revoked.

Are some in EMS really that starved for their 10 minutes of fame that they would not respect their patients enough to give them their right to privacy? Who gives a rat's butt about "the consent"? The lady was mutilated and hopefully they didn't do a sedation vacation on her just to get her consent or withhold meds of comfort for the media and these Paramedics to get that consent.

 

[Veneficus]

"All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal."

Apparently that doesn't apply anymore when it comes to getting your face on tV.

 

[firecoins]

You also assume that they don't have consent for it from the family to release this information. .

Her family is dead. She is a widower and her daughter are dead.

 

[CAOX3]

I dont mean to switch gears here or hijack this post.

I am about sick of reading stories of people who have wild animal as pets and the thing attacks them or their loved ones, its not the animals fault yet they seem to pay the ultimate price.

She drove it around, put a dress on it, took bathes with it and they slept in the same bed. I give that monkey credit I would of snapped a long time ago.

You know what, I have an idea dont get a f'n gorrila as a pet. Then you wont have to worry about it attacking you.

 

[karaya]

I dont mean to switch gears here or hijack this post.

I am about sick of reading stories of people who have wild animal as pets and the thing attacks them or their loved ones, its not the animals fault yet they seem to pay the ultimate price.

She drove it around, put a dress on it, took bathes with it and they slept in the same bed. I give that monkey credit I would of snapped a long time ago.

You know what, I have an idea dont get a f'n gorrila as a pet. Then you wont have to worry about it attacking you.

Point of order: The chimp did not attack the owner, but the owner's friend.

 

[CAOX3]

Maybe read the whole post "loved ones"

K..

 

[medic417]

This type of unprofessional action is why there is no hope for EMS ever advancing. To many are trying to act like they are heros rather than focusing on medicine. We are attracting the wrong type of people with the low education standards we have.

 

[ffemt8978]

This type of unprofessional action is why there is no hope for EMS ever advancing. To many are trying to act like they are heros rather than focusing on medicine. We are attracting the wrong type of people with the low education standards we have.

Hmmm...I read the article and didn't get that impression. Would you care to cite what was unprofessional about this? Also, I would like you to point out where they were trying to be "heroes rather than focusing on medicine".

Oh, and quit trying to hijack every thread with your educational standards rant.

 

[karaya]

This type of unprofessional action is why there is no hope for EMS ever advancing. To many are trying to act like they are heros rather than focusing on medicine. We are attracting the wrong type of people with the low education standards we have.

Oh please. You need to get grip on what is true media sensationalism and a story that describes an extremely unusual and dangerous situation with a patient's life at stake. Two totally different types of media reporting.

They (the paramedics) conducted an excellent interview! They stayed to the facts and did not speculate and furthermore, nothing in their story was self serving. In my experience as a PIO these guys ran right down the line of textbook examples of "101" media interviews.

Your statement, "To[sic] many are trying to act like they are heros rather than focus on medicine" is just plain silly. For years I've seen news reports of EMS caregivers stealing, beating patients, driving intoxicated, working without a license, etc. And along comes an article that informs the readers of an incredible situation that confronted these Connecticut paramedics and you go as far as to attack the paramedic's education standards?

This is the problem when EMS providers read about other EMS providers in newsworthy situations. Too many burrow into a motive of the interview and constantly come up with conclusions that are a result of their own ignorance has to how the public truly perceives EMS's role.

But fire departments? Well they figured this out and have used the media to their advantage for years.

 

[medic417]

Hmmm...I read the article and didn't get that impression. Would you care to cite what was unprofessional about this? Also, I would like you to point out where they were trying to be "heroes rather than focusing on medicine".

Oh, and quit trying to hijack every thread with your educational standards rant.

It is unprofessional to disclose details of a patients injurys, the blood and guts. It is not the publics business. The fact that they are drawing attn to themselves is the "heroes" part. They are wanting attn for their actions. This is my opinion as is the education I mentioned sorry you do not like my opinion. My opinion is not an attempt to hijack.