Psych Transport

[Jon]

So.... you are transporting a psychiatric patient from an ER to a inpatient treatment center. Pt. is involintarly committed, but is cooperating, so he isn't in restraints.

As you cruise down the highway, the patient gets up from the strecher, your partner pulls over to come back and help you restrain the patient, and he jumps out the back door, and runs away, off the highway, and into a wooded area.

So... what happens now.... you have a crazy psych dude running around in a hospital gown, without shoes, in 30 degree weather. He's had thoughts about harming himself/others (why else would he be committed) and is now loose in the woods.

How do you deal with this.

(crapping your pants ISN'T a good answer).

Jon

 

[ma2va92]

So.... you are transporting a psychiatric patient from an ER to a inpatient treatment center. Pt. is involintarly committed, but is cooperating, so he isn't in restraints.

As you cruise down the highway, the patient gets up from the strecher, your partner pulls over to come back and help you restrain the patient, and he jumps out the back door, and runs away, off the highway, and into a wooded area.

So... what happens now.... you have a crazy psych dude running around in a hospital gown, without shoes, in 30 degree weather. He's had thoughts about harming himself/others (why else would he be committed) and is now loose in the woods.

How do you deal with this.

(crapping your pants ISN'T a good answer).

Jon

he jumped out the back
for this I'll get flack

no chase for me
he's crazy as can be

it's cold out there
he best beware

the best thing for me
is just call the PD


yup.. thats it.... he's off and running .. I don't run after pt's he signed a paper .... and now he's off in the woods..... PD - K9 ... if they want him back that bad..

he only had to sign one paper ...... now look at the paper work you get to do

if it's a 3yo sleeping or a 90yo code they all get 4 seatbelt straps holding them.... the panic button would be hit by somone in the truck before mr. wacko made it out the back if we were not able to stop the exit.

 

[MMiz]

Besides being impressed with Jim's poetic response, I must say I agree 100%. There are few thing I'm sure about in EMS, but one of them is not to chase after psych patients.

Working in private EMS I get my fair share of psych patients. I love 'em. It's a chance to catch up on paperwork and talk to someone who is usually alert. I've had one patient threaten to run and one who slipped out of PD's cuffs and ask what I'd do if she ran. I'd do everything I could to keep her in my ambulance, but once she's out she's out.

This is also one of those topics that everyone I've worked with agrees on.

 

[Jon]

Pretty much the same thought....

Say you are driving down a highway... in a transport Type II - no Radio (operate on Nextel), no panic button. Patient is secured with straps x3 on the cot, and as soon as they start to move, the attendant lets the driver know what is happening, and the driver pulls over to come in back and help restrain the patient.

Patient escapes once truck slows/stops.

Wearing nothing, perhaps a hospital gown.


at Oh-Dark-Thirty in the morning, in 25-30 degree weather???



There really isn't much to do but call dispatch and PD to find the A-hole, is there?

 

[CaptainPanic]

Uhmmm with me being a greenhorn EMT -

is the correct answer to run in circles like the psych pt until PD arrives and let them decide which one is commited?? :lol:

But seriously Id call PD and have them bring out the K9 units and track his butt down. And me and my partner do standby in the cozy ambulance until they find him either frozen or running butt naked back towards the roadway. Good chance to catch up on paperwork working standby.....

-CP

 

[MMiz]

Again, there are few answers I'm sure about as an EMT, but I'm telling you I would not chase after a psych patient. It's just not worth it. I don't even think I'd be given a hard time if the guy got away. This is one of those things that everyone I've talked to agrees on.

For a psych patients my partner and I had a code word that either of us would shout out if we were teching a psych and needed help. The driver would light it up, slam on the brakes, radio for help, and enter through the back doors to help out.

 

[MedicPrincess]

Dang...and I wanted to crap my pants


Yes, call the PD (or SO if your 'round here).

And make sure your pen is full of ink to do the paperwork

 

[EMTLVFC4]

After laighing my *** off when the a**hole gets chewed on by PD's pooch I would definately make sure he didn't get away again. I also agree with everyone that there is no way you chase the CCFCCP pt through the woods or anywhere else for that matter.

The sad thing is I've actually seen that happen. Except she didn't wait til the ambo stopped and face planted in the middle of the road at 30 mph. Needless to say she didn't go darting into the woods. She sstayed right where she was until boarded and collared and transported by another unit. Where she in turn tried it AGAIN! That got her no more then a ride in a cruiser.

 

[Jon]

This happened, and I spent the day at work hearing about it... and being VERY HAPPY i wasn't having to deal with it...

 

[MMiz]

After laighing my *** off when the a**hole gets chewed on by PD's pooch I would definately make sure he didn't get away again. I also agree with everyone that there is no way you chase the CCFCCP pt through the woods or anywhere else for that matter.

The sad thing is I've actually seen that happen. Except she didn't wait til the ambo stopped and face planted in the middle of the road at 30 mph. Needless to say she didn't go darting into the woods. She sstayed right where she was until boarded and collared and transported by another unit. Where she in turn tried it AGAIN! That got her no more then a ride in a cruiser.

One of my partners likes to tell the story where a psych patient made a run for it out the back doors... on a freeway. She suffered from an asphalt overdose and was called on scene. :unsure:

 

[Jon]

This would blow, because the crew would have to live with that incident for the rest of their lives.

 

[FFEMT1764]

See above post....Seems the company fax messed me up the first time around.... %#@$ed computer fax machines...

 

[FFEMT1764]

CCFCCP .

Someone else who knows CCFCCP! I am offically impressed!!!

 

[Chimpie]

Someone else who knows CCFCCP! I am offically impressed!!!

Sometimes you have to be CCFCCP to play any part of this industry.
:wacko:

 

[FFEMT1764]

Chimpie you are absolutely right...if it werent for my insanity I would have left this career years ago! God do I love what I do...and I get to have so many interesting and colorful coworkers!

 

[EMTLVFC4]

No on in their right mind would do this for a living let alone fun. But we are alas a breed all our own. I wouldn't change it for the world!!!

 

[FFEMT1764]

Well, I am not a breed, but I am definately a lifer as far as working EMS goes!

 

[Wingnut]

Our instrusctor told us to always let them go, it's not worth risking ourselves to go after them. Call pd and go from there.

And I was never sane, ask my mom & husband, that's why I'm here now.:wacko:

 

[CaptainPanic]

I was CCFCCP last night after my 4th 5th shot of tequila..... does that count???

 

[nyc.ems]

only ems...

hey how you doing?to answer that,i would let the pt. keep running,and would call police.Different state i guess has diff. protocols.some protocols permitts ems personnel not to give chase,but call p.d..in the event pt. ran into woods,i wood wait for p.d..,unless pt. ran into public scene.....my opinion...