Pt sitting on the bench

[Arovetli]

Indeed.

If they run, they run. A paramedic has no duty or authority to put his/safety in jeopardy for a patient. I'm not blocking a doorway or tackling a psych patient. I'll apply restraints where appropriate but I'm not scuffling with the patient to do so.

As pointed out, enough with the paternalism.

 

[abckidsmom]

Honestly, its not my job to keep them in the truck. "He's running" is not really my issue.

Right but it would have been so simple to have him on the stretcher wheeling him into the ER, making one more barrier to his elopement.

I feel that if we have taken responsibility for people who are incompetent, we need to do all that we can to make them safe.

In that case, having him walk in to the hospital was not the standard of care, and he suffered harm because of it.

That there is negligence.

I'm not saying fight the guy to keep him in the truck, but certainly I do have the responsibility to keep him as safe as I can and not be lackadaisical in my approach to that.

 

[Bullets]

The cot is part of my treatment like any other, those who need it get it, those who dont, dont

Every report on ambulance safety shows that the box is a deathtrap regardless of seating position. So sitting on the bench or the captain chair or the cot doesnt make a huge difference in a catastrophic accident. Facing the rear is the best, so a cot and a captains chair are equally safe. The hooks that secure the cot are not nearly as strong as a shoulder belt and a seat bolted to the floor. For ambulatory patients, that is my preference.

Mr Evans, have you never had patients meet you at the curb? Insist on walking? Ask you why your asking all these question, they just need a ride?

Maybe this is a result of the demographics of where you work. There are days where i serve as only a taxi for "sicknesses" that hardly qualify as an emergency and patients are brought directly to the waiting room.

 

[Dwindlin]

Do you need the government to pass laws to make you care for your patients. That's an amazing answer you gave there. I am thinking you are far to quick to acquiesce to your patient's want vs taking care of their needs. In over 18 years I have never had to make them do anything and they always seem to do what I think is in their best interest.

Nice exaggeration there. Of course I treat my patients. I just don't force them to let me treat them. If they don't want my help and all they want is some nice conversation on the way to the hospital so be it. It's their life, not yours or mine. People have the right to be ignorant if they so choose. Long as you make known they may in fact be making a poor decision, lay out their options, risks, and benefits you've done your job.

 

[abckidsmom]

Nice exaggeration there. Of course I treat my patients. I just don't force them to let me treat them. If they don't want my help and all they want is some nice conversation on the way to the hospital so be it. It's their life, not yours or mine. People have the right to be ignorant if they so choose. Long as you make known they may in fact be making a poor decision, lay out their options, risks, and benefits you've done your job.

If they refuse what you would find to be the most prudent thing for them to do, it's smartest to document the refusal on your ppcr.

We greatly overestimate the competency of our patients as a rule, and casually accepting the refusal of something that's pretty standard and there are risks involved with refusing increases your personal risks altogether.

It is rare that I have a patient I truly believe needs to be carried or ride on the stretcher flat refuses it. I feel like I can be pretty convincing.

 

[Carlos Danger]

If they refuse what you would find to be the most prudent thing for them to do, it's smartest to document the refusal on your ppcr.

We greatly overestimate the competency of our patients as a rule, and casually accepting the refusal of something that's pretty standard and there are risks involved with refusing increases your personal risks altogether.

It is rare that I have a patient I truly believe needs to be carried or ride on the stretcher flat refuses it. I feel like I can be pretty convincing.

I think the opposite is true.

People should be left to do what they want, and make their own decisions, and reap the consequences of their actions.

We :censored::censored::censored::censored: with Darwin way too much, IMO.

 

[Arovetli]

If there are clear cut signs of medical, psychological, or chemical impairment or young age of course that is much different.

Barring any obvious sign to the contrary, you've got to presume the patient is rational, for this is the basis of informed consent.