Role Reversal...

[skyemt]

we spend a lot of time learning how to approach the first minutes of patient encounters... in those first moments, before patient "contact" begins, we are sizing up the scene, gathering initial impressions, etc...

at this point, before the interaction has begun, we are already formulating, assessing, but the "patient" is still a sum of dispatch info and clues we see...

but then, it all changes... we greet the patient... he or she is a person, with fears and needs, and is much more than a bunch of clues for us to ponder...

my question is this....

let's make you the patient (many, such as myself, have already been there)...
in those first minutes... as EMS arrives, and approaches, what words that can be said, or actions done, that would put you at ease... would let you trust them, feel that they really care about helping you...

also, for the purpose of this discussion, we will assume that the approaching EMS are dressed in an appropriate manner.

thanks folks!

 

[firetender]

Eye contact, a smile and a reassuring touch let's me know, in any encounter that I'm being looked at as a human being rather than a problem to be solved.

 

[Airwaygoddess]

Patient care and interactions.......

I think the one of the most important things for the patient, is to tell them what you are doing and the reason why. So many times a person who becomes sick or injured becomes a patient, they have a diagnosis, plan of care, prognosis, and hopefully and excepted outcome. So often, a patient will become an object, and this is when the patient is talked over, and spoken at. Our interactions with the patients in the field and in clinical setting can be very time limited, but it is so important to start with a positive first impression. These interactions will carry through out the patient's course of care...........-_-

 

[BossyCow]

I had a severe asthma attack a few years back and ended up a code run to the ER with my husband standing by with the airway kit open "just in case". I'm not sure we can put ourselves in the place of a pt. When we see the rig arrive, its generally a familiar process for us. We know the rig, what its for, what the stuff in it is for, who's driving and who's doing patient care.

For a regular pt. the biggest issue outside of their health concern is their unfamiliarity with the process which makes everything just a bit more stressful. That's why I tend to explain what we are doing and why. Telling the pt what to expect and generally trying to make them feel at ease.

 

[RapidRESPONSE27]

I would say I defiantly have to agree with all the above, I think the most important thing when responding to a patient is reassuring the patient that your doing everything you can to help them, explaining procedures, eye contact are all key factors in building trust. Remain calm no matter what the emergency is talk in a low calm tone even if your a nervous wreck on the inside