We have a few well know drug seekers in our area, so some of the medics keep some small saline flushes in the narc cabinet and they make a big deal out of drawing it up into another syringe with a 3 way stopcock and slowly delivering it IV. They'll say, "This isn't morphine, you won't feel it right away, but you should feel better in a little while." If they ask what the "drug" they're getting is, the medic replies that it's Nor-Malsaline Sodium Hydrochloride. Most of the time it works, too.
Well, like I said, other medics pull this one, not me... I'm actually a big believer in not withholding pain meds, but when you see the same guy three times a day for the same complaint for years and years, well... let's just say that certain system abusers, like fish, begin to smell after a while...
Excuse me for getting a bit upset when I see jack@ssery such as this. Is it OK for your lawyer to engage in unethical practices? Your accountant? Physician? If not then what makes paramedics special?
Why not? How in Hades do YOU know if the patient is in pain? What skin is it off off your nose? Are you qualified enough in addiction medicine to diagnose an addiction problem vs legit pain? If it's a system abuser, see below.
Perhaps your system should look into ways of dealing with system abusers BEFORE this becomes a problem rather than at the site of the call. The appropriate time to make these decisions is NOT at bedside. Get a hold of MedStar in Fort Worth for a good program.
