What % of your coworkers falsify EMS documents ?

[PapaBear434]

As far as inventory goes, everyone here replaces everything they use as soon as they get back. Complete rig inventories are done every week. Generally, on rig checks, we check O2 psi's, Entonox psi, expirations of all drugs, etc. We also check fluid levels and if all the lights are operational.

In the almost 2 years I have been here, I have only been caught short a couple of times. Both on my portable O2. And, both times because we got toned out before we could do a rig check. O2 seems to be the most prevalent problem at our station.

Same here. We use a set of leads, we get a new set as soon as we get to the hospital and drop off the patient. We have a code, we have to replace a crap-load of stuff, but we replae all of it. About the only thing we don't replace out of the hospital are our AED pads, as we use a different kind than anyone else in our area and have to pay for them out of our own budget.

 

[wolfwyndd]

Before you say zero, consider these common falsifications:

1. Stating you checked equipment on a checklist that you didnt check.
2. Documenting more sets of vital signs than you actually took.
3. Changing the "times" for treatments during a cardiac arrest so that they match the protocol.
4. Documenting a "patient refusal" when you really talked them out of going to the hospital by EMS.
5. Documenting a treatment that you did not do (a glucose reading).
6. Falsifying your actual enroute time during sleep hours.
7. Documenting there was no patient when there was one at the scene.
8. Falsified an incident report to protect yourself or a partner (yes we had a backer on the ground).

I'm gonna have to say zero. Our department has fired SEVERAL people for falsification of records and written up several people for it depending on the infraction. IE, falsifying a vehicle check off would get your reprimanded, falsifying a PCR will get you fired. PERIOD. We don't screw around with PCR's. If you didn't do it, you don't document it. If you did do it, you better document it.

Some of your lists might need some clarification though. 3. for example. There's some discrepancy with 'times' between the time shown on the monitor, the 'time' that dispatch has and the 'time' on everyone's watch in the rig. The 'time' difference between dispatch and what's actually on the monitor is about 3 minutes. So who's time do you go by when you document what and WHEN you did it? That's not falsification though. As I've said before (and not everyone agrees with me), protocols are a GUIDE, they aren't set in stone. So if protocol says you must be transporting within 10 minutes, there's room for wiggle because it took 15 minutes to get the patient out of the BASEMENT, up the narrow steps onto the cot and out into the ambulance.

I think sometimes 4. needs to be adjusted too. If we're called to a 30 year old with a low grade fever and ten family members standing around doing nothing and the only reason why they called is because they think that either a. we can give them a magic pill to make them better and / or b. they'll get in to see the doctor faster because they come in on the ambulance, we have no problems telling them that neither of them are true, take yourself to the hospital. Just because we 'talked them out of it' doesn't mean it isn't a patient refusal. So that's not falsification as long as your saying all the things you're supposed to say.

And how, exactly, do you falsify your enroute times during sleep hours? You get a call and your asleep and you grab your radio and announce 'enroute' as you roll out of bed getting dressed. That's enroute as far as I'm concerned. If you're on your way to the ambulance then you're enroute. Does it matter that you have to stop at the bathroom on the way? That's not falsification. Now, in the same vein, if suddenly your time between 'enroute' and 'on scene' suddenly start getting longer, someone might wanna pull you aside and say, 'maybe hold off on saying 'enroute' until you actually start the rig and pull out of the bay.'

I guess my point is it's all up to interpretation and who's doing the interpreting. I'm still going with zero.

 

[vquintessence]

There is a HUGE difference between "Falsifying a report" and being careless or sloppy. Falsifying a report is knowingly writing down something that isn't true. Lying, stating facts not in evidence. The kind of behavior you talk about on your truck is sloppy but not 'falsifying' and if it is falsifying information and you are aware of it and do not file a report on your co-worker for the offenses listed, then you are not a bright shining star way above the slovenly standard set by your co-workers.. you are part of the problem. You are accepting the illegality of those on your shift.

I hate to hear people griping about the horrible things their co-workers are guilty of in forums like this, painting themselves as the big hero who does everything right. Allowing substandard care to exist without addressing it is just as bad as doing it yourself.

I stand by my original post. I do not know of anyone who falsifies a report, equipment check or other department document. If I was aware of it, that person and the report would be immediately brought up for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. It cannot be allowed and cannot be tolerated.

Are you kidding me? The checklist can become a legal document that can be held as evidence in court (there is a contractual relationship between your employer and your duty to perform the checklist --- yes quoting dictionary.com). So checking off the little box stating that your cabinet holds 24 4x4's when you eyeball it, wouldn't that be falsification under the scrutiny of a petty lawyer? Does it matter there are 20, or 16? Not in the real world. Granted the burden of proof is on the scumbag presenting this claim but what does it say when the lawyer is trying to paint a grander scheme of a negligent medical care provider.

Did I once advocate lying or falsifying reports? No, the checklist was all that was brought up. To pretend there are blind eyes turned within my company is wicked insulting. Unlike you I'm not parading around pretending that my companys entire work force gives 100% 24/7 --- and I'm also not claiming they go about falsely reporting either.

As far as the hero comment goes, get real. My truck was short par levels after a busy overnight. It was restocked, it's done, now I can sit on my *** between calls and apparently argue on the internet. :unsure: