What would you do?

[Jon]

I like the point raised by some of the "city" medics (DFD, Philly) - there are many, many things that can go wrong on a scene with VERY upset grieving parties.... What are the 5 steps of coping with death?

 

[Ridryder911]

Eliaseth Kubler Ross who researched death and dying categorized death and dying into 5 stages, in which many has also encompasses into grieving as well.
They are
Denial
Bargaining
Anger
Depression
Acceptance

Each person may go thorugh each or skip a phase.. here is a link for more information.
http://www.counselingforloss.com/article8.htm

Be safe,
R/R 911

 

[FFEMT1764]

This will probably show how green I am, but don't you leave and call the coroner if the pt (whatever age) has passed? Or does your service(s) require you to take care of the body? I don't know what mine are I really should find out.

Our local protocol for DOA's include comfirming that the pt is DOA, we then request the SO to come out if there are suspicious circumstances, otherwise we just have dispatch notify the coroner, and we stick around until he shows, anywhere from 20 minutes to and hour and a half later. Once the coroner does his investigation he decides if we are going to transport to the local hospital morgue, if the funeral home is going to come get the pt, or if he is going take the doa in the coroner's van for autopsy in the next county over...and after he is finished with EMS we are required to leave a copy of the run report with him, and of course collect his signature as the receiving agency and the report.