3 calls, 4 pts, 1 transport.
Pretty simple day today, a highway fender-bender, ‘trouble breathing’, and syncope.
Trying to find the accident was fun (having the right exit number helps), but once we found it, it turned out to be not a huge deal, thankfully. My patient was very ready to get rid of us.
me: “We’d just like you to sign this…”
patient: “…so I won't sue you for injuries I may have, or may develop as a result of the accident, blah, blah, blah, I know.”
me: (taken aback) “um, basically, yeah.”
I had a student for a while again today. We had a slightly more interesting call than last week. Like many EMT students, she has been disillusioned about EMS, and is finding big discrepancies between the classroom and the street. It’s hard to explain to her, given that I’ve only recently gotten over this myself. Not all patients are straight forward, none have read the textbook, and I can’t base my treatment on one vital sign.
For example, she popped the pulse ox on the pts. finger, got a reading of 93%, and took it off. I could tell that she was concerned by this, and even voiced it to me. I had to later explain maybe a few seconds’ more time on would have given a higher reading, to treat the pt. and not the reading, and that not all readings below 98% give me a reason to worry.
me: “Did you actually black out?”
wife: “He did.”
husband: (indignant groan)
wife: “…and then he threw up”
husband: “I did not!”
everyone: (uncomfortable silence)
me: “Would you like to go to the hospital?”
husband: “No.”
wife: “Well, see how you feel when you stand up”
husband: “Fine!” (stands up quickly)
wife: “Go sit in your chair in the den.”
husband: (proceeds to walk briskly through the house an around said chair in dramatic fashion)
wife: “What are you doing?”
husband: “You wanted me to walk around!”
wife: (worriedly whimpers and wrings hands)
husband: (is fine)
what would have been a more hilarious turn of events: (pt. then actually faints and/or throws up)
next thing you know: (we’re back in service)
Co-worker quote of the day: “So, you have a degree in paramedical studies or something?” Yes, with a minor in nameology.
Trying to find the accident was fun (having the right exit number helps), but once we found it, it turned out to be not a huge deal, thankfully. My patient was very ready to get rid of us.
me: “We’d just like you to sign this…”
patient: “…so I won't sue you for injuries I may have, or may develop as a result of the accident, blah, blah, blah, I know.”
me: (taken aback) “um, basically, yeah.”
I had a student for a while again today. We had a slightly more interesting call than last week. Like many EMT students, she has been disillusioned about EMS, and is finding big discrepancies between the classroom and the street. It’s hard to explain to her, given that I’ve only recently gotten over this myself. Not all patients are straight forward, none have read the textbook, and I can’t base my treatment on one vital sign.
For example, she popped the pulse ox on the pts. finger, got a reading of 93%, and took it off. I could tell that she was concerned by this, and even voiced it to me. I had to later explain maybe a few seconds’ more time on would have given a higher reading, to treat the pt. and not the reading, and that not all readings below 98% give me a reason to worry.
me: “Did you actually black out?”
wife: “He did.”
husband: (indignant groan)
wife: “…and then he threw up”
husband: “I did not!”
everyone: (uncomfortable silence)
me: “Would you like to go to the hospital?”
husband: “No.”
wife: “Well, see how you feel when you stand up”
husband: “Fine!” (stands up quickly)
wife: “Go sit in your chair in the den.”
husband: (proceeds to walk briskly through the house an around said chair in dramatic fashion)
wife: “What are you doing?”
husband: “You wanted me to walk around!”
wife: (worriedly whimpers and wrings hands)
husband: (is fine)
what would have been a more hilarious turn of events: (pt. then actually faints and/or throws up)
next thing you know: (we’re back in service)
Co-worker quote of the day: “So, you have a degree in paramedical studies or something?” Yes, with a minor in nameology.
Comments
~m
Anyhoo, always a pleasure to read your mini novels!
http://www.ruralfiremedic.blogspot.com
Miss ya,
Pat