What do you say?

[AnthonyM83]

I was once given the phrase "the worst is over"....aka the scary accident and waiting for medics to see if things are going to be okay is over. The rest is just precautionary procedures and like ERDoc said, what to expect. Bring up their family or work or hobbies to talk about.

As for c-spine, here's our protocol: http://ladhs.org/ems/Manuals/Medprotocols/...obilization.pdf

Notice how EMTs can only cspine based on MOI, whereas medics can do some actual thinking (not that they usually do ... most of them in that regard, other than thinking about liability and c-spining everyone so nurses get mad at US when we roll them in)

[Asysin2leads]

Make some small talk. I mean, keep it appropriate and such, but if the person having their head held believes that the rescuer is calm enough to engage in meaningless conversation, generally they get the sense that everything is okay. Either that or they get the sense you have no idea what you're doing, but generally not.

I usually ask people about what kind of jobs (employment) they do. Usually you can find some back and forth points to banter about and you get to learn about new things. Its one of the perks of the job, I find. Do you know what investment bankers do? Well, find out then.

[brentoli]

There's darn little that an EMT can rule in or out either through lack of education or protocols. My guess is that they were instructed to take C-Spine and they did... and appear to have done a fine job of it as well as they didn't let go.

Didn't say they didn't do a good job at it.

I don't have protocols on selective C-Spine either. It was just an observation I was making, thats all.

When you C-Spine 100% of paitents in a specific MOI, and (guessing) .5% of them have any spinal injury, you are waisting 99.5 percent of resources.

When those .5% all have the same things in common, then it is easier to narrow it down to C-Spine those (guessing) 25% of paitents to protect the .5% that are injured. Then you are only wasting 24.5% of resources.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Just don't mention anything about the armageddon thread that we've been having here. That wouldn't do her any good.

[spenac]

Just don't mention anything about the armageddon thread that we've been having here. That wouldn't do her any good.

And don't try to be a comedian with a line like those that are dieing are treated last.

[Just Plain Ruff]

oh the other one I really love is this one

"We haven't dropped anyone since last week" or "we dont' drop people on thursday"

ha ha those are baaaaaaaaaaad lines

[spenac]

oh the other one I really love is this one

"We haven't dropped anyone since last week" or "we dont' drop people on thursday"

ha ha those are baaaaaaaaaaad lines

Or it's not my shift to kill somebody.

[ERDoc]

As well as trying to reassure the pt and keep her calm you could also start getting your history. Like 'Zilla said (though I will take the credit someone gave me) tell them what is going to happen to them both in the ambulance and in the hospital (at least as much as you can without giving them wrong information).

Other things to avoid saying:

"Whoa! I've never seen that before"

"Are you sure that doesn't hurt because it looks really painful."

"You'll be fine, I've been a (fill in certification) for 3 days now."

"Did it look like that before the accident?"

"Where should I tell your family to look for the will?"

[spenac]

Do you want us to use all efforts to resuscitate you?

Thanks for being my first patient.

[Scaramedic]

I hope this isn't going to take long because I feel a crap coming on.