To Carry, or Not to Carry, that is the question???

[AnthonyM83]

I always try to ambulance before carrying...just makes common sense and prevents injuries. BUT simply having the ability to walk isn't even a semi-good indicator of whether they need transport by ambulance. Examples are psychs, MI's, ALOC's, hypoglycemics, hypertensive emergencies, overdoses, abnormal cardiac rhythms, GI-bleeds, gunshot wounds, stabbings.

[cc standup]

I'll walk a crackhead in a ny sec

[AnthonyM83]

I'll walk a crackhead in a ny sec

Really? It doesn't matter what their medical complaint is just because they're a crackhead? I'm thinking that's not exactly what you meant, but you gotta watch what you write...

[VDCavey]

the fact that medics in Europe rarely carry anyone from the residence. Even patients experiencing chest pain walk to the ambulance. He also said that back injuries are virtually unheard of in European EMS.

Over here in Belgium and certainely the area I ride in we let them walk if they are capable of, tha means: if you boozed and doped yourself up we are not going to take the effort to carry you unless you are tubed (black catheter and tube size 10 usually)

Chest pains are never ever gonna walk to the car with me, stretcher, chair of otherwise fire dep through the window, back injurieswise se do hardly ever use backboards and headblocks except for major trauma or a clear case of spinal injury. However with me every fall from a height, every impact on the head etc. gest c-collared and stretchered.

[dahlio]

back injurieswise se do hardly ever use backboards and headblocks except for major trauma or a clear case of spinal injury. However with me every fall from a height, every impact on the head etc. gest c-collared and stretchered.

Isn't that defeating the purpose of spinal immobilization? Do you not get reemed out by the ED when you arrive?

By the way, you might want to get a dictionary. :roll:

[zzyzx]

VD Cavey,

Great to have another European contributor on this forum! You'll have to tell us all about what EMS is like in Belgium.

[AnthonyM83]

Send chocolate

[CBEMT]

Massachusetts.

All of their medical protocols include the following: "Transport as soon as possible, with or without ALS. Do not allow the patient to exert themselves and properly secure to cot in position of comfort, or appropriate to treatment(s) as required."

Listed in "Common complaint findings against EMTs that are of concern and in violation of the regulations":

"11. Allowing/encouraging patient to walk to cot or ambulance."

"13. Standing a non-ambulatory patient for a turn & pivot maneuver resulting in a leg fracture,"

[JPINFV]

Wow, Massachusetts has some really stupid rules.

From the above list:

"13. Rolling a cot in the high position without both EMTs having both hands on cot."

WTF? Are they expecting the person at the feet walk backwards or something?

[AnthonyM83]

Wow, Massachusetts has some really stupid rules.

From the above list:

"13. Rolling a cot in the high position without both EMTs having both hands on cot."

WTF? Are they expecting the person at the feet walk backwards or something?

Uhh...I walk backwards all the time, whenever the ground's not completely flat....they probably had a lot of gurney's tipping over (I'm reminded of the YouTube video of either coroners or EMS tipping an MVA DOA over onto the freeway on news camera). Obviously, the law's overdoing it...but I bet they had a problem that led to it....