Frequent Flyers or Transport Tommys?

[firedoc5]

I had always been told that G.O.M.E.R. was: Get Out of My Emergency Room

The first I heard of GOMER was in the book "House of God" refering to the ER, but I guess it could be used for either.

[#1emtprincess]

"dements" or "frequent flyers". I also would always tell them the truth. "We can take you to the emergency room but we are not driving hot and loud and when we get there you will probably go to triage and wait in the waiting room for several hours. Do you still want to go??"

[mindyp1983]

We call them hybrids... lol

It makes me so mad, people call an ambulance just to get a ride to town and when their family member that rides in gets done shopping they want us to take them home...

[unknown]

I think we just call them 'Frequent Fliers'

some other ones that I have heard are

GORK - God only really knows

POPTA - passed out prior to arrival

CAC - clear all corridors (hospital uses it for a cardiac arrest)

GrannyHaul - Transport service (non emergency)

To: All EMS Personnel

From: Chief of Operations

Subject: Proper Narrative Descriptions

It has come to our attention from several emergency rooms that many EMS narratives have taken a decidedly creative direction lately. Effective immediately, all members are to refrain from using slang and abbreviations to describe patients, such as the following.

1) Cardiac patients should not be referred to as suffering from MUH (messed up heart), PBS (pretty bad shape), PCL (pre-code looking) or HIBGIA (had it before, got it again).

2) Stroke patients are NOT "Charlie Carrots." Nor are rescuers to use CCFCCP(Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs) to describe their mental state.

3) Trauma patients are not CATS (cut all to shit), FDGB (fall down, go boom), TBC (total body crunch) or "hamburger helper." Similarly, descriptions of a car crash do not have to include phrases like "negative vehicle to vehicle interface" or "terminal deceleration syndrome."

4) HAZMAT teams are highly trained professionals, not "glow worms."

5) Persons with altered mental states as a result of drug use are not considered "pharmaceutically gifted."

6) Gunshot wounds to the head are not "trans-occipital implants."

7) The homeless are not "urban outdoorsmen," nor is endotracheal intubation referred to as a "PVC Challenge."

8) And finally, do not refer to recently deceased persons as being "paws up," ART (assuming room temperature), CC (Cancel Christmas), CTD (circling the drain), DRT (dead right there) or NLPR (no long playing records).

I know you will all join me in respecting the cultural diversity of our patients to include their medical orientations in creating proper narratives and log entries.

[firedoc5]

How many times have you been called to take someone's loved one that is bed ridden at home and being cared for by the family, to take them to the hospital mainly because the family needed a break or had plans made? They send them to the ER for a few hours of evaluation and unless they actually do find something wrong, send them right back home. Those are the one's I've felt so sorry about.

[Lone Star]

How many times have you been called to take someone's loved one that is bed ridden at home and being cared for by the family, to take them to the hospital mainly because the family needed a break or had plans made? They send them to the ER for a few hours of evaluation and unless they actually do find something wrong, send them right back home. Those are the one's I've felt so sorry about.

You have to sympathize with them, and the ones that get packed off to the nursing homes and forgotten. I had one patient who had been put in an extended care facility, had been there for about 6 years, (confirmed by the pt's chart) and stated that not once had any family members been to visit them, or take them out for a drive....nothing. Out of sight, out of mind!