What sad sack state did this happen in? ... Oh shoot - mine

[Kaisu]

Try and ignore the obvious sensationalizing and figure what happened here. I would appreciate your comments.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S426283.shtml?cat=5

[Just Plain Ruff]

ok first ambulance on scene has patient care(ALS level ambulance)

2nd paramedic gets on scene and tries to take the patient out of the original ambluance

helicopter enroute

now the 2nd paramedics wife who happens to be a deputy gets on the scene and takes side of husband and stops the ambulance from leaving to meet helicopter

when the ambulance starts to leave she gets in the ambulance and arrests the 1st medic

deputy is now promoted (WOW)

County drops citation

2nd paramedics medical director says what 2nd paramedic did was plain wrong

no word on discipline of 2nd medic

hope this gets to the state to determine what level of discipline to that medics license

hope the patient sues not only the 2nd paramedic, but the hospital and that deputy

sounds screwed up if you ask me.

[DwayneEMTP]

Obviously some very strong bad feelings here...

But if the story is even true only in the very basic facts, how does this guy keep his job?

If our very first priority morally and ethically is patient advocacy, how the hell do you get to keep working when you've you've opening demonstrated that you are unwilling/unable to do so?

Now, I'm not nearly as hard on the wife. I have a lot of faith in my wife's intelligence/ compassion and common sense, so, if I show up and know nothing about the scene except that she's screaming that "This patient needs my care and they won't allow me access!!" Then I'm going to stop the ambulance as well. (Of course we have no reason to believe that this is what happened, I'm simply trying to define a scenario where she might not have been off in the ditch.)

Will be interesting to see how it all turns out...if in fact anything comes of it at all...beyond the kid getting rich of course.

Dwayne

[Just Plain Ruff]

well we know how it turned out for the deputy, she got promoted.

Sounds like it worked out pretty well for her.

[dahlio]

Such a disgrace. There will always be turf wars, and that's fine, but when it affects patient care, thats complete negligence. Shame on that second paramedic. This is what makes us look less professional.

[Ghettomedic351]

I thought things like this only happened in the movies, (Mother Jugs and Speed) Alas we have a guy here that was still pulling crap similar to this just a few years ago. He especially liked to intimidate female crews,sad to say he still operates his own service. Acts such as these continue to happen and we wonder why people still call us Ambulance drivers.

[WendyT]

Wouldn't it be shocking enough if the medic who opened the ambulance door is a member of Emt city and he reads this, think how this is going to look for him or perhaps someone on here is a friend or a partner of his, tells him how we think about all of this. Let's hope the message is LOUD AND CLEAR to him/them.

[Lone Star]

I would have thought that we've moved far enough away from the 'Mother, Jugs and Speed' days that this wouldn't be happening. Once the patient contact was made, the other service had no say in the treatment of the patient.

Since the deputy was the wife of the second paramedic, she should have stepped back and allowed the service with the patient already loaded take the patient.

[DwayneEMTP]

Since the deputy was the wife of the second paramedic, she should have stepped back and allowed the service with the patient already loaded take the patient.

But what if she had reason to believe that the service that currently "possessed" the patient was not giving proper care? (Devil's advocate only)

Dwayne

[Timmy]

** Laughs then walks away rolling eyes**