Writer needs assistance

[Doczilla]

Having one paramedic asking her questions and performing procedures while the other calls in a radio report to the hospital (even if you only hear snippets of it) will allow for some exposition regarding her injuries and what they know of what happened to her.

My recommendation is to go to your local paramedic training program, talk to the instructors, and ask them to run a simulated call with you as the patient. That will probably give you more information than anything else, and can help you set the tone for the scene.

'zilla

[Michael]

from her POV

To ensure a realistic depiction of her caregivers, they should be portrayed as compassionate, resourceful, proficient, personable, focused, abounding in tasteful, reassuring humor, selfless, and ingenious. They should be the kind of people you want on your side, but that should be easy to accomplish, so long as they are offered at least minimal cooperation, a modicum of appreciation, and the respect that is their due simply as human beings. That will help them provide their patient a normal, industry-standard level of satisfaction.

[AnthonyM83]

As someone said, the four questions usually asked are similar to: Can you tell me your name? Do you know what year it is? Do you know where you are? Do you remember what happened? (Though, usually asked as "What year is it?"...if you ask "Do you know the year" you don't want patient to just answer "yes", rather answer "2008".....but that might not be as dramatic). "You're going to be alright. Hang in there?"

Them trying to find out what happened might be good background stuff?

(What happened? How did this happen? What could have done this? for dramatics, maybe?)

I like the idea of having someone call in the report to the hospital in the background to give run down of what a bad state she's in.

Stuff she might see is someone pumping a blood pressure cuff, putting together an IV bag setup, beeping monitors, someone doing a head-to-toe assessment looking for additional injuries.

[spenac]

If you do a ride out as suggested please make sure it is with an EMS service that is respected by EMS Professionals so that you do not see the wrong way of doing things and hurt the image of our profession more than it already has been. Shows like Saved, Third Watch did not accurately portray a professional system.

[Laura Anne]

Laurie,

Good luck with your script!

Is your patient suffering a type of head injury you want to portray as a concussion, or is a shock from a traumatic event, such as seeing Doczilla, uhhh I mean Godzilla, killing the other loved ones in the scene.

LOL, sorry Doc... I had to... just HAAAAD to!!

Anyhooo...sounds like it's going to be pretty interesting, but please do NOT dummy down our profession and make it out to be idiotic 'ambulance drivers' so many other films/shows have made it be. Perhaps doing a ride-a-long or a visit with a local EMS agency may give you a better understanding?

Now, as aforementioned, the vision/point of view in the back of the ambulance is from the patients' view point, correct? An IV bag hanging, O2 mask in place, heart monitor beeping (like someone else mentioned), Pt feeling confused and cold because she will be getting exposed for assessment by the medical team, hands touching her body, making her very scared, she should be strapped down to one of those cold long hard boards with a VERY uncomfortable collar on her neck. Her head will be taped down. She won't be able to move... very claustrophobic. The sensation of cold, confused(due to in and out of consciousness), restrained, scared, angry all need to be considered.

[Richard B the EMT]

I'm going to amend what AnthonyM83 wrote, by saying when the so called 4 questions are asked, that they be phrased as really requiring an answer. If you ask a question that can be answered as a "Yes" or "No", they may answer "Yes" automatically. Human nature, I think.

Examples: "Can you please tell me the day of the week?" (bad)

"Tell me, please, what is the the day of the week?" (much better)

[firedoc5]

I'm going to amend what AnthonyM83 wrote, by saying when the so called 4 questions are asked, that they be phrased as really requiring an answer. If you ask a question that can be answered as a "Yes" or "No", they may answer "Yes" automatically. Human nature, I think.

Examples: "Can you please tell me the day of the week?" (bad)

"Tell me, please, what is the the day of the week?" (much better)

I'm sure at one time or another we have all been told to avoid asking "yes or no" questions.

[L.Smith]

Well, CRAP, clearly I waited too long to check this post. You all said some good things and I want to comment on all of them. First I have to figure out how to use the quote thing. So I may need a day or two.

To be continued...

Laurie

[L.Smith]

Laurie ,, good luck with your storty,,, but be careful of your use of abbreviations

POV= Personally Owned Vehicle .......... as well as Point of View,, and some others as well

LOL

I forgot, i'm not talking to actors and director where POV iS point of view. I guess for a cop it could be Pursuit on vehicle. A paramedic, passed out victim. I guess you might be dealing with a hooker in that case it would be ... oh well, i'll leave it open to the imagination. HEHE

[L.Smith]

Checking, stating vital signs: blood pressure, pulse, EKG, glucose reading, coma scale.

I saw a scene that I liked. They where taking the patient into the hospital.

GSW to the shoulder. BP 110 over 82. Heart rate 128.

Started an IV (Dsw or something. Couldn't make out what they said)

This is very similar to what I want. So if GSW is gun shot wound, what would a head wound be? And what would be a reasonable BP and heart rate? Similar to those?

Thanks,

Laurie