Questions surround paramedics' response to head trauma vic.

[CBEMT]

At 9:31 p.m. the night before Halloween, a Beaufort County ambulance rolled up to a house in greater Bluffton. Two paramedics, responding to a 911 call about a severely beaten man with a head injury, got out.

Inside the house on the living room floor lay Brian Lanese, 33, bleeding profusely from the right side of his forehead, speaking incoherently and behaving combatively -- often signs of severe head trauma.

What happened in the next 20 minutes has raised questions -- not only about the two paramedics' actions, but also about how the county's Emergency Medical Services handles trauma cases:

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/sto...ments_Container

[BushyFromOz]

i would say given the evidence on this webpage, that these two blokes are well and truely in the shit :shock:

[CTXMEDIC]

If this article is even 1 millionth true, these fools should have their cards pulled. I hope this dude sues the hell out of them and their service. $$$$$$$ :x

[paraloco]

Looks like egos got in the way on both sides. Its evident Hoffman took it personally. Look at his letter. When somebody complains about just about everything you did (the way you walked in, etc. ), I start to take their complaint less seriously. On the other hand, the crew was so determined that nobody was gonna run their call for them that they made some big errors in judgement. This call should have had FD responders for manpower, and to secure an LZ if needed. A combative head injury patient gets darted, then gets his airway managed. If I have bystanders, or even other providers (on or off duty) that I don't agree with, I listen to them while I'm doing what I know I need to do, then I go where I need to go. Arguing with people gets them in a mood to look at your nametag and write letters.

[CTXMEDIC]

Um. why would you dart a head injury patient? And i read his letter. I would have written the same thing in the same situation. I also read keitings letter. Is he serious? thats the letter he thinks is going to save his ass? Not one mention of the lack of care and his 'expert witness' is a part time lifestar nurse that wasnt even on the call. What a joke.

[CTXMEDIC]

Looking at their shift assignment sheet, it shows a student was there also. Take a peek at the bottom of the sheet for the truck gripes. Notice the 'work ordor for the repar'? 'It was fixed thiF afternoon'. This service looks like a bunch of mental midgets from top to bottom. This is the stuff you want to bring to court with you?

[VentMedic]

Um. why would you dart a head injury patient? And i read his letter. I would have written the same thing in the same situation. I also read keitings letter. Is he serious? thats the letter he thinks is going to save his ass? Not one mention of the lack of care and his 'expert witness' is a part time lifestar nurse that wasnt even on the call. What a joke.

Depending on the size of your helicopter and patient positioning, you do NOT want any risk of a combative patient kicking or hitting your pilot as well as harming other personnel or equipment inside a cramped space.. If you have the opportunity to stabilize an airway before flight, take it. You may also be able to control the conditions for the increasing ICP if you control the airway.

[CTXMEDIC]

Yeahhhh....understand, RSI. but why would you dart a head injury patient? I hope this is just a terminology thing. Down her in these parts, to dart means to do a needle decompression.

[VentMedic]

Yeahhhh....understand, RSI. but why would you dart a head injury patient? I hope this is just a terminology thing. Down her in these parts, to dart means to do a needle decompression.

Like the McSwain Dart?

A dart also means any access to get a patient down or a little less combative. IV access may be difficult and probably not an option initially.

[Chief1C]

If it's true, details and regional terminology aside, their actions alone should be enough for termination. Affecting the care of just one patient, who needs their skills, but doesn't get the proper treatment.. is enough. No second chances. A patient w/ uncontrolled bleeding from a blow to the head, is a severe case, in my opinion anyway. If the lab tests show that he wasn't intoxicated, I'd sue for negligence, the article appears to indicate the responding medics assumed he was combative from ETOH, not an injury to the brain.