911 call to nursing home at 3AM

[brentoli]

This isn't really a senario, just throwing the topic out for debate. This was relayed to me by a friend of mine who works in a large ER.

A 911 ambulance is called to a nursing home, at 3am for a transport. On arrival they are presented with a paitent who was just woken up for an ambulance ride, because day shift forgot to get his labs, and the doc is making rounds in the morning. The RN in charge made the decision to send him to the ER for lab work. No other complaints. Nothing else wrong. Routine old person labs.

How would you handle that call when you arrived on scene?

[itku2er]

You mean Doctors actually go to those places?

[kristo]

Sounds like abuse of the 911 system. You could discuss the issue with the nurse, or the patient if he/she is mentally capable. Explain that this is not what 911 ambulances are for and recommend that they reconsider their request.

If they don't, well, follow your stubbed-toe protocol. Maybe online medical direction would be in order. My guess would be that if the nurse insists on transporting the patient, you will probably end up transporting him/her. Set up a line en-route, oxygen, make the patient comfortable. The nursing home director will be thrilled when he/she get's the invoice from your company...and additionally, hopefully, a fine for abusing the 911 system.

[akflightmedic]

Sounds like abuse of the 911 system. You could discuss the issue with the nurse, or the patient if he/she is mentally capable. Explain that this is not what 911 ambulances are for and recommend that they reconsider their request.

If they don't, well, follow your stubbed-toe protocol. Maybe online medical direction would be in order. My guess would be that if the nurse insists on transporting the patient, you will probably end up transporting him/her. Set up a line en-route, oxygen, make the patient comfortable. The nursing home director will be thrilled when he/she get's the invoice from your company...and additionally, hopefully, a fine for abusing the 911 system.

WHY?? Why would you do these procedures?

So basically, you are advocating assaulting a patient (IV) and providing other unneeded treatments simply to stick the facility with an invoice and to punish the nurse?

[itku2er]

WHY?? Why would you do these procedures?

So basically, you are advocating assaulting a patient (IV) and providing other unneeded treatments simply to stick the facility with an invoice and to punish the nurse?

And in the end its not the nurse that will be punished its the poor old patient.

[brentoli]

In this situation, if the paitent is mentally capable, can they refuse transport after explaining to them they are being woken up for bloodwork?

If its a paitent who can't refuse treatment due to mental capacity, would it be appropriate to contact MedControl?

[itku2er]

When the nurse called 911 did she say it was for labwork?

[brentoli]

When the nurse called 911 did she say it was for labwork?

I don't know. I do know they told the medic that they were doing it because day shift forgot and the doctor would want them in the morning.

[ErinCooley]

... you call, we haul.

Then, after the call write up a report about it, letting the supervisor and/or ops manager handle it. Not my place to voice my concerns w/ the nursing home staff.. especially since they are mostly dipshits and I don't handle stupid well.

[sirduke]

Sadly this is a very familar incident with me. We get toned out to the nursing home for a transport for routine treatment. OFTEN. We patiently explain to the slack jawed drooling idiot at the desk that this is NOT an emergency, only to have it happen again and again. Reporting them for 911 abuse hasn't made a difference yet.

On the other hand, they will call via landline at 3 am, and the conversation goes something like this.

"County EMS"

"Uhhhh, this is (insert slackjawed idiot name here) at the Pinebox Nursing home, uhhhh they told me to call.... uhhh they want an Am-Bo-Lance out here."

"Ok, what is the problem?"

"Uhhhh...I really don't know, but uhhhh, they is a-doing CPR rite now..."

"WHAT??"

I think shooting them would be a better idea.