Would you look at a patient's cell phone for ICE information?

[uglyEMT]

here is a link to the article in question http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/04/cell.phone.save.you/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

Ok here is the question... would you look in a patient's phone for their ICE information?

According to the article they are telling folks EMT's (their wording not mine) will look in your phone for information. I dont know about you but I never have. I have had PD check a wallet for ID and of course we all look for MedAlert bracelts and necklaces. But I dont know about going through someones phone. Now adays with everyones Blackberries, Iphones and pads, ect holding alot of personal information I don't know the legal ramifications of searching one.

I was wondering if anyone else has or would. Kind of a grey area I guess.

Well lets here your opinions

[HERBIE1]

When this idea first came out, PDA's, Blackberries, and IPhones were not popular. Now, many people have so much private information- links and apps for their online banking, etc, that many phones are password protected, and rightfully so. I think ICE was a nice thought when we all had simple flip phones, but now you would waste so much time screwing around with trying to access even someone's contact list it simply would not be worth it. As UG said, look for a wallet or ID, a medical alert charm/bracelet, etc, and be done with it. Let the police and/hospital staff do the digging to make notifications.

There have been a couple times where I have looked through a person's recent calls, and found someone to contact, but it's very rare. Problem is, unless a person is listed as "Mom" or "Dad" you really have no idea who you are talking to, or their actual relationship to your patient. Not worth the headaches and potential liabilities it would cause.

[fiznat]

I never have, but I've seen the hospital do it a few times. ...And those times it was only in the complete absence of any other form of identification. I don't feel it is all that important that I know about emergency contact information right away, especially if the patient is unresponsive/altered/otherwise sick enough that they can't just tell me outright. Priorities change once the patient is stabilized at the hospital, though.

[Happiness]

It would depend on the call for one and Im not thinking that I would take the time to search something that I am not familular with.

[DwayneEMTP]

It would depend on the call for one and Im not thinking that I would take the time to search something that I am not familular with.

I hear you girl...but not to worry, certainly within the next decade BC will have cell phones and you'll understand them better. It can't be long after that that you'll get cable TV, and then, well, the world is your oyster... :-)

Dwayne

[EMS49393]

I have never looked at a patient's phone for information either. I probably never would. If I can't get a name, they remain a John Doe until they are identified by someone with some authority.

Personally, I have a blackberry, and it is password protected, so it would be of little use to anyone in an emergency.

[WolfmanHarris]

In terms of cost to benefits I don't really see any benefits in most cases. Not only do I have to get in the phone, but then I have to find a person to contact who will be useful to the situation, hope they answer the phone, I then have to explain to them who I am and what's going on AND then finally hope they can provide useful, relevant information for this situation. Since my Pt. isn't providing it to me at this point, I'll assume I'm in a critical or potentially critical situation where my time could be better used. We've all managed a Pt. before with little to no history, this is no different.

On the side of using a Pt's cell phone to contact next of kin, this is a job I leave to PD or the hospital. By the time Police or Hospital staff are able to contact family the situation has been given a chance to settle and hopefully the family can be presented with a clear prognosis when they reach hospital, rather than a call while the situation is still developing.

[maverick56]

With the possible exception of a minor, I don't think I would feel it necessary in the field. That kind of thing can be done at the hospital. That being said, on my phone, 3 emergency contact choices were part of the set-up when I got the phone and they are listed in red in my contacts list, so some phones do make it easy.

[ambodriver]

I have looked a *few* times but never found it in a phone. I have gone through wallets to get billing info an drunks and druggies though.

haha

[Richard B the EMT]

Cell phones are sometimes used as triggering devices for bombs. I don't know the scenario you found this hypothetical patient in, but I am not playing with something that can trigger an explosion, or be the bomb itself (Paranoia can sometimes pay off).

Then, there is the small possibility that the number you think is for In Case of Emergency, is actually programmed in for the actor/rapper "Ice Tea", as I have mentioned both here, and in JEMS.