Things you have had to do on a call that were out of the Norm

[WolfmanHarris]

We do a fair number of transfers from Emer back to the nursing home across the parking lot. On of our medics (who's been on the job since 1968) will regularly walk these Pt.'s home in a wheelchair so they can enjoy the walk.

[ShockDoctor]

I didn't personally do anything out of the norm, but I was once dispatched to a haunted house. There was this very superstitious Mexican family who called the sheriff because the "ghost was getting angry". The father was feeling a little nauseous, and the family was blaming the ghost. I asked the father what he had done throughout the day and he claimed he had gone to work (construction in the hot summer sun). I asked the father what he had eaten (a few spoonfuls of Corn Flakes in the morning and he skipped lunch). I asked what he had drunk (a bottle of water in the morning).

And they were blaming all of this on the family ghost...

They wanted the deputy to force to ghost to leave. He was nice enough to go inside and give the ghost a trespass warning. I advised against encouraging them, but he defeintly went out of his way.

[Richard B the EMT]

Newspapers sometimes report on crews, on self initiation, taking end stage patients of fatal disaeases to see grandkids at sporting events, usually on their own time, in a spare company vehicle.

[Adam Swartz]

I am a total rule breaker!!!

Was taking a bed bound elderly man from the hospital to LTF an hour away. He had no family, he was it and aside from whatever illnesses would strike him in the future, his days of being outside were limited.

En route we chatted quite a bit and he started saying he missed going to McDonalds, had not been in years and had no one to ask to bring him this request. When I realized he was serious and saw how deep in thought he was about McD's I told my EMT to pull over at the first one we saw.

My EMT was petrified he was going to be fired but I told him I would take full responsibility.

I took the man's order, went inside and got the food. I then offloaded the stretcher, lowered it to the ground and he and I sat at the rear of a truck while having Big Macs, fries and milk shakes. Everyone was looking but we were people watching just as much as they were staring at us. He smiled, laughed, chatted and then we were done.

Back on the road to the shit hole and that is where we left him...with a smile.

Awesome job done dude. Kudos to you.

[Kaisu]

So this homeless guy had made his way 40 miles up the road in the 100 degree plus heat of the Arizona low desert summer. He was headed another 45 miles North East, to one of the few places in this part of the country that had a homeless shelter.

We were toned out for unspecified illness. He was as you would expect for a dehydrated sun baked guy not in the best of health to begin with after a day in Hades.

The problem ? Nearest appropriate facility and the hospital we transport to is 20 miles back in the opposite direction. The man flat out refused to go back there. He said "I've been through hell to get this far. There is no way I am going back."

I told him to sign this piece of paper that said he was aware that insurance (which he did not have) would not cover transport to where he wanted to go and that he was personally liable financially. He said "I have no money". I pretended not to hear him and had him sign. I transported him the 45 miles. I started a nice line to hydrate him, he had a nice nap, and the ER doc kicked my ass. (Not the first time and won't be the last)

[island emt]

I am a total rule breaker!!!

Was taking a bed bound elderly man from the hospital to LTF an hour away. He had no family, he was it and aside from whatever illnesses would strike him in the future, his days of being outside were limited.

En route we chatted quite a bit and he started saying he missed going to McDonalds, had not been in years and had no one to ask to bring him this request. When I realized he was serious and saw how deep in thought he was about McD's I told my EMT to pull over at the first one we saw.

My EMT was petrified he was going to be fired but I told him I would take full responsibility.

I took the man's order, went inside and got the food. I then offloaded the stretcher, lowered it to the ground and he and I sat at the rear of a truck while having Big Macs, fries and milk shakes. Everyone was looking but we were people watching just as much as they were staring at us. He smiled, laughed, chatted and then we were done.

Back on the road to the shit hole and that is where we left him...with a smile.

Thats awesome AK

Years ago the small company I worked for had the VA contract from northern New England area's to take Vets down to Boston for major procedures.

Some of these trips were over 5 hrs and the only time some of the guys had to get out of the VA medical center where they lived.

We had a regular stop on our return trip at a certain rte 1 north steakhouse in peabody that was very accommodating to us. They had many smaller private dining rooms and would give us one with an outside door to bring the stretcher in through. They always charged the GI's $5.00 for there meals no matter what they ordered. They were treated like royalty by the staff , and if the owner was in the house he personally would come in to greet the vet and thank them for their service.

When it was time to leave the cashier would always hand us a box of cannolie's to take for the trip north.

[Richard B the EMT]

I didn't personally do anything out of the norm, but I was once dispatched to a haunted house. ...

And they were blaming all of this on the family ghost....

They wanted the deputy to force to ghost to leave. He was nice enough to go inside and give the ghost a trespass warning....

i never knew the 9-1-1 system tied into the Ghostbusters' hotline.

Just mentioning I used to date a Navajo "Spiritual Medium", who, at the time, due to black market adoption, didn't yet know she was Navajo.

[MedicAsh]

The only thing that comes to mind is using sand bags and duct tape to hold a patients leg in a position that she could tolerate while transporting for a hip fracture. Fentanyl was not touching her at all for when we tried to move her. As long as we didn't move her leg she was fine so we put her on the backboard, put the sand bag at the end of her foot so it wouldn't slide down ward then using duct tape to keep the leg and sand bag in place. My medic thought I was insane (well the ER did too) for doing it but HEY it got the job done and the patient was more than happy that I did it because it made things tolerable for her. They asked where I learned that and I told them that working in no where Wyoming you have to come up with things like that to help you out.

[BushyFromOz]

Took an old bloke to an appointment at the local base hospital a year or so back. He told me about how lonely he was since his wife died a few years ago, and that he had not been able to visit her grave as he could not drive, public ransport wouldn't take him there and a taxi was out of the picture as he was unable to walk once he got there.

While he was in his appointment i bought some flowers form the hospitals gift shop and when he was finished, went via the cemetery, wheeled the stretcher right up to his wifes headstone.

Poor old bugger cried his eyes out, he'd have hugged me if he didn't have dense L hemiplegia.

Edited July 28, 2011 by BushyFromOz

[tcripp]

While he was in his appointment i bought some flowers form the hospitals gift shop and when he was finished, went via the cemetery, wheeled the stretcher right up to his wifes headstone.

Gave you the point for the story. LOVE IT!

I'm finding that one of the reasons I really love my rural service is the country folk. Most of my patients (and their family members) ask for a hug at some point and I am always obliged to give one. For those that don't know, my initials are "TLC" and I tell them there is always a little TLC provided in my patient care!