Automated BP cuffs

[Ace844]

What I was trying to "assert" is that alot of towns in region 2 use PB for their 911, that's all. There has been a post somewhere pro and con against PB staffing somewhere, and I am not going to get in an argument with you about it. It's really not worth my time. :roll:

"andrean678,"

If I wanted to argue, I wouldn't have asked for clarification...You made a general statement which wasn't necessarily "the case" which I tried to clarify for you...

As far as

I am not going to get in an argument with you about it. It's really not worth my time. :roll:

It was worth your time to post..so that's funny, I'm a fair guy, just don't make statements you can't back up or prove..and we'll be fine...have alot of spirited discussion, besides you posted from an area which i know well and from a state in which i have alot of experience...So Doom on you, this is a discussion board after all... :idea: =P~ :-s

out here,

Ace844

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

ER job a few years back, automated cuff got a BP of 102/70ish (if i remember the numbers right) on an iv pole.

That killed autocuffs as a primary use for me

[andrean678]

I worked a part-time gig with a service where almost every basic seemed to have either stolen an old BP machine, bought some sort of BP machine from Walgreens or CVS, or had some reason why they couldn't take one for me when we were in the heat of things.

I think the automated ones on the LP12's suck donkey balls. They are so freaking inaccurate, and it really drives me up the wall when people turn the LP12 on just to get a pulse ox and a BP becasue they are to lazy to take a pulse by hand or listen for a BP. So I think they are bad because it makes medics freaking lazy.

I'll believe my partner or my own reading over a machine any day.

GO NATE!!!! =D>

[Guest]

The only automated BP machine we use is the LP12. It works well enough when your busy or noise makes in impossible to listen. But the Tympanic thermometers work well also. we have compared them to oral and rectal thermometers and always were with in a degree or 2 of each other. Our medical director likes them as well. we do carry both types on the truck. however so what ever the preference of the medic is we have the tool to fit. As far as temp goes ...lol

[Dustdevil]

That killed autocuffs as a primary use for me

Good point, and I should have made that clear. No machine becomes my primary for anything except transportation and defibrillation. Otherwise, manual is the standard by which I live. But for serial measurements during transport and care, these machines are valuable (not INvaluable) tools that I would rather have around than a pulse ox or an ear thermometer.

[Dustdevil]

But the Tympanic thermometers work well also. we have compared them to oral and rectal thermometers and always were with in a degree or 2 of each other. Our medical director likes them as well. we do carry both types on the truck. however so what ever the preference of the medic is we have the tool to fit. As far as temp goes ...lol

The problem is, you have no way of knowing when they are and are not working "well." That is a flaw in the device. In BP measurement, you have a manual baseline for comparison, so you know when readings are off. But with the theromo, you have no manual baseline. If you took a manual temp, you wouldn't be using the thermoscan in the first place. That in itself is enough reason to not use them.

But back to the device, they are only accurate when they are properly positioned. And there is no way to know if you are properly positioned. Therefore, any assumption that the reading is accurate is just that, an assumption.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

The problem is, you have no way of knowing when they are and are not working "well." That is a flaw in the device. In BP measurement, you have a manual baseline for comparison, so you know when readings are off. But with the theromo, you have no manual baseline. If you took a manual temp, you wouldn't be using the thermoscan in the first place. That in itself is enough reason to not use them.

But back to the device, they are only accurate when they are properly positioned. And there is no way to know if you are properly positioned. Therefore, any assumption that the reading is accurate is just that, an assumption.

=D>

[Nate]

Unless you are going to give me a full-time partner who does not have to drive also to do it for me, I would like to have the device available.

Come work with me at my service, when ever I get on the truck I have the people on the BLS/ALS truck to work with. One drives, one helps me in the back. All crews in my station know the way I want things, and know their own assesment is expected and valued.

I do honestly believe that auto BP's are valuable, and will say that the ones found in most ICU's that are tied into the monitor system are pretty close. However; lets face it, your not going to find flight grade machines on every ambulance. I'd love to have one of those compact HP monitors that some of the flight services around here use, but it wouldn't hold up the abuse a monitor on a truck is subjected to on a daily basis.

[Guest]

I can't help but agree with you on the postition thing dust. But i will tell you this much. If the reading is low and the PT is hot to the touch then you know it is off. or if it measures High and the PT is cool to the touch you know it is off. It all falls back to PT assessment skills. I don't have the time to wait for a regular thermometer to take the few minutes to read. It is often impractical and unnessesary to take the temp. rectally, which is the only way our former ED director would accept our reports of a temp in the field. We replace our batteries in the thermoscans every month if they get used or not. that helps in keeping them error free. i said helps not prevents. The oral digital thermometers have the some problems as well. uncooperative PT's for one. If they don't keep the thing in their mouth or their mouth shut long enought, no temp!!! If they are drinking anything prior to checking temp ... Inacurate reading.. Everything has problems. Our ED even uses thermoscans unless the PT is uncooperative then they used the rectal... Ussually striaghtens up the PT's real quick

[Guest]

--Angelkiss, I am just curious to know, what types of BLS calls are you running where it is that difficult to obtain a manual BP?

Did I say it was difficult??? I don't remember ever saying that. What I recall saying is that I do not use automatic anything. I get at least 4 manual BP's on a pt before arriving at the ER. The only thing I use as far a machines is the pulse OX along with taking a manual pulse. And no matter what your skill level is...it all comes down to the basics. Listen ...touch and feel.

When I run my shifts...which is 96 hours a week straight through....It's just me and a driver...I'm the only Tech in the back of the ambulance and I'm not one of the lucky ones who gets a driver with medical training. My driver's only medical training is CPR. But he's great....he's got the muscles that I lack as far as lifting etc...It does get busy in the back for me especially when I have more then one pt back there.....would an automatic machine make things easier for me? Sure it would....but I've never used one and don't feel I need to.

I was just curious as to what "andrean678" said about agreeing that it would not be good for a BLS provider to use one.......I personally think that the issues of what BLS can and cannot use is bogus....not that it would change how I do my pt care if I had automatic equipment to help me out. It will still come back to using the basics. Listen...touch.....feel.