Family Ride alongs?

[emt399]

Hi all,

Does anybody have a written policy and/or release for family members riding in the front of the ambulance with the driver? Currently for us, , it is up to the lead technician to say yay or nay, with no real guidelines. Most of the time this is for minors, but occasionally, it is requested by spouse of patient

Thanks in advance

[paramedicmike]

No place I've worked has had guidelines or a release for family members to ride in with the patient. Whether or not a family member has ridden along has been up to the crew.

Did something happen that is making allowing family members to ride to the hospital an issue?

[Happiness]

We let family members go with us and it is the attending's decision. I will always let a parent go, but will discourage them if I suspect child abuse. If I feel that the person that may want to ride with the patient is to upset to drive their own vehicle (they may crash), or if the patient wants a friend or family member to accompany them. they provide support. I honestly have never refused someone else coming along.

[MariB]

We allow part or spouse to ride up front shotgun buckled up. It is policy

[emt399]

Nothing has ever happened, and it has never been questioned. Someone (I think an overzealous city council member) mentioned it/asked if we had a policy, or a release. Our previously written procedures mentioned a release, but in 17 years, I have never seen or used such a thing. . Just thought I would put out some feelers. Thanks

[RuralKSEMS]

We can make our own decision as to letting a family member ride with a pt. They ride only in the front unless its a minor then I will let a parent ride with the child. I will not let non-family members ride in the rig with a pt. Our only policy states that it is allowed ONLY if the crew agrees and that it will not cause an unsafe situation.

[Ffmd212]

We allow family to ride up front as long as they are calm enough not to be a distraction. Parents and care givers are the exception they can ride in the back if that will help with care or communication with the patient

[EMS49393]

I've never had a policy in place for this anywhere I've worked. It's always been provider discretion. I will let parents of minor children, spouses of hospice patients, and foreign language translators in the back with me, in the captains chair, because it has both a shoulder and a lap restraint. That's only if they are under control and giving me a calm vibe.

Aside from that, I'm not a big fan of family riding along in the front. I have actually had seemingly calm family members become panicked because they're only hearing part of what is going on in the back, and they're intermittently turning around to catch glimpses of treatment or care and working themselves up no matter how reassuring the driver is trying to be with them. I've had a few instances where they have actually grabbed me while I'm driving, or grabbed my EMT driver while they're driving. They can be a VERY big distraction and my main objective is to have my driver concentrate on getting us safely to the hospital. I do not welcome any distractions for them, be it riders, radios, and especially cell phones! I play it case by case, and I'm much more inclined to allow older spouses to ride, but in general, if I can get them to just safely go behind or ahead of us in their own car, I strongly advise it.

When I worked urban EMS I often had several people that would say they just "had to go with the patient to the hospital." I'm not toting around five of your closest friends with me, especially when I know I'm putting you in triage anyway. That goes for patient X's boyfriends-girlfriends-aunts-friend that just happens to be on scene and want to go along. It's not a taxi or a party, it's an ambulance.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Think liability and lawsuit and that is probably where this is coming from. If you don't have a signed release and something happens to that rider, then the sky is the limit on how much they can sue you for.

At least with a release signed, the county or the service can say "hey you signed a release and you were given the risks of riding. You accepted the risks and gave up your rights to sue us" and that will sometimes keep a lawsuit away.

Follow the money on this one boys.

If you don't have a release, you probably want to talk to your services lawyers about getting one.

I speak from significant experience on this one.

[scubanurse]

A good lawyer could argue the release isn't legit. Signed under emotional duress and all of that...just a thought.

Nothing has ever happened, and it has never been questioned. Someone (I think an overzealous city council member) mentioned it/asked if we had a policy, or a release. Our previously written procedures mentioned a release, but in 17 years, I have never seen or used such a thing. . Just thought I would put out some feelers. Thanks

If that policy is still in place, you could get yourself into trouble by not getting a release signed.