down time

[UMSTUDENT]

You do charts hours after dropping off the patient? :?

That's a disaster just waiting to happen.

Yeah, this is pretty common where I'm from, especially with the advent of internet-based documentation. We can access the web site anywhere in the world so it's easy to take your work home with you. Unfortunately

I know some medics who work two jobs back-to-back and will often leave a call from one job, jump in their personal vehicle, and then drive 7-10 miles to their next place of employment. After 48 hours they may have 5-6 reports to do on their off time. Unfortunately, because the area focuses so much on response times and fail rates, just as Strippel said, we often are available after the patient is transferred to definitive care. Most of it comes down to simple pride. No station or county wants to be seen bringing in a second-due unit from another jurisdiction to handle a "simple EMS call." Double standard.

[strippel]

No place where I have worked did they allow you to write from home. You must be paid for timed worked, and outside access of the computer system is a bad thing.

Our charting program is internet based (2 different jobs, different counties, same program). I can only access the QA portion of the program when not at a station. That is on the software company's server.

We do have many people who work more than 1 job. Email is a good way to type your narrative. Then you can cut and paste.

Yes, it is nice to limit your covers and scratches. In our case, we are city EMS, and the hospitals are in the city. Other agencies get dispatched to cover, but are further away. Usually. If they are closer, they can have the call. With over 22,000 plus inter-facilities, we can miss a few.

Back to the original thread. When we have downtime, like today, we clean and restock. We also watch TV and rest. We recently got new con-ed videos, and have been watching them. This morning, I finished my charts from yesterday, following the company and DOH 24 hour rule, and we are resting.

So far in 8 hours, we have had a vehicle accident with no injuries. One other truck hasn't turned a wheel. Others have been busy. We currently have 3 on an MVC with entrapment, covering another service.

[Ridryder 911]

So how do you leave your completed chart to the transfering facility, after arriving? I will not sign accepted patient form until I have FULL completed documentation form or narrative. I also question that most institutions have a time limit of charting as well as security (HIPPA) on charting as well. Just wondering....?

R/R 911

[strippel]

Rid, we give verbal report to the nurses and doctor. Neither we nor them need anything signed, unless narcotics are used by command, and not protocol. Our ER does over 80,000 visits.

They do not want, or get anything written, until EMS has time to write the chart. We deliver ours by hand, all other services fax, if they send at all. If the patient is from an ECF, they get copies of all paperwork provided.

Most charts usually do not make it to the patient record. (Yes, I worked IS [information Services] inside the hospital. Loose attachments, EMS charts and anything not produced by a hospital computer system, have a pretty slim chance of making it to medical records.

We have never been told of a time frame by the hospitals. Most times when charts are delivered (either by the crew at that hospital, or supervisor), the ER staff doesn't want them. I have seen them get thrown away. If the patient is a trauma, the TS manager needs the chart by the beginning of her next work day. She will track you down.

[AnthonyM83]

what kinds of stuff do yall do when youre not out on a call? like when youre just hanging around the station? im really excited to get a job and kinda just want to know what its all like.

When I rode with the fire department, downtime allowed us just enough to do a quick ambulance clean-up/restock and eat 1/2 our meals.

When riding with AMR, most of "downtime" was spent driving to another part of town to be available for calls (when one ambulance gets a call, another is called in to be available in that area should another call come in). The two extended downtimes we did have (from 2 12-hour ride-alongs) the paramedic was doing his law school homework and the EMT was watching high school girl's volleyball on TV and sleeping

[Nate]

I work in the heart of the city, when we do have down time we take care of our station duties. Some work on homework and study for the NR test as they advance levels. Surf the internet, run errands, play footbal, PS2 > *, take really long sh*ts and read the paper (this isn't a group activity), sleep, watch movies, just about anything.

Today I went to the driving range for two and half hours. :wink:

[strippel]

Today I went to the driving range for two and half hours. :wink:

[weasel 108]

Lets see. My shift starts at 06:00 hrs. I'm in station usually by 05:30,where I check my unit (again sorry I almost said bus :wink: ).Wash, decon. Then I'll clean station and clean up night shift's mess :roll: .Drink coffee,use the online training and State CEU training. If I'm not on 911 calls,then I might watch tv. We have all the EMS magazines. Bfore my shift ends at 18:00 hrs (yeah right,always late call and next shift is late ),I usually wash unit again. Someays ,we get busy with 911 calls,so I do not get the chance to do many of these things.

[Nate]

I had some friends come up to the station Saturday night, my crew, them, and I all watched Walk The Line.

[csr]

Read.