Ghost-Tech Posted March 8, 2006 Posted March 8, 2006 :?: simple question--been debating this for almost 10 years now... scenario: patient falls from a ladder of 8 feet high....pt is 6'2. Do we add the two and = notification. Or do we improvise... If he lands on his head does that qualify as a fall from 14+ feet or do we stay at the height of the ladder or structure....
Ridryder 911 Posted March 8, 2006 Posted March 8, 2006 :?: ...The patient fell while standing.. you measure from that height. It does not matter the height of the person. 7 foot tall to 5 foot tall a 12 foot fall is a 12 foot fall. Be safe, R/R 911
AnatomyChick Posted March 8, 2006 Posted March 8, 2006 Exactly..if they're at the top of a 10' ladder, and they're 6'2" tall, they don't fall 16' 2"... they fall 10'
Juice Posted March 8, 2006 Posted March 8, 2006 Falls are quite simple. Trip and fall while walking is considered a same level fall. A fall to a lower level is just that. The distance from one level to another. Whether it is a roof, ladder, scaffold, etc. Some common sense is required for treatment. A 4' fall for a guy that is 5'8" weighing 350 pound can be a very serious fall.
Asysin2leads Posted March 9, 2006 Posted March 9, 2006 Remember the old adage, treat the patient not the numbers. I can fall off of a 3 foot ladder and be no worse off than a long streak of curse words. An 87 year old can fall off the same ladder and be worthy of a trauma note. I once had a nursing home slip and fall from standing who managed to split her parietal suture. She was a trauma note.
Ghost-Tech Posted March 9, 2006 Author Posted March 9, 2006 Good Point. Thats the best approach to take.
hammerpcp Posted March 9, 2006 Posted March 9, 2006 Exactly..if they're at the top of a 10' ladder, and they're 6'2" tall, they don't fall 16' 2"... they fall 10' However, if they were originally standing but becam inverted during the fall and landed on their head then you could say that their head fell 16'2'', their shoulders fell 15', their chest fell 13.5', their hips fell 12', and their feet fell 10'.
AnatomyChick Posted March 9, 2006 Posted March 9, 2006 LOL...yeah, yeah, yeah hammer. and I agree with Asys... we have to treat the patient and not the numbers. Weren't we all taught this at some point in our careers?
Michael Posted March 9, 2006 Posted March 9, 2006 Exactly..if they're at the top of a 10' ladder, and they're 6'2" tall, they don't fall 16' 2"... they fall 10' Only if they don't go through the floor...
medik8 Posted March 9, 2006 Posted March 9, 2006 However, if they were originally standing but becam inverted during the fall and landed on their head then you could say that their head fell 16'2'', their shoulders fell 15', their chest fell 13.5', their hips fell 12', and their feet fell 10'. LMFAO...that sounds like something I'd be thinking...but just not say aloud. Thanks for the laugh, Hammer. A fall is a fall....it is measured from the height they fell....and the treatment depends on the injury... If I would throw Hammer off three completely different 10 foot ladders...I'll bet I'm going to get three different results...one may be significant....all may be significant....none may be worth a damn. The only thing certain to be sore there is me. LMAO. 8
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