Yet another hit against Intubations

[medic429]

WOW! I agree that this isn't so much about intubating as it is a WAKE UP about documentation! I too was told over and over, if "you don't write it, you didn't do it" and the opposite of that, if you write it, you better have done it. Definitley an eye opener.....

[Dustdevil]

THis situation clearly illustrates the validity of two of my favourite pet theories:

• 1. Electronic PCR's are crap. All this filling in of blanks with drop down lists of canned diagnoses and interventions is watering down our documentation to a point where some medics aren't even allowed to document thoroughly. And those that have the option of narrative documentation are very quickly beginning to skip it simply because the ePCR tells them once they've filled in all the blanks, they are done.

2. I would rather have cops doubling as medics than firemen. Firemen are unsophisticated manual labourers who are trained to get their hands dirty on a menial task and go back to their recliner chair. Cops are educated to be very details oriented, understand and work with PEOPLE, and to over-document the hell out of everything, leaving no detail unmentioned. I learned NOTHING in the fire academy that contributed to my professionalism as an EMS provider. Almost EVERYTHING I learned in the police academy contributed positively to my EMS career.

• Oh, and people in Illinois have really weird names too. Is everybody there Russian, or what? :?

[Ridryder 911]

]Oh, and people in Illinois have really weird names too. Is everybody there Russian, or what? :?

Yeah, looked the names from the movie Dr. Shivago.. knda makes you wonder where they came from...

R/R 911

[LifeSavR]

Quote from artical:

The applicable protocols allowed administration of etomidate (a paralytic) if the patient was not sufficiently sedated to intubate within 60 seconds,

Since when is Etomidate a paralytic??? Or am I reading that wrong? Well anyways....does sound like a run from hell....been on a few myself. Poor documentation is what got these guys into hot water!

Peace

LifeSavR

[Spock]

Etomidate is not a paralytic; perhaps the attorney just made an error. As pointed out, the problem here is with documentation and failure to follow protocol. Paramedic airway management by endotracheal intubation has come under a great deal of fire and someday may be removed from the prehospital scope of practice. I do not support that and will fight against it but the best way to prevent it is to improve your skill level and always follow protocol.

Live long and prosper.

Spock