first real call

[medic001918]

It's been my experience that not all patients will allow C-spine immobilization. I've responded to horrific MVA's with a victim already out of the vehicle upon arrival. If a patient refuses treatment, I do my best to explain what's in their best interest. Every call can present difficult situations. Do any of you just grab a patient and hold C-spine? The classroom and reality are two different arenas. If you've been doing this job long enough, you know what I mean. Anybody remember their first call? Did you have to respond alone? Think about it.

Shayne

Every sceanrio is different. Noone is arguing that. If the patient were refusing c-spine precautions, it seems to me that would have been mentioned. But as a brand new EMT, he shouldn't have taken it upon himself to do nothing and not hold c-spine at all. I know that the street and classroom are two entirely different environments. However, being a brand new EMT I also wonder why someone would think that it's okay to not hold c-spine after this call? C-spine is something that should be engrained into every new EMT's head.

And as a new EMT, I didn't have to respond alone. In fact, the service had a strict policy against doing that until you were "cleared" and off of field training.

Shane

NREMT-P

[thecroc]

And as a new EMT, I didn't have to respond alone. In fact, the service had a strict policy against doing that until you were "cleared" and off of field training.

I do not work with regular a ambulance I work with a volley rescue squad ( the squad serves 3 rural towns), I am the only emt on the squad, The only training I have is the training that I got with my emt class. So Idid not have any field training. The rescue van is in Wolverton I live in comstock about 5 miles south of Wolverton the call was 2 miles west of Comstock. I went to the scene in pov to get there faster

[medic001918]

I do not work with regular a ambulance I work with a volley rescue squad ( the squad serves 3 rural towns), I am the only emt on the squad, The only training I have is the training that I got with my emt class. So Idid not have any field training. The rescue van is in Wolverton I live in comstock about 5 miles south of Wolverton the call was 2 miles west of Comstock. I went to the scene in pov to get there faster

My first service was a volunteer service as well. Just like many other people on this forum. I find it difficult to believe that any service with some degree of risk management is going to let a brand new EMT fulfill that role without any formal field training to validate their knowledge and/or skills. Just because someone holds a valid certification card does not mean that they are capable of functioning on the job without supervision. That's a risky proposition for an organization to take even under the best of circumstances.

Unfortunately this will sound pretty harsh...but if you can't provide the proper patient care than maybe you shouldn't be responding in a POV just yet? Get some experience under some supervision to build some confidence yourself before functioning on your own. Otherwise, you might find yourself in way over your head on a call if you haven't already done that. It sounds like that may have been the case already though.

I guess some people might subscribe to the "something is better than nothing" belief with regard to who responds to a call, but if you're going to show up to help and you're not under the supervision of another provider until you're cleared, I'd rather you didn't show up personally. It seems like more harm than good can come from that scenario. The liability in you being on scene with a patient with a significant mechanism of injury (such as...a ROLLOVER MVC) and not taking the proper interventions is to great. Once you've demonstrated the appropriate decision making ability and have the experience to function on your own, you would be welcome to do so. Until you've accomplished that though, you shouldn't be trying to function on your own.

Shane

NREMT-P