beat this story

[blueangelfightr]

I'm sorry, but what the hell is a WAWA?

It's a convenience store.

[dahlio]

It's a convenience store.

Not just any convenience store, it's THE convenience store. And it's on our way back from the hospital too

[Richard B the EMT]

Not for nothing, but the only place I've heard of a "WaWa" is here on EMT City.

Try, at 5 minutes to tour change, and watching your relief crew pull their POVs into the parking lot, get a call at the most distant end of the service district, for an "Unknown" patient condition. On arrival, a long wait to get the elevator to the 25th floor, and when you get let into the apartment, it turns out to be someone elderly fell down, and the likewise elderly spouse just wants us to put the person back into the bed. Other than being on the floor not being able to get up, the person has no medical or trauma complaints.

Due to the "patient's" age, policy is to clear authorization for RMA (Refused Medical Attention) with Medical Control, which at that hour is still going to take 20 minutes to complete. It will take the same 20 minutes, following packaging the person down on the floor, to remove to the ED. Patient and spouse insist that "The cops just help him back into bed, no muss, no fuss."

Judgement call, and I have had partners gone both of these ways on different times: 1) Run the call through Medical Control, risking having to get the cops and supervisor to the scene if MedCom says the patient has to go, but the patient doesn't want to go, 2) Put the patient into bed, and tell Dispatch the condition is "corrected, no EMS needed".

[Neelfrfghtr22]

wow cant beat that story

[anchormedic]

Was dispatched for a bleeding call on the otherside of the city. OA we found a young women that complained in a thick accented voice that she has "a pulse". I could not resist and replied "well done Mam, you are still alive". Highly taken aback by my reply (within reason I suppose!) she said: "NO! I have a pulse!!" Getting a bit irritated I asked my partner, who speaks the local language, to translate. After long deliberation between the women and my partner it turned out that the women had PILES (Haemoroids)!! I have yet to convince my partner that the focused assessment he had to perform was truly acedemic and that he will thank me later!! It sure is nice being the senior crew...

[itku2er]

I love that WAWA

[JPINFV]

Not for nothing, but the only place I've heard of a "WaWa" is here on EMT City.

Try, at 5 minutes to tour change, and watching your relief crew pull their POVs into the parking lot, get a call at the most distant end of the service district, for an "Unknown" patient condition. On arrival, a long wait to get the elevator to the 25th floor, and when you get let into the apartment, it turns out to be someone elderly fell down, and the likewise elderly spouse just wants us to put the person back into the bed. Other than being on the floor not being able to get up, the person has no medical or trauma complaints.

Due to the "patient's" age, policy is to clear authorization for RMA (Refused Medical Attention) with Medical Control, which at that hour is still going to take 20 minutes to complete. It will take the same 20 minutes, following packaging the person down on the floor, to remove to the ED. Patient and spouse insist that "The cops just help him back into bed, no muss, no fuss."

Judgement call, and I have had partners gone both of these ways on different times: 1) Run the call through Medical Control, risking having to get the cops and supervisor to the scene if MedCom says the patient has to go, but the patient doesn't want to go, 2) Put the patient into bed, and tell Dispatch the condition is "corrected, no EMS needed".

So, what exactly happens if the patient is competent [note: A/Ox4 does not equate to competent for other people reading this], but med com refuses to let the person RMA? Are you forced to take the patient and is the patient still billed for a service that they refused?

[Richard B the EMT]

JPINFV asks:

So, what exactly happens if the patient is competent [note: A/Ox4 does not equate to competent for other people reading this], but med com refuses to let the person RMA? Are you forced to take the patient and is the patient still billed for a service that they refused?

Crazy system I work for, the answer, unfortunately, is YES. There might need to be LEO involvement, so an EMS supervisor might have to be requested, too.

[Niftymedi911]

Dude thats completely messed up, but given that your in NYC and there are thousands of EMS providers in the area its hard to trust everyone. You gotta do what you gotta do. What ever happend to the patient being by law competent to refuse care no questions asked? Anyway, I got one to beat ya all........

Responded unknow distress on the outskirts of our zone (anit it always like that for the high priority calls). The dispatch info stated U /F / U U (unknow age female, unknown conscious, unknown breathing status) 3rd prty rec'd from alrm Co. Heard "hissing" noises in background. Second update "Heard grunting noises in background with no voice contact"

Third, "possible cardiac arrest". Foruth, "front door unknown if locked" Finally, 12 min later (turned out to be REALLY outside of our zone) we get there. Door was locked as well as all hurricane shutters on windows. PD finally shows and tried the front door and just stand there. "yep, its locked". I was thinking "well no wonder why we're just standing here you dumb idot". Anyway, finally gained access and found no one home. It turned out the cat tripped the base alarm and when the cat heard it go off and voices it started hissing and grunting. I guess the alarm Co. though maybe V-fib seizures or the last breath (sometimes heard as a hissing noise). NE way, went 10-8 (available) and went back to station.

[medicmissy]

Gotta good one for ya.... don't know if it surpasses the previous tales, but great story none the less....

Got a call just 5 mins away for a frequent flyer. Has some urinary issues and has a foley. This call in particular was called in by the family because he had no urine coming from around the cath. It was all goin in the bag and they felt that he must have been "swollen" and needed to be seen to fix the swellin so that he would leak around the cath again. They said they noticed when he had dry diapers! OMG... Pt. education has got to improve.