Can you downgrade to BLS?

[NPO]

Can you, as a Paramedic, allow an EMT partner or BLS unit transport a patient while you drive or clear the scene?

 

[chaz90]

This is completely area and system dependent. Some services that are staffed with Medic/EMT or Medic/AEMT still require the paramedic to attend on all calls, regardless of acuity (or lack thereof). Others routinely allow patients to be triaged to a BLS attendant.

Personally, I can absolutely release a patient to the BLS ambulance on scene. Some patients fit criteria to do this without contacting medical control, and others require a quick radio or phone call to the hospital first.

 

[Gurby]

Feels bad man when the only ALS truck in the area is off doing a BS call and a cardiac arrest comes in.

 

[TransportJockey]

Yes, i can in my system

 

[NPO]

This is completely area and system dependent. Some services that are staffed with Medic/EMT or Medic/AEMT still require the paramedic to attend on all calls, regardless of acuity (or lack thereof). Others routinely allow patients to be triaged to a BLS attendant.

I'm aware, which is why I'm asking what everyone else can do. We cannot. Looking for a poll

 

[chaz90]

I'm aware, which is why I'm asking what everyone else can do. We cannot. Looking for a poll

Oops, my bad. I was viewing this in Tapatalk and didn't see the poll.

 

[NPO]

Oops, my bad. I was viewing this in Tapatalk and didn't see the poll.

Not an actual poll, just looking for people to say how it works where they work

 

[DesertMedic66]

Only during an MCI

 

[Chewy20]

If it does not meet ALS criteria, BLS partner can take the call in my system. Mine as well just have two medics on a truck if it's going to be their call everytime. BLS guy is literally just a driver.

 

[COmedic17]

Yes.

EMT's also have a wider scope of practice here then in most areas.. Like IV's, zofran, etc.

 

[Tigger]

Yes.

EMT's also have a wider scope of practice here then in most areas.. Like IV's, zofran, etc.

This.

Have also worked in places that let ALS ambulances transfer care to BLS crews. No call-in required or anything like that, though it was pretty rare for two crews to show up on the same call.

 

[AtlasFlyer]

We allow hand-off of a pt requiring BLS level of care from medic to EMT. It's in our protocols that each pt gets an initial assessment from an ALS provider, then the medic can make the determination that if BLS care is what that pt needs the medic can hand off to the EMT. The EMT can refuse if they feel they cannot adequately handle the care. I'm an EMT (not a medic) and I've never been handed a pt that I felt was beyond my capacity. Our medics are pretty good with their judgement calls. Generally I've found that on average our runs are 70-ish percent ALS... some days they're all ALS, some days there's more BLS stuff but on a rough average I'd say 70-ish percent ALS.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Yes. I work with a basic most days. Patients that don't require ALS are downgraded without a second thought

 

[Smitty213]

Yes. I can and do regularly, however if it was dispatched as a priority ALS call, I need to enter my assessment into the ePCR as well.

 

[RedAirplane]

It is county dependent out here.

Some areas run dual medic so there's that.

Others allow the downgrade.

One used to but no longer does. The EMT was allowed to attend a "stable" patient who went into cardiac arrest, but the EMT didn't notice until they arrived. Now only medics can attend calls in that county.

 

[JohnTheEMT]

LA county loves to BLS patients even if they are ALS

 

[NomadicMedic]

One used to but no longer does. The EMT was allowed to attend a "stable" patient who went into cardiac arrest, but the EMT didn't notice until they arrived. Now only medics can attend calls in that county.

Yeah. Thats the way to do it. Don't remediate the guy who screwed up. Punish the whole system instead.

 

[RedAirplane]

Yeah. Thats the way to do it. Don't remediate the guy who screwed up. Punish the whole system instead.

I don't think it was a smart response but that's what happened.

 

[phideux]

Done all the time here. I can have my EMT partner take a patient and I'll drive at my discretion. We have a mix around here with some city and county units that run Medic/EMT and some volunteer squads that run BLS units. Hand-off to one of the volunteer squads is a regular thing

 

[johnrsemt]

Where I used to work, yes we could send them BLS, or have BLS partner tech the patient. Both 911 and Private services.
Here not so much, but we are so slow 90% of our runs are ALS. I have had 1 BS run in 8 years