Research Question - Panicked Bystanders

[AUTHORnotEMT]

Hi. I'm writing a book and was hoping to pick the brain of any bored folks out there. I have a scene in my book where I have a grandmother panicking over her unconscious granddaughter (head injury) and she's making things difficult for the EMS team she's called. I'm wondering if this is the sort of thing that happens, and what you do when it does. Is there a protocol for handling a freaked out person who isn't the patient but called you/ is on the scene? If there isn't a protocol, per se, how would you handle it? Thanks for reading this.

 

[Aprz]

Separate the person panicking from the patient (patient upstairs, panicking person downstairs, or patient in a room, panicking person in the hallway, etc), and try to keep them occupied (ask questions "Do they have any allergies? Are they taking any medications? Do they have any medical conditions?") and giving them tasks ("Can you grab their medications for me? Do you have their insurance card?"). Don't leave them alone/ Assign somebody to them.

 

[AUTHORnotEMT]

Thanks!

Works for me. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[akflightmedic]

While the above is the correct approach, if you are in need of some comic relief or small injection of humor....there are other tactics which work just as well but are not typically taught in school.

One of my favorites, which is successful due to human nature/psychology.

People freak out because they are no longer in control. It is an unfamiliar situation and they do not know a proper response to feel helpful. This is why the medical team by staying calm and issuing tasks can control the scene and bring calm to the person by sending them on tasks.

You also have to know your audience. For example, typically a young teen is not on medications. So if you say go search for them the grandmother may reply quickly she doesn't take any and you have not solved your issue. same with insurance card...it may be produced or denied as having almost immediately.

I like to send them searching for more obscure objects...for example...calmly direct them to go find you a pink highlighter...or maybe a green one. Say the command with enough authority so they do not doubt your seriousness.

They will immediately seize this mission and go searching. This search can buy you several minutes of needed silence or no interference. Typically people do not have pink or green highlighters just laying around.

When you ask the person to do this, they never question why you want one, they are just happy you have issued a task and they have something to do.

Try it...it really does work.

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

You can also treat them as a patient and give them a touch of valium or versed.

Remember just because they are not the victim or the reason you were called they ARE a patient at that point when they are so anxious or so distraught they can no longer function.

I don't have enough fingers or toes to count the number of times I have medicated a parent / family member post code or some other traumatic event.

 

[AUTHORnotEMT]

Thanks a bunch!

Hey. That's terrific info. Thanks. I think I might be able to use it in the book. You rock.

 

[AUTHORnotEMT]

Thanks a bunch!

Hey. That's terrific info. Thanks. I think I might be able to use it in the book. You rock.

 

[abckidsmom]

While the above is the correct approach, if you are in need of some comic relief or small injection of humor....there are other tactics which work just as well but are not typically taught in school.

One of my favorites, which is successful due to human nature/psychology.

People freak out because they are no longer in control. It is an unfamiliar situation and they do not know a proper response to feel helpful. This is why the medical team by staying calm and issuing tasks can control the scene and bring calm to the person by sending them on tasks.

You also have to know your audience. For example, typically a young teen is not on medications. So if you say go search for them the grandmother may reply quickly she doesn't take any and you have not solved your issue. same with insurance card...it may be produced or denied as having almost immediately.

I like to send them searching for more obscure objects...for example...calmly direct them to go find you a pink highlighter...or maybe a green one. Say the command with enough authority so they do not doubt your seriousness.

They will immediately seize this mission and go searching. This search can buy you several minutes of needed silence or no interference. Typically people do not have pink or green highlighters just laying around.

When you ask the person to do this, they never question why you want one, they are just happy you have issued a task and they have something to do.

Try it...it really does work.

How many times have you done this? Sounds perfect!

 

[chaz90]

While the above is the correct approach, if you are in need of some comic relief or small injection of humor....there are other tactics which work just as well but are not typically taught in school.

One of my favorites, which is successful due to human nature/psychology.

People freak out because they are no longer in control. It is an unfamiliar situation and they do not know a proper response to feel helpful. This is why the medical team by staying calm and issuing tasks can control the scene and bring calm to the person by sending them on tasks.

You also have to know your audience. For example, typically a young teen is not on medications. So if you say go search for them the grandmother may reply quickly she doesn't take any and you have not solved your issue. same with insurance card...it may be produced or denied as having almost immediately.

I like to send them searching for more obscure objects...for example...calmly direct them to go find you a pink highlighter...or maybe a green one. Say the command with enough authority so they do not doubt your seriousness.

They will immediately seize this mission and go searching. This search can buy you several minutes of needed silence or no interference. Typically people do not have pink or green highlighters just laying around.

When you ask the person to do this, they never question why you want one, they are just happy you have issued a task and they have something to do.

Try it...it really does work.

I love it. Same as sending the husband to go boil water on an OB call...

 

[Handsome Robb]

While the above is the correct approach, if you are in need of some comic relief or small injection of humor....there are other tactics which work just as well but are not typically taught in school.

One of my favorites, which is successful due to human nature/psychology.

People freak out because they are no longer in control. It is an unfamiliar situation and they do not know a proper response to feel helpful. This is why the medical team by staying calm and issuing tasks can control the scene and bring calm to the person by sending them on tasks.

You also have to know your audience. For example, typically a young teen is not on medications. So if you say go search for them the grandmother may reply quickly she doesn't take any and you have not solved your issue. same with insurance card...it may be produced or denied as having almost immediately.

I like to send them searching for more obscure objects...for example...calmly direct them to go find you a pink highlighter...or maybe a green one. Say the command with enough authority so they do not doubt your seriousness.

They will immediately seize this mission and go searching. This search can buy you several minutes of needed silence or no interference. Typically people do not have pink or green highlighters just laying around.

When you ask the person to do this, they never question why you want one, they are just happy you have issued a task and they have something to do.

Try it...it really does work.

I love it.

I have a bad habit of asking people to reenact the seizure they witnessed "so I can show the doctor."

Tends to calm them down because they think they're helping.

 

[Medic Tim]

I love it. Same as sending the husband to go boil water on an OB call...

I have done this one.

Boil water over medium heat ....and you need to make sure you take it off before it goes to a rolling boil so you need to keep an eye on it.


I never saw him again till we were leaving.

 

[AUTHORnotEMT]

thank you

While the above is the correct approach, if you are in need of some comic relief or small injection of humor....there are other tactics which work just as well but are not typically taught in school.

One of my favorites, which is successful due to human nature/psychology.

People freak out because they are no longer in control. It is an unfamiliar situation and they do not know a proper response to feel helpful. This is why the medical team by staying calm and issuing tasks can control the scene and bring calm to the person by sending them on tasks.

You also have to know your audience. For example, typically a young teen is not on medications. So if you say go search for them the grandmother may reply quickly she doesn't take any and you have not solved your issue. same with insurance card...it may be produced or denied as having almost immediately.

I like to send them searching for more obscure objects...for example...calmly direct them to go find you a pink highlighter...or maybe a green one. Say the command with enough authority so they do not doubt your seriousness.

They will immediately seize this mission and go searching. This search can buy you several minutes of needed silence or no interference. Typically people do not have pink or green highlighters just laying around.

When you ask the person to do this, they never question why you want one, they are just happy you have issued a task and they have something to do.

Try it...it really does work.

Wow. That is pretty funny. Thanks for the response.

 

[AUTHORnotEMT]

"I have done this one.

Boil water over medium heat ....and you need to make sure you take it off before it goes to a rolling boil so you need to keep an eye on it.


I never saw him again till we were leaving." by Medic Tim


Nice one! Thanks.

 

[mycrofft]

Different cultural backgrounds will elicit different responses, just as being in their home versus in public , alcohol level, day or night, will affect it as well. Someone who is simply worn out at wit's end will just sit there and cry as you wheel by.