From the Eyes of a Basic partnered with a Medic: (And sorry for the length)
So you are dispatched to a Cardiac Arrest. When you arrive, LEO's and FF's are just pulling up a couple blocks ahead of you. No CPR has been started when you walk in. It's a elderly (90ish) male, very little if no rigor, fixed pupils at about 3mm, no lividity, not cold but not warm to the touch, pale-ish, no cyanosis. Patient has an extensive history of cancers, heart problems, and just about everything else. A very large Living Will, and No DNR. You hook him up to the monitor, and it's asystole, You get a decent size rhythm strip. Medic tells fire they can leave, Fire Leaves, tells you to call the death on the radio. You confirm with him he wants you to call death on the radio. You do, they give time.
You, the Medic, and a LEO are standing in the room, family is in the other room talking with another LEO. You glance at the monitor, and notice a bumb. PEA of about one every 15 or so seconds now. And the same time, the LEO standing there says that Fire said they just ran this guy a few hours ago on a fall call. In which he was transported by EMS. We ask the family how long ago was he seen. And they are distraught but very calm, and can't answer clearly. The Patients death has been expected for some time at this point.
But, you do find out that he was release from the hospital only 30 minutes prior to time of call.
--- Now the question. What would you do?
Stick with the Death? Call med control? Run it? or What else?
ALSO NOTE: (as discovered from my other post, that this isnt' normal?) This is a system that runs code regularly to the hospital. And I believe if they are showing anything but a flat line, and at least Three "sure signs of death". then you are suppose to run it as a full cardiac arrest.
So you are dispatched to a Cardiac Arrest. When you arrive, LEO's and FF's are just pulling up a couple blocks ahead of you. No CPR has been started when you walk in. It's a elderly (90ish) male, very little if no rigor, fixed pupils at about 3mm, no lividity, not cold but not warm to the touch, pale-ish, no cyanosis. Patient has an extensive history of cancers, heart problems, and just about everything else. A very large Living Will, and No DNR. You hook him up to the monitor, and it's asystole, You get a decent size rhythm strip. Medic tells fire they can leave, Fire Leaves, tells you to call the death on the radio. You confirm with him he wants you to call death on the radio. You do, they give time.
You, the Medic, and a LEO are standing in the room, family is in the other room talking with another LEO. You glance at the monitor, and notice a bumb. PEA of about one every 15 or so seconds now. And the same time, the LEO standing there says that Fire said they just ran this guy a few hours ago on a fall call. In which he was transported by EMS. We ask the family how long ago was he seen. And they are distraught but very calm, and can't answer clearly. The Patients death has been expected for some time at this point.
But, you do find out that he was release from the hospital only 30 minutes prior to time of call.
--- Now the question. What would you do?
Stick with the Death? Call med control? Run it? or What else?
ALSO NOTE: (as discovered from my other post, that this isnt' normal?) This is a system that runs code regularly to the hospital. And I believe if they are showing anything but a flat line, and at least Three "sure signs of death". then you are suppose to run it as a full cardiac arrest.
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