What would you do?

[Cindigo]

I'm new. Like new, new. I'm in school for EMT-B and just went on my second ten hour ambulance shift. I got partnered with a paramedic and another EMT-B. Normally it's two paramedics, but I was told, in some rare cases, they hire EMT's.

The EMT had been working in this system for five years. First year in the garage, second year on the detox van and for the last three on the ambulance. He was a good guy most of the time but from the first ten minutes he pretty much told me that he was sick of the job and was in school for other things and he couldn't wait to get away from these ":censored::censored::censored::censored:ing :censored::censored::censored::censored: bags" (referring to PTs).

We were called to a UNC M on the steps one of the homeless missions. It was closed and there was no one else around. There was one guy stumbling around smelling strongly of ETOH slurring and yelling "He won't get up! I can't make him get up!" There was a half empty gallon container of vodka on one side of the steps, and a empty two liter of coke on the other. I walked up to the guy laying on the steps and my first thought was that the guy took a header into the concrete steps and broke his neck. He had a thee inch deep LAC above his left eye and was bleeding pretty badly from the bridge o his nose. He was curled up somewhat in a fetal position with his arm cranked back in a weird position and his head rolled under like he was attempting to do a somersault only at at wrong angle.

I came up to him and just as I start to say "Sir, sir! Can you hear me. Can you open your eyes for me?" EMT guy stomps over and yells "GET UP!" grabs the guys arm and jerks him up off the steps. The lead paramedic was at the bus, and didn't witness any of this.

The guy came to and was okay other that superficially banged up. Both parties ended up leaving in the detox van.

It's been bothering me. I know I'm new and dealing with drunks and drug users and abusive people takes it's toll, but even to the untrained eye, that was all kinds of wrong. When it happened, it made me stop breathing for a second. I understand why I didn't say something at the time, but now I'm kind of peeved at myself for not speaking up.

He's only going to be there for five more months. I can chalk it up to a learning experience and be glad no one was hurt, knowing that he's leaving soon, or I can talk to my instructor and risk looking like a narc and starting a problem in a system that I'm brand new to and that I'd like to stay with.

What say you all?

 

[Handsome Robb]

Take it as a learning experience and move on. I'm not saying it's right but he does have more experience than you and he may have seen something that you didn't see that keyed him in on what happened. I'm not trying to defend what he did because from the sounds of it he was in the wrong, I'm just trying to point out other options.

If you want to work for this agency making waves with the employees while you are still a student will not help you one bit. Especially when there are hundreds of other people out there just like you lining up to interview for a limited amount of spots.

Also, not to nitpick but if he had a "three inch deep" lac above his eye that would have penetrated into brain matter

 

[Cindigo]

Take it as a learning experience and move on. I'm not saying it's right but he does have more experience than you and he may have seen something that you didn't see that keyed him in on what happened. I'm not trying to defend what he did because from the sounds of it he was in the wrong, I'm just trying to point out other options.

If you want to work for this agency making waves with the employees while you are still a student will not help you one bit. Especially when there are hundreds of other people out there just like you lining up to interview for a limited amount of spots.

Also, not to nitpick but if he had a "three inch deep" lac above his eye that would have penetrated into brain matter

Yeah, I was thinking and leaning that way too. Thanks.

3" deep....heh.

 

[Zeroo]

@nvrob he probably meant a laceration that was 3 inches long.

 

[Cindigo]

@nvrob he probably meant a laceration that was 3 inches long.

Brains EVERYWHERE!

The call before that was a 71 yo F opioid abuser from a "known address". 40 yo Daughter called basically because she was fighting with mom and wanted her gone. FD was on the scene when we arrived. PT doesn't want to go, but we have to see her ambulate before we can leave. I pull back the covers of this black, grimy mattress with no sheets and uncover a 8" kitchen knife and a two pronged "steak stabber". I turned around and looked at the fire guy. He looked surprised and sheepish and said "whoopsie". It was actually pretty funny, but a valuable lesson about scene safety none the less.

 

[adamjh3]

we have to see her ambulate before we can leave.

:huh:
What would you do if she didn't get up?

 

[Cindigo]

:huh:
What would you do if she didn't get up?

Yank her up by the arm and tell her to "GET UP!". That's how we do things round here. :unsure:

She actually wouldn't get up. They decided that sitting up was enough of a baseline.

 

[epipusher]

What is a detox van? (serious question)

 

[Maine iac]

some hospitals or jails have a detox center. So instead of having an ambulance take somebody to the hospital just to sleep in a bed they go to the detox center, typically via the van.

If there is nothing medically wrong with the person other than them being drunk that is typically where they end up.