Walking Patients to the Ambulance

[Bieber]

Who do you allow to ambulated to the ambulance? Who don't you? How do you determine which patients are appropriate to walk to the ambulance and who aren't? Is it based off of a written policy or is it provider discretion?

[Vorenus]

(Haemodynamically) stable folks without suspected spine injury, cardiac or neurological disease who feel fit to walk - they walk.

In general: those who aren`t able and those who could take harm of it shouldn`t walk.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Vorenus

[Bieber]

Is that your service's policy, Vorenus? What about patients who have a serious complaint but who are hemodynamically stable? Such as someone complaining of moderate abdominal pain (bad enough that a generous guy like you intends to treat it ) with normal or slightly elevated vital signs (they state they can walk)?

[Vorenus]

Is that your service's policy, Vorenus? What about patients who have a serious complaint but who are hemodynamically stable? Such as someone complaining of moderate abdominal pain (bad enough that a generous guy like you intends to treat it ) with normal or slightly elevated vital signs (they state they can walk)?

We don`t have a service policy. It`s more about general recommendations and your own clinical judgement.

As said, if I suspect any diagnose which would make it possibly harmful for them to walk, like AAA, etc following your abdomnial example., they don`t - otherwise they can.

I really see no need to carry every bloke down to the ambo if there`s no validable evidence to do so, especially with an onset of pain (for example) of some time during which they have walked around independently - they can make the short walk to the ambo then, too.

A lot of the "carry-everyone-down-to-the-ambo"-attitude is mainly ass-covering, which is surely understandable to some point, but in the end ìf it`s not needed, there`s no point to ruin your back.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Vorenus

[Richard B the EMT]

(Haemodynamically) stable folks without suspected spine injury, cardiac or neurological disease who feel fit to walk - they walk.

In general: those who aren`t able and those who could take harm of it shouldn`t walk.

Sounds good to me. Just don't be the tech who uses the phrase "A-B-C=Ambulate Before Carrying" excessively.

As for babies and young children, Mom or Dad can carry, unless the illness/injury falls under those I just quoted from Vorenus. Then, they ride the chair or gurney.

[Kiwiology]

By-and-large the vast majority of patients who require immediate referral to ED and for whom ambulance transport is the most appropriate method walk themselves out to the ambulance..

Exceptions include things like cardiac chest pain or pain of any kind which we've had to treat (exceptions are isolated upper limb injuries), anybody who's been spinally immobilised or anybody who is reasonably "sick"

If you're not walking then most times the patient will be put on the stair chair or the stretcher if it can easily access where the patient is ... if not then the scoop stretcher is a wicked bit of kit, we threw out long spinal boards a few years ago.

Edited January 27, 2012 by kiwimedic

[Ringburner]

As EMT's/Medics our backs are one our most important tools!!

I've just come back to work post a nasty back injury and I'm far more choosy about which patients I carry to the vehicle now.

You have to consider a number of factors I suppose - Complaint, Status, Weight, Extrication Difficulties, Distance to Ambulance......

I can think of examples where I've seen patients who are relatively sick being walked to the vehicle due to their weight or hazards in their home......

I don't think I've ever seen a written procedure here in New Zealand (Kiwi please point it out if I've missed it!!!) but I think anyone who's been around for a while knows who needs carrying and who doesn't!!

[Vorenus]

I've just come back to work post a nasty back injury and I'm far more choosy about which patients I carry to the vehicle now.

That would either mean that you`ve been not too judgemental about that decision beforehand, or that you`re now letting more pat. walk than good.

I`m sure you meant the first one.

Sry for nit-picking.

[Ringburner]

Definitley carried WAY too many before...... An exercise in ass covering I guess.

I'm certainly not allowing people to walk who are too unwell to do so!!!!

Edited January 28, 2012 by Ringburner

[Asysin2leads]

(Haemodynamically) stable folks without suspected spine injury, cardiac or neurological disease who feel fit to walk - they walk.

In general: those who aren`t able and those who could take harm of it shouldn`t walk.

Funny, I didn't see "painful leg or other orthopaedic injury" in there. Should it should be "If they can hop, they hop!"

Edited January 28, 2012 by Asysin2leads