jimbreedon

I'd would say 2 things killed this patient. (1) Non-Adherence and (2) hyperkalemia. The 2nd being a direct result of the 1st. K+ elevation caused a fatal arrhythmia.

Having been on both sides of the altercation, both as a Deputy and as an EMT, I believe this was handled poorly. I believe that the police officer acted improperly at the scene. It is not like the driver of the ambulance was going to disappear and not be able to be located. What would have happened if there was a brother officer in the back.

What if the pt. had coded during the altercation and there was nobody in the rig?

Just my 2 cents worth.

I, like you, have been on both sides. The video from the dash-cam has been released and the Oklahoma State Trooper was out of line. From the dash-cam video the bus did yield to the patrol car, as soon as the driver was able to safely do so. Lights and Sirens are for warning and to request right of way. They are not a license to cause people to make unsafe maneuvers on the highway. From the dash-cam it is also apparent the trooper over reacted to the situation. If he was in such a hurry to get to a call, why did he break off his response (if he did) to stop the ambulance? Why was he running to a call, with lights and siren with his wife in the car? Many department protocols that allow ride-along's also require the rider to be dropped at a safe location prior to proceeding to a "hot call."

The trooper, in this case was out of control and the aggressor. He is acting like a "gun toter" with a bad case of "badgeitis."

Even if the OHP Chief, and the county District Attorney, try to sweep this under the rug, which seems to be their intention, the good troopers in Oklahoma should apply sufficient pressure on the "choke happy, miserable excuse for a law enforcement officer" to make him seek new employment as a honey dipper (a job he may be more suited for). Maybe the rural EMS guys could help by talking to their OHP colleagues and stating reluctance to respond to trooper down calls for fear they will be threatened, intimidated, and harassed.

We're supposed to be out there helping each other, and thankfully, most of us are.