ghurty

Does anyone know any real details regarind the new EMT-B course that will be coming to NJ?

The course is supposed to double.

ANy details on what new skills/ scope of practice will be?

What type of bridge course will be available to existing emts?

Thanks

My partner and I got into a discussion the other day.

Let me preface my question with this statement: I am not asking whether something is morally correct, rather the legality of it:

What is the law if while you are treating a patient (as an EMT), the patient divulges some personal information.

Basically amongst telling over you their medical info they tell you over about certain things happening in their personal life (not medically related). You normally have nothing to do with the patient, but the patient feels close to you because you are treating him/her, so the patient tells over the info.

What is the legal status of that information? Are you allowed (legally not morally) to tell it to someone else? Being that it is not medical info, it probably does not fall under HIPPA regulations. Being that you are not a doctor, it probably does not fall under doctor/patient confidentiality. I assume that if you would be requested to give over that info to a court, you would not be able to claim doctor/patient confidentiality and would have to give it over. But what about just talking about it to someone else.

Any input?

Thanks

you answered your own question when you said your volly department had no rules or regulations. GET SOME. It does not matter what they do anywhere else, your organization needs to become professional and set some standards. Otherwise you are all opening yourself up to a huge liability.

The problem is, that they are trying to right the rules to allow patient abadonment, as well as driver going with L&S when no need for it. They are being written with out any legal or medical oversight.

I'm glad to see that I am not completely crazy.

I am supposed to try to dig up some legal paperwork to show them. I emailed the state, and I hopefully they will be able to help.

In regards to your refusal issue, your contract/obligation/duty to act started the moment you went en route to their 911 call.

They sent a distress signal, you responded. Your presence on scene is now "medical treatment". A quick assessment, is treatment. If you leave at this point without follow through, it is abandonment, unless an equal or higher medical authority has shown up and takes over or you transport. Plain and simple...ask any lawyer.

Remember, it is THEIR emergency, NOT yours.

Whether or not you think it is an emergency is only relevant when deciding on which hospital to take them to, whether or not to call for ALS or whether or not to travel with lights and sirens.

I tried to explain, that if we were able to just say "we are not treating you", then why would we need RMA's.

I just want to point out, that I am not really looking for debate over "right or wrong", (I spent over an hour at the meeting debating) rather I am looking for facts and regulations.

Thanks

I am embarrassed to say this, but this is one of the problems with volly squads, that there is no real rules and guidelines.

The other night my (volly)BLS squad (in New Jersey) got into a heated debate of who is in charge during the patient transport. In particular - lights and sirens.

I am of the belief that the EMT treating is in charge, and that if he/she based on the patients status, tells the driver (usually not even an EMT), NOT to go with lights and sirens. Then the driver can NOT use them. And if the driver does, they are opening themselves up to sever liability issues. The problem is, that a lot of drivers love going with lights and sirens.

Other members claim, that the driver is in charge, and it is his decision whether to use lights or sirens. That "if we are transporting then it must be an emergency".

This led to a different discussion whether or not a EMS squad dispatched to a call can refuse treatment/transport if they feel that it is not a "real emergency".

I am of the belief that refusing transport would be considered abandonment, (thus being the reason why we need RMA's). They claimed that even though you arrive on scene and do a quick assessment, it is not considered abandonment until you actually start treating the patient.

So basically, the two questions are:

1) Who is in charge in regards to using lights and sirens during a transport.

2) Can you refuse treatment/transport of a patient if you feel it is not an emergecny.

Remember, we are dealing with BLS here.

It could be that I am wrong regarding both of these. I would love to hear what anyone has to say about this. Also if anyone has links to any legal documents, etc... We are dealing with New Jersey here, but any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

The policies pertaining to exposure reporting will not be in your patient protocol book but rather in your employee or volunteer handbook that outlines what is expected of you or the company. There are also administrative policies that may outline the procedures especially if you know you have been exposed like for a needle stick or body fluids in your eyes.

The hospitals you transport will also have an extensive reporting P&P in their infection control manual. Hospitals also have infection control officers who know the regulations and do see they are followed through. Since the majority of infectious patients that you will be exposed to will be taken to the hospital, their infection control person would be your best bet to see how they determine when, who and how if the situation occurs.

I will have to contact the main hospitals we transport to and speak to them.

Thanks

Thank you for in the leads. I sent an email to NJ state.

Now, you need to check your own P&P manual.

I am embarrassed to say this but we don't really have any manual. Our SOP's have not been updated in 10 years. I keep on pushing for updates, but the ones in charge just have the "if it aint broke dont fix it" attitude. And that if I think there should be changes, I should develop and rewrite them myself.

I wish I could have sample P&P's and SOP's to use.

Thanks

Sorry, I should have said the "Notification clause" in the ryan-white act.

Does anyone know how OSHA or state laws effect a volunteer EMT in New Jersey?

Thanks

With the Ryan-White Notification Act gone, what recourse do we have if we have been exposed?

Thanks

Where are you located and what made the doctor say "potential swine flu"?

Was fever the only symptom? What made that potential dx versus the dozens of other potential dx's for that age and with a fever, for example bacterial meningitis?

What more do you know?

We are located in Monmouth county NJ. There has been reports thru-out the county of swine flu cases.

I was not the one transporting, but from what I understand, the patient had complained of coughing a lot as well. However the entire time of transport, the patient did not cough at all. The crew that transported, stated that they had put on a NRB to the patient immediately.

I do not know what caused the doc to say potential swine flu. Maybe the doc was just over reacting.

One of the officers is going to call the hospital tomorrow to see if the patient tested positive.

Are they still required to tell us?

I know that as of mid last year, the notification clause was repealed. Has it been put back in?

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/arti...w_repealed.html

Thanks

My squad transported a 16 year old with 104 fever last night.

The doc in the ER said potential Swine Flu.

How does that relate to the EMT's that transported? Also should anyone take any precautions around those EMT's now?

I know where are supposed to have protocols for issues like this, but they have not been updated in about 10 years.

Thanks

Yes

According to Incident Command who is in charge by a motor vehicle accident? Fire, EMS, or Police?

Thanks

Any tax benefits given to volunteer EMS personal?

Federal or New Jersey state?

Also, what are the tax status LOSAP.

Thanks

Concur with the above. The highest cert is the most liable, and in charge from a medical standpoint.

From an operational standpoint, it's the highest ranking officer. For example, a Batt Chief with EMT-B can give the orders about how to cut the car apart or how to attack the house fire, but not the order of transport of patients or where they should go or what treatment should be provided if there is a greenstick paramedic present.

'zilla

Is this true even if the EMT-P does not have any medical control, and is working on a bls squad?

Anyone know what the Legal opinion is in the following scenerio?

Two members of a voly ems squad are on a call. The squad is a BLS only squad. One of the members is and EMT-B the other is a EMT-P.

Being that they are only doing BLS work, is legally the EMT-P still having greater responsibility and in charge? Meaning if there is a mess-up, would the EMT-P be more responsible, and if they dont listen to him could they be found to be negligent?

In that note, what would be if on a regular BLS call, an EMT-P wanders up (not part of the squad), he shows proper ID that he is an emt-p, would he have greater responsibility? If the EMT-B's dont listen to him, and something goes wrong could they be found negligent?

A family friend asked me about this the other day, and I did not know what to tell him:

He has a kid that suffers from JRA(Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis), and the kid received 2nd degree burns (not extensive).

But the problem is as follows: being that he has JRA, he cannot tolerate cool water, even the slightest amount caused extreme pain. Also he could not take any over the counter pain medications because they would interfere with his JRA drug treatment.

So I have two questions:

In the field, if I were to be called to such a situation, what can I do to help relieve the pain (beyond DSD)

Two: In this case, what could have the family done?

Any one have any experience with JRA?

THanks

Hi,

Just wondering, can being pregnant make a insulin dependent diabetic need more insulin then her regular dose? Enough to send her into DKA?

[web:60dfcc2e81]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/28/AR2007102801465.html[/web:60dfcc2e81]

Does anyone have any experience with these new "rumblers" on ambulances?

Our squad recently ordered a new rig, and they requested it to be added on instead of an airhorn.

Any experience as to which one is better?

THanks

Actually, both books are written by the same people, and published by the same company.

Hi,

Can someone please explain to me the difference between the books:

A) Essentials of Paramedic Care

and

Paramedic Care: Principles and Practice

They look to be the same thing, just one is one volume while the other is five.

Is one book more detailed then the other?

Thanks

I always noticed that by some elevators there is a Star of Life. Does this only reference that the elevator is a certain size, or perhaps also some sort of override?

Thanks

What was his reason for calling the ambulance to begin with?

As per doctors orders, he takes his own BP once a day using an automatic BP cuff. He noticed the numbers were very different, and he couldn't get in touch with his doctor, so he called.