Pre-arrival pt. contact

[unknown]

Yes, that would probably be the best answer. However, considering the past history of our local government and training history, I won't be holding my breath.

A true Patient Advocate would not wait on the system.......... I was a NREMTB and went to go get my EMD before I ever applied for a job-- I knew what I wanted to do and I had a mission to to it good and be the best-- as you can read above one of my flight medics will atest to that

I can see where both sides are coming from on this thread. I work fulltime with incognitogirl, and feel safe hearing her voice on the other end of the radio. If there is not much info, it's not because she isn't trying. The CIA calls her for help on interrogation techniques. She can get blood from a rock.

I new what needed to have under my belt to provide the best service possible to my Patients and my crew's. I have recived 3 awards within my company (Aboved and Beyond Employee of the Month, Regional Communicator of the Year, National Communicator of the year) and I know you all of you that means nothing but within the realms of what I do it Speaks volumes. I know what my crews and patients need and I will stop at nothing to MAKE damn sure you get it and get it right the first time. Take yourself down to your disptach center and look eye to eye with your dispatchers and in a very nice and loving way strike up a friendship that will allow you all to work together. The more you do them more you will strive to work as a team, the better you will all serve each other. I speak from experience and I know my flight crew members will back that up. Not just blowing smoke here. I have DRIVEN miles to make a personal apperance for a crew member just to show that I do care that much--and my job preformance hands down speaks for its self. If we have a problem mess up or an issue I had laid in place work ethic worth respecting and friendships with trust that allow my crews to come straight to me and say WTF! with out any one getting up set or stressing out. I listen to them rant then I explain my part. I look at it like this. I sit for hours on end in a cushy chair in the climate controled room where I order in what food I want when I want, I drink when I please- go to the ladies room when I so please- take a break if I want too as long as we are not slammed. Sooooooo If I got a crew member that needs answers or has questions or maybe they are just having a bad day and I am the one the end up blowing at- SO BE IT let them. They deserve. They got it harder than I and they are the reason why I even got a job to begin with. If they aint out there to be toned out they why the heck do I need to answer a phone? Mutal respect, team work, freindship, and I didnt wait on the management to impliment that or train me to do that either........

[spenac]

You also have to remember, anything "odd" to an older person, seems to be a stroke. Wifey tripped and fell? She had a stroke. Hubby can't get out of bed, he had a stroke. ALOT of older callers will call in saying someone had a stroke, and it was only a syncopal

episode.

Thank you you worthless dispatcher. :wink: I do not know how any dispatcher says what they have is accurate 95% time. No way even if they only dispatch to a community of doctors. To many callers intentionally make false statements like heart attack, stroke,etc because they assume it will get a faster response. This coupled with the ones that just mistakenly think it is something but it really is something else leads to the 90%+ wrong calls. The majority of mistakes are the callers fault not the dispatchers.

[Richard B the EMT]

As you probably are aware, I'm with the FDNY EMS. We have 5 boroughs, divided up into a total of at least 11 dispatch areas, plus a Citywide desk. We're handling 1 point 3 million responses a year in this city of 8 million people, with another 2 million transients during each 24 hours.

As we use a Computer Assisted Dispatch system, theoretically, the crews can be updated on additional information, via the Mobile Data Terminal (the radio/computer linkup), but the dispatcher usually doesn't verbalize it, unless it is something major significant.

[brentoli]

Richard, it seems like a modern marvel/wonder/miracle that an ambulance/fire truck/officer gets dispatched timely in NYC!

[Richard B the EMT]

Now, could anyone explain to anybody in the FDNY EMS, why the engine gets dispatched before the ambulances?

[medicsteven]

Dispatcher`s , like the rest of us , are individual people . Therefore , you will have some better than others . I work with Incognitogirl . I know when she sends me on a call , she is giving me every little bit of important info she has . She does an awesome job at getting the needed info without all the "filling " that we get from some dispatcher`s . She and a hand full of other people in our Comm. center are top notch and very well trained . Everyone at our base feels safe with her as our dispatcher and it makes my day to hear her on the radio . She and the group I mentioned go way beyond just dispatching . They are not only concerned with gathering all the info we need - often from several sources but they are concerned with our safety as well . Those of you who are fussing about dispatch might want to spend a day in their shoes . It is not easy getting the needed info in a timely manner from a spazzed out caller . I am proud to work with the group we have and feel totally confident every thing humanly possible has been done to obtain the information I need when they call me . As I mentioned earlier , dispatcher`s are like medic`s or any other profession . There are a few that just plain suck . Most , however ,are well trained , do a top notch job and even while you are fussing at them - they are worrying about you and your safety . So-- lighten up . you might even try telling them THANKS once in a while .

[spenac]

I work with Incognitogirl .

I feel your pain bro. :twisted: :twisted:

Welcome to the site.

[madwis911@yahoo.com]

spenac -

Here is the answer to your question about seizures - Here in Dane County (WI) we use the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch, Medical Priority Dispatch System;

We ask EVERY caller the same CASE ENTRY QUESTIONS;

What is the address of the THE emergency?

What is the phone number you are calling from?

What's the problem, tell me what happened?

Are you with the patient now?

How old is he/she?

Is S/he conscious?

Is s/he breathing?

Then, depending on the answer to 'whats the problem...', the EMD will choose one of 34 CHIEF COMPLAINTS, in the case of a seizure I would go to CC 12 & ask the following;

1. Has s/he had more than 1 seizure in a row?

2. (female) Is she pregnant?

3. Is s/he a diabetic?

4. Does s/he have a history of heart problems?

5. Is s/he an epileptic or ever had a seizure before?

6. Has the jerking stopped yet? (You go check and tell me what you find?)

6A - If Yes - Is s/he breathing now?

6B - Is s/he breathing regularly?

Now, depending on the answers to these questions this call would be coded somewhere between;

DELTA -

1 - NOT breathing

2 - continuous or mulitple seizures

3 - irregular breathing

4 - breathing regularly NOT verified pt is >35YO

CHARLIE -

1 - pregnant

2 - diabetic

3 - cardiac history

BRAVO -

1 - breathing regularly NOT verified, pt is <35YO

ALPHA

1 - NOT seizing now AND breathing regularly verified

In our system, EMS units run COLD (no L&S) to ALPHA and some BRAVO calls - alternately, we send AUTOMATIC ALS to ALL ECHO LEVEL (the most serious) and some DELTA level calls.

I know it's not as easy to explain, but I'd be happy to go into more detail with anyone who is interested. Email me at madwis911@gmail.com.

Paul

[unknown]

I feel your pain bro. :twisted: :twisted:

Welcome to the site.

YOU @$$!!!!!

[spenac]

First I never asked about seizures.

Second you can not tell me 95% of callers stay on phone and accurately answer all questions. Using seizures as an example we have been dispatched many times to supposed seizures only to find somebody with the shakes perhaps just cold, perhaps fever, but it was not a seizure yet that is what you would have dispatched it as and thus you would have been wrong. Sorry your cookie cutter questions will never make your dispatched as equal what we find 95% of the time as you claim.