"DC Paramedics make Fatal misdiagnosis"

[FormerEMSLT297]

This is about a week or so old, but I have not seen it here yet,, I'm sorry if it is a double post, but I did search before posting and found nothing ...

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/1...d.in.death.wjla

[fiznat]

Who knows what really happened.

So the guy was SOB and the medics apparently obtained a refusal. How thoroughly they assessed that patient, and how hard they tried to convince him to go to the hospital, will probably forever be a mystery to us. Its too bad too because these medics could be outstanding providers who did everything right, and yet in the eyes of the media and the public they are nothing more than another failure because their story will be told by the grieving family and nobody else.

How bout this job, huh? Do something right and never get the credit. Something wrong happens and guess who's first to blame...

[crotchitymedic1986]

At what point does the Chief just need to say, no more patient refusals unless witnessed by a supervisor ? Which might be good for all EMS services, think about how many lives would be saved, as almost every service has had one of these calls at some point in the last 5 years (most just dont get media attention), and if you multiply that out, that is alot of needless patient deaths.

[spenac]

Actually was a topic about a week ago. As to having to have supervisors witness refusals. Bull crap. If you can not trust your people fire them.

[reaper]

I guess we need to hire a supervisor for every truck! :roll:

[spenac]

Here's original:

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13707

[crotchitymedic1986]

Thread Moved to "If you could save 1-2 million patients. But to answer these two questions:

1. Supervisor could make phone contact, doesnt have to come to scene

2. Employer doesnt trust you, if they did you would not have to do a morning checklist, you wouldnt have to have someone witness your waste of narcotics, or drug test you after an accident.

[firedoc5]

I guess we need to hire a supervisor for every truck! :roll:

Uh, basically that's what we did, and a lot do. They are called different things, Officers, Crew Chiefs, Lead Medics, Field Supervisors, etc. Whoever is in charge of the rig, Fire or EMS, should be of supervisory material. If they are a BLS unit and expecting an ALS provider to meet them, they wait until ALS get's there before making any determination.

[akflightmedic]

Thread Moved to "If you could save 1-2 million patients. But to answer these two questions:

1. Supervisor could make phone contact, doesnt have to come to scene

2. Employer doesnt trust you, if they did you would not have to do a morning checklist,

This is for legal documentation reasons, to prove you did something should an issue ever arise..this is not about your employer trusting or not trusting you. If it is not written, it did not happen.

you wouldnt have to have someone witness your waste of narcotics,

This is a federal law, DEA, not your employer. No one wastes narcs by themselves.

or drug test you after an accident.

This is an OSHA law and it also varies by state to state and employer to employer depending on how much compliance they want with federal mandates.

You really confuse me quite often, as most of your posts are trollish in nature, your logic and debate skills are questionable. You draw conclusions and make broad statements that have no weight, yet seemed convinced they are accurate.

Oh well, back to the show in progress...

[WolfmanHarris]

If you have that many supervisors you're going to end up promoting someone who has no business leading and is just as likely to make the mistake you're trying to prevent just to fill a hole.

Reminds me of a quote from a children's book my fiance has "Ozma of Oz" (Wizard of Oz series)

"I have in my army eight general," said the Tin Woodman "six colonel, seven majors and five captain besides one private for them to command. I'd like to promote the private, for I believe no private should ever be in public life."

If every second person is a supervisor it really just removes all accountability from those that aren't. "Not my problem, I called the supervisor and they decided."

Here's my question though. With all the medical errors that occur daily around North America, what is it about the way we f-up that it makes the news over the others? What could we do differently so that our medical errors can be dealt with in such a way that our patients and their families don't feel like they have to go to the media just to get accountability and improvement?