How to improve TEAMWORK between EMS and the ER

[crdunnahoe]

I am currently working on writing a paper on how to improve Teamwork between EMS and ER,ED, DEM. I would like to hear any and all ideas that anyone has on this topic. Also if you do not mind me using your post please state so when you post. I'm hoping that if I receive enough feedback that I might be able to publish this paper and help our industry gain more respect and trust from not only our hospital systems but our general public as well. Thanks in advance for any insight you might pass along.

Sincerely,

Charles

[fiznat]

So, what have you got so far?

[paramedicmike]

So, what have you got so far?

This.

And for whom is this paper being written? Are you in school? What school? What program of study? Or are you a journalist creeping around looking to steal people's ideas and claim them as your own? (And before you get defensive about it, the answer to your question is yes. Journalists posing as, well, posers, have come here looking for a variety of information. So if we seem a little skeptical there's usually several good reasons behind that skepticism.)

[Happiness]

One thing that newbies should learn right off the bat is that "Just because the nurse is not looking or talking to you, doesn't mean they are not listening to you." This took me a long time to figure out.

If you want respect from the ER crew make sure you are willing to give respect and vice versa.

Remember if the ER crew are doing something different than what you would do, they probably have different protocols and proceedures. And if you have a question about what they are doing ASK, you may learn something.

Try to have meetings with all involved so that in the case of a real emergency you already know what is expected from you and what you expect from them

And my last note Remember in the end it is the Pt. that is the most important aspect of the call so dont fight or argue in front of them, (you may have to learn how to get your point across in other manners)

You can use any of this if you want. Im sure you will get alot of great respones from the older more experienced guys and gals on the site.

Good luck

[Chief1C]

Teach them how to speak into a radio microphone.

[HERBIE1]

Teach them how to speak into a radio microphone.

LMAO

Good point.

Especially the new telemetry docs and RN's. For some reason many do not understand the concept of pressing the transmit button BEFORE they start talking.

[ERDoc]

Just to add the view from the other side...

There is a difference between improving teamwork and improving respect. To improve the respect for EMS it needs to become more than a hobby. There have been hundreds of threads on this so I'll leave it at that. As for improving teamwork, as Happiness said, realize that we will do things different. Just to clarify, we practice medicine, we don't follow protocols. If you see something you don't understand or agree with, ask. You don't have to be confrontational, something simple like, "I learned to do X, how come you did Y?" One thing I learned going from an EMT to and MD is how much I didn't know. Please don't think you know more with 110 hours of training than the RN with a BSN or the MD with 11+ years of education. Most EM residency trained ER docs love to teach and love to hear themselves speak, so please, ask questions. No child should ever have 16 gauge IVs, especially if they are hemodynamically stable. Along with that, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something.

Agreed again with Happiness, just because we are not looking at you or are asking the same questions you just answered for us does not mean that we aren't listening. We are multi-tasking. A lot of times pts will remember something they forgot or will remember it differently when asked a second time. Also, if I have to document something and it gets called into court, I better be able to say that I asked the question and the pt answered it.

The best way to improve teamwork is to bring lots of food to the ER staff. That also increases the respect factor too.

[Eydawn]

I have a lot of good ideas, especially since I currently work in long term care and have to interface BOTH with the ED and EMS on a fairly regular basis. However, I am in the skeptical camp- I do not give permission for citation unless I know where my words are being used.

So, once you come back and post what you're writing, who you're writing it for, a contact for you that includes your real name and what publishing authority you will be using, then I shall spew forth with my ideas!

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Alex Woo]

Respect, open mind, friendly, attentive, constructive, good recaller, advocate, adaptive, patient, & honest.

Remember there is no I in TEAM but there is ME in it... Lol