We are a volunteer BLS service in a small rural town. Our town has a 12 bed Critical Access Hospital that can do basic stabilization only. Generally speaking a patient is going to be transferred if they present to ER with anything more than a minor problem. There have been occasions that the patient required medication (or might require medication) during transit, and on those occasions the hospital has sent an RN with us. Lately we have had an RN on the box with us fairly often. None of the RN's have any kind of EMS license (i.e. they are not EMT's nor Paramedics)
Is this a common practice? Are there any problems we should be aware of by allowing this? Are there any problems the RN's should be aware of?
Darn it all "Oldman"....I have to agree with you again....that's twice now.....LOL...Have a great day....and by the way...Not sure how "old" you are but I sure feel older today....we had a firefighter survival class this weekend...and I am paying dearly for it....LOL Later Brother..........Paul
I would have to say on scene sometimes to just to have help is great and the added bonus is that the nurse does know stuff.. Anyone can hold a bandage,or do support... Not for sure where if she gets hurt where liability should fall.. But help is help.. As long as you feel that she can perform,suggest to her maybe EMT class or first responders class...Always thank her,not everyone is willing to help....
She was hoping to find a bridge course from RN to Paramedic, but there isn't one available here. She just doesn't have the time to do the 2 year course to be a Paramedic as she is working on her ARNP now. And believe me! I do thank her, she is awesome! Which is why I want to know how to protect her as well as EMS and the hospital. Everything works just hunky dorry until that one patient sues. I want to be prepared for that one patient. Like I said, CYA at it's finest! We'll be talking about all this at our next meeting. I've gotten some ideas of what I want to cover from this discussion.
anything that comes from the hospital that comes with that nurse will also come the drugs that nurse needs to be given.. As a emt I have taken my vitals monitored my o2 and anything else that came with that pt that is within my scope.. Everything else high tech falls on the nurse and her order from the MD who transported the pt.
Rember your med control and your Medical director of your squad is a DR...... Our is a medical DR from our hospital..... I think he is very clear since we all fall under his licence.. what he can do what can't be done.