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Advice on what to do
Hey guys I'm new to this forum thing but I experienced something you hopefully don't experience everyday. I have an issue I would like help with. Being a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT we switch our schedules a lot. One night about a week ago I was suppose to be on shift with an EMT- I he decided last min to switch with one of our drivers I am an EMT- B IV so I was lead medic. We get a call and we head out. we are staging in the area like asked with our department if the call seems like we need more help more medics show up in their povs. The EMT- I shows up we transport I fill out my report he pushes me because he wants to go home. We get another call we are running code back to our town 10 mi away the EMT- I wants to be dropped off at his car 4 mi out of the way I said absolutely not his house is 1/2 mi off the hwy he wants us to drop him off at home I say no again he keeps bugging me I call for a medic to meet us on scene and the update said patient doing better we dropped the EMT- I off and continued on. EMT- I thinks he doesn't think he did anything wrong he said, "whats the big deal unless its cardiac and CPR in progress I don't care it was only a min." My EMS director wont do anything and our fire chief hasn't either. What do you recommend? I thought it was wrong what do you all think? Is it against the law?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by captnjak on
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No doubt he was wrong. Definitely morally and probably legally (depending on laws in your state).
Unfortunately, I have no good recommendation for you. I'm just sitting here shaking my head at the lack of concern by your superiors.
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Schlingman on
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Before against my better judgment.
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He wouldn't stop insisting to the point I wouldn't trust him on scene.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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First of all, I found this post to be very difficult to read and discern the issue in which advice is being sought. Something to consider in the future.
I find it very disconcerting that this issue was brought to the attention of the EMS director and the fire chief and neither has done anything. To me, this shows your dept leadership is lacking if they really haven't done anything about it. Although, can you state for certainty that they haven't? Just because you may not have seen immediate results, it doesn't mean that the individual may wasn't talked to either. Essentially this would be an issue that doesn't need to be addressed with everyone and the individual could be talked to on an individual basis.
I agree this was morally and ethically wrong for one of the person to insist on leaving or asking to be taken to his vehicle while en route to another call. If he was too busy to work a shift, then why show up in a pov to a scene? Once you are on the rig, the call takes precedence, regardless of your personal wishes. I have come home late several times because a call went over shift change or I was waiting on a relief. The guy was in the rig and should have remained on the next call.
As for legally wrong? Hard to say for sure, but it would not bode well for the dept, you, nor the other EMT who left if the caller found out about this. I'm pretty sure they could make a good case for a nice civil suit and I would bet, have a very good chance of winning.
I would recommend that you request to meet with the EMS director and chief, explain this situation really bothered you and placed you in an uncomfortable and potentially lawsuit position. It can be recommended that the chief and EMS director addresses this to the membership to prevent future occurrences. The second thing would be to look into reviewing and perhaps revamping your response policy that would make it clearly state that if another call comes in upon leaving the hospital or scene, that the crew on the rig remains for the duration of the next call. Third, perhaps recommend setting up a committee to look into the current policy, solicit ideas for change and make a recommendation for changes.
If you find yourself in another such situation, the call you are going on takes precedence, regardless of dispatch updates and so forth. You obvioulsy have selected response as a dept policy, if a member decides to respond, they are committed to the dept for the duration that the rig they are on is out.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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Working backwards from your last question: No, it's not against the law. It is, however, in violation of every EMS principal. I would not feel comfortable ever working with that individual again. If he's got more important things to do than finish a run he's already started he shouldn't come on shift at all. As for your "leadership," there is no leadership. It's not cool to criticize your own in public (I normally don't participate in "airing out dirty laundry" in public.), but the scenario you have described gets my blood pressure up. I sympathize with you and hope your chief and medical director understand the tremendous liability risk they invite if they continue allowing this type of stuff to happen. You guys are lucky that particular run didn't become a more serious situation for the patient. Wow!
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