The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Liar liar pants on fire!!
How to handle a patient that tells two storys one to me and one to the EMS crew. We have a new frequent flyer that tells me one story when I am there. When the EMS crew arrives and I start to relay info she contradicts most of the info she just gave me. It makes me feel and look like an a**. Why she does it I don't know, But she has had a problem with the fire dept in the past over illegal burning that IDEM was called. This was years before my time on the dept.
Now I am trying to think of what to do.
1. I am a volunteer just don't go on that call when paged? This goes against everything I believe most of the time I am the only Fire Dept EMS on scene.
2.Just take relay vitals let EMS transport company get the rest on there own? Pretty sure they know whats going on by the looks on there faces.
Should I note it in the narrative when I do the report to help cover my rear. Got a feeling she might be sue crazy.
She has also told us in the past when she wants to go to the ER for something its faster to call 911 because you get seen as fast as you arrive.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
-
I strongly suggest that you still do your job - volunteer or not.
She maybe be senile, but she deserves the best medical treatment !!! ALL THE TIME - EVERY TIME !!!
Report to EMS Transport or Patch to the hospital "PATIENT REPORTS X,Y,Z SYMPTOMS" or "PATIENT REPORTS SEVERAL SETS OF SYMPTOMS - A,B,C & X,Y,Z" and then the signs that you see and the treatment you are providing.
YES YES YES write everything in the report - the same way you report the the transport and hospital. Report what she told you and what you saw and what you did - ALL OF IT. You can write, "patient initially reported" ... upon re-evaluation 10 minutes later "patient reported" ... or "patient reported conflicting details (or symptoms) as to what occurred or is experiencing"...
this is often true when you provide treatment "patient initially reported X,Y,Z... IV & O2 was applied and patient was transferred from the floor to the cot... then upon re-evaluation, patient reported A,B,C"
Sue crazy or not - it is your job to sort through the bs and to report all the bs and then they can run all the tests at the hospital to pin down the source of the bs...
Ask the hospital to do a psych eval next time she goes in to see if they can provide her with more support in the senile department.
AND she is right - going into the ER in an ambulance gets you seen faster... ;-)
P.S. victims of abuse and crime will commonly change there stories...
___________________________
My father has a rare illness Posterior Cortical Atrophy - also known as Visual Varient Alzheimers - it is a 1 in a million type sub-sets of alzheimers - so no one has seen it and no one could properly diagnose it for 15 years. 50% of what he says is extremely lucid and 50% is so bizarre you think he is screwing with you - also the part of his brain that runs his eyes is dying and it creates a situation internally which is similar to him hallucinating - think Schizophrenia hallucinations - so he describes things that he is seeing and experiencing which don't exist. If you are not paying attention, you think he is lucid - but those that know him well (much like you would know a frequent flier) can see that there are cracks in the foundation.
-
Permalink Reply by John Dobson on
-
Heather I agree you can't see the cracks in the foundation and with all you said. But I can't help but wonder if she is trying to get even with the dept. About ten years ago her house burnt total loss. She tried to burn it the rest of the way down a few weeks later to clean it up. There were to other houses within 30 feet of both sides not to mention environmental issues. She would set it then dare the fire dept to do something about it. She set it over and over until she got herself in a hell of a mess. Now I can't help but wonder if its pay back time for us.
-
-
yup - and my father is a mean old SOB too - BUT he still has to get patient care - even when he is not making sense - even if he is secretly plotting evil...
that is why I said - write everything down - let the hospital sort it out... AND no one can ever come back to you and say that you did not convey ALL information to the care providers or hospital...
AND if you are ever challenged for your course of treatment - you can justify... YOU OBSERVED L,M,N signs and you monitored for all (her crazy) reported symptoms... you prioritized and treated !!!
-
Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
-
John, we have a job to do no matter who or what the patient or caller is. It is important that we follow SOG's and protacols every time the same way. Any deviation from them will potentially open us up to liability. Doccument as appropriate an treat all patients with curtisy amd respect every time. That is your best protection.
-
-
She is not mean or belligerent in anyway always nice. Just tells me the same thing over and over, until EMS arrives then she states "I did not say that".
We are BLS nontransport it's not like I am giving meds just O2 @ 15 liters just like are protocols say and taking vitals, and SAMPLE questions, guarding ABCs. She just changes meds and symptoms as soon as I start to relay info. Drives me crazy and she does it everytime.
I wonder if she does it to EMS too by the way they act around her.
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
-
Document, document and then document some more.....your notes are considered legal documents and might save your ass if you end up in court...as we were always taught...if it isn't written down then you didn't do it....other than that...just do what you feel is right and laugh about it later...I am sure the EMS folks know her nature as well and don't think less of you for it........
-
-
I would never give less than 100% to anything we are called for. Thats why I say if I get to where I can't give it all, I would just stay home.
My home and family come first and if I thought for sure she was tring to find some reason to sue me or drag me in a mess I will not go on that call. I have never disrepected her and will never. But I will not sacrifice my familys well being. I just have a strange vibe about this one.
-
-
You are right... if you can not do your best for this crazy old coot... then you should stay home for those calls... you know yourself best...
... and yup... my dad will deny what he said 2 seconds later... over and over and over and over... until you want to beat him senseless... (did I say that outloud... oops)
-
-
Remember, people are stupid, if they wern`t, we wouldn`t have a job.
RALPH - ROTFLMAO - THAT MADE MY DAY !!!
Thank you !!! I needed a good laugh about the reality of life !!!
What you say is SO true - who the hell knows the real truth on ANY scene.... LOLOLOLOLOL
-
-
You guys and gals are a blast, it's just like hanging out with the guys at the station on here. Somethings on here you can't help but comment on. But others I would not touch with a ten foot pole.
The world takes all kinds. In my area we have one of each kind.
Is it just me or does it seem like it's hard to get the truth out of anyone anymore? From probies to family members and just people in general it seems I get fed a constant stream of lies anymore. I am going to be a grumpy old man if this crap keeps up and proud of it.
My favorite quote is
I don't give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it is hell.
- Harry S. Truman
-
-
I bet this old lady says " OOOOOOOO - I hope that John shows up - he is SOOOO much FUN to screw with - you should see how his blood pressure goes up everytime he is at my house - that is worth any amount of chest pain every day of the week - and twice on Sunday !!! I hope the EMS transport takes a while to get here and pick me up, because I need a little extra time with John to screw with his head - because he CLEARLY IS ON THE EDGE!!!... I think he may have caught on that I am just screwing with him... he seems to be reading my vibe... It is so much more fun than them there re-runs of Law & Order..."
-
Permalink Reply by Arlene M. Zang on
-
borrow a small tape recorder, it s documentation may be of use at the hosp if they need to treat her.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
