Monthly Attention Concerns
a) There are still instances in which Basic EMT’s are exchanging drug boxes at the hospital. It is a State Board of Pharmacy law that is being broken. Any Basic EMT who exchanges a drug box is opening himself, his agency and the board up for liability. It is a protocol violation that can result in fines and suspension of protocol from the state. The board has addressed this issue several times in the past several months. It is specifically prohibited in the protocol. Next violation will result in being brought up according to the Disciplinary policy in the protocol.
b) There are times when a nurse in ER is being advised about a patient being brought into ER. The nurse has asked for vitals and has been ignored. One person even hung up on the nurse. There have been other times when the EMT / Medic has not been as rude to the nurse, but still refuses to give the vitals. Nurses ask for information because they need it. Please give information that is requested.
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FOR THOSE WHO TRANSPORT TO UH / GEAUGA HOSPITALS
In order to provide a better environment for children in the emergency department, the Pediatric Emergency Department at UHCMC will be moving across the hall to its own space on October 8th, 2009. EMS providers should continue to park in the ambulance bay and transport patients through the adult emergency department. Upon reaching what was the previously the pediatric ED, providers will need to go through the double doors, turn right, and look for the signs on the left indicating the pediatric ED.
We apologize for any difficulty this may cause, and are working on a plan for easier entry closer to the department. In the meantime, as always, we are grateful for the prehospital care you provide to our patients and thank you for bringing them to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Emergency Department.
Paramedic Positions Available
Conneaut Lake Area Ambulance Service, Inc.
290. South 4th Street Ext., P.O. Box 546
Conneaut Lake, Pa 16316
(814) 382-1133
Conneaut Lake Ambulance Service is accepting resumes for both full time and part time paramedics. Click here for more info.
Revised Trauma Triage Rules effect 12/29/08
There have been requests for information concerning having the hospitals fax a face sheet to your department. If you need one from St. Joes, they say verbal request is all you need. If you need one from TMH click (here TMH face sheet request) for a copy of the sheet needed to request the face sheet.
Trauma Call-In Sheets
This is a copy of the EMS trauma call-in sheet currently being utilized at the ED at TMH. We are distributing this sheet to all interested EMS agencies as a means of confirming with you the information that our nurses need from EMS when calling in a trauma.
The key information that EMS needs to provide includes the following:
AGE of patient
SEX of patient
CURRENT VITAL SIGNS of patient (HR, RR, SpO2, Systolic BP (at least))
GCS of patient (important to gauge patient status and improvement)
LOC during incident or transport, and if LOC is present HOW LONG the patient lost consciousness
(this is important to try to obtain; if unknown, EMS needs to advise the
staff that it was unknown or unobtainable on call-in.)
AIRWAY treatment in place (anything from a nasal canula, to a mask to ETT)
MECHANISM OF INJURY (crash, fall, ejection… whatever caused the injuries)
Other information on the sheet such as the name of the patient, are not required for EMS to report. Obviously, EMS will not have the names of the trauma surgeon and other such information; this will be for our staff to acquire. EMS needs to relay the information that is requested above.
In the future, we will be reducing this information into a pocket-card format so that it will be easier for EMS providers to utilize. Once again, this is for reference as to what information our staff will be requesting, and it is provided to you to familiarize yourself with it. Questions, please contact me at either (330) 841-9616, or GSnyder@forumhealth.org.
Each department and individual needs to know what constitutes "trauma" and where trauma victims need to go for treatment! Here's a great power point informational presentation from the state. It's a 1.2 MB download, but a great training tool. Just click TRAUMA. Each department should have their own QA for trauma to ascertain the over / under triaging that is being done for said trauma calls.
