Thursday, 16 April 2009

Don't Get Comfy

I don't know what brought this to mind today, but I thought it was important to share, and to ensure others can learn from my mistake and laziness.

I was called, unusually, to a cardiac arrest in a flat. I ran upstairs, and was greeted by a First Responder EMT and a hysterical young lady, no more than about 20. The patient was a man of about 45, who had arrested during sexual intercourse. We quickly got him on to the floor (there is no point trying to do cardiac massage on a bed) and began the resuscitation. It was soon apparent that this was not going to work - he was asystolic (no electrical activity at all) from the start, but we carried on. The ambulance crew arrived, and I let them continue. I sat on the bed while I sorted out the drugs I was about to give.

As the spreading wetness seaped from the mattress through my trousers, I wondered what I ever enjoyed about pre-hospital medicine.
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8 comments:

  1. Aled16 April 2009 at 17:28

    Oh dear, that brought a chuckle or three.

    As well as at one point being a CFR, I'm also on a Mountain Rescue team. I regretted making this known one night when out observing on an RRV I was given the dubious task of keeping an eye on one patient while the paramedic dealt with the other. The one I had was drunk and lying on the floor in the rain. His was inside. Apparently, as Mountain Rescue, I was used to the Welsh weather so he didn't think I'd mind getting wet (he said with a glint in his eye)...

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  2. rve16 April 2009 at 17:47

    All glamour this job ;) Appreciate the regular posts by the way, very informative.

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  3. Anonymous16 April 2009 at 21:40

    Been there, done that, done that again, and again.......and again.....Is there a pattern coming up here??
    At least I work in a joint fire/ambulance station where they have washing and drying facilities, so I always have a spare uniform to hand.
    The biggest concern though is when you really cant quite work out what the fluid actually is that you are kneeling/sitting in.

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  4. Anonymous17 April 2009 at 22:11

    Taht's just grim. I've sat in some horrible things, but ewwww

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  5. Mart18 April 2009 at 20:06

    Aye - I can relate to that!! And why is it always my right knee that seems to find it? And why is it always the first job of the shift and not the last?!

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  6. Graham the Funky Aardvark18 April 2009 at 23:00

    I am not in the "trade" but more an end user, but hopefully only of the "over the counter" section, not the home delivery/pick up

    But... keep up the great work, to you, and all medic/police/fire/coastguard/mountain rescue/RNLI/St John/bet i missed someone/etc

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  7. Kal22 April 2009 at 13:22

    Oh mate, never, never, ever, ever sit down at a patient's house. Ever, ever, ever. Never kneel down unless you can avoid it.

    Also? Never drop your bag in the puddle of blood :)


    (Kal who's done ALL these things)

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  8. RapidResponseDoc22 April 2009 at 13:35

    Thanks, Kal, where were you when I needed you to give me that advice BEFORE I sat in something unmentionable??

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