With the horrendous heat here for the last few days, lots of heat-related calls, seizures and respiratory calls. Did a call for a 400+lb guy with difficulty breathing. My partner had him a few shifts ago for the same thing. 30yrs old, on O2 at home... and hasnt gotten any of his prescriptions filled from the last hospital visit. SpO2 said his pulse was 78 but thats not what I felt. Put him on the monitor and he was taching away at 162 with occasional PAC's and PJC's. 12-lead showed some ischemia and a possible infarct. He denied any pain... just couldnt catch his breath. His lungs were so full of junk. BP wasnt to high. Gave him a couple of breathing treatments and some solu-medrol while we waited for the bariatric squad. Signed him over and left thinking that he ever arrests, that'll be a MASH call.
The majority of our calls today were BLS which we sign over to AMR if they have a unit available. Several folks with just flu like symptoms who were perfectly able to walk out to their squad... right past their vehicle sitting in the driveway. It doesnt make me mad... just baffles me. Now I'm not really from po-dunkville, I've lived in several decent sized cities, but compared to where I have lived and worked... I feel like a small town girl from Iowa coming to the big city for the first time. Nationwide I know there is a horrible abuse of the EMS system on many different levels... we had our frequent fliers from where I came from. But I'm multiplying that by thousands here.
Did a call for a 90yr old woman in the middle of the night who woke up with respiratory distress. Again.. had been at the hospital about 2 months ago.. was prescribed Albuterol, Atrovent, and a bunch of others but has never gotten them filled. Hx of asthma and emphysema. Engine crew on scene had a pressure of 142/92. Partner got a pressure of 160/110. Gave her a couple of breathing treatments enroute and started to feel better. Temporary fix for a sweet woman living with minimal care... I know there is no easy fix, but the need for social services for the elderly living alone is overwhelming.
On my way out, the guy from above was in the room next to her getting ready to be discharged. Sounded like a brand new man who could actually complete a sentence.
Did a call for a seizure in the Wal-Mart parking lot... postictal all the way in. A chest pain with a known 90% blockage. A diabetic/syncopal episode.
We use the computer tablets here and thats usually what takes most new folks the most time to get used to. It would be so much faster if I could just write out the reports... the constant poking around with the pointer.. ugh! I do admit it makes you be as thorough as can be. It wont let you finish until you have everything accounted for. It has its pro's/con's. It can help you work the call while you sort out the complaints vs the pertinent negatives.. but its so time consuming it can be distracting. Another day... another dollar. I'm going to deposit my paycheck.
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