Posted As A Learning Tool - The Patient Has The Priority

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
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Date: Sep 28 2024 7:05 PM

OKLAHOMA:     For the record. while featuring this article does not mean the RSN supports the Audit The Auditors or what they do.

The reason RSN is featuring this article is to demonstrate the care of the patient is primary and the medic, not the law enforcement officer, is in charge of the care of the patient. And the law enforcement officer should yield to the medic's decision and deal with the medic after the patient is at the hospital and turned over to a higher level medical person.

There has been incident's that I am aware of where a law enforcement officer, who has zero medical training, order Paramedics, to continue with treatment of the patient when they had orders from the medical control doctor to terminate efforts on the patient. And that law enforcement officer demanded credintials from the Paramedic and was reporting him or her to the State of Alabama which licenses medics.

That caused complaint's to the law enforcement officers superior which quickly calmed that law enforcement officer's actions to a halt.

A medic must stay with the patient and turn their care over to a higher level person for continued medical care. Should a basic EMT be treating a patient and a Paramedic arrive on the scene then the Paramedic trumps the EMT. And that medic shall not abandon patient care until the patient is turned over to a higher level medical person.

In some cases the use of lights and siren on the ambulance further excites the patient and causes blood pressure and other issues. While the medical issue might be an emergency the medic treating the patient may make the determination it is best not to travel lights and siren.

It is the medic teating the patient, not the driver of the ambulance, which makes the determination should the ambulance travel lights and siren to the hospital or not travel lights and siren.

In the case of the medic intervening between the Trooper and the ambulance driver, the Trooper should have known it is the medic who does tell the driver what response to the hospital.

Should the ambulance have yielded to the Trooper is the Trooper was running lights and siren? Probably so. The ambulance probably should have slowed and pulled to the right and allowed the Trooper to pass.

But the Trooper's ego to show he had more power over the ambulance was totally uncalled for and unjustified. And when the Trooper found out a patient was on the ambulance he should have said to the ambulance travel on and followed to the hospital After they driver and medic had finished with the patient then the Trooper could have addressed them.

And the Trooper should also understand, if the Trooper was laying in the ditch shot, it is the ambulance which rolls to the Trooper and provides medical care for that Trooper. That Law Enforcement - Fire - EMS - Utilities are all partners in the area of saving lives and property. And they are to work as partners and not a ego contest on who has more authority.

And in this case, if you were the medic, and the Trooper was acting this way and preventing the care of the patient and the delivery of the patient to the hospital, what would you do? The Trooper put his hands on the medic but if the medic or family had put their hands on the Trooper they would have been arrested or shot. But the law enforcement was able to put his hands on the medic and prevent his further treatment of the patient.

RSN is not being critical of law enforcement or the medics. But posted as a training to realize, take a deep breath and the number 1 priority and only priority in this case, was the patient in the back of the ambulance. 

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