What do you do if a patient needs to call 911 but they are refusing

Specialties Triage

Published

I am interested in telephone triage. I was just wondering how would you handle a call from a patient that is having trouble breathing? YOu determine they need to call 911, but they refuse to.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

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You still call 911 and have her/him refused the ambulance. This is only in life threatening situations, as a nurse it is your duty to provide care and you can be liable, also if the patient is suicidal and homicidal. But you will have protocols that will guide you, don't worry. You need experience and critical thinking. I had a home health patient who I went to visit post chemo, his vs normal then 5 min later he started having labored breathing and sweating, he denied chest pain I took his vitals and accucheck 190 no hx of dm. His wife was home I told him I was calling 911 he refused and I remain calmed and explained to both that it was not normal and I was very concerned, I called 911 they came assess him his wife convince him to go. Dx with PE.

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Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.

Yes agree with above. All phone triage practices will have a policy about how to handle an emergency call, and how to handle a situation when a person refuses 911.

Call 911 and let them refuse the ambulance is standard practice. However, I would add that most policy is written that a second nurse or manager is brought in to assess the situation first. In that way, there is more than one person on board to assess the situation.

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Specializes in Disease Management, CCP Certified..

I am also looking into a telephone triage job and reviewing some scenarios. What would be the protocol when you have assessed that a 5 year old child needs ER treatment but a parent refuses to take them? Minor difficulty breathing, severe sore throat x 2 days. My thoughts would be to advise the parent of the possible risk of airway compromise and the possible rapid onset of such. Any advice??? Thank you...

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I am also looking into a telephone triage job and reviewing some scenarios. What would be the protocol when you have assessed that a 5 year old child needs ER treatment but a parent refuses to take them? Minor difficulty breathing, severe sore throat x 2 days. My thoughts would be to advise the parent of the possible risk of airway compromise and the possible rapid onset of such. Any advice??? Thank you...

What do your protocols state? Is the child is showing s/s resp. difficulty (what is minor? - can you see the nailbeds/re-perfusion/compare distal and central pulses/skin color/mucous membranes dry or not? .......... no, you cannot).

Tell them you will notify 911 and then follow EMS standard practice of refusal by parents.

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