Ambulance Run

The EMS crew work on standing orders from their medical director. If you could give the Pt's DX or some particulars, I could answer better. Essentially you just need to follow the lead of the EMS crew. They also have radio contact with ER's, so if something goes sour, a doc is just a call away. Nurses and EMS people all work under Dr orders, you're there in case there's something needed that EMS isn't allowed to do, but a nurse can. You assess and note the patients condition, changes, etc until you turn the patient is turned over to a health care provider able to continue whatever care is needed, preferably another RN. Often the patient may be on a cardiac drip that you can monitor, but EMS is not trained for. That's just one example. Have a nice ride, the first one is usually eye opening when you see how they "do it in the streets."

From what I understand it's a pretty straightforward run. It's a pt going from a medical floor out of town to another hospital for some tests and then back to the floor. I'm unaware of the dx so I'm not much help

I'm guessing you're representing your hospital so the patient doesn' have to be discharged from your hospital, admitted to the other for tests, discharged from there and readmitted to your hospital (don't you love lawyers!). You'll be taking (or should insist on taking) the patients' chart with you. That way if any questions come up, you're prepared.

I bet she going along because there is a pump attached to the patient, or a specific medicine that exceeds standing orders for paramedics. This is usually the only reason I ever had nurses in the back of my ambulance.