Is there an ambu bag in your office?

Achoo!, LPN · May 26, 2005

We have ambu bags, and AED, IV supplies, the standard cardiac meds, intubation equipment, O2 supplies,and a manual defibrillator.

RoxanRN · May 26, 2005

I just wanted to add that if your EMS providers run only basic EMT's, they will not be doing IV's at all. So the IV supplies are a good idea, even if it's just to put in a lock so it's available at the ER when the patient arrives.

Just FYI... Don't expect a BLS ambulance to be able/willing to take ALS medications with them to the hospital - even if the nurse put it in an IV bag. It is beyond their scope of practice. In most places, they can only monitor BASIC IV fluids (NS, LR, D5 or any combo of) - can't even monitor MVI in an IV.

Roxan

EMICT, RN

austin heart, BSN, RN · May 27, 2005

Just FYI... Don't expect a BLS ambulance to be able/willing to take ALS medications with them to the hospital - even if the nurse put it in an IV bag. It is beyond their scope of practice. In most places, they can only monitor BASIC IV fluids (NS, LR, D5 or any combo of) - can't even monitor MVI in an IV.
Roxan
EMICT, RN

In most areas calling 911 will get you an ALS team. In our area even the small outlying towns must send one certified medic on the rig along with the EMTs. FYI: If you are going to have a crash cart in your office be prepared to use it and use it properly. I would make sure that the nurses are ACLS certified as well as the MDs. You would be supprised at how many FP doctors can not run a code. And you are just as liable for having a crash cart and not using it correctly (probably more so) as you are if you do not have one at all.

Annor · Jun 15, 2005

You guys really got me thinkng....I asked the doc about our crash box...we have one in our office but every drug in the box has expired since 1998-1999!!!!!....I am filling out the drug form for new supplies this week! Thanks for bringing this to my attention...

I have been in this office since last July....I would of thought the box would have been updated...geez!

So glad I am updating our supply!!

Annor

If not, why?
My family practice clinic runs an all-day walk-in as well. Last week a lady came in with unstable angina and was carted away to the hospital by ambulance. After she left, I started thinking that I had no idea where the ambu bag was kept. I know where the O2 and masks are but not the bag. I asked the office manager and she said they don't have one. (I've been there for 10 months and all this time I assumed they had one....guess the old addage about assumptions is right...when you assume you make an "a$$ out of you and me" :imbar ) I asked one of the the head docs why not and he said something about not needing it and that if someone does stop breathing at the clinic the ambulance can be there within 3 minutes. He didn't want to assume the legal responsibility of having to resuscitate someone and if we have an ambu bag we are liable. I asked if we could at least have those disposable masks for doing mouth to mouth. He said he would look into it. (which for him means forget it)
Is it just me or does it seem to be pretty foolish to run a walk-in clinic without the proper resuscitation equipment available?
What do you all think?