How often do EMS crews show up to your dept unannounced?

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Aug 22, 2009

I have only worked ED for 2 years and havent heard of it happing at all. We have gotten reports with an ETA of 1-2 min. I know any of the charges I work with would be more than angry if EMS showed without report.

Mike A. Fungin RN · Aug 22, 2009

I've known critical care nurses to voice similar complaints about ED nurses who bring patients to the unit with little notice and/or incomplete reports. But y'know what, it happens man. The ED can get a little crazy and they can't always wrap my patients with a pretty bow on top. Sometimes the work environment sucks and prevents us from performing ideally. That goes for both nurses and EMTs.

bill4745, RN · Aug 22, 2009

Has not happened in the 3 years I've been in our ED.

nolabarkeep · Aug 22, 2009

Happened twice the other day. The same company called report to another ED and then showed up at our ED. Neither crew bothered to pay attention to the name of the initial facility they called. Yes, they were reported.

SpaceCoastRN · Aug 22, 2009

Well I have now seen this from both sides. I worked as a paramedic from 1992 to about a month ago, in that time I have given many radio reports and to be honest, most were pretty pointless. Unless I was calling in to speak to an MD for orders beyond protocol I thought reports should be done away with other than for notification on codes, or higher acuity that will require more resources. After being in the ED since June, I still feel this way, most reports are pointless. The ED I work in is almost always packed (19 beds and room for 7 hall beds). So really if EMS calls in with anything other than codes or high acuity nothing is done with it other than telling triage they can't have the bed for the random ailment they are about to use it for that should have been handled by a primary care MD. The system I am originally from I think did it best, Methodist in Indianapolis had a nurse assigned to ambulance triage. When a unit came in there was only a radio call for orders, and advanced warning of codes, cardiac alerts, and trauma alerts. It removed a lot of wasted time of going through a radio report (on both sides of the microphone).

Larry77, RN · Aug 22, 2009

When we get a radio report is when we get a room ready for them...we do not make them wait for a room but sometimes start them in the hall or send them to triage. I would make this crew wait for a room if it didn't punish the patient as well.

traumarns · Aug 22, 2009

we only get ems calls from private companies, trauma alerts/activations. and cardiac/resp arrest.

other than that, they just show up. the charge takes a very quick report, and decides triage or bed.

the crew then gives the full report (hopefully) to the nurse caring for the pt. it works for us.

siegolindo · Aug 23, 2009

when im on the road the only time i dont call ahead was because i was down the block. i work in nyc and sometimes the worse jobs happen steps away from the hospital. the times it has happened im always apologetic and help out as much as i can. beibg on the other side as a nurse ive gotten much respect in my ER..

allnurses Guide · Aug 23, 2009

We get city, county, pueblo volunteer services, private services, and only a few ever miss calling ahead. Unfortunately, some nursing homes are less than 2 minutes away, and by the time they call report they're already pulling in. Also, we don't have the greatest equipment, so sometimes the radio call just doesn't get through.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Aug 23, 2009

the EMT put his hand on my shoulder and said in a condescending tone, "Are you having a bad day Larry?"...OMG I wanted to deck him.

LOL! Sounds like the movie "Office Space" -- "Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays!" HA! That would have pushed me right over the edge.

Very rarely does a medic unit fail to call. Every now and then when we get a unit from the next county bringing someone in on mutual aid, they don't call us. We try to keep an eye on the CAD in the nurses station when we can so we don't get an unpleasant surprise! Recently dispatch gave a medic unit a phone patch to the wrong ED, so they showed up unannounced ... couldn't blame them, though! They thought they called.

RN0520 · Aug 24, 2009

This happens to us all too often. EMS will bring in inappropriate patients to our 12 bed ER. They will call report when they are on our grounds knowing that we can't divert at that point. For example, a mva that clearly should have gone to one of the level 2 trauma centers in town or chest pain that should have gone to one of the 3 hospitals in town that have cath labs. I make it known to them that it is unacceptable to bring patients in without a heads up. It happened yesterday and they said they tried to call. As it turns out their radio wasn't working properly, this was 3 hours into their shift. I don't think it is safe for the patient if they are not taken to the most appropriated hospital. They will get burned one day and it will be the patient that suffers.