I didn't know this actually happened

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

I hate to see people abuse the system. 3 years ago my husband accidentally stabbed himself in the leg while trying to cut a plastic band. He sliced both his artery and vein in his leg and the only thing that slowed the knife down was when it hit his bone. We literally lived 2 minutes away from the hospital, only 1 stop sign between us and the hospital. We called the ambulance because I couldn't get the bleeding to stop. He bled through 3 hand towels in the kitchen and the entire kitchen floor was covered in blood, not to mention it was squirting straight out. It took the ambulance over an HOUR to get there. By the time they got there I had managed to stop the bleeding so the EMT/paramedic (not sure who exactly it was) told him it was fine, wrapped it up and told him he didn't need to go to the hospital. Needless to say 3 years later he has to have surgery because his artery and vein fused together during healing due to the wrapping (according to his surgeon.) Sorry for the off topic vent but I can't help to think that if it weren't for misuse of abulance we could have gotten him proper care and avoided this upcoming surgery. Looking back, I should have just tried to take him myself!

Since when is a paramedic able to make a diagnosis??? That is not their job and that is why, unfortunatly, they have to bring everyone in.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

People abuse the system all the time. We've had a woman call 911 (AND was actually given a ride!) - the story? - she lost her mucous plug. Term. No contractions. Just lost the plug. Go figure...
And to think when I was going into CHF, I hesitated to call an ambulance because we were struggling to make ends meet.
It must be nice not to have to worry about what medical care costs.

OT, but who keeps telling people that losing your mucus plug is a big deal and that means the baby is coming any minute now?? :rolleyes:

SC RN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

OT, but who keeps telling people that losing your mucus plug is a big deal and that means the baby is coming any minute now??

Not me!!! I teach Prepared Childbirth classes and I tell my class that this is NOT a big deal, and for Pete's sake, please, please, please do not fish it out of the toilet and bring it to L&D with you ... we don't want to see it!!!!! :nono:

Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

dawngloves- Most paramedics "diagnosis" all the time, but few want the opinion of the paramedic, plus I did not carry many of the joy-joy drugs - so it's off to the ED. For the biggest part of my practice - I know in my case - the only reason to really go to the hospital is confirm that I got it right! :) (kidding, but only a little)

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

Please tell me that this dont happen.....

Not me!!! I teach Prepared Childbirth classes and I tell my class that this is NOT a big deal, and for Pete's sake, please, please, please do not fish it out of the toilet and bring it to L&D with you ... we don't want to see it!!!!!

oramar · Oct 13, 2006

At least a person with minor medical problems actually have something wrong with them. A few years ago a medic told me that sometimes people use the city ambulance service as a cab. Ducking out the door when they arrive and going to the place they actually want to go. City ambulance service is still free I think but then of course it is not, the tax payer foots the bill.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2006

dawngloves- Most paramedics "diagnosis" all the time, but few want the opinion of the paramedic, plus I did not carry many of the joy-joy drugs - so it's off to the ED. For the biggest part of my practice - I know in my case - the only reason to really go to the hospital is confirm that I got it right! :) (kidding, but only a little)

That's ineresting, because nurses are not capable of making a medical diagnosis. Sure I can look at someone and say, "He's having an MI" but the doctor is the diagnostician in that case. I can only make a diagnosis of " Pain secondary to MI".

TrudyRN · Oct 14, 2006

While it most likely didn't justify a 911 call, the reality is that far less emergent patients arrive by ambulance in emergency rooms every day.
Examples I've encountered: Patients with jammed fingers, little kids with colds, people who have had a cough for two weeks. It can really boggle the mind.

I guess the 911 staff are required to transport, legally, or they would tell them to get their own ride some other way. Does anyone know the legalities on this issue? It is a horrible waste of public funds, yet it does happen all the time.

TrudyRN · Oct 14, 2006

Community behavior, someone else is always responsible for me. Call 911 to take my drama queen self to the 5 star facility who will give all my friends bus passes to get back home and free lunch tickets too. Hey I am entitled to this as a US citizen and where is the social worker so I can not get evicted as I have not paid my rent for 3 months cuz I am pregnant.

Why the bus tickets and lunch passes? To non-patients? I could see providing a little something to eat for the father but why the whole clan?

BSNtobe2009 · Oct 14, 2006

I collapsed at work once (I found out later it was from exhaustion), and I got a bill from the ambulance service.

Do some people get this paid for?

smk1, LPN · Oct 14, 2006

I was so embarrased to keep showing up at the hospital "in labor" only to be sent home that I didn't want to go when the labor was really progressing. (i was quite embarrasing to be recognized by several different nurses. However, I really was "in labor" each time. Contractions felt the same each time as the time they kept me, and they dilated my cervix and effacement was happening to...the progress would just stop. I think the tons of prenancy books out there make you think you know whats going on when you actually don't.

smk1, LPN · Oct 14, 2006

on the other hand there is some great info in there because some stuff nobody tells you about. That whole mucous plug, bloody show stuff... that would have shocked me if I hadn't read about it in the book. Probably would have shown up at the hospital emergency for it too! lol