tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post3038564677913593216..comments2023-09-26T12:58:21.651+00:00Comments on The Paramedic's Diary: ShockingXfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-84075434383806076742008-11-02T22:13:00.000+00:002008-11-02T22:13:00.000+00:00HiJust so you know, if you'd been a police car, no...Hi<BR/><BR/>Just so you know, if you'd been a police car, not only would the bus driver not have moved but he would likely have abused you too. I've experienced this lots of times, including the cabbie who wouldn't pull over the stop line at a red light on an empty junction when we were going to a knife point robbery. He screamed blue murder at us and said "you're not allowed to tell me to do that" (actually we are).<BR/><BR/>Re the above, my sister carries an Epipen and if she had an anaphylactic reaction and her employer DIDN'T let someone help her, there would be hell to pay for them. Do they ever think about that?<BR/><BR/>Good luck out there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-57794091857026311892008-11-01T11:45:00.000+00:002008-11-01T11:45:00.000+00:00A few years ago my friend dislocated her finger in...A few years ago my friend dislocated her finger in PE. The school office said that they could do nothing and she would have to wait until home time to go to A&E. My PE teacher was outraged by this because it was clear that my friend was in a great deal of pain and she had lost the feeling in the tip of her finger. The office also refused to call an ambulance so my PE teacher took it upon herself to sort the finger out (she was a trained first aider). My friend said it was almost pain free the way it was put back into place and her parents even sent the teacher chocolates as a thank you for helping when she had been told not to!<BR/><BR/>I just couldn't believe that the school were going to make my friend continue for the rest of the day BEFORE allowing her to have a finger sorted!miss emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11542201028341284303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-61258156633853102982008-10-31T10:53:00.000+00:002008-10-31T10:53:00.000+00:00A few more examples from the first aid at work cou...A few more examples from the first aid at work course (run by a very well known organisation) I mentioned in my last comment.<BR/><BR/>We were to be aware of gender, cultural and religious sensitivities at all times. If the victim was of the opposite sex, the first aider should have a chaperone of that sex present and explain what they were doing and why. Hands should be in sight at all times. Clothing should not be loosened or removed without express permission and at no time should undergarments or "culturally sensitive" areas of the body be visible.<BR/><BR/>At the time, I was working in an office with just one woman, a Muslim, in it. I asked how I as a male first aider was expected to help her given those strictures (eg don't remove or loosen her hijab) and was told "call an ambulance".<BR/><BR/>Another point from that course. We were told we were not to give first aid to members of the public as, again, that could expose our employer to legal action. We were told "there is no legal obligation on employers to make first aid provision for non-employees" and while there was a recommendation that employers make provision for non-employees, this was best met by calling an ambulance and remaining with the injured person until ambulance personnel arrived.<BR/><BR/>There are similar strictures at our local school. The school has first aiders, but parents have to sign a piece of paper each year saying it's okay for their children to receive a very narrow range of first aid provision (basically plasters and ice packs). <BR/><BR/>If you don't sign or more first aid than that is needed, then parents are phoned on each and every occasion that something happens and asked to come in to do it themselves or collect their child. <BR/><BR/>The staff are also very twitchy about responsibility should it come to calling an ambulance and are very reluctant to accept the full meaning of "in loco parentis". In other words, they want parents to make the decisions and to be there when ambulance personnel are treating/transporting children.<BR/><BR/>It's ridiculous and dangerous, but no one wants to take responsibility, make decisions or do anything for fear of being "blamed".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-84167349813400287552008-10-27T09:20:00.000+00:002008-10-27T09:20:00.000+00:00I can ditto what other people have said - my last ...I can ditto what other people have said - my last first aid at work course was more about what we weren't allowed to do than what we could - and one of those was administering the epipen - apparantly, we are allowed to hold it for them, but the patient has to press the button. <BR/><BR/>Fortunately, the one holder of an epipen in our office, also a first aider, has told us that that is total bull****, and that if she has a problem, to get the adrenaline inside her at once! :-)<BR/><BR/>It is a very sad state of affairs, but not new - when I was first aiding with the Red Cross (about 10 years ago), we had a directive coming down from on high saying that, we weren't allowed to do first aid unless we were going to or coming from a Red Cross duty, otherwise we wouldn't be covered by their insurance. To which, we all said "Naff off" (or words to that effect...), as none of us could see us refusing to help in an emergency - that is what we had been trained to do!Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17965300148218903639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-16866872324802079142008-10-27T01:09:00.000+00:002008-10-27T01:09:00.000+00:00HughThanks for your help on this.To everyone who h...Hugh<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your help on this.<BR/><BR/>To everyone who has commented and emailed about the use of an epipen, let me straighten this out for you. You WILL NOT be sued for helping someone in an emergency situation and giving their epipen is NOT illegal - they need it!<BR/><BR/>In fact, you can give anyone's epipen in an emergency, even though it is a prescription-only drug. The law allows for some movement here because if it didn't people would die unnecessarily.<BR/><BR/>Epinephrine is a natural hormone and there are very few contraindications for its use in an emergency.<BR/><BR/>If your first aid company isn't cutting the mustard on this and other topics, I will teach you myself. These are the same people who go around telling first aiders that its illegal to put a plaster on. This is simply NOT TRUE.<BR/><BR/>Go to www.paramedicrescue.com. It's a blatant plug for my own company but what the hell :-)Xfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-20038484897360091092008-10-27T01:05:00.002+00:002008-10-27T01:05:00.002+00:00jakeThank you. You can apply directly with your lo...jake<BR/><BR/>Thank you. You can apply directly with your local ambulance service. Paramedics tend to be trained the degree route now and your science will have to be fairly strong to make it.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your career!Xfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-70467320246854985902008-10-27T01:05:00.001+00:002008-10-27T01:05:00.001+00:00jakeThank you. You can apply directly with your lo...jake<BR/><BR/>Thank you. You can apply directly with your local ambulance service. Paramedics tend to be trained the degree route now and your science will have to be fairly strong to make it.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your career!Xfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-90857817339455757962008-10-27T01:05:00.000+00:002008-10-27T01:05:00.000+00:00jakeThank you. You can apply directly with your lo...jake<BR/><BR/>Thank you. You can apply directly with your local ambulance service. Paramedics tend to be trained the degree route now and your science will have to be fairly strong to make it.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your career!Xfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-68765712040640971492008-10-26T22:50:00.000+00:002008-10-26T22:50:00.000+00:00I did a first aid at work course a few years back ...I did a first aid at work course a few years back (in London) and was told the same as Anon's partner: "under no circumstances administer an epipen" as it could leave the first aider and their employer legally exposed if something went wrong.<BR/><BR/>In fact, I told my boss the entire course was a waste of time and money as it consisted almost entirely of "don't do this" as you or your employer could get sued. (I've actually done a fair few first aid courses, but this was the first one where the mantra was pretty much "do as little as possible except call 999".)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-40122784923213992042008-10-26T19:00:00.000+00:002008-10-26T19:00:00.000+00:00in reply to Anonymous (I'm not having a go at you ...in reply to Anonymous (I'm not having a go at you by the way)<BR/><BR/>this is a sad side effect of the risk averse society we're becoming.<BR/><BR/>i can't see why it has to be signed, it's unlikely that you'd be successfully sued for doing a "good samaritan" act, especially if the person has instructed you on how to use it.<BR/><BR/>here is a link to a movie on how to use an epipen. http://www.epipen.com/howtouse.aspx<BR/><BR/>personally i'd rather be struck off (I"m a Nurse) and sued for administering a life saving drug in an emergency situation, than do nothing and the person potentially die or be severely brain damaged.Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01938454354858784095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-13375070041974632742008-10-26T12:13:00.000+00:002008-10-26T12:13:00.000+00:00My partner has just this week done a first aid cou...My partner has just this week done a first aid course for work and has been told never to give epipens. Apparently its because there is too much risk of doing it wrong?<BR/><BR/>Also, someone in his office has to carry an epipen and has told people how to use it. The first aid instructor said that's not good enough and it should be written down and signed, like a disclaimer if she wanted the first aider to help her.<BR/><BR/>We're in Scotland.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-67915417032977585872008-10-25T21:30:00.000+00:002008-10-25T21:30:00.000+00:00HughMy point exactly. The public will be VERY conf...Hugh<BR/><BR/>My point exactly. The public will be VERY confused if a pharmacist does not offer emergency medicine.<BR/><BR/>I teach all pre-reg pharmacists to follow this code.Xfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189044083128101123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-60126205245248443722008-10-25T18:43:00.000+00:002008-10-25T18:43:00.000+00:00From the Royal College of Pharmacists code of Ethi...From the Royal College of Pharmacists code of Ethics, which can be found here http://www.rpsgb.org/protectingthepublic/ethics/<BR/><BR/>9. EMERGENCIES <BR/>STANDARDS <BR/>There may be occasions when you are required to assist members of the <BR/>public or patients in an emergency. In such situations you must: <BR/>9.1 where appropriate, consider using the exemption in legislation <BR/>that allows pharmacists to make an emergency supply of <BR/>medicines if a patient has an urgent need for them. You must <BR/>consider the medical consequences, if any, of not making the <BR/>supply and be satisfied that your decision will not lead to patient <BR/>care being compromised. <BR/>9.2 advise the patient on how to obtain essential medical care where <BR/>you do not consider an emergency supply to be appropriate. <BR/>9.3 assist persons in need of emergency first aid or medical <BR/>treatment whether by administering first aid within your <BR/>competence or by summoning assistance.<BR/><BR/>If they were that concerned to call an ambulance, why didn't they give GTN or even an over the counter aspirinHughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01938454354858784095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-37212152672191892462008-10-25T17:39:00.000+00:002008-10-25T17:39:00.000+00:00Love your posts, absolutely fascinating! I am in U...Love your posts, absolutely fascinating! I am in University at the moment, but want to become involved in emergency medicine later in life, inspired by my mum who recently recieved an MBE for her services to healthcare. You and all other hardworking NHS employees should be awarded one too! Keep up the good work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498194182629204271.post-30734422944528723282008-10-25T16:46:00.000+00:002008-10-25T16:46:00.000+00:00Hello my name is jake im 15 and i want to be a par...Hello my name is jake im 15 and i want to be a paramedic for the London ambulance service. i have read your book 4 times and i am now reading it for a 5th time. i read all of your blog submitions too. i dont live in london i live in suffolk, sudbury. but i really do look up to you when it comes to working towards becoming a paramedic. i am in my last year at school and iv applied to college to do Health And Care Science. After this i want to apply to train as a EMT but how do you apply? what courses do i have to take and what does the EMT course consist of?<BR/>i no i also have to get gcse A-C too. im not the most smartest of people so f i dont get A-C can i still end up becoming a Paramedic. <BR/><BR/>Thankyou. Your a great Influence. <BR/><BR/>Jake.Paramedic2behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15184825692460833884noreply@blogger.com