Got a message from my Paramedic mentor a little while back about the title of this post. He was asking what makes a call critical?
The definitions include "at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction; characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; urgently needed; absolutely necessary; forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency;"
But what does it mean to an EMT or Medic in the street he wonders.
Is it the presentation?
The required interventions?
Is it a feeling we get either before or after?
Well?
What makes a "critical call" in our book?
The definitions include "at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction; characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; urgently needed; absolutely necessary; forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency;"
But what does it mean to an EMT or Medic in the street he wonders.
Is it the presentation?
The required interventions?
Is it a feeling we get either before or after?
Well?
What makes a "critical call" in our book?
Comments
On the light hearted side; a critical patient is one that allows us to use our lights and siren on the way to the hospital!
So when I *do* tell my partner to light 'em up, you can bet that patient is in imminent danger of shuffling off the mortal coil.
Those are the ones I call critical.
As to that "warm & fuzzy feeling"? I get that more from the 26A1 sick calls and 17A1 falls than I do a shooting, pin-in, or full arrest.
To me, a critical call is any call where the patient is in genuine need of medical attention; simply because these are so often rare.
Personally, I would define "Emergent" as "likely to die without my help" and "critical" as "likely to die even with my help". If there's someone more qualified on scene, then "likely to die without *their* help" or "likely to die even with *their* help" respectively.
On the light hearted side; a critical patient is one that allows us to use our lights and siren on the way to the hospital!
So when I *do* tell my partner to light 'em up, you can bet that patient is in imminent danger of shuffling off the mortal coil.
Those are the ones I call critical.
As to that "warm & fuzzy feeling"? I get that more from the 26A1 sick calls and 17A1 falls than I do a shooting, pin-in, or full arrest.
To me, a critical call is any call where the patient is in genuine need of medical attention; simply because these are so often rare.
Personally, I would define "Emergent" as "likely to die without my help" and "critical" as "likely to die even with my help". If there's someone more qualified on scene, then "likely to die without *their* help" or "likely to die even with *their* help" respectively.
At first I was tempted to define it as anyone who goes to a Critical Care room at our ER, but then I remembered that quite a few people go there due to hospital protocol and not necessarily actual acuity.
A) Recognize that the obstructed airway is the problem...or
B) hearing that sound I hear entering the house, or apartment, like a law sprinkler, is the blood pressure cuff being blown up OVER AND OVER AND OVER trying to 'get a Bee Pee'; to which I gently suggest that we WILL NOT get a Bee Pee, cause the pt has somehow lost a large part of their blood supply and are IN SHOCK!!! Holey Moley...or
C) A mouthful of chewed-up Fentanyl patches is the reason for the pt's AMS, and that judicious use of Narcan, either IV, IM, nasal sprayed or just SAID LOUDLY [the verbal route] will improve the situation just like that [not italicised]. Then all you have is a lying dumb-shit lying to me and all that goes with denialitis...
Well...
The 15 y.o. young man who 'fainted' [uh huh] this morning, who was in V-Tach, [WHAT?!?!?] is the call you're maybe looking for, Happy, but a critical call for me is the WTF factor my co-workers give me just about daily. That's my kind of critical.
At first I was tempted to define it as anyone who goes to a Critical Care room at our ER, but then I remembered that quite a few people go there due to hospital protocol and not necessarily actual acuity.
A) Recognize that the obstructed airway is the problem...or
B) hearing that sound I hear entering the house, or apartment, like a law sprinkler, is the blood pressure cuff being blown up OVER AND OVER AND OVER trying to 'get a Bee Pee'; to which I gently suggest that we WILL NOT get a Bee Pee, cause the pt has somehow lost a large part of their blood supply and are IN SHOCK!!! Holey Moley...or
C) A mouthful of chewed-up Fentanyl patches is the reason for the pt's AMS, and that judicious use of Narcan, either IV, IM, nasal sprayed or just SAID LOUDLY [the verbal route] will improve the situation just like that [not italicised]. Then all you have is a lying dumb-shit lying to me and all that goes with denialitis...
Well...
The 15 y.o. young man who 'fainted' [uh huh] this morning, who was in V-Tach, [WHAT?!?!?] is the call you're maybe looking for, Happy, but a critical call for me is the WTF factor my co-workers give me just about daily. That's my kind of critical.
My definition of a critical call is when my standard interventions do not have the effect I hoped and I am forced to think outside my training for a solution.
When my tools and knowledge can't help or aren't working, then the situation is critical.
Like AD says, RLS has nothing to do with it.
Although I got a 6 motor escort to the hospital not long ago, that was a perfect 35 mph without braking all the way.
My definition of a critical call is when my standard interventions do not have the effect I hoped and I am forced to think outside my training for a solution.
When my tools and knowledge can't help or aren't working, then the situation is critical.
Like AD says, RLS has nothing to do with it.
Although I got a 6 motor escort to the hospital not long ago, that was a perfect 35 mph without braking all the way.
My definition of a critical call is when my standard interventions do not have the effect I hoped and I am forced to think outside my training for a solution.
When my tools and knowledge can't help or aren't working, then the situation is critical.
Like AD says, RLS has nothing to do with it.
Although I got a 6 motor escort to the hospital not long ago, that was a perfect 35 mph without braking all the way.
I find that the more I learn, the fewer critical patients I encounter.
The lights are to provide a smooth ride to the hospital with minimal delay. The siren is only to get the attention of those who do not pay attention to the lights.
I find that the more I learn, the fewer critical patients I encounter.
The lights are to provide a smooth ride to the hospital with minimal delay. The siren is only to get the attention of those who do not pay attention to the lights.
I find that the more I learn, the fewer critical patients I encounter.
The lights are to provide a smooth ride to the hospital with minimal delay. The siren is only to get the attention of those who do not pay attention to the lights.
I find that the more I learn, the fewer critical patients I encounter.
The lights are to provide a smooth ride to the hospital with minimal delay. The siren is only to get the attention of those who do not pay attention to the lights.