I'm assigned to an ALS ambulance in the business district. We are sent code 2 to the eval and arrive on a warm summer day to a local tourist area. We find people who have witnessed what they describe as a seizure.
The patient is a middle aged man who speaks little english and a language no one around seems to understand or even recognize.
His vitals are a little elevated, but he certainly fits my model for an ER evaluation.
Here's the trouble spot. He's a professional dog walker and has with him, on an elaborate leash system, half a dozen dogs. He has no car keys, so there is no chance of finding a car for the dogs to hide in for a short while.
He has no ID and no business cards for himself or an agency.
It's not an emergency situation, but we can't take six dogs in the ambulance let alone the ER.
I tried checking the dog's tags for owner phone numbers but each number goes to the home, not the cell phone and we're only leaving messages to call my cell phone.
He needs to be evaluated, I need to get rid of these dogs. The ETA for animal control is 2-3 hours.
What should I try next? You make the call.
The patient is a middle aged man who speaks little english and a language no one around seems to understand or even recognize.
His vitals are a little elevated, but he certainly fits my model for an ER evaluation.
Here's the trouble spot. He's a professional dog walker and has with him, on an elaborate leash system, half a dozen dogs. He has no car keys, so there is no chance of finding a car for the dogs to hide in for a short while.
He has no ID and no business cards for himself or an agency.
It's not an emergency situation, but we can't take six dogs in the ambulance let alone the ER.
I tried checking the dog's tags for owner phone numbers but each number goes to the home, not the cell phone and we're only leaving messages to call my cell phone.
He needs to be evaluated, I need to get rid of these dogs. The ETA for animal control is 2-3 hours.
What should I try next? You make the call.
Comments
My dh said that with a tongue in cheek. I would think of trying to quickly find someone responsible to come right over to 'critter sit' until their fate could be decided while you are taking patient in.
I did try the same thing with my Paramedic Supervisor though. He told me there was no continuity of care issue on dogs, gave me a few suggestions and drove away, giggling.
- F4
Were the 'few suggestions' along the lines of "f__k off HM"?