I am not sure what to write this morning. A couple of interesting things have happened in my life over the past few days. Nothing spectacular just the same old same old really.
I had a complaint filled against me. That's generally an awesome thing to learn about. The other morning I had a whining rich teenager who was riding in a large SUV and crashed into a rock pole. It was a very minor accident and he was one of three people in the vehicle and the ONLY person complaining of neck pain. So, we took all of the necessary precautions; putting a C-collar on him and placing a long spine board to his back and taking him down from a standing position without moving his neck or back. It was just a taxi to the hospital after that.
This scenario happens all of the time. More likely than not when we arrive at the hospital the patient is sent to triage after their C-spine is cleared to wait there turn. But, at 0300 in the morning there obviously was nothing to do in the ed. When we arrived their were several nurses and doctors waiting in their main trauma room. We wheeled our patient in the room and placed him on their cot. I begin telling the story, or giving a report, and the doctor began speaking over me. At that point I gained a signature from one of the nurses and left the room. Yes, I could have stayed and gave a more detailed report after the doctor cut me off but I didn't. I felt that a brief explanation of the incident would suffice because it was very minor.
The next day as I am sitting at my second job when my phone rings. It's the assistant director of the ambulance service. He called me, on my day off, to explain that the doctor contacted him and was upset because I did not give an adequate report.
Looking back I try to take my ego out of the equation because it has no place in patient care. I probably should have stopped and explained over and over again that the accident was minor and the only complaint the patient had was neck pain. No obvious trauma was noted and he was mainly afraid that his mother was going to ground him forever. The neck pain was probably an attempt at sympathy on the patient's part anyway.
I just can't believe something so trivial went as far as it did. I also can't help to think that if this patient was a minority and not from an influential family that he would have been immediately dismissed and the staff would have cared less what I said or did prior to bringing him to the hospital.
What a crock of shit.
By the way the patient was discharged with no injuries.
I had a complaint filled against me. That's generally an awesome thing to learn about. The other morning I had a whining rich teenager who was riding in a large SUV and crashed into a rock pole. It was a very minor accident and he was one of three people in the vehicle and the ONLY person complaining of neck pain. So, we took all of the necessary precautions; putting a C-collar on him and placing a long spine board to his back and taking him down from a standing position without moving his neck or back. It was just a taxi to the hospital after that.
This scenario happens all of the time. More likely than not when we arrive at the hospital the patient is sent to triage after their C-spine is cleared to wait there turn. But, at 0300 in the morning there obviously was nothing to do in the ed. When we arrived their were several nurses and doctors waiting in their main trauma room. We wheeled our patient in the room and placed him on their cot. I begin telling the story, or giving a report, and the doctor began speaking over me. At that point I gained a signature from one of the nurses and left the room. Yes, I could have stayed and gave a more detailed report after the doctor cut me off but I didn't. I felt that a brief explanation of the incident would suffice because it was very minor.
The next day as I am sitting at my second job when my phone rings. It's the assistant director of the ambulance service. He called me, on my day off, to explain that the doctor contacted him and was upset because I did not give an adequate report.
Looking back I try to take my ego out of the equation because it has no place in patient care. I probably should have stopped and explained over and over again that the accident was minor and the only complaint the patient had was neck pain. No obvious trauma was noted and he was mainly afraid that his mother was going to ground him forever. The neck pain was probably an attempt at sympathy on the patient's part anyway.
I just can't believe something so trivial went as far as it did. I also can't help to think that if this patient was a minority and not from an influential family that he would have been immediately dismissed and the staff would have cared less what I said or did prior to bringing him to the hospital.
What a crock of shit.
By the way the patient was discharged with no injuries.
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1 comment:
Ah, the god complex! Don't sweat it mate, dr's can be arrogant arseholes sometimes. That complaint will go nowhere. Same over here in the uk, I'm a 15 year veteran para.
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