Paramedic Ride Along Some hospitals require the occasional ride along with paramedics, depending on what area of nursing you work in. For emergency room nurses, the ride along can be very beneficial. It provides insight into the world that paramedics and EMT’s work in. You can see and experience first hand what it is like to treat the patient prior to arriving at the hospital. A typical Ride Along I’m not sure there is such a thing in medicine as typical, however the description is one ride along, from 7 pm until 3 am. Jamie never gave much thought about the people that delivered her patients to the emergency room. They were doing their job and she was doing hers. However, all of that changed after her ride along, she learned just how valuable everyone is in the role of medicine. The Friday night ride along went at a very pace, the first call coming in 15 minutes after the shift began. The call was an emergency for a private residence where a baby was burned. A 3-year-old pulled a pan of hot grease off a stove, and a portion of it poured on his 7month-old brother that was sitting in his walker. There is a particular protocolset in place for burn victims, so paramedics flew into action doing as they were trained. Jamie was not only amazed at the skill and expertise of the emergency workers, but she was amazed at their knowledge and ability to jump into action immediately. Related: How to Express a Complaint or Concern Mark went on his first ride along after completing his first year of nursing. Mark was familiar with the patients that came into the emergency department, however to this point he had no idea what took place prior to patients being admitted in the hospital for care. That night Mark watched and participated as a 73-year-old man suffered a heart attack, and was saved by EMT” s as they administered CPR. Mark saw a different side of life that night, as a homeless person collapsed in the street unable to breathe. He was admitted to the hospital and survived, thanks to those first EMT’s. Because of their help, the homeless man was admitted into a program to assist him in getting his life back on track. He would later return to thanks paramedics, and to proudly announce that he had a full-time job and an apartment, a far cry from being cold and homeless when admitted to the hospital. Other calls on the ride along that night were a woman giving birth, literally, paramedics delivered a healthy baby boy. Of course, there are the usual sad incidents, a 17-year-old female overdosed on heroin and they
were unable to revise her. Mark returned to his regular job the following evening, with a whole new understanding of what the staff in an ambulance actually does. Medical facilities may require the occasional ride along for nurses, however if not, consider requesting a ride along so you can see first hand what its like to treat the patients outside a medical facility. You may develop a clearer understanding of how treatment is administered prior to entering the emergency department. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics work together to ensure the safety of every patient. From the time a patient is treated at the scene, then transported to the emergency department, they receive care of medically trained experts. In most hospital settings, the paramedics and emergency room workers work very well together, and are in constant communication when a critically ill patient is being brought in for treatment. With paramedics providing the patients condition prior to arriving, it allows emergency room workers to gather necessary equipment and personnel to properly administer care. It actually all comes down toone thing, and that is teamwork between the nursing staff, doctors, and paramedics. With today’s means of communication, patients are more likely to receive prompt treatment, and follow up care. Related: Forensic Nurses Remember, if your hospital does not offer a ride along program, inquire about starting one, there is a great deal of information that can benefit all departments, and ultimately the patients. Related: Exceptional Registered Nurse Marie-Gladys Darcelin, RN, BSN, MS, will be Featured in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter