RE: SINGLE EMT-P TRANSPORTS

["Jim Hennessey" <jhennessey@bellsouth.net>]

I think a lot of people, have lost perspective about this flight, and critical care ground transport.  They have forgotten the transport.  Everybody seems to be concerned about were better than program x because we staff with 2.  or  were RN/RN  or RN/RT or MD/ resident  etc.  I think that various programs are designed to do different things.  But the bottom line is transport.  I' m sure that MSP may be similar to my program.  We fly a EMT-P and Pilot.  Our calls are approx 70% scene and 30% IHT.   When I first started we flew a Bell 206 jet ranger.  No room for another attendant.  We then got a Bell 206 long ranger.  A little more room.  we would occasionally take additional personnel on IHTs.  Our program was and is designed for rapid pre-hospital transport.    Now if we reverse the percentage and did 30% scene calls and 70% IHTs think that our staffing would be different.   We now fly a Agusta 119.  Plenty of room. We do not fly with out the paramedic.  We will add an RN or RT for IHT depending on what is going on with the patient.  (or maybe just the paramedic.)  In my experience,  most of the flight scene calls that I made, the same care would have been given on the ground. single medic.  My advantage is that I would be at the hospital in 15-20 minutes by air  and the ground unit would be 30-40 min. Yes there were times that I wish I had an extra set of hands,  and there were times that I wish I was by myself.  But the bottom line is that I want to give my patients the best ride and service and care that I am capable of.    Is there a better way; maybe, maybe not.  I think that we have given the citizens of southeast Mississippi a great service.  We have been in existence since 1971.  I have been told that we are the Longest continuously operating air ambulance in the nation. 

The other job of the MSP medics is Law enforcement.  It must be tough to give pt care one minute and then have to arrest the patient the next.

 

Jim Hennessey, EMT-P

Rescue 7

Hattiesburg, MS

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: flightmed-admin@flightweb.com [mailto:flightmed-admin@flightweb.com]On Behalf Of Uncferret@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 9:04 PM
To: flightmed@flightweb.com
Subject: Re: SINGLE EMT-P TRANSPORTS

Having had the privilege of flying with the MSP out of Beebe Hospital in Lewes, DE, I can say that they do an excellent job when it comes to patient transport.  It has been a few, okay, many years since I worked with them....but the gist of this post is that they are highly trained Trooper-Medics who are very gifted.  When they do patient transports, the Trooper-Medic shifts to Medic and he is usually one extremely talented and competent Medic.

As far as interfacility transports go...the nurse that accompanies them need not be from Hopkins.  We all attended LZ and Helicopter Safety classes before we could accompany the MSP on transports.

Anyone think about Denver Flight for Life?  They also fly a single crew member on occasion. 

The point is...a single crew member can accomplish quite a few interventions if they are talented and keep a cool head.  We've all been in that situation (as much as we don't like it) and we and our patients have survived. 

Rock on MSP....I respect all of you!

Tracey Stover-Wall
Flight Nurse, Medic, etc.
Columbia, MO