How To Write A Crisis Observation

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My First Rodeo EMT 115: Crisis Intervention Lyndsey Minard 02/04/2012 It was my first ride along for class. I was very nervous yet so excited. The second call of the night was a Cardiac arrest! The night started at about 1615 on a Sunday night. Our first call was an 85 year old female with possible airway obstruction. We went code three, only to find out she had swallowed a Tums tablet whole. She was complaining of pain when swallowing. It was not concerning; but we examined her, took her vitals, made sure she was comfortable, and went on our way. After that we had nothing for about two hours. Then it happened. The kind of call I had hoped for: Code three, Cardiac event. The patient was a 56…show more content…
The first part of the stabilization process involves introductions. Even if the patient is unconscious, like in my scenario, you can introduce yourself to the family/friends. You must build that initial trust with them while they are being treated or witnessing a crisis situation. My patient was unconscious, but I made sure to make the initial contact with his family. ACKNOWLEDGE. Acknowledgement of the event includes listening to the who, what, and when, of the event “story.” When speaking to the patient, bystanders or family, it is important to make sure not to jump to the “why” or “how” questions. This can lead to judgmental statements rather than simply the facts. FACILITATE UNDERSTANDING. This step involves encouraging the expression of difficult emotions, and helping patients understand the impact of the critical event. It is a time paraphrase the content of what is being said so the patient and/or family members can understand what is going on. It is a time for normalization; it is important to always be honest with your patient and/or their family members. Letting them know you are going to do everything you can to help, but the reality is you still may not be able to save the patient. Phrases like “everything will be fine” or “Don’t worry” should never be said. I told this gentleman’s family, "We will do everything we can," and we did. I saved this man’s life. We did not get a pulse for 43 minutes, but I never gave up. ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COPING. This is the time to identify personal stress management tools. These management techniques might include time management, avoiding known stressors, relaxation response training, and physical exercise. You should also identify external support/coping resources. In my case, I did not feel the need to encourage any coping skills. It was not really my place at the time. I definitely feel they may need some guidance on this but I was dealing with the initial shock rather than the final outcome.

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