Division 2 continue medical report Patient Assessment Bledsoe

pre-hospital care report “The content and completeness of the pre-hospital care report directly affects the lawyer’s impression of the incident and influences his decision of whether or not to file a lawsuit. ” Richard A. Lazar, JD Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Written Record of Incident May be the only source of information for persons subsequently interested in the event Record of the incident from beginning to end Provides a source of identifying pertinent reportable clinical data from each patient reaction Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Introduction Your written prehospital care report (PCR) is the only true factual record of events. Your PCR is your sole permanent, complete written record of events during the ambulance call. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Uses for PCRs Medical Administrative Research Legal Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic

Run data in a PCR helps agencies to improve patient care. Bledsoe et al.

General Considerations The Prehospital Care Report should be carefully detailed and legible. It is viewed as a legal document and is part of the patient’s medical record. Use of slang terminology or medical abbreviations that are not universally accepted should be avoided. If you do not know how to spell a word, look it up or use another word. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Times Whenever possible, record all times from the same clock. When that is not possible, be sure that all the clocks and watches you use are synchronized. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Communications with the hospital are another important item to document. Document ANY medical advice or orders you receive and the results of implementing that advice and those orders. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Pertinent Negatives Document all findings of your assessment, even those that are normal. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Oral Statements Whenever possible, quote the patient— or other source of information—directly. Example: Bystanders state the patient was “acting bizarre and threatening to jump in front of the next passing car. ” Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

One Example of a “Refusal of Care” Form Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of

Narrative (1 of 2) Narrative portion of the PCR allows for a chronological description of the call. It should be carefully detailed and legible. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Narrative (2 of 2) The PCR is a legal document and part of the patient’s medical record. Use of slang or medical abbreviations that are not universally accepted should be avoided. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Documentation Revisions When: as soon as the need for revision is identified. Date and time of revision must be documented. Who: always made by the original author of the document being revised. How: written on a separate, supplemental report form. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Special Considerations Patient refusals Services not needed Deviations from the standard Mass-casualty incidents Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Patient Refusals Patients retain the right to refuse treatment or transportation if they are competent to make that decision. Two main types of refusals: – Person who is not seriously injured and does not want to go to the hospital. – The patient refuses even though you feel he needs it. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Perform Pt. assessment (If Pt. will allow( Try to persuade the Patient to accept treatment and transport (if indicated( If the Pt. still refuses treatment - Document: Pt. Decision your assessment any attempts made to convince Pt. to accept treatment and transport – Document Pt. refusal and obtain Pt. Signature If the Pt. will not sign, have the document signed by family, law enforcement, or bystander

A patient’s refusal of care requires careful documentation. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of

Services Not Needed Some systems allow paramedics to determine patients that do not require ambulance transportation. While this may help to reduce ambulance utilization, the risks of denying transport are even greater than those of a refusal. Evaluate all patients with even minor injuries and document appropriately. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Mass-Casualty Incidents Multiple patients, mass casualties, and disasters all present special documentation problems. Weigh your patient’s needs against the demand for complete documentation. Follow local guidelines and utilize the appropriate forms such as triage tags. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Triage tags are used to record vital information on each patient quickly. Bledsoe et

Consequences of Inappropriate Documentation (1 of 2) Inappropriate documentation can have both medical and legal consequences. – Do not guess about your patient’s problems. – Write neatly, clearly, and legibly. – Complete your form completely. – Spelling counts! Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Consequences of Inappropriate Documentation (2 of 2) Primary caregiver is responsible for charting the run report (if you are in the back of the ambulance taking care of the patient, you write the report). Prior to releasing subpoenaed information, the requested documents should be reviewed by an attorney to determine if a supplemental report should be created. Bledsoe et al. , Essentials of Paramedic Care: Division 1 I © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ