Interview with Jaimie Davis. 2. Is there any communication or coordination between paramedics in the field and the doctors and staff at a hospital?

Transcription

1 Interview with Jaimie Davis 1. What can paramedics do medically in the field? 2. Is there any communication or coordination between paramedics in the field and the doctors and staff at a hospital? 3. When an accident happens in sports, what is the process for getting help? 4. Is it better to wait to call emergency services until a supervisor is certain the athlete needs emergency support or to call even if they are not sure? 5. How does the additional information received from the dispatcher help EMTs prepare for a situation? 6. What can adults do to help EMTs assist an athlete most quickly? 7. What happens if an emergency vehicle cannot physically drive to the location of an injury, such as a muddy soccer field? 8. What are general tips for a coach treating an injury before an EMT arrives?

2 9. How can a coach determine if an athlete is alert? 10. What would a coach look for after assessing the airway, breathing, and circulation? 11. What area of the body bleeds more profusely than others? 12. How can coaches handle heat-related injuries? 13. What is the worst heat injury? 14. What kind of respiratory problems might coaches run into? 15. How can coaches recognize a real emergency versus someone who is faking it? 16. What kind of equipment should a coach have available?

3 17. How should ice and heat packs be applied?

4 Answers to Interview with Jaimie Davis 1. Paramedics are specialists in a few areas, including advanced airway management. This means paramedics can incubate patients in the field. The only other place this can happen is in a hospital. Paramedics also can recognize several cardiac problems, in an attempt to prevent cardiac arrest. They can also administer some medication, such as shots, to prevent cardiac arrest. 2. Yes. Paramedics are in constant contact with hospital staff to communicate what they are dealing with and to get advice on the best treatment from the doctors. 3. The injury occurs and a supervising adult recognizes the need for emergency services. The dispatcher will question the adult about the situation and work with their team to get help as soon as possible. The adult must stay on the phone and follow the instructions of the dispatcher. Once the EMTs arrive on the scene, many of the dispatcher s questions will be repeated to ensure that the information they received was correct. The paramedic will assess the injury and transport the athlete if necessary. 4. It is better to call and have the EMTs assess the athlete than to wait and have the athlete experience serious problems. If the adult decides while on the phone that the athlete does not need help, the EMTs can be turned around with little effort. 5. It prepares the EMT for what to expect. However, the EMT will always reassess the situation as soon as arriving to ensure that what the dispatcher relayed was correct and complete. 6. Adults should know the patient s history and have it available on paper, such as name, date of birth, age, medical history including previous sports injuries, allergies, medications, and medical problems. Coaches can use the emergency contact sheets they should have already created for each student. 7. If the emergency vehicles cannot reach the injured athlete, a coach or other adult should be waiting at the complex s entrance to speak with the EMTs to assess the situation and point them to the correct location. The EMTs will then determine the best way to reach the athlete.

5 8. Coaches should have CPR training at a minimum to assess the airways, breathing, and circulation. Once it is confirmed that the patient is breathing and has a pulse, the coach needs to determine if the athlete alert and aware of their surroundings. 9. An athlete is considered alert when they are aware of themselves, their surroundings, and is acting normally. They should be able to say what their name is, where they are, why they are there, and some sense of what time it is (day of the week, month, year, etc). 10. Any signs of severe bleeding is the first thing to look for. Severe bleeding is considered bleeding that would soak a gauze pad even with pressure to the wound. Soft tissue injuries are also important to assess, such as swelling. Coaches should look for obvious deformities that would indicate a broken bone. 11. The head and face bleed a lot, even if the injury is not severe. 12. Coaches need to prevent dehydration by allowing athletes to hydrate. Medically, water is the best for hydrating, not sports drinks. There should be enough fluids for all athletes. Fans and spectators should also bring their own fluids. If the body is running low on fluids, it tries not to sweat in order to conserve fluids. When the body is unable to sweat, they are in danger of heat-related injuries. 13. Heat stroke is the worst heat injury, and often shows itself in a hot, dry person who cannot sweat. These people are often not alert. Coaches should remember to hydrate only patients who are alert and able to handle the fluids. 14. Allergies and asthma can block the airways, especially during exertion. Coaches need to know their athletes and any respiratory illnesses they may have. For spectators, coaches should monitor the airways and call paramedics if there is any problem with breathing, such as hyperventilation or shortness of breath. 15. Coaches should take all emergencies seriously and should call paramedics regardless. It is always better to err on the side of caution than not treat an athlete who may have a serious problem. Coaches can have the athlete sit on the sidelines for a few minutes to see if the injury is severe. Coaches should handle the situation positively and not punish athletes they might believe are faking.

6 16. Coaches should have a basic first-aid kit with chemical ice packs and heat packs, gauze pads, cling wraps (gauze rolls), medical adhesive tape to keep the gauze pads down, and band-aids in various sizes. Coaches should have fluids available, an ice chest with ice, and Ziploc bags in various sizes. 17. Ice and heat packs should never come in direct contact with the skin. They should be wrapped in a towel or piece of gauze. The packs should be applied for 15 minutes on and then 15 minutes off.