Do any f the US EMT/Paramedics on this board have these problems? Such as waiting 5, 8, or 10 hours for a bed for your patient in ER? Is this only an Ontario thing?

Posted by apprentice Do any of the US EMT/Paramedics on this board have these problems? Such as waiting 5, 8, or 10 hours for a bed for your patient in ER? Is this only an Ontario thing?

For my paid job, we primarily transport to a 5 bed ED, and when its full, you sit in the hall (well, there isn't really a hall either), and wait with your pt on cot. I don't mind that part. What pisses me off is that the nurses don't do shit to triage your pt. They can chest pn with an arrythmia, and you just sit. Sometimes I think I should have just stayed in the bus where I could at least push some more nitro.

But I've never waited over an hour. I'd say that sort of thing is unheard of around here.

Caput_58

Never heard of it. If the hospital is busy, then it goes to divert, which means we take the pt to another place. If its a head injury or serious injury we usually take them to Saint Anthonys Central in Denver, and that place is HUGE.

Serious pt's (trauma, cardiac etc) are seen quickly. It's those with the minor problems who wait hours upon hours. You are triaged but the pt. stays on your 35A.

Posted by SnArF Never heard of it. If the hospital is busy, then it goes to divert, which means we take the pt to another place. If its a head injury or serious injury we usually take them to Saint Anthonys Central in Denver, and that place is HUGE.

Much the same around here. The hospital will either go on delayed offload, which means you'll be waiting around with your PT for a while, or if they are really slammed, they'll just go on divert where they aren't taking any more patients. All the trauma cases go to one facility (the only level 1 center), which is usually pretty good at keeping beds open for the worst cases.

Blue

it happens here sometimes, but only if you dont call enough head of time to give your report.. and usually only at the native hospital... and most of the time they will find a chair or somthing for them... depending on severity of course

Posted by galax it happens here sometimes, but only if you dont call enough head of time to give your report.. and usually only at the native hospital... and most of the time they will find a chair or somthing for them... depending on severity of course

You mean to say the hospitals in your area actually answer the radio?!

Maybe they could teach some of the local hospitals here a thing or two

Posted by RochesterUE You mean to say the hospitals in your area actually answer the radio?! Maybe they could teach some of the local hospitals here a thing or two

Haha, I'd we are lucky, but if we don't try then they can say it's our fault.... So if we do it and they don't answer ( which happens 40% of the time), we can pass them off into a iv chair or sometimes they cart them off to a different dept... But as long as I can leave quick I don't care

I guess Toronto is spoiled. Offload delays are fairly minimal here as each ER now has a nurse who's only job is to take over the patient from the medic to avoid (or at least, reduce) offload delay. He/She is allowed up to 5 patients, IIRC.

Posted by Father Maurice Lester Do any f the US EMT/Paramedics on this board have these problems? Such as waiting 5, 8, or 10 hours for a bed for your patient in ER? Is this only an Ontario thing?

Not at all, Manitoba used to be bad for that and so was Alberta. A few years ago, Calgary EMS spent an average of 8-12 hours waiting to off load.