Liability

-15 on the way in to work this morning. Last night the ambulance I reguarly use blew its siren so we had to use another one, which has crappy heat. We ended up having to leave the rig running outside with the heat pegged, instead of sitting in the garage.

Got called to the jail for a prisoner who claimed he swallowed cocaine in a plastic bag. He was fine -- his vitals were normal, skin warm and dry -- he was laughing while I was checking him out -- so I got a refusal, but then he was acting up again a couple hours later, so we took him in. I had talked the case over with an MD and he said if the guy said he swalloewed a bag of cocaine and was complaining of abdominal pain, I pretty much had to take him in whether it was BS or not. It wasBS. Complete Bullshit. The guy just didn't want to sit in jail.

I heard later one of the officers was upset that I said he had to go to the hospital the second time.

Here's the thing: they call me to check a guy out because he is complaining of being sick. Prisoners complain all the time of being sick to get get out of their tiny cells. I usually always get a refusal. If I think its BS, I tell them I've checked them out and they check out okay and I hand them the refusal and say sign here. And I tell them if they get worse, to feel free to call back. They usually always sign the refusal. But if I get called back twice, then I usually take them. The cops cover themselves by calling me. I am willing to get a refusal the first time, but if the person turns out to be really sick, then its on me. If they call twice, they are going to the hospital. I'm sorry if it takes an officer to go with them. I can't refuse them if they ask to be seen at the hospital. The cops can't expect me to take their liability. If they don't want to send an officer to the hospital, don't call me, and certainly don't call me twice.

The only other call was for a very sick old woman with multiple diseases, who was unresponsive and breathing irreguarly. The visiting nurse was all freaked out, but the woman's vital signs weren't too bad. I gave her some 02 and took her in on a non-priority.

Eight minutes before crew change, we get sent for a code three, lights and sirens MVA, and no relief in yet. But we ended up getting canceled before we got there, so I didn't get out of work too late.