Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 Maybe I'm a little simpler than some of you about this subject. It would be nice to have a dispatcher that could help a caller get CPR or rescue breathing started before we get there, but most dont. Personally, I'll settle for a dispatcher that has enough training to know what questions to ask to give me the information I need to prepare for a call. The first thing that comes to mind would be verifying the address and/or location. Nice to know where you're going for sure. Also, if it's a fall, is the pt conscious, bleeding, breathing, in pain? For MVCs, maybe to know the type of MVC (collision, rollover, etc) and how many pts so I know whether to holler for help or not. As far as priority dispatch goes, it works if the dispatcher gets the right info. The people that know how to manipulate the system will make sure their call is priority since they know the right things to say. Knowing what to ask would help with the other calls. I really hate the " ill male/female " calls. The dispatcher gets zero info and you could be running a low priority call when the " ill " patient is in cardiac arrest, been there done that. Just get me a dispatcher that can get me to the right place and sort through the BS and get pretty close to the chief complaint, and I can pretty much do the prioritizing myself. I suppose it's different in the cities where you get seperate dispatchers for different services. Out here in the west, we get one dispatcher for all sevices and they get minimal training. I'd be happy if the state would mandate some type EMD traing for all dispatchers that dispatch EMS calls. Had my say, I'll shut up now. Stay safe Joe Tollett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 But Joe, why do we settle? It’s like saying; just give me an ambulance driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don’t settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as hell don’t settle for the minimum do we? Mike Just a thought on EMD Maybe I'm a little simpler than some of you about this subject. It would be nice to have a dispatcher that could help a caller get CPR or rescue breathing started before we get there, but most dont. Personally, I'll settle for a dispatcher that has enough training to know what questions to ask to give me the information I need to prepare for a call. The first thing that comes to mind would be verifying the address and/or location. Nice to know where you're going for sure. Also, if it's a fall, is the pt conscious, bleeding, breathing, in pain? For MVCs, maybe to know the type of MVC (collision, rollover, etc) and how many pts so I know whether to holler for help or not. As far as priority dispatch goes, it works if the dispatcher gets the right info. The people that know how to manipulate the system will make sure their call is priority since they know the right things to say. Knowing what to ask would help with the other calls. I really hate the " ill male/female " calls. The dispatcher gets zero info and you could be running a low priority call when the " ill " patient is in cardiac arrest, been there done that. Just get me a dispatcher that can get me to the right place and sort through the BS and get pretty close to the chief complaint, and I can pretty much do the prioritizing myself. I suppose it's different in the cities where you get seperate dispatchers for different services. Out here in the west, we get one dispatcher for all sevices and they get minimal training. I'd be happy if the state would mandate some type EMD traing for all dispatchers that dispatch EMS calls. Had my say, I'll shut up now. Stay safe Joe Tollett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 But Joe, why do we settle? It’s like saying; just give me an ambulance driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don’t settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as hell don’t settle for the minimum do we? Mike Just a thought on EMD Maybe I'm a little simpler than some of you about this subject. It would be nice to have a dispatcher that could help a caller get CPR or rescue breathing started before we get there, but most dont. Personally, I'll settle for a dispatcher that has enough training to know what questions to ask to give me the information I need to prepare for a call. The first thing that comes to mind would be verifying the address and/or location. Nice to know where you're going for sure. Also, if it's a fall, is the pt conscious, bleeding, breathing, in pain? For MVCs, maybe to know the type of MVC (collision, rollover, etc) and how many pts so I know whether to holler for help or not. As far as priority dispatch goes, it works if the dispatcher gets the right info. The people that know how to manipulate the system will make sure their call is priority since they know the right things to say. Knowing what to ask would help with the other calls. I really hate the " ill male/female " calls. The dispatcher gets zero info and you could be running a low priority call when the " ill " patient is in cardiac arrest, been there done that. Just get me a dispatcher that can get me to the right place and sort through the BS and get pretty close to the chief complaint, and I can pretty much do the prioritizing myself. I suppose it's different in the cities where you get seperate dispatchers for different services. Out here in the west, we get one dispatcher for all sevices and they get minimal training. I'd be happy if the state would mandate some type EMD traing for all dispatchers that dispatch EMS calls. Had my say, I'll shut up now. Stay safe Joe Tollett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 Mike, the best answer I can give is that we have to take what we're given to work with. About the most we can do is register complaints if a dispatcher is really bad and try to get them more training or replaced. Unless and until the politicos step in and set at least minimum standards, the entities that hire dispatchers are going to go as cheaply as they can. They always cite budget constraints, personel shortages, etc. I can understand their problems, we have the same ones. We, however, are expected to meet and maintain certain standards set by state and federal agencies. Dispatchers dont have mandated standards, so their training lags well behind what it should in this area. Like all situations, there are some very good dispatchers that are experienced and interested enough to learn, but then there are those that do the bare minimum to get by. Guess things are the same all over. Joe > > But Joe, why do we settle? It's like saying; just give me an ambulance > driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don't > settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as > hell don't settle for the minimum do we? > > > Mike > > _____ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 Mike, the best answer I can give is that we have to take what we're given to work with. About the most we can do is register complaints if a dispatcher is really bad and try to get them more training or replaced. Unless and until the politicos step in and set at least minimum standards, the entities that hire dispatchers are going to go as cheaply as they can. They always cite budget constraints, personel shortages, etc. I can understand their problems, we have the same ones. We, however, are expected to meet and maintain certain standards set by state and federal agencies. Dispatchers dont have mandated standards, so their training lags well behind what it should in this area. Like all situations, there are some very good dispatchers that are experienced and interested enough to learn, but then there are those that do the bare minimum to get by. Guess things are the same all over. Joe > > But Joe, why do we settle? It's like saying; just give me an ambulance > driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don't > settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as > hell don't settle for the minimum do we? > > > Mike > > _____ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 " " <manemtp@y...> wrote: > > But Joe, why do we settle? It's like saying; just give me an ambulance > driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don't > settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as > hell don't settle for the minimum do we? I'm not sure I understand the analogy. If communications is a profession from which we expect more, then why do we " settle " for dispatchers who work from a cookbook like MPDS? Not many managers out there would keep a medic who did all of his patient assessments with a pocket guide in his hand. By your analogy, it would seem that by using MPDS, we are demanding less of our communicators. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 " " <manemtp@y...> wrote: > > But Joe, why do we settle? It's like saying; just give me an ambulance > driver who can get me to the hospital. Demand more. Expect more. Don't > settle. Communications is a profession as much as we are. And we sure as > hell don't settle for the minimum do we? I'm not sure I understand the analogy. If communications is a profession from which we expect more, then why do we " settle " for dispatchers who work from a cookbook like MPDS? Not many managers out there would keep a medic who did all of his patient assessments with a pocket guide in his hand. By your analogy, it would seem that by using MPDS, we are demanding less of our communicators. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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