Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Heart-stopping! Medics limit CPR amid 911 backlog
nypost.com ^ | Dec. 28, 2010 | LARRY CELONA, SERGEY KADINSKY and LEONARD GREENE

Posted on 12/28/2010 7:11:33 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY

The epic blizzard kept city medics so busy that -- for the first time ever -- they were given a time limit for performing CPR on patients, The Post has learned.

EMS workers normally call a doctor for advice after working on a patient for 20 minutes.

The doctor normally allows them to keep trying to revive the person, sometimes letting them continue for more than an hour.

But faced with an enormous backlog of 1,300 calls, the medics were told to quit after 20 minutes and move on to the next case.

CPR can last a long time and sometimes medics can work on patients for as long as an hour.

If the certified first responders, in this case firefighters, are on the scene and they are doing CPR for 20 minutes or more, they can call Telelmetry (FDNY doctors) who review the information at hand and decide if they can terminate that call and stop treatment.

Also yesterday, there were five-hour delays in responding to some 911 medical calls and even three-hour delays in responding to "priority" calls, which range from cardiac arrest to a report of an unconscious person.

The number of calls was so high in the city that units from New Jersey were called in to help.

Patrick Bahnken, head of the paramedics and EMT union, said he was told of one case in which police alerted the FDNY that an unconscious person had died after going 90 minutes without help.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 next last
To: TruthConquers

>>Couldn’t loved ones take over? <<

Sure, why not. The chances are very poor if you don’t have some O2 tanks.


21 posted on 12/28/2010 7:42:11 PM PST by B4Ranch (Do NOT remain seated until this ride comes to a full and complete stop! We're going the wrong way!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch

I see.

Details, details, that would be important.


22 posted on 12/28/2010 7:44:32 PM PST by TruthConquers (Delendae sunt publicae scholae)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Inspectorette; boop
I am grateful to be one of those statistics.

So is my son. He had an epileptic seizure and his heart stopped. I witnessed the seizure and 30 seconds or less of CPR restarted it. I doubt I could have or would have kept at it for an hour.

23 posted on 12/28/2010 7:46:18 PM PST by Eaker (In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
NYC is over populated. Too many high risers. It's almost like a double decker city. Too many people, not enough EMTs. Congestion whether traffic or snow makes it impossible for timely rescue.

They should invent flying cars like in The Jetsons for emergencies.

24 posted on 12/28/2010 7:48:43 PM PST by 1_Rain_Drop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Inspectorette
I am grateful to be one of those statistics. De-fibbed twice by EMTs in the ambulance after an MI.

That's good news. How much CPR did you receive before being shocked?

25 posted on 12/28/2010 7:53:24 PM PST by Moonman62 (Half of all Americans are above average. Politicians come from the other half.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: TruthConquers

A defibrillator might come in handy too. One of those things that’s used to establish a normal rhythm. Then there’s a few drugs that could be suggested. Just little things that the guys use to keep you from drifting off too far and getting comfortable in the beyond.


26 posted on 12/28/2010 8:01:08 PM PST by B4Ranch (Do NOT remain seated until this ride comes to a full and complete stop! We're going the wrong way!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY; ExTexasRedhead
The number of calls was so high in the city that units from New Jersey were called in to help.

Anyone who voted for Bloomberg deserves what they got. Pat-downs and naked-body screenings at airports apparently have more priority for citizens than ensuring the city has top-level snow disaster (or any disaster) plans set in place. Bloomberg just oozes confidence that he's in control while people are dying for lack of such a disaster plan. Perhaps he was too busy sending emails trying to get that mosque built?

27 posted on 12/28/2010 8:09:33 PM PST by MamaDearest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eaker
I agree. There are times when we would work on a person for that length of time. Like I said, kids, especially. We just didn't WANT to give up. But some times you just have to.

I wish that doctors would talk to their terminal patients about their wishes. If not stated specifically, we HAD to initiate ACLS on people. One case still haunts me. A hospitalized terminal breast cancer patient who went into VF. She was TRYING to just die peacefully, but we had to put her body through the torture of intubation,chest compressions, central line placements, etc. I talk to my loved ones about this. Make your wishes KNOWN. I felt like a criminal doing this to this lady.

28 posted on 12/28/2010 8:10:25 PM PST by boop ("Let's just say they'll be satisfied with LESS"... Ming the Merciless)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
I am an American Heart BLS instructor.

For every minute that you don't get the heart restarted (by an AED or a defibrillator) the chances of survival go down 10 percent. The only exceptions are in a cold water drowning or exposure to cold to the point of hypothermia. Then they are declared dead when they are warmed and the medics still are unable to get the heart started. Therefore it is reasonable to be able to halt a normal code after 20 minutes.

In mass casualty situation you are directed to do scene size-ups using a method called :30 & 2 and can do. The can do patients are considered walking wounded and are green tagged. The 30 & 2 refers to respiration of < 30 or a capillary refill of 2 seconds. Any within those parameters is yellow tagged the rest are red tagged. If they have no heartbeat they are black tagged unless there is adequate resources to handle it, which is very unlikely.

29 posted on 12/28/2010 8:15:23 PM PST by notpoliticallycorewrecked (According to the MSM, I'm a fringe sitting, pajama wearing, Freeper)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

CPR in the field tends to be pretty ineffective no matter how well or how long it is done.


30 posted on 12/28/2010 8:18:53 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (Liberals are educated above their level of intelligence.. Thanks Sr. Angelica)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Inspectorette

Not the same thing.


31 posted on 12/28/2010 8:22:45 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (Liberals are educated above their level of intelligence.. Thanks Sr. Angelica)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: boop

I am my companies first responder but it is clear you are a pro. I have enough training and experience to appreciate how much more of both you have than I do.

Great advice about end of life care too.


32 posted on 12/28/2010 8:26:38 PM PST by Eaker (In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Eaker

I did it once. Saved the guys life his doctor said. But not an hour, about 15 minutes ‘till EMS showed up. I was past spent...


33 posted on 12/28/2010 8:35:32 PM PST by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: MileHi
I was past spent...

That's what I'm talking about. Lots of work.

34 posted on 12/28/2010 8:39:42 PM PST by Eaker (In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Eaker

It is also the stress of not knowing if you are doing it right, and a sense of panic. I had a company CPR class several years before.

My friend just exhailed and slid out of his chair mid sentance. It was surreal. I did get him back but didn’t know that when they hauled him out.


35 posted on 12/28/2010 8:46:05 PM PST by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: MileHi
It is also the stress of not knowing if you are doing it right

The guidelines keep changing too. Breaths to compressions.

One of my instructors told me, "You are working on a dead person, you can't make it worse." This is true but it doesn't reduce the stress.

Your friend owes you a beer. My son gave me a grandchild!

36 posted on 12/28/2010 8:53:42 PM PST by Eaker (In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: boop

There’s a fine line between people who choose to forego possibly life saving treatment and those who are pressured into it.


37 posted on 12/28/2010 8:55:51 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Eaker
My son gave me a grandchild!

Good for you! My two grandsons are in Germany as of two weeks ago with my daughter and SIL for a 3 year hitch. Not happy about that but that is the Army. FReegars Eaker, and Happy New Year!

38 posted on 12/28/2010 9:00:22 PM PST by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: MileHi

I know you are proud of them!

My Tot is 15 months old so all I got him for Christmas is a little bit of det cord.....

I won’t get him a firearm until he is three or so just like my kids.

Happy New Year to you my friend!


39 posted on 12/28/2010 9:06:58 PM PST by Eaker (In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Eaker

LOL!


40 posted on 12/28/2010 9:08:59 PM PST by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson