Would you make a complaint about these paramedics?

[WatermelonWaveclub]

I went to my GP the other day as I kept fainting when coughing. The GP said my HR was sky high. Then I coughed and fainted in front of the GP. Afterwards I couldn't move my legs properly. She phoned the hospital who said I need an ambulance. The GP got someone to get me in a wheelchair and take me to the nurse's room where I was put on a bed in a cubicle.

Anyway a few minutes later the ambulance crew turn up (3 of them). They did an ECG - ok but tachycardic. I said my legs were feeling ok by then. They did a lying and standing BP and checked I could feel both sides of my face, could hold both arms up, checked pupils etc. So they say they need to take me to hospital. They start heading off and so I follow them on foot. They're all walking ahead of me, chatting away, not one seeing if I'm ok. So consequently we get into the car park - I have a coughing fit and next thing I know I'm waking up on the car park floor.

I can't stop thinking about it. Were they at fault? Should they have used a wheelchair or at least someone walked with me? At the hospital they wouldn't even let me go to my scans etc in a wheelchair, I had to be taken in my bed. So if GP and nurse wouldn't let me walk was it right that the paramedics did?

No, not thinking of suing, just raising it as an issue.

My Obs weren't great - HR and BP high and Sats a bit low. And I was fainting frequently when having a coughing fit which was set off by moving.

They weren't there they were heading off in front of me. Took them a while to notice I was on the floor, tbh!

When I came round they'd reached the ambulance. And once they noticed ran over..started doing Obs etc. I banged my head which wasn't great as I already had a splitting headache.

Absolutely ridiculous and a report should be made. The coughing and collapsing should have led to an extra awareness if risk of spontaneous collapse while walking she should have been in a wheelchair or stretcher. Incredibly unprofessional and risky. They should be reported so that training can be offered and the stats are correct.

Despite the PP who excuse this its piss poor treatment. If an ambulance is called the goal us to get the person safely to the hospital not to spare the EMTs work.

Just to clarify the checks weren't all ok and I didn't say I felt ok. They were aware I was having frequent coughing fits that were causing me to faint.

Obs weren't fine and I was feeling absolutely awful.

I don't know if they thought someone was with me...that certainly makes more sense to them all heading off. You would have thought they would have checked.

How do you know it took them a while if you were unconscious?

I’m sorry you’ve been unwell and hope you feel better soon.

However, you’ve just said that you were fainting frequently after coughing fits that were brought on by moving and you made the decision to walk out to the ambulance with them. You could have asked for help getting out there. Were they even aware you were following or did they expect you to wait where you were for them to come back?

I am not saying that there is NO fault on the part of the paramedics but you should really take some responsibility for this.

At least one should have walked with you. You were unwell and vulnerable and if they wanted you to wait any they'd come back they should have told you. I think you'd be perfectly fair to raise it as an issue. I don't think they did their jobs and I don't think you bear responsibility for what happened.

To be honest I was so unwell, I wasn't really with it. When asked I told them how unwell I was. I had a splitting headache and intense nausea, I had broken out in a cold sweat and just felt awful. Afaik, they held the doors open for me so knew I was following and didn't tell me not to.

I had fainted multiple times - it was clear it was not a one off. Just because someone's legs are fine doesn't mean they aren't going to faint!!

@WatermelonWaveclub

I think 🤔 you should raise as a complaint just for them to know in future to be more careful sort of thing,
The Paramedics

I was so unwell and really not with it which was why I didn't query it. My BP wasn't ok. I don't assume any malice, I just can't understand letting a patient who is frequently fainting, has high BP and HR, nausea and severe headache walk.

Thanks for the advice.

No. The wheelchair was still sitting in my cubicle. I can_t remember exactly what was said but the definitely didn't stop me following them.

Disgraceful - they definitely need to understand that they shouldn’t do this again.

Fine to have you walk to the ambulance, based on their observations - if they were going to walk next to you, making sure you were ok. But they put their backs to you, ignored you and you fainted and fell.

i cannot believe that anyone thinks this is ok. It’s plain fucking stupid. I wonder if people realise what can happen when someone falls down - how bout hitting head on a rock/hard surface, having a haemorrhage and dying. Stupid risk to take. People are so lacking in common sense - paramedics and posters on here.

To clarify we passed through doors that they held open so they were definitely aware I was there.

I would give feedback to PALS directly. It's not as much as a formal complaint against individuals, but a way to improve care.
I've worked in this environment, safe transfer is a part of care.

I’m so baffled by some of these responses. Of course one of them should have been with you as an absolute bare minimum. How bizarre to think that they assessed you as needing an ambulance but because your legs felt fine they’re ok to go off ahead and leave you walking alone.

And the comments about how nothing will come from a complaint are baffling too. I don’t think you’re expecting financial compensation here, right? What will (hopefully) come from a complaint is a review of procedures and possible staff training, which would be an excellent outcome. I think if you have the energy to make the complaint, do it, for the sake of future service users.

Why would they hold doors open for me if I wasn't meant to be following them?

Perhaps they didn't realise you'd got up and followed them. Maybe they were returning to the vehicle to pack their stuff away intending to return for you.

Why did you get up if you were feeling so unwell? Did they give you the impression they wanted you to walk behind them?
It's unlikely they would have left you there.

I agree, someone should have been keeping an eye on you, or explaining thing and I suppose if you had further injured yourself under their care then they would have had to explain how it happened.

I think it would be reasonable to let them know what happened and how you felt.

I'm a paramedic.

It's really difficult to properly comment as I wasn't there, but it does sound like one possibility is they were planning to get the chair but when you started following they just went with it.

However, Normal procedure would be for one person to wait with the pateint while that was happening though- possibly they didn't because GP practice staff were there. Also, I always use the patients/GPs/care homes own wheelchair if available (the one on the ambulance isn't technically a wheelchair), which it was so I'd have thought if a chair was the plan they'd have done that.

Other possibly is they deemed you able to walk (the obs you've described don't necessarily scream "no walking" to me and I have no additional information- your age, ability, history etc so I'm only going off that). My trust has a no lift policy, where if a patient can walk, they should. However, we wouldn't walk off with the patient behind us. Depending on the situation you'd have someone either beside or behind you. In your case from what you've said I'd be holding your arm.

Saying that, I know almost no one who acts with any kind of malice at work. It would be even more unusual to find 3 whole people who are just being unkind, so I think there's likely to be a reason behind their carelessness.

Hope this helps, happy to answer any questions.

Oh and most importantly, I hope you're feeling better ❤

Oh, sorry....didn't read this update. So they did know you were there.

OP should complain for the sake of OTHER PEOPLE. Its literally the job of the EMTs to get people in poor shape safely to the hospital. Everyone saying “take some responsibility “ and “oh now the EMTs get it was not a one off when she hit the floor for the third time” ? I can’t find words to describe how moronic that is. The EMTs did not correctly evaluate this patient for the risk of collapse, snd she did collapse and was needlessly injured while in their care. There is no excuse for this! They should be reported so they can receive more training.