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?

There are some bloody ridiculous replies on here. I've just shown the thread to my paramedic friend. He says send a 'constructive' complaint asking for measures to be put in place to make sure patients were cared for in similar circumstances. As you had been fainting repeatedly, and your obs weren't good, he wouldn't have taken your word for it that you could walk alone. You'd have been in the wheelchair, because why would they walk you when they could be sure you'd be safe in the chair. You should not have been left walking along behind the crew, this was negligent.

I have clearly stated I was put in a wheelchair at my GPs and the wheelchair was still sitting there in my cubicle.

Also I have made clear the tests weren't fine and I did not say I was fine - I said the exact opposite.

The hospital has no such policy but they did not think a wheelchair would be safe and said I had to go on a trolley.

This is simply incorrect: ill patients may need temporary extra guardianship and care. That is absolutely fundamental. She thought her kegs were eirking but a neurological problem caused her to faint/collapse. Since the problem wasn’t her legs the “observations “ that they did were incorrect.best practice would account for that.

You’re totally right. Of course she could have. They should have walked with her. All I’m saying I suppose is that everyone makes mistakes and I feel sorry for them because - well, everyone makes mistakes!! Check out the thread “what mistakes have you made (in your job)” from February this year. I appreciate some jobs are more critical than others and have higher consequences and nothing can excuse it…but I have empathy. That’s all.

Yes they should have been observant in my view.

And, when the patient (OP) fainted, if she had fractured her skull, develop a brain bleed and either die or become a vegetable, the only "there for the grace of God go I", would have been all the other patients these medics treated that did NOT have the same experience and the fear that perhaps, they will be next.

So, a car mechanic makes a mistake on your car and accidentally cuts your brake lines. You have an accident and you and your children are badly injured. I am sure you'd say, "Oh well, shit happens!". That is, when you and your child were released from the hospital. FFS! facepalm

I'm amazed you got an ambulance without having to wait hours for it.

Some of these responses to the OP are batshit. This particular crew were negligent.

Of course you should complain. Not with the expectation of compensation, but just to make the hospital aware of the incident. You had fainted several times, it’s irrelevant that you were okay in between as clearly something was happening. A wheelchair should have been used at the very least. What wth is happening with the NHS!?

Were they returning to the ambulance to get a trolley and you followed, what were your ops, I wouldn't complain though in this situation.

I am a Paramedic. I would have walked with you.

It sounds like they did a thorough assessment but at least one of them should still have walked with you. They should also have put in an incident form (datix) for this too and it should have been recorded on the patient report form. I hope you weren’t injured from the fall OP.

I would advise contacting the ambulance trust’s patient experience team to advise them of what happen. Technically it’s a patient safety incident so should be looked into.

EDIT- actually, now I’ve read a bit more…..if the wheelchair was right there I’d probably have suggested to you that we wheel you out…..but would have walked with you if you declined the wheelchair.

Thank my lucky stars that you will never be a medic in charge of me. LOL!

Testing patients? FFS! What's next? You going to decide who is really having a heart attack and who ate a bad curry? Perhaps do exploratory surgery to see if it's REALLY appendicitis or bad gas?

It's always been a problem with a few medics out there. They get a God complex and superiority complex worse than many doctors. facepalm

I disagree. I think once OP has her health sorted/stabilised, it is certainly giving feedback to the Trust/Ambulance Service to mitigate the risk of recurrence for other patients

Glad to hear you’re on the mend, OP. Absolutely make a complaint. These sorts of oversights need following up on and training given, or discipline If their record warrants it.

I can’t believe the excuses some posters come up with for poor service on some threads but to see the same sort of victim blaming nonsense trotted out for careless and dangerous practice is really disheartening. It’s no wonder there are such poor practices when people are jumping at the bit to excuse it.

Quite - it's not rocket science. A thoughtful child even would understand this

OP although I do think you should complain in the sense of constructive feedback, I am also a bit skeptical of your motives. You’ve gone from saying one thing to now saying one of them was showing off their lack of knowledge (but all of while you were in no fit state and confused?). I seriously doubt they were showing off, that would be very odd indeed and I would leave out any such embellishments. Also that it took ages for them to notice but you were likely only unconscious for a few seconds?

I think the likelihood is you weren’t meant to follow, but when you did they assumed you could walk hence them holding the doors. Obviously someone should’ve walked with you or waited with you, which is what the feedback should focus on, but your other comments are assumptions and likely not helpful.

What's quite worrying in this thread is that most people do not understand that giving feedback to PALS for improving care quality isn't the same as suing for damages.
In healthcare we NEED to know when things go wrong so we can improve. Better protocols, equipment, training.
Yes getting poor feedback is not pleasant but it's actually factual and helps everyone.
I work in healthcare and have fed back to PALS as a patient, otherwise all these near misses pile up and serious injury occurs. A spirit of helpful feedback helps the service.

I certainly am not planning on suing!
Seems odd they would take me to A&E if I was 'pretty much ok'. And tbh, if they thought I was 'pretty much ok' then they were more incompetent than I thought. I was seriously unwell.

@WatermelonWaveclub i remember your previous thread and was one of the people urging you to go get help.

Of course you fucking report this! You had a bloody brain bleed and we’re passing out on coughing with neurological deficit which had been witnessed by your GP. Even if they wanted you to walk then one of the 3 of them should have had eyes on you. Is there any chance where the ambulance was will have CCTV from the surgery or a nearby shop? I would 100% be asking for this if there is a chance. They know they fucked up and they should have made up for it afterwards.

There is a thing that NHS workers can do no wrong. Declaration I am one. Some of the hospital staff are scarily shit but no one can say anything against say nurses who only do night shifts as they things it’s easier and de skill and don’t say fill in nursing home discharge paperwork when it’s quiet to get patients out as they want to sit and do their knitting. Whilst being loud and stopping patients sleep.

🤣🤣🤣