topic Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals in Community Chat

NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

KingstonsMom — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 14:55:42 GMT

Paramedics in New York City have been told to stop taking certain patients in cardiac arrest to hospitals already swamped with coronavirus cases.

The Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of New York has told medics to leave heart attack sufferers who cannot be revived at the scene with immediate effect.

One anonymous EMT told The New York Post: 'They're trying to do what they can with the people who have the most likely chance of being saved.'

The coronavirus outbreak has already pushed the city's ambulance service close to the breaking point, with 20 per cent of its workers already out sick.

The letter sent to emergency workers instructs them to try and resuscitate patients as usual.

But adds: 'No adult non-traumatic or blunt traumatic cardiac arrest is to be transported to a hospital with manual or mechanical compression in progress without either return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) or a direct order from a medical control physician unless there is imminent physical danger to the EMS provider on the scene.

It adds: 'In the event a resuscitation is terminated, and the body is in public view, the body can be left in the custody of the NYPD.'

Health officials used forklifts to help lift dead bodies onto a refrigerated truck outside New York's Brooklyn Hospital Center this week and hospitals have been using bed sheets to wrap bodies because they no longer have body bags.

The COVID-19 death toll in New York City is now 1,374 with 47,439 confirmed cases.

New deaths in the US rose by 1,047 to 5,139 by the end of Wednesday and new infections surged by 26,866 to 216,553.

The Pentagon is ordering 100,000 body bags as experts predict the coronavirus will claim the lives of more than 200,000 Americans.

The US death toll, which stands at 5,139, has now surpassed the number of deaths reported in China (3,309) where the outbreak first emerged back in December.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Snoopp — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 14:59:17 GMT

It’s sickening.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

FlowerBear — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:00:20 GMT

How sad and just awful!

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Mominohio — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:03:21 GMT

I think we all knew this was coming.

And from what I hear, it is something that happens in mass casualty events, where decisions in the field have to be made by frontline healthcare and emergency workers. I heard one say today that they have been trained in the past to know that they will see people in mass situations that they know they could have saved if that was the ONLY person they had to deal with, but because of the volume, they have to determine which ones are more likely to make it and tend to them first.

I remember telling a doctor I was seeing back in mid March that our hospitals would start to resemble the battle field triage experience, and I think they are.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Boomernichols — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:03:42 GMT

We are in a sad state of affairs. I also saw where they have run out of body bags and are using sheets to load those who have passed.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Sushismom — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:09:16 GMT

Truth be told, the vast majority of cardiac arrests are NOT survivable. It's only a very, very, very few who are resusitated.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Trinity11 — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:20:39 GMT

@Sushismom wrote:
Truth be told, the vast majority of cardiac arrests are NOT survivable. It's only a very, very, very few who are resusitated.

My son went into cardiac arrest when he was 14. He is now 35 and doing well. We were told that because we were 5 minutes from the hospital in his pediatrician's office, the rapid response saved his life...

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Sushismom — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:24:39 GMT

@Trinity11 wrote:
@Sushismom wrote:
Truth be told, the vast majority of cardiac arrests are NOT survivable. It's only a very, very, very few who are resusitated.
My son went into cardiac arrest when he was 14. He is now 35 and doing well. We were told that because we were 5 minutes from the hospital in his pediatrician's office, the rapid response saved his life...

I am very glad that your son was one of the very few who did survive.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:25:29 GMT

@Sushismom wrote:
Truth be told, the vast majority of cardiac arrests are NOT survivable. It's only a very, very, very few who are resusitated.

I believe it's under 5% that survive.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

millieshops — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:27:44 GMT

I think this has been the warning from the medical experts for weeks now - that one of the major dangers of COVID -19 would be that our facilities would be overwhelmed. And that includes beds, machines, supplies, cleaning personnel, and sufficient trained doctors, nurses, CNA's, etc. to make decisions and treat patients.

In an ideal world, no doctor, nurse, etc., no hospital administrator would ever have to decide whether tthey can treat every patient who presents, whether to treat Patient A or Patient C. What incredible stress For them and for me, I wish that ideal world existed somewhere.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

Trinity11 — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:32:09 GMT

@Sushismom wrote:
@Trinity11 wrote:
@Sushismom wrote:
Truth be told, the vast majority of cardiac arrests are NOT survivable. It's only a very, very, very few who are resusitated.
My son went into cardiac arrest when he was 14. He is now 35 and doing well. We were told that because we were 5 minutes from the hospital in his pediatrician's office, the rapid response saved his life...

I am very glad that your son was one of the very few who did survive.

I always considered it a miracle but never knew that the rate of survival was that low. But for those who have a loved one who during this pandemic will not receive life saving measures, it really shows how dangerous this could be for heart patients.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

MorningLover — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:38:50 GMT

...The US death toll, which stands at 5,139, has now surpassed the number of deaths reported in China (3,309) where the outbreak first emerged back in December....

Any reports coming out of China can not be believed.

"A classified report by US intelligence finds China concealed the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in its country, severely under-reporting both total cases and deaths. The false data influenced how governments around world responded early on."

"China isn’t the only country with suspect public reporting. Western officials have pointed to Iran, Russia, Indonesia and especially North Korea, which has not reported a single case of the disease, as probable under-counts. Others including Saudi Arabia and Egypt may also be playing down their numbers."

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

reiki604 — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:46:12 GMT

Sadly the USNS Comfort and the beds at the Javits Convention Center under Federal regulation are for Non-Covid 19 patients only.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

CelticCrafter — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:46:05 GMT

@MorningLover wrote:
...The US death toll, which stands at 5,139, has now surpassed the number of deaths reported in China (3,309) where the outbreak first emerged back in December....

Any reports coming out of China can not be believed.

"A classified report by US intelligence finds China concealed the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in its country, severely under-reporting both total cases and deaths. The false data influenced how governments around world responded early on."

"China isn’t the only country with suspect public reporting. Western officials have pointed to Iran, Russia, Indonesia and especially North Korea, which has not reported a single case of the disease, as probable under-counts. Others including Saudi Arabia and Egypt may also be playing down their numbers."

Not for one second do I believe a word coming out of that country.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:53:09 GMT

@reiki604 wrote:
Sadly the USNS Comfort and the beds at the Javits Convention Center under Federal regulation are for Non-Covid 19 patients only.

Why is that sad? If I needed a hospital bed I certanily would not want to be where Covid 19 patients were. Think is is good that a different locations is available.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

chiclets — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:50:40 GMT

Mr. Spock said it...

The good of the many out weighs the good of the one.

The mental stress of everyone is stretched to the limit.

It is best for all but acknowledging it is another matter. The conscious mind can cope with so much and after awhile it takes its toll.

We are on a journey of watching suffering and hoping for survival.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

reiki604 — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:53:14 GMT

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@reiki604 wrote:
Sadly the USNS Comfort and the beds at the Javits Convention Center under Federal regulation are for Non-Covid 19 patients only.
Why is that sad? If I needed a hospital bed I certanily would not want to be where Covis 19 patients were. Think is is good that a different locations is available.

It is sad because we need those beds and ventilatiors available there and the restriction is not put in place in other states getting Federal aid. It is a punishment for the state and it's citizens. Critical thinking is esstential. Buh bye! Not going to get into your typical back and forth, arguing for the sake of arguement. This is my opinion and am entitled to it.

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

NicksmomESQ — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:52:10 GMT

No words.Just tears for my beloved state!!😢😢

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

KingstonsMom — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 16:01:56 GMT

@Lipstickdiva

"According to 2014 data, nearly 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived when bystander CPR was administered.

The majority of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occurs at public settings (18.8 percent), mostly homes/residences (69.5%) and nursing homes (11.7%)."

https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/cpr-facts-and-stats

Re: NYC EMT's Told Not to Transport Cardiac Arrest Patients to Hospitals

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 16:02:24 GMT

@reiki604 wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@reiki604 wrote:
Sadly the USNS Comfort and the beds at the Javits Convention Center under Federal regulation are for Non-Covid 19 patients only.
Why is that sad? If I needed a hospital bed I certanily would not want to be where Covis 19 patients were. Think is is good that a different locations is available.
It is sad because we need those beds and ventilatiors available there and the restriction is not put in place in other states getting Federal aid. It is a punishment for the state and it's citizens. Critical thinking is esstential. Buh bye! Not going to get into your typical back and forth, arguing for the sake of arguement. This is my opinion and am entitled to it.

Well my opinion is that having a separate SAFE location for maternity, emergency surgery etc. is a VERY GOOD thing. This opens up entire hospitals to the treatment of Covid-19 patients. But if you feel it is important to throw everyone together and share resources, you are certainly entitled to that opinion. I would want to keep those new born babies safe.