Friday, August 15, 2008

Not me you dummy

We get a call to a shortness of breath, possible cardiac.
I recognize the description and begin to fill in the PCR.
Birth date 01/01/01
We arrive on scene to find our known patient, sitting in a rocking chair by the window. She has obviously been waiting for our arrival.
With out wasting any time, I begin on vitals. My patient seems more animated than usual, and a little more active trying to resist me than I normally find in a call of this description.
She points to her home care worker who is sitting, smiling on the couch. I continue to try and do her vitals. She picks up a stick that she uses to open and close the curtains and gains my full attention. With her Babe Ruth stance, I start to clue in that help was not summoned for her but for her home care worker.
We check out the home care worker and advise that she come with us.
The home care worker will not leave her station until her relief arrives.
While we are waiting, my original patient, through a translator, gives me a list of the care that her health care worker should receive. Including a Doctor's note describing that a paid time of leave should be granted for a period of rest.
Dumb white guy.

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