should paramedics allow and elderly man with severe chest pains walk down a flight of stairs?

Answer 1

Yes of course, it's perfectly safe, they are trained to a good medical & first aid standard.

Answer 2

I'm a paramedic, and while the correct answer is "no", there are a couple of things to consider...

Paramedics can't force their treatment on anyone...the patient can refuse all or part of the treatment. If the patient wants to walk down the stairs, the paramedics can advise against it, but they can't force the patient not to. Some people are pretty stubborn, that's for sure, and they don't want to admit they have a serious medical condition.

Also, you'd have to take into account the condition of the stairs...are they particularly rickety, narrow, or have any sharp turns? Not all paramedics carry stair chairs (my service doesn't), so if the stretcher can't make it up the stairs, then the only option is to be carried manually with a bedsheet, or walk.
Strapping someone to a backboard is also an option, but a lot of chest pain patients can't lie flat, so the backboard isn't always the best choice.

As a rule, I try to keep chest pain patients from exerting themselves; it increases the workload on the heart, and may worsen the chest pain significantly. However, we can't force anyone, and I'd rather get the patient to the hospital as soon as possible, even if it means compromising and letting the patient walk down stairs.

I'd hate to question another paramedic's judgement (I hate it when people do that to me, that's for sure). I wasn't there, and I can't judge as to whether that particular patient could safely walk down the stairs or not. However, in general, it's best that a chest pain patient exert themselves as little as possible.

Answer 3

That would not be ideal, but some situations could possibly warrant it. I was a paramedic and now I am an ER nurse. I haven't had anyone walk down stairs with chest pain, but if the stairs were bad or narrow or if there was a big risk for falling or something like that I can't say that I wouldn't consider it. Sometimes the equipment doesn't fit through narrow hallways or stairways but there are other options like stairchairs and spine boards. Does this help?

Answer 4

No. He should be strapped in to a chair and carried down to the ambulance by the paramedics. If he walks down the stairs whilst suffering with chest pains he could collapse and fall down the stairs taking the paramedics with him.

Answer 5

Usually no. If the patient is too lage to carry or if the pairnt insists, he could walk. However, the paramedics should have already given medicine to help relieve the pain. I was a parmedic for 30 years. I would use a stair chair to get him down. dpsdks

Answer 6

in case you pass back 15-2 many years sufferers have been regularly cautioned to take it elementary and not exert themselves while they have been tormented by well-being situations. it is now an exceedingly uncommon advice, purely given out via very previous medical doctors or nurses. overall there are few if any situations that statistically a minimum of do no longer earnings from interest. sufferers are hardly dealt with in mattress different than or very short preliminary classes of assessment. A affected person who has had a heart attack will as an occasion, if reliable, regularly be asked to do an workout attempt 40 8 hours after the form, it is an exceedingly energetic and strenuous attempt!

Answer 7

No way. They should of bought a chair from their ambulance.

Report them if they did make this man walk down a flight of stairs.

Answer 8

I would not do that, but if the man insists he can do that, there isn't much the paramedics can do about it. Ive seen so many foolish and stubborn people in my years in that field, insist they don't need a stretcher, they don't need an ambulance and they bleed to death before your eyes. If they are conscious, they can and do refuse the kind of help they often need to live, and the law says that is their right.

Answer 9

No, They should use a Carry Chair and Strap the casuality in, He should have oxygen on to help his breathing,
Medications can be used to slow the heart rate, which decreases the workload of the heart and reduces pain.

Answer 10

No, that is pretty irresponsible. I guess unless the man was incredibly overweight and they would have difficulty transporting him on a gurney but I have never heard of it happening.