A long weekend in the bigsmoke.

We have the Grand Final of two different codes of Football and numerous dance parties.
On previous occasions Ambulance services have been stretched to near breaking point.
Operational management appear to have taken note and are calling in overtime crews to be,,, floaters or area resources. Not assigned to any one station but an extra crew to help the regular rostered crews.

I got the call to be on one of these crews at my local station with a senior officer from a very far away sector who made for a very interesting and delightful shift.

19F - Going to the dance party but peaked way too early, probably a bottle of vodka consumed prior to getting to the venue and she never made it past the entry point. That's $145.00 in ticket price gone up in smoke or down the drain like vomit. Which ever you prefer.

48M - SOB, got called off halfway there for,

35M - Motor bike V Car, the details said high speed but on scene it was more like under ten km speed. The rider got clipped by a driver pulling away from the curb. Maybe a fracture in one of the small foot bones but nothing else. Transport for an X-ray.

22M - Facial injuries from the airbag deployment in another MVA. An abrasion on the inside of each forearm and he was wearing glasses so a very small lac lateral to the eyebrow. Everyone was cleared and not requesting hospital assessment.

72F - Pet cat had killed pet bird. Had been interviewing tenants for a rental property and thought she had taken her night time tablets too early. After spending some time on scene the pt decided that she was going to go to bed and have a nice sleep rather than go to the hospital. We were happy with this also.

68M - SOB with exertion. Hx of CCF, obese, actually asked for the injection that would make him strong again. What can you do? We transported for a review of his meds and re-evaluation of accommodation from hostel to maybe higher care.

74M - SOB and then chest pain. Rapid AF. Symptomatic for around three weeks and hadn't seen LMO yet. Knew his history quite well and had never been told of AF so it may have been a new symptom. Doesn't matter really he was always going to be transported.

33M - IP after celebrating the Dragons win and fell over backwards. A good lac on the occipital but the booze sealed the collar and spinal precautions.

84F - Anxiety, decreased mobility, incorrect analgesia for ?? arthritic issues, not coping at home. Hospital on a long weekend is not the place for her to be but like so many other health care service we don't have the resources to deal with her otherwise.

Knocked back another shift because I have an order for some more of my Trainee Question books for the Aust College of Ambulance Professionals bookshop.

891 jobs/120 shifts = 7.43 average

See you at the big One.

Taz