July 2016
Date: 30 June 2016
- Details:
The complaint’s son fell backwards and hit his head on the ground in a public place, an ambulance was called. The complainant stated that their son was very pale, made no reaction and did not speak. He appeared not to be with it. The Paramedic seemed really unsure of what he was doing and stated that he could be taken home. The Paramedic had no bedside manner and gave the complainant no confidence that he knew what he was doing. The Paramedic did not offer or suggest taking the patient to hospital and did not seem to assess him properly. The complainant felt that the Paramedic was very dismissive.
The complainant took her son to hospital where it was found that he had a fractured skull.
- Findings:
The Investigating Manager met with the complainant to discuss her concerns. During the meeting the Investigating Manager explained the way that the patient was assessed and the complainant understood this. The Investigating Manager explained that the patient did not lose consciousness and did not vomit at the time of the incident, and therefore, the Paramedic acted correctly by not taking the patient to hospital and allowing him to be taken in private transport.
The Investigating Manager took a statement from the Paramedic. The Paramedic understood that he should have been clearer with his communication and that he should have engaged more with the complainant to make her feel more confident with what was happening. The Paramedic has been made aware of the situation and is extremely apologetic about his actions.
- Lesson learnt / action taken:
The Paramedic reflected on this incident regarding for his future practice and communication skills. The Paramedic will be clearer and more assertive when speaking to relatives.
- Date:20 June 2016