Question

You are on the scene of a pediatric patient who is on a specialized home monitoring system. This situation was not specifically addressed in your EMT class and your EMT partner has not encountered this situation, either. What is an advisable course of action?

A. Contact medical control and ask to speak to a specialist for advice.
B. Load the patient and rapidly transport the patient to the closest hospital for evaluation.
C. Ask the parent or caregiver what has been done in the past to correct the situation.
D. Request an advanced life support ambulance crew to respond for assistance.

Answer 1

When faced with an unfamiliar pediatric patient situation, EMTs should contact medical control for advice, assess the need for rapid transport to a hospital, inquire with caregivers about past interventions, and request advanced life support if necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an EMT encounters a situation that includes a pediatric patient on a specialized home monitoring system that was not covered in the EMT class, and neither partner has experience with, the advisable course of action should follow emergency medical protocols and best practices for unforeseen medical situations. Initially, contacting medical control to consult with a specialist would provide immediate expert guidance (Option A). Secondly, assessing the patient's condition is vital; if the situation is critical, then rapid transport to the nearest hospital might be necessary (Option B). It is also valuable to get information from the parent or caregiver about the patient's condition and any previous interventions (Option C). Lastly, if the patient requires advanced life support, it is advisable to request an ALS ambulance crew for assistance (Option D).