I read an article in The Age today. It told the story of the death of a young boy (11) who died as a result of an asthma attack.
As the story evolved it was revealed the closest crew was situated in Diamond Creek while the patient was in Yarra Glen. Two closer ambulances, Lilydale and Healesville, were both occupied at the time.
The article stated that, according to the inquest, the boy could have been alive today if paramedics had made it to him within the benchmark response time of 13 minutes.
According to Google Maps a trip from Lilydale to Yarra Glen is 18 minutes and from Healesville, 14 minutes. If you add the time it takes for the calltaker and dispatcher to:
- Verify the address
- Verify cross streets
- Verify a contact number
- Detirmine the nature of the problem
- Ask conscious state and breathing status
- Ask the patients age and gender
- Ask some targeted questions based upon the problem
- Accept the job
- Detirmine the closest car
- Dispatch the closest car
it would be a miracle for any crew, including the closest at Healesville, to have arrived within the benchmark time. The calltaker would have had to have done this all with an understandably hysterical mum on the other end of the line.
Unfortunately for the patient the two closest crews were not available and the next closest, in Diamond Creek, had to traverse some very difficult and winding terrain. Overall a response time of 24 minutes was remarkable.
From a paramedic’s perspective this is the worst job you can ever get. A paediatric patient that was now recieving CPR from hysterical parents and neighbours. Throw in the complexity of asthma and the lengthy down time of the patient and it is what nightmares are made of.
From a calltakers perspective you are dealing with someone on the phone that knows she is losing her little boy. Someone, despite all of the calming techniques, you can’t calm and gain the confidance of. And you’re trying to explain, over the phone, the techniques of CPR. Throw in asthma and it’s no wonder the CPR isn’t working.
From a parent’s perspective you are dealing with the potential loss of your loved one. The person on the phone keeps asking questions that seem unimportant. The ambulance is taking too long. You want to speak to a paramedic but they are taking too long. The CPR just isn’t helping. You want to take control but nothing is working.
Overall this is, plain and simply, a tragedy. All factors combined to create the worst of the worst. I feel so very sad for the parent’s of this poor child. No one should have to go through this kind of pain, no one. But the parent’s, and I am sure they do, should remember that from the calltaker to the dispatcher to all paramedics involded, no one will ever forget your child. They will always feel pain when thinking about him.
Let’s just hope that funding is increased to close the obvious gaps in ambulance cover throughout this state.
