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scribble
05-21-2008, 01:07 AM
here in Illinois we can restrain to our heart's content as long as the patient has a Petition (Involuntary Admission thing) which is pretty much every time we take somebody from a facility for psych. No other orders or documents needed. I usually restrain at least one wrist for transport.

Now the fun part...today I had a guy who kept opening and sticking his hands in and then closing and opening the equipment cabinets. Warned him several times to stop and leave them alone, asked him if he wanted to read the newspaper, tried sitting on the bench as opposed to in the captain's chair, etc. No luck. So, we pull over and restrain both hands to the rails (yes, yes, I know). go back enroute (this is a 60+ mile trip during rush hour) he's still managing to open the cabinets nearest to him. Whatever. Then he's spitting at the bench seat and on the floor. Mask time. Then he's trying to reach under the bench where the splints and junk are kept. Again, warned him. warned him that the bench lid would close on his hand, etc. keeps doing it. So, I grab a roll of 3" tape and tape his fingers together and down. By the time we reach our destination he's got both wrists in leathers, hands taped into stumps, paper mask on, and I've tied him up in the sheet.

wheeeeeee......private EMS is fun.
fm_emt
05-21-2008, 03:10 PM
Old place in CA: At least 1 limb had to be restrained on ANY psych patient.

New place(s): No restraints whatsoever. We don't even carry them. Why? I have no idea, but this is the fourth service I've seen in the area that's like that.

AMR doesn't even carry restraints that I'm aware of.
PSYCtest040
05-21-2008, 04:16 PM
Old place in CA: At least 1 limb had to be restrained on ANY psych patient.

New place(s): No restraints whatsoever. We don't even carry them. Why? I have no idea, but this is the fourth service I've seen in the area that's like that.

AMR doesn't even carry restraints that I'm aware of.

Do you carry extra bed sheets or towels????? They make excellent restraints.
cwl3gemt
05-21-2008, 04:49 PM
6" Kling to the cotrails works wonders too.
NomexMedic
05-21-2008, 08:30 PM
Soft restraints, ativan, and haldol!
CornholioMedic
05-21-2008, 10:30 PM
A GSW to the head works best LOL!

Cling and cuffs here.
scribble
05-22-2008, 12:51 AM
we have the nice leather ones...and the velcro ones are awesome once you get used to them...
cwl3gemt
05-22-2008, 01:18 AM
roll of bear tape works too for the extreme o shit situations...
CornholioMedic
05-22-2008, 09:07 AM
we have the nice leather ones...and the velcro ones are awesome once you get used to them...

Freak....lol! Wooohoooo!
scribble
05-22-2008, 10:14 AM
Freak....lol! Wooohoooo!

no dear...psych restraints belong on the ambulance. there's a specific kind for extracurricular activities.
CornholioMedic
05-22-2008, 10:56 AM
And fuzzy cuffs are for sissies!
pdxmedic
05-22-2008, 04:03 PM
We got softs and flex-cuffs out here (guess which one gets more use). Plus inapsine. And we can always call to use the versed, too.

Not carrying restraints is asking to get a provider (or a pt!) hurt. I don't like having to restrain people but it is sometimes the best option to keep everyone uninjured.

And, at the end of the day ... I'm going home, in the same state that I went to work in.
medic3
05-23-2008, 01:37 PM
cuffs.
Cthippo
05-23-2008, 06:46 PM
We carry soft velcro restraints on all our gurneys because of all the mental health transports we do. Company policy is 4 point on all patients, but the reality is that I talk to the patient before loading and make a decision. Some of our "involuntary, risk to self or others" patients are only a risk to my getting a good night's sleep, and so some of them I don't restrain at all.
FF/EMTP1317
05-23-2008, 10:14 PM
In MD we carry haldol not sure why though since we basically have to get our ass kicked and then consult only to be told no 9:10. Cravats work wonders for restraining pts. You can make handcuffs by tying them in a clove hitch around the pt's wrist/ankles.
PSYCtest040
05-24-2008, 04:48 AM
"Restraining your psychs!"


This PSYC likes scotch.

:laugh:
medic pathetic
05-24-2008, 06:00 PM
We have velcro ones. We also have versed, valium (he looked very very anxious), beneradryl (He uh.... said he itched all over around the cuff area. Figured it was an allergic reaction), benerdyl per protocol is not used to sedate. Unless you could say that the anxiety could be caused by a possible allergic reaction; and access to cops which will provide cuffs, tasers, and a ride along partner if needed.
ltfd596
05-30-2008, 12:10 PM
We got softs and flex-cuffs out here (guess which one gets more use). Plus inapsine. And we can always call to use the versed, too.

Not carrying restraints is asking to get a provider (or a pt!) hurt. I don't like having to restrain people but it is sometimes the best option to keep everyone uninjured.

And, at the end of the day ... I'm going home, in the same state that I went to work in.

Thay is not possible for me. I would have leave work hungover... and for some reasonwe cannot drink at work! :)
scribble
06-02-2008, 01:17 AM
erg...the other day we got a psych from a nursing home who had been given a healthy dose of thorazine before we got there. but, he also had a rather curious red area around the base of his neck ,that bore a strong resemblance to a handprint. Apparenntly that whole effective force vs. excessive force thing is lost on nursing home staff.
traumajunkie35
06-13-2008, 09:36 PM
Making homemade handcuffs of cravats works well.
strwblue
06-13-2008, 10:52 PM
erg...the other day we got a psych from a nursing home who had been given a healthy dose of thorazine before we got there. but, he also had a rather curious red area around the base of his neck ,that bore a strong resemblance to a handprint. Apparenntly that whole effective force vs. excessive force thing is lost on nursing home staff.

Let me know when you go to your first hanging in a lock down psy facility.
prncssmdc
06-16-2008, 12:44 AM
Soft restraints or chemical (versed). Occasionally cravats get used, and spider straps on a long board have been known to work also.
FDNYEMS0704
07-05-2008, 08:20 PM
Cravats are a beautiful thing.
FF/EMTP1317
07-05-2008, 11:44 PM
Cravats are a beautiful thing.

They're my best friend.
FDNYEMS0704
07-05-2008, 11:48 PM
My girlfriend and I use them all the time...
scribble
07-06-2008, 12:27 AM
My girlfriend and I use them all the time...

That's what they all say.
Ditch Doc
07-10-2008, 03:33 PM
You can burrito-roll someone in a Reeve stretcher very effectively.

Haldol, Versed and Geodon here. Phenergan kinda works too.
BooyahEMT217
07-12-2008, 04:49 AM
Yea... we get NOTHING! We are private, therefore when things get tough, we call for cops who get to do all of the fun stuff, while we sit back and laugh. We have had psychs actually jump out of rigs while at stop lights on busy highways. Wonder no one has seriously been hurt yet...
scribble
07-12-2008, 12:29 PM
Yea... we get NOTHING! We are private, therefore when things get tough, we call for cops who get to do all of the fun stuff, while we sit back and laugh. We have had psychs actually jump out of rigs while at stop lights on busy highways. Wonder no one has seriously been hurt yet...

Yeah, see, we had that happen a few times. After the one lady got hit by a truck and died they made it a policy that we had to restrain at least one limb.
BooyahEMT217
07-12-2008, 10:26 PM
Looks like it will take someone getting hurt before we see a policy change. Who jumps out of moving rigs anyway?? Oh yea, psychs. Never mind.