Recently working a shift on one of the big white boxes that I call my office, we get dispatched to a location for a possible overdose. The neighborhood was not one that you would assume would have very many drug related issues. Even with us currently being in Beaver Cleaver-ville, we still had to wait for PD to secure the scene. It didn't take too long, so we just sat on the street corner waiting for them to make it "safe" for us.
Well when we finally get inside I notice that the pt is breathing but is being difficult with the FD. I don't mean difficult as in violent, aggressive, or dangerous. I mean difficult in that "I'm gonna act like a 5 year old" kind of way. This pt apparently took 50+ pills of a commonly prescribed flavor of benzodiazapine and an unknown amount of what I am going to describe as "almost a narcotic". So generally, with my experience, if you take 50-70 of anything, you are usually not going to be doing very well. Lucky for this person, that was not the case. They were just being kind of difficult and basically just ridiculous about the situation. Thankfully the police were able to convince our pt to go with us willingly as opposed to in hand cuffs.
Mean while there are two other people that just so happen to be on scene who were almost no help at all. Even though I think they called 911 in the first place. One was not wearing a shirt (of course) and could barely say anything more than "dude" or "bro". I am certain his particular brand of canniboid was similar to what was offered in the movie "Ted". Mind-rape, "they're coming! They're coming!", or "It's permanent". I think he went with the last one and never looked back. Seriously, all this guy did was smile, giggle from time to time, and scratch his head.
Anyway, since pt OD may or may not have taken a bunch of pills, we had to play it better safe than sorry. We put in two IVs, hooked them up to the ekg, and got our vitals going. The typical IV, O2, monitor type situation. The pt was pretty cooperative but was still sleepy and voicing the opinion that there was no need to go to the hospital. Sorry, if you take 50-70 of anything that are not M&Ms or skittles, you are going to the hospital. Whether you like it or not. Thankfully our transport was pretty uneventful. Oh, and Narcan had no effect on this pts status at all. I know, it's not for benzos! So don't even start with that. However, people who overdose usually don't tell EMS the complete truth. It's as much diagnostic as therapeutic. Besides, EMS gets the story of "I don't do drugs and I want your badge number!". The RN gets "Well, I tried the pot once. Can I have some Dilaudid?". The doctor gets "I have been an IV drug user for 20 years and I am currently on angel dust, bath salts, and I vote democratic.
So we finally get to the hospital and I give report to one of the RNs and transfer care to them. And done...right? Not so much. Suddenly the pt feels as though they have had enough and decide to try and leave. Well the 90lbs of RN immediately calls for security. I walk into the room and help restrain what I can only describe as a very lazy attempt at escape. A few other EMS people are helping restrain the pt. The pt keeps trying to tell us that they have had enough and it was time to go home. "I'm leaving. Come on Frank (or whatever the friends name was) get the keys we are out of here". While still holding one of the extremities down I tap the pt on the forehead and say "knock knock". They immediately giggle and give up the fight. Thankfully this was at the same time that security came in with the leathers and we were able to secure the pt to the bed.
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