Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Help with accommodation (self.Blind)
submitted by yourdailyinsanity
Hello all! I am not blind but I have some questions for you guys to help me help you better! I am an EMT and work on an ambulance. I have never had a patient that is blind yet or has a service animal but I would like some information for when I do come into the situation.
We are taught that when responding to someone that has a service animal that the animal goes with us if they are unable to go with someone else. I am sure if it is your guide dog you would want them with you regardless though.
This is where I want help/answers. When your service animal comes with you, where is best for them? For us it is likely by the captain's chair which is the chair that is behind the head of the stretcher. That is where there is usually the most open room in the ambulance as it is where the side door is as well for us to go in and out. But do you need them closer or more near you? Or just as long as they come along and are safe? It is usually just a preference thing?
When I am providing care, just be more vocal about what we are doing and where we will be doing it on you? So instead of what I usually say "can I have a finger?" I can say "can I have a finger to put a pulse ox on?" Because you can't see that I have the device in my hand and is what I'm referring to. And for blood pressure I usually ask if the patient prefers it to be done on one arm (there are medical reasons for why it can't be done on a specific arm too so I ask due to that as well) so maybe be more specific and say I'm going to put a blood pressure cuff around your left/right upper arm? I usually am pretty good at telling patients what I'm doing/am going to do but I guess when it comes to a blind patient just be more vocal about what I am going to do?
Is there anything else that I should know or do to better accommodate you?
Thank you all in advance!
We are taught that when responding to someone that has a service animal that the animal goes with us if they are unable to go with someone else. I am sure if it is your guide dog you would want them with you regardless though.
This is where I want help/answers. When your service animal comes with you, where is best for them? For us it is likely by the captain's chair which is the chair that is behind the head of the stretcher. That is where there is usually the most open room in the ambulance as it is where the side door is as well for us to go in and out. But do you need them closer or more near you? Or just as long as they come along and are safe? It is usually just a preference thing?
When I am providing care, just be more vocal about what we are doing and where we will be doing it on you? So instead of what I usually say "can I have a finger?" I can say "can I have a finger to put a pulse ox on?" Because you can't see that I have the device in my hand and is what I'm referring to. And for blood pressure I usually ask if the patient prefers it to be done on one arm (there are medical reasons for why it can't be done on a specific arm too so I ask due to that as well) so maybe be more specific and say I'm going to put a blood pressure cuff around your left/right upper arm? I usually am pretty good at telling patients what I'm doing/am going to do but I guess when it comes to a blind patient just be more vocal about what I am going to do?
Is there anything else that I should know or do to better accommodate you?
Thank you all in advance!
razzretina 5 points 3y ago
From my experiances, you're doing everything right. :) This is how the last set of EMTs treated me and I appreciated it. We did bring my guide dog and the important thing is that the dog is there. It doesn't matter so much where they are as long as they're safe and not too in the way. I think letting anyone know what you're doing with equipment when you can is a good idea whether they're blind or not considering the state you probably find most people in when you come to get them. :)
yourdailyinsanity [OP] 5 points 3y ago
Awesome! I wasn't sure if there was anything else or if that was just about it.
And honestly, most people that call 911 for a minor reason could just be driven to the hospital but they do it because of lack of public transportation at the hour or they can't use it and no one can take them. They also think they'll get seen faster but sometimes that isn't the case.
But definitely for the people who truly need to be evaluated asap, they're usually already scared so just telling them what you're doing helps with conversation and easing their nerves for sure! Something as simple as saying I'm going to put some stickers on your chest can get a small smile from them simply because stickers is usually related to kids but the electrodes for the heart monitor use those stickers to essentially take pictures of your heart to show the rhythm it is beating in. Not a medic so I could have explained that poorly but that's what I usually go with. Lol. And personally I like to know what is being done to me and results of stuff if available right away so that's why I verbalize everything. Just have to be aware to do it even more with a blind patient.
And honestly, most people that call 911 for a minor reason could just be driven to the hospital but they do it because of lack of public transportation at the hour or they can't use it and no one can take them. They also think they'll get seen faster but sometimes that isn't the case.
But definitely for the people who truly need to be evaluated asap, they're usually already scared so just telling them what you're doing helps with conversation and easing their nerves for sure! Something as simple as saying I'm going to put some stickers on your chest can get a small smile from them simply because stickers is usually related to kids but the electrodes for the heart monitor use those stickers to essentially take pictures of your heart to show the rhythm it is beating in. Not a medic so I could have explained that poorly but that's what I usually go with. Lol. And personally I like to know what is being done to me and results of stuff if available right away so that's why I verbalize everything. Just have to be aware to do it even more with a blind patient.
bokehblind 2 points 3y ago
I have no suggestions but thank you for caring so much!
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