Paramedic - St. Luke's Lufkin & Livingston

Lobby Management

• Vital Signs (VS) Monitoring: Ensure vital signs are updated in compliance with VS policy and ESI (Emergency Severity Index) scoring. Monitor for abnormal VS and address overdue notifications in EPIC (Narrator).
• Patient Visualization: Maintain continuous observation of patients in the lobby and newly arriving patients, ensuring timely identification of any change in condition. Assist in maintaining lobby order and safety.
• Workstation Access: Utilize laptops or WOWs (Workstations on Wheels) for real-time updates in EPIC.

Intravenous (IV) and Phlebotomy Support

• Assist with IV starts and phlebotomy under the direction of the triage team.
• Maintain clear communication with the triage team via walkie-talkies or direct communication to minimize delays and optimize patient care.

Throughput Support

• Monitor EPIC for unacknowledged orders, lab delays, sample collection issues, and radiology delays.
• Communicate identified delays to appropriate resources (charge nurse, triage nurse) and escalate to ED leadership if necessary.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Assistance

• Aid in the application of appliances and splints to expedite the discharge process.
• Respond promptly to nurses or clinicians requesting assistance with DME.

Patient Consent Assistance

• Work with PAS (Patient Access Services) staff to ensure patients sign necessary consents prior to triage or discharge.
• Monitor EPIC for pending discharges and notify PAS when consents are required.

Standard Medically Delegated Orders (SDOs)

• Identify patients exceeding 20 minutes from triage to provider without active orders.
• Notify the triage team to initiate SDOs and assist with related tasks such as IV starts and lab draws.

Ultrasound (US)-Guided IV Support

• Perform US-guided IV placement after completing competency training and obtaining approval.
• Refer to the competency checklist and approved roster for eligibility.

Procedure Setup and Assistance

• Assist providers with wound care, suture setup, and other procedures as needed.
• Work under direct provider guidance to ensure procedural efficiency.

Front-End Management

• Collaborate with the triage team for tasks such as EKGs, IVs, blood draws, and vital signs.
• Aim for a goal of less than 10 minutes from door to EKG for applicable patients.