Sally Furniss
Well-known member
St John has apologised to an Invercargill woman after two laughing ambulance officers took photographs of themselves in swine flu protection clothing while attending an 111 emergency call last month.
The woman called emergency services on July 10, when her three-year-old daughter started having a seizure.
She told the operator she had recently tested positive for swine flu but was unclear if her daughter had it.
When a male and female ambulance officer arrived at her home in full protective clothing they were reluctant to come inside, the woman said.
They then asked if the woman would drive herself and the child to Southland Hospital in their own vehicle.
The female officer went with them. When they arrived at hospital they were taken into an isolated area and the female officer stayed with them for about 20 minutes.
During the time together the officer commented on the protective suits and how the other officer had taken photos on his mobile phone before they entered the house, the woman said.
"If they did it after (attending to my daughter), fine, but they hadn't even come inside yet ... Their first priority should be coming inside and checking what was happening."
In a written statement, St John regional operations manager Doug Third said it was an isolated incident and had been dealt with with the ambulance officers concerned.
"The two ambulance officers have expressed remorse at their behaviour. They acknowledge that, while no malice was intended, their laughing at each other and taking a photo of one of the ambulance officers before entering the patient's address was inappropriate and unprofessional and they apologise profusely to the family involved."
Mr Third said their names and any disciplinary action would remain confidential for legal reasons.
The officers had also misinterpreted swine flu management recommendations around transporting the woman and her daughter to hospital.
Despite the patient being transported by car, her care was not compromised, Mr Third said.
The ambulance crew communicated with the hospital emergency department before leaving the patient's address and took the patient straight to isolation on arriving at hospital. The woman said she accepted St John's apology.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2805363/St-John-in-apology-for-flu-larking
The woman called emergency services on July 10, when her three-year-old daughter started having a seizure.
She told the operator she had recently tested positive for swine flu but was unclear if her daughter had it.
When a male and female ambulance officer arrived at her home in full protective clothing they were reluctant to come inside, the woman said.
They then asked if the woman would drive herself and the child to Southland Hospital in their own vehicle.
The female officer went with them. When they arrived at hospital they were taken into an isolated area and the female officer stayed with them for about 20 minutes.
During the time together the officer commented on the protective suits and how the other officer had taken photos on his mobile phone before they entered the house, the woman said.
"If they did it after (attending to my daughter), fine, but they hadn't even come inside yet ... Their first priority should be coming inside and checking what was happening."
In a written statement, St John regional operations manager Doug Third said it was an isolated incident and had been dealt with with the ambulance officers concerned.
"The two ambulance officers have expressed remorse at their behaviour. They acknowledge that, while no malice was intended, their laughing at each other and taking a photo of one of the ambulance officers before entering the patient's address was inappropriate and unprofessional and they apologise profusely to the family involved."
Mr Third said their names and any disciplinary action would remain confidential for legal reasons.
The officers had also misinterpreted swine flu management recommendations around transporting the woman and her daughter to hospital.
Despite the patient being transported by car, her care was not compromised, Mr Third said.
The ambulance crew communicated with the hospital emergency department before leaving the patient's address and took the patient straight to isolation on arriving at hospital. The woman said she accepted St John's apology.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2805363/St-John-in-apology-for-flu-larking