26/07/2025
“Just get ’em in the truck!”
(We are talking about CRITICALLY ill medical patients here)
It’s a phrase we hear all too often in EMS—but when it comes to critically ill medical patients, that mindset can be dangerous.
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Transport ALONE Isn’t Treatment
Throwing a crashing patient into the back of an ambulance without stabilizing them isn’t JUST fast—it’s risky.
Critically ill patients don’t tolerate motion well. Movement stresses the body, and stress demands reserve… which they don’t have.
Before you load, ask yourself:
• Is the oxygenation appropriate? Is the airway secure?
• Are we supporting their circulation do we need volume? Pressors? Pacing? Etc
• Can they survive the ride, or are they barely surviving the room we found them in?
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The Reality of the Ride
You can’t bag, start pressors, and troubleshoot a crashing patient while bouncing down the road with no access, no definitive airway, and no plan.
You can do these interventions alone but it doesnt mean you should— the teamwork model in healthcare works best
The back of the truck isn’t an ER. It’s a rolling compromise. And unless the scene is unsafe, your best shot at saving that patient MIGHT be right where you are.
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What Stabilization Looks Like
You’re not trying to fix everything—but you need to:
• Oxygenate the patient
• Support perfusion (fluids, pressors)
• Establish access
• Apply a monitor and recognize life threats
• Treat what’s treatable before the rig moves
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Bottom Line
Not every second counts—but the right decisions in those seconds do.
Stabilize before you move. Don’t trade minutes of care for minutes of motion. Because for your sickest patients, the wrong move might be moving too soon.
