Hope this Helps
I heard a EMS call and what it sounded like it said was The General is Code 41 (or just said 41) But it sounded like they still took the patient, does this mean the ER is closed?ent
I heard it a while back also They said Toronto General is 41.
Well I do not know of a "code 41" but that does not mean it does not exist. As far for a ED closing it's doors too ambulance traffic there are two options:
1) ED Re-Direct ~ This is my region is all too common, Waterloo Region has 3 hospitals and 2 Emergency Dept
When one ED has so many patients it is becomong unsafe they will contact the other ED and ask for a period of re-direct. This means all ambulance traffic is re-directed to the other ED. However if a hospital is on Re-Direct they still must take code 4 CTAS 1 patients. Re-direct in my region happens many times a day and can last 1/2h-1h15min.
2) Critical Care By-Pass(CCBP) is a whole different ball-game. This means the hospital can not take in any more patients by ambulance. This is very serious situation. The ED is closed too all Ambulance traffic, no matter what the CTAS level. Inorder for a ED to go on CCBP permission had too come from "The powers that be" and the MOH is notifed. It's has been a few years since I worked in the ED, I am sure there may have been some changes in the past 4 years. Re-direct was the responsibility of the Charge Nurse on duty.
Not the best system some say, but it worked. With the co-ordination of CACC and both ED we managed. I can't imagine how the ED cope with the increase patience load, insaine EMS off-load times, and staffing shortages. I am in my mid 30's, and I must say the outlook is somewhat grimm.
Here is a list of the EMS 10 codes as per the MOH (Please feel free to add any missed)
Code:
10-3 All Vehicles stop Transmitting
10-4 Acknowledged
10-6 Busy-Stand by unless Urgent
10-7 Arrived(or OUT of Service)
10-8 Departed (or IN service)
10-9 Repeat last Transmission
10-13 Unable to reply (Relative near by etc)
10-19 Return to Base
10-20 Whats your Location?
10-21 Phone by Landline or Cellular
10-25 Non-Violent Psychiatric Patient
10-26 Call is cancelled
10-27 Hostage Taking or SWAT Standby
10-34 Whats the Hospital status
10-36 Emergency is CLOSED (Critical care Bypass)
10-37 Emergency is OPEN to Code 3's only (ReDirect Considerations)
10-38 Emergency is CLEAR
10-50 Violent Psychiatric Patient
10-100 Bomb Threat
10-200 Have Police Attend (often abreviated to 10-2's)
10-2000 Send Police IMMEDIATELY
CODE 1 Any non-important call routine patient transfer
CODE 2 Sceduled call
CODE 3 Prompt call, not life threatening, lights and siren optional
CODE 4 Life Threatening, lights on, siren optional
CODE 5 Obviously dead (Rigor Mortis, Decomposition, Decapitation)
CODE 6 Legally dead (Declared by attending physician or Coroner)
CODE 7 Unstaffed at station
CODE 8 Standby at location
CODE 9 Unit in for servicing (Not Usable)
CODE 19 non-essential call