Thread by @RndmStreetMedic

Last night, a younger patient arrived with abdominal pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath. While assessing, the patient began to appear more and more pale with each moment. "I tested + with two at home tested, but I have an IUD." VS=HR 150 BP 80/40

I sounded an alarm.

1/8

POCUS conducted by MD/PA team revealed fluid in the lower abdomen. At the same time, we established 3 IVs, ran labs, sprinted a runner to blood bank, and started prepping the patient in the ED for emergency surgery.

It's 0200. Surgical team is en route

2/8

Prior to transfer to surgical suite, the patient received two units of RBC and one of FFP. UPreg & HCG are +. Upon transfer, the patient's HR is 90 and BP is 122/60s.

All of this happened within 90 minutes.

3/8

At the end of my shift a few hours later, I went upstairs to the floor where the patient was recovering. They were awake, they were in very good spirits, they were appreciative, and above all else...they were alive.

4/8

The final diagnosis was a ruptured ectopic pregnancy resulting in hemorrhage.

Why is this important?

5/8

I can't wear a pink hat or pins supporting reproductive autonomy at work. But what I can do is guarantee that if you show up at my ED, you will get my best and the best of my teammates in our endeavors to provide care that's based on evidence...not political bullshit

6/8

This is important because there are people with power out here trying to claim that what we did last night should be a crime, that the reward for saving a life should be imprisonment or worse, and that the choice to survive should be met with punishment.

7/8

Under the laws being pushed by the right wing in this country, this patient would either be dead or they would be alive and we'd all be criminals for saving her life.

There's nothing pro-life about that.

8/8

I'm muting notifications here because...

*Gestures around*