Wells Co. EMS Service loses drug license

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - NewsChannel 15 reported Friday that police had arrested Tina Crouse, the Wells County EMS Director. The company she was working for lost its license to carry narcotics because she was accused of keeping some of the drugs for herself.

Medics on board Wells County EMS Service ambulances will have to find a new way to manage patients' pain.

The Director of Clinical Services at the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority , Jared Crotty said in most cases they use narcotics. It's almost unheard of for an ambulance service to not have them.

"That (not using narcotics) increases their tension level. It has effects on their vital signs. It may increase their heart rate. It may increase their blood pressure. It definitely decreases their experience with our service," Crotty said.

After the the Wells County EMS Service Director was arrested, the company lost its license to have narcotic pain medication . Their attorney, Donald Swanson, said leaders are trying to get that back. He said leaders are working closely with the DEA to get the license. Swanson said he expects the Wells County EMS Service to get it back within the next seven to 10 days.

In the meantime, people who have to use their service won't be given that pain medication, which may affect their experience.

"They may be in so much pain that we (medics) physically can't assess that patient. Where it hurts to touch that area, to manipulate that area and we may have to do that in order to put it in a splint," Crotty said.

Crotty said if an EMS service can't carry medication, it could put some patients in life threatening situations - like people with seizures.

"The seizure would either have to run its own course, which can be very dangerous for the patient, or they would maintain this thing we call status epilepticus . That's where they stay in a seizure state until those medications can be administered when the patient stops seizure activity."