[Answered]: You are called to a farmhouse on a sunny spring…

You are called to a farmhouse on a sunny spring afternoon. Upon arrival, a frantic mother tells you that her 3-year-old daughter was playing in the yard and accidentally stepped on a hornets’ nest and was stung repeatedly. The patient is alert, screaming and crying, and can follow her mother’s commands. Her arms and legs are swollen and show the marks of several stings. Her body has some hives. Her vital signs are blood pressure 90/40, pulse 110, respiratory rate 24, and oxygen saturation 99 percent. Her lung sounds are clear and equal bilaterally. The nearest hospital is 45 minutes away and the nearest ALS unit is 15 minutes away. Should ALS be dispatched? No, the worst has already occurred, and she does not need an ambulance. Yes, the patient’s allergic reaction could potentially worsen. No, the patient is stable. Putting an ALS unit out of service is a waste of resources. Yes, the patient is having an anaphylactic reaction and she could stop breathing at any moment.