Tara Smith, B.S., NRP, FP-C, EMS I, Author at DistanceCME

About Tara Smith, B.S., NRP, FP-C, EMS I

Tara began her career as a firefighter in Florida, serving from 2002 to 2011, before transitioning to flight medicine. In 2011, Tara also started teaching American Heart Association (AHA) courses, later advancing to the role of base educator for her flight program in 2013. She joined DistanceCME in 2017 as an instructor, primarily teaching critical care courses. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology through Central Washington University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology. Tara currently works with a not-for-profit flight program in the Pacific Northwest, where she has the “best view from the office”. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, skiing, attending hockey and baseball games, and experiencing local culture through comedy shows, live music, and theater. Tara lives with her French bulldog, Pearl, and her partner, Tim.

The “Golden Hour” Fact or Fiction?

For those with more than a decade of experience in EMS, the concept of the "Golden Hour" is likely familiar. This principle emphasizes the importance of transporting trauma patients to a Level 1 trauma center within an hour of injury to reduce mortality and morbidity. Over the years, this concept has undergone revisions, and several [...]

Suicide epidemic touches us all in some way

Suicides are on the rise overall. In fact, I'd say we have a suicide epidemic. Statistics in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown a 30% increase in suicides since 1999, Additionally, it is now one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. — surpassing homicide.