April 2020
COVID-19 and EMS: Origins, the NREMT, and effects on EMS
A veteran EMS provider and instructor disucsses the origins of coronavirus and how EMS organizations are reacting to COVID-19.
Coronavirus and EMS safety: Cleaning your hands and your ambulance
A paramedic and Distance CME instructor discusses the coronavirus and EMS safety, including proper handwashing and the best ways to clean your ambulance.
March 2020
Carfentanil vs fentanyl, the opioid crisis, and the path forward
A clinician discusses the carfentanil vs fentanyl, other derivatives of fentanyl, the opioid crisis and where we go from here.
February 2020
Interfacility transfer and the case for paramedic X-ray access
During interfacility transfer, it's key for paramedics to have access to as much information as possible. Yet, for a long time, paramedics haven't had the proper equipment to effectively X-ray patients. We discuss the issues around this and how the field can move forward.
Traumatic brain injury treatment and assessment for first reponders
We review three common types of traumatic head injury (epidural bleed, subdural bleed, and subarachnoid bleed) and effective treatments for these injuries. By knowing what types of neurological injuries you're dealing with in the field, you will be better equipped to help your patients in a prehospital setting. After all, when it comes to brain injuries, there's no time to waste.
EMS and the opioid crisis: Where do we go from here?
The opioid crisis began in the 1990s as the result of unethical practices by pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professional. Now, millions of people in the United States struggle with addiction. How can we, as EMS professionals and first responders, help people who have fallen victim to this broken system? We look into this question through the story of someone who has overcome addiction.