In the field Archives

EMS cardiac assessment: Do you know the components?

Most EMS calls have one thing in common — the fact that some form of cardiac assessment is completed. Many times, the assessment is minimal, while other times require detailed, in-depth cardiac evaluation. Review the essential functions for comprehensive cardiac assessment.

EMS professionals begin to identify sepsis earlier and start treatment

Sepsis Awareness Month may have you thinking about how far we can still go to make improvements, especially in the prehospital environment. Let's explore where sepsis recognition begins, guidelines and those who are successfully doing this in the field.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating for patients and paramedics

The danger of riding motorcycles has been a hot topic for decades because the potential morbidity and mortality for those involved in motorcycle accidents is greater than those traveling in other vehicles. Learn about the injuries these patients sustain.

Heat emergencies and you: Symptoms, signs, and prevention

Prepare for more heat emergencies during the hotter months. Patients are more likely to present with heat stroke and heat exhaustion during this time. Also ensure you stay well-hydrated on the job.

Are you current on seizure terminology changes?

Many professionals who have been involved in emergency medical services for a long time now were not provided the correct information at the beginning. Let's go through the correct seizure terminology we should all be using when referencing seizures.

Important metrics to monitor when treating pediatric trauma

When faced with responding to a pediatric trauma call, it is important for you to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of impending shock and intervene rapidly.

Patient assessment scenarios see terminology updates

During our patient assessment scenarios during lab training, every one of us learned to regurgitate scene safety and body substance isolation protocols. But did we really look over the scene? Did we really take the time to determine if we needed to wear more than gloves? The answer to both questions is “unlikely.”

Are you aware of the emotional care bariatric patients need

As pre-hospital providers, we must develop and express additional plans in the event our original strategies fail to empathize with bariatric patients. Our ability to do this will provide an added sense of security and empowerment to their treatment, which may be something they never experienced in a medical setting.

How autonomic dysreflexia and hypertension connect

Autonomic dysreflexia is a medical emergency. Hypertension in a patient with a spinal injury is autonomic dysreflexia until proven otherwise. If you can treat the cause quickly, you can prevent some diseases that have high associated morbidity and mortality rates.

The long spine board isn’t going away and shouldn’t

I was teaching a class a few months ago and a student said his agency had completely removed long spine boards from service. I was floored. The long spine board is needed for spinal immobilization as well as other emergency uses.