All of our stretchers were shipped with shoulder, chest, pelvis, and leg straps. The stretchers were designed to function with all of those straps in place for any patient movement and transport. Omitting straps, especially the shoulder straps, is not the manufacturer’s indications for use and is not safe...
Patient Care Notes
LVAD Patients-Update to TREATMENT/CPR Guidelines
In 2017, the AHA produced new guidelines for LVAD patients and other patients with mechanical circulatory support including total artificial hearts. SNGH has since updated their guidelines to reflect the changes. Please review the new flowsheet for EMS care and treatment as there are some changes including the provision of...
Reaching our STEMI quality management goals
It’s a team sport The evidence is clear: EMS can make a difference in STEMI cases. We accomplish this by being fast, efficient, and effective at the following: Identifying STEMIs Notifying the hospital that we have a STEMI patient Treating the patient as we move toward a STEMI Receiving...
Upcoming changes to Epinephrine labeling
We are hearing changes are coming to the way Epinephrine is labeled. Please see the below infograhic from the US FDA:
Expiring Revive! kits
Question If you are checking off your ambulance and you notice that the naloxone (Narcan) in your Revive! kit has expired, what should you do? Answer Remove the expired Revive! kit from the ambulance and return it to your station officers. It has served its purpose and is no...
The Importance of Doing a Report
While doing some research for a little project, I discovered that EMR reports aren’t being completed. The project included looking at all of the helo crew and patient transfers between the VBGH pad and the hospital. Some of these cases had a crew out of service for over one...
Ambient Carbon Monoxide Detectors
AMBULANCE JUMP BAG AMBIENT CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS You may be wondering: What is this thing on my jump bag? How do I know it’s working? What do I do if its alarms keep going off? This is your Ambient Carbon Monoxide Detector. It constantly checks the air around you...
Prehospital Advanced Airway Use in VB-2016
Check out some of our intubation statistics for 2016 and some tips on documenting intubations. Prehospital Advanced Airway Use in VB 2016
How to Elite: Chest Pain Provider Impressions for BLS and ALS Patients
Many of our patients suffer from “chest pain”. The true reasons vary from STEMI’s to seatbelts and from asthma to aortic dissection. As you begin to assess your patient and make your diagnosis, you then have to put the patient into categories. The Medical Assessment tab in ELITE asks for your...
Sedation Issues: Ativan and Versed
Since January 1, 2017, there have been numerous instances in which providers have not followed the proper protocol when it comes to the proper medication, dose or route involving Ativan and Versed. The old and new protocols were taken into account and these issues were outside of both scopes....