There is no such thing as a truly safe scene. Instead our goals should be to identify risks - real and perceived - and to mitigate those risks. Risk identification can be practiced and improves with experience.

Eric Augustus from the EMS Haiku blog sent me a great article to use on the MedicCast blog page this week.  I thought it was so good, I wanted to share it here as well!

Eric talks about his experiences with using intra osseous access in the field as a paramedic in the state of Oregon.  He gives a good accounting of his use of this device, including his views on using the new IO drills like the EZ-IO.

In this article, Jamie addresses one way to create training simulations on a budget.  Find out one way to think outside of the box and use common place items or materials to run a training session that will still have a lasting impression on those taking the class.

It doesn't take a big budget, just a big imagination!

Jamie will show you how --

We help strangers, put ourselves in danger and for the most part we love our job. I need your help to help two families one lost their Mother the other lost their Dad. Two E.M.T. doing what the loved helping others. Tragic lost 9/11/2001 W.T.C.

The United States National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians issued a statement back in November 2007 that they would be requiring all NREMT candidates to have graduated from an accredited program before they could sit for the NREMT test or skills evaluation.  This caused some consternation among some accelerated and academy style programs who might not meet the accrediting board requirements.  The NREMT has given all programs 5 years to become compliant.

A look at the ways the roles EMS providers play and the roles expected of us change in the course of a response.

During your night shift your ambulance is dispatched to a reported of a “Man Wondering” the roadway. It’s a cold, windy, and rainy night in March. As you respond to the call the dispatcher informs you that a by standard has stopped and has the man in his car. On your arrival you’re meet by police whom stats that the man isn’t answering many questions. But he thinks that the patient is from the local seniors home, which is just down the road. The officer has sent someone down to talk to staff in the hopes of identifying the man and getting more information.