EMS protocols | Life Under the Lights

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The Normal Saline Shortage and the ALS Mindset

April 14, 2014 | Administration & Leadership, Als, Ambulance, crisis, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS Management, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, new perspective, Paramedic, paramedic education, Patient Management, SMG, SMO | Ckemtp | 12 Comments

In case you haven’t heard, the United States is running short of slightly salty water. Specifically we’re having an unprecedented shortage of 0.9% normal saline solution, the kind that is used as the most common intravenous fluid in every form of healthcare that puts needles into people’s veins. I don’t really know the reasons why […]

Plastic Snake Oil – EMS Spinal Immobilization

February 24, 2014 | Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, Paramedic, paramedic education, Patient Management | Ckemtp | 2 Comments

If you’ve ever stopped to actually think about it, you might notice that EMS is full of things we do simply because they seemed like a good idea at the time. We have providers who blast pure oxygen in the faces of patients where it will not do any good and probably causes harm, have […]

A Weighty Protocol Change

April 1, 2013 | Emergency Medical Services, EMS, EMS Humor, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, EMS training, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Paramedic, paramedic education, patient care, Patient Management | Ckemtp | 1 Comment

An Innovative idea in Medical Control from the Medical Director with the Calculator Watch.

If you could have anything you wanted…

November 23, 2010 | Administration & Leadership, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, EMS training | Ckemtp | 26 Comments

I’ve got a question for all of you EMS types out there… If the sky was the limit, what would you ask for in your protocols? That’s my task that I need your help with.

Should EMS Improvise? And the Recipe for the “Kaiser Cocktail”

June 21, 2010 | Administration & Leadership, Ambulance, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS ethics, EMS protocols, ems scenario, ems scenario based education, EMS Topics, EMS training, medical ethics, Paramedic, paramedic education, Patient Management, Protocol development, scenario, scenario based training, SMG, SMO | Ckemtp | 27 Comments

Sometimes EMS providers need to improvise for the best possible patient care. Here’s something I use to treat mild hypoglycemia in the known diabetic. I’m asking for your opinion on this one, should I be doing this?

The Paramedic Intercept – Rural EMS

December 18, 2009 | Als, ALS Intercept, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, EMS Management, EMS paramedics, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, Paramedic, patient care, Patient Management | Ckemtp | 6 Comments

A series on the issues facing rural EMS and rural paramedicine – The ALS Intercept, or Paramedic Intercept, is a useful tool in extending the highest level of care to rural communities. I’ve done this from both sides and believe that it’s a useful tool

Dear State of Illinois EMS…

October 28, 2009 | 911 fail, Administration & Leadership, change, ckemtp rants, Command & Leadership, crisis, edemse, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS ethics, EMS Management, EMS protocols, EMS system, EMS Topics, idph, illinois, Iowa, Iowa EMS, new perspective, northern illinois, Protocol development, southern wisconsin, wisconsin | Ckemtp | 13 Comments

State of Illinois EMS… We have to have a little talk. Can we save our relationship?

Something I found in the Iowa State EMS Protocols

October 26, 2009 | Administration & Leadership, Ambulance, Command & Leadership, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS protocols, EMS Topics, EMT-Paramedic Specialist, idph, Iowa, Iowa EMS, Paramedic, Protocol development, SMG, SMO | Ckemtp | 10 Comments

This is an excerpt from the newly released State of Iowa Statewide EMS protocols that I’d like to bring to the attention of the EMS blogosphere. Bravo to the State of Iowa for giving us the tools to improve the profession!

EMS 2.0 & EMS Ethics – How far would you go?

October 18, 2009 | Als, change, edemse, Emergency Medical Services, EMS, ems 2.0, EMS ethics, EMS protocols, ems salary, EMS Topics, EMS training, Ethics, everyday ems ethics, medical ethics, Paramedic, paramedic education, patient care, Patient Management, physician, politics, SMG, SMO | Ckemtp | 9 Comments

EMS 2.0’s going to need us to find answers to questions we haven’t even asked yet. This is one of them. Where is the line between “progressive” protocols and “I ain’t getting paid enough”?