ems training | EMS Office Hours

Do We Need Better Cross Training?

May 1, 2013 by Jim Hoffman Leave a Comment

Ever think EMS should do more cross training with our law enforcement and fire counterparts or vice versa?

It can be hard to know what is expected of us at fire scenes, crime scenes and accidents. I am sure it is just as frustrating to police and fire when they don’t know what we expect or need from them on our calls.

Better inter agency training can certainly help alleviate confusion and make us appear much more in tune with each other to the public as well.

Thanks to my special guest Rommie Duckworth who is filling in for Josh for this episode and to John Broyles for holding it down in the chat room.

Podcast: Download

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This episode is sponsored by EMS Manager. Be sure to claim your free customized trial of their EMS employee scheduling software by clicking here.

Follow Rommie on Twitter @romduck and @rescuedigest

Don’t forget to check out Jim and his website over at EMSSEO.com

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ambulance operations, ems cross training, ems operations, ems training, mci

Should EMS Add Chest Tubes To The Toolbox?

February 27, 2013 by Jim Hoffman 1 Comment

Chest tubes in EMS? Maybe we should stick with what we know here. What do you think? Is your agency doing them or thinking about it?

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EMS Manager - If you have more than five employees at your agency then you could use some employee scheduling and management software. With pricing based on agency size you can’t afford not to try out the free customized trial from EMS Manager. Get it here

Be sure to join Jim and Josh over on Facebook

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: chest tubes, ems national standards, ems training, nremt, paramedic level curriculum

Did they tell you about that? EMS surprises

November 14, 2012 by Jim Hoffman Leave a Comment

You’re an EMS provider. You’ve listened to your instructor, supervisor, FTO and anyone else who can give you that insight into the world of EMS right? But did they ever tell you about certain things you will see, be asked to use or be prepared to act on? At what point does it become your responsibility to know about these surprises? Take a listen as Josh Knapp and I discuss this along with the Chat room.

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Show notes:

Free webinar replay of “In The Field: Patients With Implanted Pacers and ICD’s”

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ambulance operations, ems instructors, ems training, emt, paramedic

National Curriculum, EMS Titles and Hurdles

September 5, 2012 by Jim Hoffman 1 Comment

New titles and changes in EMS levels present some challenges to EMS. Some states are leaving certain level names as is, some are adding another level. These changes also present a challenge to the volunteers in EMS and funding available.

Shouldn’t every state adopt what the National Curriculum has presented? Is this a death knoll to the volunteer system or a chance for them to embrace and meet the changes that look to improve the EMS profession?

Take a listen to this session an give your point of view on the EMS transitions.

Podcast: Download

Show Notes

Thanks to Tim and Bob for joining us and lending their insight.

Tim Noonan at Rogue Medic

Bob Sullivan at EMS Patient Perspective

Josh Knapp over at WANTYNU

Article mention at The Happy Medic is here

Check out the blog post mentioned during the show by Kelly Grayson here

Thanks to John Br for joining in the chat. Check out his podcast over at 1-Union-801

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems national curriculum, ems training, emt, nremt, paramedic

Your Thoughts On Arming EMS?

June 20, 2012 by Jim Hoffman 1 Comment

This week there was no live podcast. I did want to highlight one post we did back in February that I think is worth revisiting a little. The link is below. Be sure to post your comments and or tips.

Click here to listen to Arming of EMS.

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems training, paramedic self defense, tactical ems

The Reality Of Geriatrics In EMS

June 13, 2012 by Jim Hoffman Leave a Comment

Ahh yes, the drive to be an EMT. The car wrecks, shootings, heart attacks and cardiac arrests. But once you have that nice EMT card you quickly realize that most of what you are doing are geriatric patients. All with a wide variation of illnesses, history and medication lists long enough to fill way more than that little space on your chart allows.

So I ask you, did you expect that part of EMS? Have you embraced it yet? If not you should. It’s not going to change and it’s certainly not going to get any better. Be sure to jump in on this episode and share your thoughts on this topic.

Podcast: Download

Show notes:

Thanks to Rommie Duckworth for joining me in Josh’s absence. Check Rom out at Rescue Digest and follow him on Twitter at @romduck

Great input as well from David Aber of EMS Difference. Follow Dave on Twitter at @emsdifference

Watch the Geriatric presentation from the EMS Web Summit here

Get information on the GEMS course here

Find out about the AMLS course by clicking here

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems geriatric patients, ems training, emt newbie, paramedic, paramedic job description

Assessing EMS Patient Assessment

December 7, 2011 by Jim Hoffman 1 Comment

Patient assessment in EMS is pointed to as the key ingredient with our patient contacts. Yet how much time is really spent on this in class? Things like the importance of reassessment, differential diagnosis and treatments. We seem to have this pride of ABCDE, DCAP, BTLS and knowing it, sticking to primary and secondary surveys. But what about really knowing what we are looking for and identifying true emergencies instead of fitting patients into protocols? Check out this episode, share your patient assessment tips and tell us your indoctrination into “patient assessment”.

Thanks to Bob Sullivan for dropping by with his thoughts. Loved the “treat every question as if it may be the last one you get to ask” tip.

Podcast: Download

Show notes:

Greg Friese article “Patient Assessment: A non-linear process” and comments at EMS1.com

25% Off WANTYNU wrench use promo code “emsofficehours” at http://wantynu.com

Donate for the 10-13 at http://goo.gl/aQq8c

Follow Bob over on Twitter he is @emsptperspect

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems training, emt basic, nremt class, paramedic care, patient assessment

Does EMS Need All These Certification Levels?

November 16, 2011 by Jim Hoffman 1 Comment

EMS seems to be always trying to find an identity. New guidelines on certification levels are out and some things have been removed, added etc. Wouldn’t it be easier and make more sense to just do away with all these levels and make one primary level to build upon. One that actually helps patients and is a serious part of the health care process? Listen in and find out.

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Show notes:

Russell Stine – HyrbridMedic.com

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems certification, ems patient care, ems training, emt, paramedic

Getting Paid For What You Do In EMS

November 2, 2011 by Jim Hoffman Leave a Comment

It’s a common complaint right? EMS doesn’t get paid enough. Arguments on education, training levels, license vs. certification. All trying to justify higher pay or why we don’t deserve it. Yet, where is the incentive if we don’t get paid just a little extra for some things we do now that seem to get lumped into our job descriptions. Listen to this discussion and share your experiences.

Podcast: Download

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: ems education, ems training, higher pay in ems, paramedic license, paramedic salary

Been There, Got The T-Shirt. Now What?

September 8, 2011 by Jim Hoffman Leave a Comment

So, you have your HAZMAT training, your tactical training or maybe some cool high angle rescue training. Now what? How many EMS systems and providers utilize EMS for these tasks as a primary response entity? Wouldn’t awareness or perhaps a step above awareness for these types of courses be better and open the training up to a larger EMS audience? Education and training is great, but shouldn’t we focus more on the “Medical” in EMS and leave this rescue stuff to Fire or Police? Have you taken a course like this? Have you used it on a scene?

Podcast: Download

Show notes:

NREMT Mastery Course

12-Lead ECG Challenge – ITunes OR Droid

The Downwind Walk: A USAR Paramedics Experiences After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001

DT4EMS – Tactical Self Defense

Filed Under: The Podcast Tagged With: continuing education, ems rescue, ems training, hazmat response, tactical ems training

Do We Need Better Cross Training?

Should EMS Add Chest Tubes To The Toolbox?

Did they tell you about that? EMS surprises

National Curriculum, EMS Titles and Hurdles

Your Thoughts On Arming EMS?

The Reality Of Geriatrics In EMS

Assessing EMS Patient Assessment

Does EMS Need All These Certification Levels?

Getting Paid For What You Do In EMS

Been There, Got The T-Shirt. Now What?

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