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What advanced care are they going to get at the hospital without interventional cardiology?? Heparin? Plavix? Blood tests? I can already tell you that the cardiac markers are elevated, you have a STEMI here! These things are not going to fix the problem. You can provide the primary interventions...

Are people actually doing swallow-whole PO? Or are you who say PO referring to the rapidly disintegrating tablets? Technically I believe it's still PO, but for nausea do you really need to start an IV or stick everyone if they aren't vomiting yet?

Unfortunately, about 90% of our rescue payors and I would guess over 60% of our IFT payors are Medicare and Medicaid. My company spends our time enforcing the rules and making sure we have our ducks in a row, as another poster said, so we can get paid. If we gave up care/caid payments, we'd be...

What company do you own? If you think what you are doing is right, then you shouldn't be afraid to tell us...

Unfortunately or not, they just approved extension of the higher rates. All runs done in the meantime are eligible to have the correction/difference paid to the provider...

Thank you all for your help, but what I'm looking for is more form ideas and not so much of a list. We have a list of equipment that should be on our trucks, but wondering if you all use just a straight checklist, or diagrams per cabinet, or a list organized by cabinet...? Posting or emailing...

I assume this is a pager set to the civil defense system (or now the Emergency Alert System EAS) frequency to get weather and other updates...?

Hopefully your state has no required reportables. In my state, they can revoke my license and hold me responsible for not reporting elder abuse or neglect, which much of this can fall under. My private will support me in being a patient advocate, perhaps you should think about doing the same...

Good point! There are relative contraindications, as with any medication, so I'm not sure "candy" is a good analogy. And, that's why I like ondansetron... Much less sedating, if at all. Our only absolute contraindication is prior allergic (or other poor) reaction to 5-HT3 antagonists (the...

Yeah, we have requirements set by the Department of Community Health (MDCH) and I have a copy of those. However, moreso looking at different form layouts and the like.

Quite liberal. We have standing orders for 4mg IV or IM. The protocol suggests calling for orders of a repeat dose of 4 more if it doesn't help. For kids under 12 y/o it is also post-radio, but suggests 0.1mg/kg IV or IM.

Not sure there's any GOOD evidence that says drugs increase ROSC at all. If you think about it, medications are linked to arrests with longer downtimes. Witnessed arrests typically respond to defibrillation alone, if anything at all. That being said, if you can get ROSC (which is much more...

Does anyone have a checkout or inventory sheet they'd be willing to share with me? I am revamping our service's checkout sheet and don't necessarily need to reinvent the wheel, but am looking for good ideas. You can post here or PM for my email. Thanks in advance!

Violate physician orders? I would never. However, a calm, directed, and educated discussion with the transferring physician is in order; whether in person via phone. If you can't contact them, call your medical control doc. I've arrived to many facilities with a patient they wouldn't handle (oh...

I would prefer not to; the truth is, however, that we can't obtain IV access in every patient who deserves pain relief. Our standing orders state to attempt 3 PIVs and if we still are unsuccessful to go to IM. What complications are you worried about? Respiratory depression? Hypotension? You...

Hey, thanks for your post! Very interesting read as to your views and some of the information that's out there. I will say that being a medic in the woods has it's advantages. I would first argue that most EMT-Bs, WFAs, WFRs, and WEMTs don't have a good grasp on anatomy, physiology, nor...

When you couldn't obtain IV access???

No, no... Sorry maybe I wasn't clear. I would never advocate sitting on scene with a patient. I am saying that if you are sitting next to the critical patient who's entrapped and will be entrapped for an extended extrication period, then it may be worth having the helicopter fly. In our area...

I personally love the "ergonomics" of the LP12/15. It's easy to use, layout makes sense, cables and hoses route easy. Rolls of paper may be annoying, but the printer feeds good. Battery performance has always been ridiculous, but is supposed to be better with the new batteries for the 15...

If you are talking about the vacuum bean-bag type devices, they are amazing if properly applied. They are supportive but much more gentle and easier on the skin, muscles, and nerves than a hard board. We use them for WSAR and our CCT medical director just approved them for use on pediatric...