ALS Assist Skills for BLS Providers

frdude1000

frdude1000

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Anyone have any resources for ALS assist skills for BLS? Im looking for a video or something to show how to assist an ALS provider with monitor, IV setup, airway, etc.
 
Here's a PDF I found off a quick Google search

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...lZC8wo&sig=AHIEtbSxBSpkadQaL4Xbd4cFgoPcTsly5A

I also know the back of my EMT book had common ALS assist items, such as spiking a bag, placing EKG electrodes in the proper spot, and airway control.




Do you work with the same medic routinely, or a bunch of different medics? Do you have access to a medic and some ALS gear? If so, go over it with them. Each medic is different in the what / how / when aspect, but should be able to help in the generics like spiking an IV bag / getting the normal IV supplies ready.
 
My book has als assist aswell

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Every medic does things differently so as the above poster said if you work with the same one all the time then ask them. It'd be a good respect building/bonding thing. If you don't work with the same medic all the time most of them would probably be more than willing to take a few minutes and show you how to spike a bag or place patches and so on. It's pretty easy stuff and after you do it a few times you'll have it pretty well memorized anyway. You could also ask another BLS provider what they do.
 
I think it would be really cool if my EMT stepped up, came to me and said teach me stuff that I can do to make calls smoother for you from an EMT stand point.

Would have covered setting up for intubation.

Flooding IV tubing, and knowing which bags I may want to include Blood-Y's.

Which meds I may want set out according to what is going on with the patient.

et etc.

The best EMT's in the world are the ones I say very little to on a call and are 5 steps ahead of me.

They are invaluable.
 
my paramedics taught me that...i ride a ALS truck as a basic so its expected that i know how to do all that
 
DESERTDOC said:
The best EMT's in the world are the ones I say very little to on a call and are 5 steps ahead of me.

They are invaluable.
Click to expand...

One of my old partners and I could run a critical ALS run without saying a word to each other. We knew exactly what the other was going to do and what they needed. I knew when he was ready for me to get up front and drive. We had BLS crews come assist a few times, and they usually backed off because we were, "scary brilliant" together, in the words of one of the EMTs.
 
The company I worked for as an EMT taught each EMT, in a class, how to assist a medic.

Nothing to it, grab equipment, set up a lock, spike a bag, blood tubing, monitor, and other basic skills that were taught in school. After that, you get ALS contacts and get certified to work with a medic.

Essentially, my EMT employment was an internship and medic school prep with pay. Intead of payments.
 
My service has a formal ALS Assist class that we teach to the BLS providers, since we have over 15 volunteer fire companies that we provide ALS services to. I can dig up the class materials, if you're really interested.

Otherwise, just teach the basic stuff...
 
EKG class and Phlebotomy class.
 
frdude1000 said:
Anyone have any resources for ALS assist skills for BLS? Im looking for a video or something to show how to assist an ALS provider with monitor, IV setup, airway, etc.
Click to expand...


Just a question from a confused Brit, just exactly what did you learn during your training? Not trying to be rude or anything, really!!! It's just that on my basic training we got taught how to do a 3 lead, spike a bag and get the ET ready. On ride-alongs it was always my job to spike the bag and have a Tegaderm and tape etc ready ready for IV's. Is it really that different in different states?
 
Martyn said:
Just a question from a confused Brit, just exactly what did you learn during your training? Not trying to be rude or anything, really!!! It's just that on my basic training we got taught how to do a 3 lead, spike a bag and get the ET ready. On ride-alongs it was always my job to spike the bag and have a Tegaderm and tape etc ready ready for IV's. Is it really that different in different states?
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It's program dependent in many places. My instructor recognized that EMTs in this area of Colorado play the paramedic assistant role a lot and not much else (no BLS trucks around), so he devoted a day of class to ALS assist type things, like spiking bags, placing 5 and 12 leads, operating the MRx monitor, setting up the laryngoscope, and maybe some other things I don't remember. In comparison, most of the EMTs I work with in Massachusetts have never had that sort "training," where the BLS truck is very common.
 
As far as different states being different, I can only comment on Ohio and Alaska. I live in OH and work in Alaska. In AK you must be EMT 2 (EMT I in lower 48) to intubate, while in OH you may intubate as an EMT B. Ohio requires advanced airway class for EMT B. OH only has reciprocity with SC as they also require the advanced airway class. At least they did last time I looked.
 
N7LXI, I would love to see your materials if that's possible! Thanks!
 
I'd also like to see the ALS assist materials from Delaware, please.
 
Not sure which part of Maryland your in, but if your close to Pennsylvania we offer ALS Assist courses pretty frequently. These classes go over intubation & airway management, IV setup, how to prepare pre-filled syringes, EKG's, patient assessment, and other stuff.

I have taken the class as an EMT and found it beneficial.
 
I know this is an old thread for a different state, but does anyone know of any places in So Cal that offer this as a class to receive the certification? Some places require EMT's to be als assist certified in order to work with a medic.


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Nick15 said:
I know this is an old thread for a different state, but does anyone know of any places in So Cal that offer this as a class to receive the certification? Some places require EMT's to be als assist certified in order to work with a medic.


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Congrats on gravedigging a 5+ year old thread lol. Orange County EMT here. I work for a private company with paramedics (ALS-IFT). My company put me through their own class (~3 hours) for my "ALS-EMT" training... basically spiking bags, setting up saline locks, hooking up pt's to the monitor (and how to work the monitor), taking blood sugar, setting up nebulizers/breathing treatments, drawing meds, etc. There's no official certification for it though. In Orange County, it's within our scope to assist a paramedic with these types of things. The only certification would be your Orange County Scope of Practice Accreditation.
 
Jordy said:
Congrats on gravedigging a 5+ year old thread lol. Orange County EMT here. I work for a private company with paramedics (ALS-IFT). My company put me through their own class (~3 hours) for my "ALS-EMT" training... basically spiking bags, setting up saline locks, hooking up pt's to the monitor (and how to work the monitor), taking blood sugar, setting up nebulizers/breathing treatments, drawing meds, etc. There's no official certification for it though. In Orange County, it's within our scope to assist a paramedic with these types of things. The only certification would be your Orange County Scope of Practice Accreditation.
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I got bored and started searching through here for a topic on this actually haha.
The reason why I was asking was because I am trying to transfer with AMR. The division I am trying to go to requires all emts who work on a rig with medics be als assist certified.


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