NAEMSE Releases First Draft of New National EMS Education Standards

NAEMSE Releases First Draft of New National EMS Education Standards
     The first draft of the new National EMS Education Standards, which will replace the longstanding DOT National Standard Curricula, was unveiled for public comment in June. But if you want to sound off about them, you'll have to act quickly. Public comments on the standards-available at www.nemsed.org-are due by July 31.

     The standards, developed by the National Association of EMS Educators, grew out of a mandate in the EMS Education Agenda that also led to development of the National EMS Core Content and National EMS Scope of Practice Model.

     Formalizing education standards "will help guide EMS education program managers and educators in making appropriate decisions about what material to cover in the academic setting," according to their architects. "The standards will also be used by publishers to develop instructional materials."

     Each component of the standards will articulate minimal terminal learning objectives for each level of licensure (the new levels are Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced EMT and Paramedic), but more broadly, they're designed to enhance flexibility in education programs and improve and facilitate methods of delivery.

     Those behind the standards, and the instructional guidelines that accompany them, emphasize that they represent a "starting point for dialogue with the national EMS community," and that comments, feedback, observation and thoughts about their contents are welcome as they work toward a final version, which is due to be presented at a national EMS stakeholder meeting in February 2008.
-NAEMSE

AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CYANIDE POISONING?
     Hydroxocobalamin-a natural form of vitamin B12-may be an effective antidote to cyanide poisoning from smoke inhalation, a study appearing on the Annals of Emergency Medicine website suggests.

     The French study is from 1994, and examined 69 smoke-inhalation victims with suspected cyanide poisoning treated with hydroxocobalamin. Of those ultimately identified as having cyanide poisoning, 67% survived after receiving the hydroxocobalamin. A previous study showed a higher mortality rate for similar patients not receiving hydroxocobalamin.

     Said lead author Frederic Baud, MD: "Unlike some cyanide antidotes, hydroxocobalamin…can be used to treat patients without significant risk of harm."
-American College of Emergency Physicians

PEDIATRIC DISASTER SCENARIO GUIDE
     The Illinois EMS for Children program has released a series of disaster preparedness exercises focused on the pediatric population that agencies can use to improve their readiness for such events.

     Developed with direction from the Illinois Terrorism Task Force's Pediatric Bioterrorism Work Group, the booklet, Disaster Preparedness Exercises Addressing the Pediatric Population, features several scenarios and tabletop exercise templates, plus additional resources.

     Download it at www.luhs.org.
-National Assoc. of State EMS Officials

STOP DEATH-BENEFIT DELAYS
     The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is seeking help in pressuring the Bush administration to expedite administration of the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. According to the CFSI, the U.S. Justice Department has made only two positive determinations out of more than 230 applications under the program, which was passed in 2003 to extend the public-safety officer death/disability benefit to the survivors of those felled by strokes or heart attacks in the line of duty. The group is circulating both a customizable form letter that emergency providers can send to the president, seeking his help in ending Justice's "delays and denials" of the families seeking the benefit, and a letter to fellow members of Congress, seeking their support.

     For more, see www.cfsi.org.
-CFSI