This Week in EMS: Patient Attack...Cardiac Arrest Protocols...Memorial Bike Ride Preparation

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Patient Attack Changed Mass. Paramedic's Life Forever

It's been 26 years since paramedic John F. Lynch was infected with hepatitis C when a heroin addict bit him while he was saving her life. The incident changed his life forever, but did not stop him from teaching others to save lives.

Colorado Paramedic Wounded During SWAT Training

The Wheat Ridge Police Department is investigating how a volunteer paramedic was struck by a deflected bullet fragment during routine SWAT firing-range training.

Lights and Sirens Off for Texas MedStar Cardiac Arrest Patients

MedStar ambulances will no longer "run hot" -- that is, with lights flashing and sirens blaring -- when paramedics inside are giving chest compressions to patients in cardiac arrest, officials say.

'Narrowbanding' Mandate Could Be Costly for Public Safety

A federal communications mandate called "narrowbanding" will force public-safety agencies to upgrade their radio equipment in the next two and a half years.

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EMS Training Center

Antiemetics In The Prehospital Setting

In recent years, paramedics have started using a class of medication called antiemetics to alleviate nausea and vomiting in the field. Anecdotally, their use has had good results, but there has been very little research on the topic. Even though there has been an increase in the use of antiemetics, there has only been one study on its use in this setting.

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EMS Life

Canadian Medic Honors a Friend with a Legacy to Assist Disaster Victims

Rahul Singh worked his first ambulance shift as a full-time paramedic on New Year's Eve in 1989. Given his life experiences since, it seems appropriate that he would start his career on one of the most celebrated nights of the year. After all, his resume starts with his service as a medic for Toronto EMS in Canada, progresses through his founding of a disaster aid relief charity in honor of his late best friend and is currently highlighted with a nomination for TIME Magazine's 2010 Top 100 list.

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The Corner Office: Practical Management for EMS Leaders

I Can't Do That, HIPAA Won't Let Me: April 19, 2010

As part of our ongoing series of healthcare law updates for EMS managers, attorney Christopher Kelly discusses HIPAA-related disclosures of patient information.

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Featured Article

Life of A Recovering Bikeaholic

Preparing for the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride requires commitment to training and a passion for EMS. A participant in this year's ride shares some essential training tips for preparing for such an event.

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Featured EMS Magazine Article

Beyond the Books: Just the Right Distance

This month in Beyond the Books, we look at one of the greatest challenges in EMS: maintaining the right distance from your patients. While you might think this means physical distance, that would be an errant assumption. We are actually referring to "emotional distance," or more specifically, the problems that come with being either too close or too far away from your patients.

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Continuing Education

Facial Trauma

Facial trauma is most frequently caused by motor vehicle collisions, physical altercations and falls. This CE article discusses the incidence of facial trauma, reviews facial anatomy and physiology, and discusses the assessment and treatment of the facial trauma patient. This article also features a lesson plan that utilizes the content of CE articles to help facilitate training sessions. Use or adapt this lesson plan for your organization, its personnel and its local protocols.

This CE activity is approved by EMS Magazine, an organization accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS), for 1.5 CEUs. After reading the article, take the CE test that accompanies this lesson at www.rapidce.com.