EMS EXPO ATTENDEES
Search for your courses and claim credit here.
The Most Important Recent EMS Literature for Prehospital Providers
Important new clinical information that affects optimal prehospital care is being published at an ever increasing rate. This talk will focus on the most important peer reviewed articles published in the past 18 months that are most important to prehospital care provers. Topics will include recent articles that deal with: optimal dosing strategies for epinephrine in cardiac arrest, newest concepts in termination of resuscitation, ECMO in EMS; Head-up CPR: optimal electrode placement; Double Sequential Defibrillation; newer dosing strategies for treating pediatric seizures; ketamine use in EMS; the newest anaphylaxis recommendations; glucose analysis in cardiac arrest; pelvic compression use and efficacy ; and additional topics chosen over the next 5-6 months as they appear in the literature.
The Continuation of the Opioid Crisis: An Evolving Crisis Management for EMS
The Opioid Crisis continues to worsen in North America thus creating a unique opportunity for the EMS community to showcase our capability. In this presentation, we will discuss the historical responses BCEHS has made in response to this crisis and the various improvements deployed to better utilize our resources. We will also discuss the constant evolution of managing this crisis, the flexibility required, and the broad thinking one must possess to be "outside" of the traditional EMS box. Lastly, it is worth mentioning the assessment and treatment of an opioid/benzodiazepine overdosed patient.
The Collaboration Between Higher Education And A NYC High School. “The Good, The Bad And The Ugly!”
In January of 2020 a new partnership between three entities — the New York City Department of Education Career and Technical Education program, the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY), and the Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management (UASEM) — enable 30 high school seniors to realize their goal of entering the workforce as certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) after graduation.
The transition from High School to College has become an expectation over the past few generations. The general consensus has been that students attend high school to prepare and refine their skills to be successful in a college or career program. This presentation will walk participants through the achievement gap, and how this team was able to work together to move a program forward against some large obstacles.
The transition from High School to College has become an expectation over the past few generations. The general consensus has been that students attend high school to prepare and refine their skills to be successful in a college or career program. This presentation will walk participants through the achievement gap, and how this team was able to work together to move a program forward against some large obstacles.
Texas Trauma Tactics – What’s Possible Prehospital in the Lone Star State
San Antonio Fire Department applies the latest in cutting-edge trauma care. This advanced level of trauma care is possible because Texas is a delegated medical practice state. This means that the EMS Medical Director can train and deploy advanced trauma care paramedics for critically injured trauma patients. San Antonio also deploys EMS Physicians in the prehospital setting. Discussion of open thoracostomies performed by all paramedics and a modified clamshell thoracotomy performed by EMS physicians will be discussed. The department has deployed and is reviewing the use of an abdominal aortic junctional tourniquet for critically injured trauma patients. SAFD medial special operations team has developed a novel prehospital amputation process where the paramedics will perform the amputation. San Antonio Fire Department has deployed digital blocks prehospital, resulting in true pain control for the injured digit. There will be a discussion about these advanced trauma tactics and how they can be deployed in EMS systems to treat patients and save lives.
Risk and Resource Management for EMS providers; An Airline Pilot Perspective
In its 1999 report, “To Err is Human,” the Institute of Medicine brought the issue of medical errors to light stating that “more people die in a given year because of medical errors than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS.” There is little evidence to indicate that there has been any progress made by the medical community to reduce these errors, and several recent studies show that the rate may be worsening. Commercial aviation, on the other hand, has made incredible progress over the last 50 years towards increasing safety and reducing risk in its operations. A large part of that effort has been addressing the role of human factors in mishaps and the use of risk and resource management techniques to minimize risk and reduce errors. This session will look at Risk and Resource Management (RRM) from an airline pilot perspective, draw similarities with EMS and show how providers can use similar strategies to reduce errors and minimize risk.
So You Want to Go to Medical School?
Did you ever think about going to medical school? What stopped you? Did you think that you couldn't get in, that it was too expensive, that it would take too long, or that they wouldn't accept a "street medic" into the hallowed halls of medicine? This lecture will review all of those questions and show you that with the right perseverance, you too can become a physician. Adding onto information borrowed from the popular lecture given by Baxter Larmon of UCLA (with permission, of course), my experience as an admissions committee member for medical school and residency will clarify how to go about this sometimes confusion and seemingly daunting process.
Social Media Assisted Career Suicide
With 2.89 billion active users on Facebook it is likely that everyone attending this lecture has a Facebook account. That, in and of itself, is not an issue — many people use social media to get their news or keep up with family and friends, without ever posting anything “questionable.” However, there are individuals in public service who seem to believe that they are able to share their opinions, thoughts, or images online without fear of retribution. In 2012 Dave Statter coined the phrase Social Media Assisted Career Suicide Syndrome, a phenomenon that has only continued to grow as social media use increases amongst emergency service personnel. This lecture will cover the misconception of free speech, the prevalence of SMACS in emergency services, and the legality of being terminated over social media posts. While it is nearly impossible to prevent all social media missteps, educating our team members on the ethical and legal issues involved with indiscriminate posting is a step in the right direction toward gaining and keeping public trust.
Spotting Abuse: When Your Gut Says Things Aren't Right...
You're dispatched to a residence for a fall, no lights or sirens. You don't recognize the address but you know the neighborhood well. The pager and MDT report the patient is a 28 year old female. You look in the comments and see the call terminated before MPDS was completed. You arrive on scene to find a single patient who states she, "fell in the shower", "tripped at the top of the stairs", or "fell into the door knob."
Abuse and neglect are often hard to spot. Whether or not you recognize the real issues and how you respond could make all the difference. In this thought-provoking panel discussion, you’ll hear real cases from an EMT, a San Antonio Texas Police Officer, and an attorney who represents children in the foster care system of McLennan County, Texas.
Abuse and neglect are often hard to spot. Whether or not you recognize the real issues and how you respond could make all the difference. In this thought-provoking panel discussion, you’ll hear real cases from an EMT, a San Antonio Texas Police Officer, and an attorney who represents children in the foster care system of McLennan County, Texas.
Sorting Out Syncope: EMS Evaluation of the Collapse Patient
This is a common presenting complaint for EMS providers and encompasses a huge differential diagnosis that many find daunting. Dr's Dickson and Patrick will provide a framework to evaluate this complaint and identify the potential killers.
By the end of this lecture the student should be able to:
• Identify the top killers that may present with a syncopal spell
• Understand the historical and exam features of deadly causes of sycope
• Identify concerning findings on ECG associated with deadly syncope
• Identify clinical features that differentiate syncope from seizure
By the end of this lecture the student should be able to:
• Identify the top killers that may present with a syncopal spell
• Understand the historical and exam features of deadly causes of sycope
• Identify concerning findings on ECG associated with deadly syncope
• Identify clinical features that differentiate syncope from seizure
Research & Staying Current: It’s Not As Boring As You Think
In this session, will take the mystery of EMS research and how to stay up-to date away. We will discuss research and its importance in advancing our profession. We will then discuss various methods of finding medical education and research and their advantages and disadvantages, including: Podcasts, websites, conferences, journals and text books. This will count toward the mandatory Role of Research and also evidence-based guidelines, training for the NCCR.
Relatives As Caretakers And EMS. The Perspective And Needs Of Significant Others When Dealing With Prehospital Care
Most EMS calls are into the private homes of patients. Especially with elderly and chronic patients, relatives and significant others are present which are the permanent primary caretakers of their “loved one”. Some of them are active 24x7, close to burnout and being patients themselves. However, without their engagement many families could not afford care and professional care living facilities would be overwhelmed.
The presenter will discuss the expectations family, society and EMS have in regard to these caretakers. How can they deal with their difficult role? What are their needs? How can prehospital providers acknowledge and empower them? Strategies to support family caretakers during calls are discussed and resources to assist these caregivers are listed. Different case reports show the high variation in skill and needs of family caretakers.
Signs and symptoms that could be indications of possible patient abuse during a structured assessment are explained.
The presenter will discuss the expectations family, society and EMS have in regard to these caretakers. How can they deal with their difficult role? What are their needs? How can prehospital providers acknowledge and empower them? Strategies to support family caretakers during calls are discussed and resources to assist these caregivers are listed. Different case reports show the high variation in skill and needs of family caretakers.
Signs and symptoms that could be indications of possible patient abuse during a structured assessment are explained.
Real Opinions from Real Airway Management Experts
Wondering what practices in EMS airway management are or are not evidence-based? Come find out as Drs. Wang, Jarvis, Levy, and Crowe share the findings of the National Association of EMS Physicians Compendium of Position Statements on Prehospital Airway Management. The product of over 100 contributors, this monumental project pulled together scientific evidence and expert opinion supporting best practices for the entire spectrum of prehospital airway management, including interventions (manual ventilation, supraglottic airways, drug assisted intubation, surgical airways, peri-airway management, cardiac arrest and trauma airway management, non-invasive ventilation and mechanical ventilators), training and education, and quality management. The speakers will detail how these state-of-the-art recommendations will influence prehospital airway practice.
Pump Vs. Squeeze; The Use Of Vasopressors And Inotropes In The Crashing Patient
Managing hemodynamically unstable and crashing patients in the back of an ambulance or 10,000 feet in the air with the use of vasopressors and inotropes is very stressful and tricky. Although only a subset of our patients present with hemodynamic collapse and shock, a fundamental understanding of the use of inotropes and vasopressors is imperative to ensure good patient outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality. This lecture will discuss the use of these pharmacological agents in differentiated (e.g., cardiogenic, distributive, hypovolemic, etc.) and undifferentiated/mixed shock states and ideal vasopressor/inotrope(s) to use as primary resuscitative agents. The most recent EMS literature surrounding these agents in different clinical scenarios will also be presented to ensure adequate understanding and comprehension.
NamastEMS: Alternative Programs for Responder Physical and Mental Wellness
The last two years have posed unique challenges for EMS providers. The obstacles faced have caused negative impacts on individual mental and physical health. Additionally, the pandemic has had impacts on morale across the healthcare industry. Your agency is tasked with creating an environment for your responders to thrive despite the adversities they face day-to-day. Just as the challenges you faced were new and unique, your solutions must be equally innovative. In NamastEMS, we will discuss alternative approaches to improving responder health that include yoga, circuit workouts, agency physical events, nutrition and diet support, peer support groups and more.
Administrative support for these initiatives allows responders to participate in activities while gathering outside of their traditional environments while at work. Working together to complete physical challenges creates unity among the crews and improves overall morale. More so, physical fitness and diet can improve responder mental health, increase productivity and customer service and decrease lost manhours from injury or illness.
Utilizing employees with special interests in fitness and wellness can keep your initiatives cost effective so even agencies with restrictive budgets can benefit from wellness programs.
Administrative support for these initiatives allows responders to participate in activities while gathering outside of their traditional environments while at work. Working together to complete physical challenges creates unity among the crews and improves overall morale. More so, physical fitness and diet can improve responder mental health, increase productivity and customer service and decrease lost manhours from injury or illness.
Utilizing employees with special interests in fitness and wellness can keep your initiatives cost effective so even agencies with restrictive budgets can benefit from wellness programs.
Psychosocial Helplines and “Sociolances” – means to reduce call volume? How to strengthen the ties between EMS and Social Services
Psychosocial Hotlines and “Sociolances” – means to reduce call volume? How to strengthen the ties between EMS and Social Services
Patients with problems like alcohol or drug abuse, psychiatric illnesses or homelessness trigger a large of number of responses.
For EMS dispatch there are means to screen and refer some callers to alternative psychosocial or social work helplines. This is a highly complex process were clearing skills from social work need to be utilized. Most systems sent an ambulance in any case and release, if possible, on scene. Some refer to other resources, such as community response teams. In most places alternative resources are present, but the links between EMS and social services are underdeveloped. A few services use “Sociolances” - combined units with social workers presenting the “Socio” part and paramedics the (Ambu)”lance” part. They are dispatched as a primary response unit. The presentation provides an overview about different models. Call triage, clearing processes, response indications and intervention strategies will be presented on a planning and strategy level as well as on a case level.
Patients with problems like alcohol or drug abuse, psychiatric illnesses or homelessness trigger a large of number of responses.
For EMS dispatch there are means to screen and refer some callers to alternative psychosocial or social work helplines. This is a highly complex process were clearing skills from social work need to be utilized. Most systems sent an ambulance in any case and release, if possible, on scene. Some refer to other resources, such as community response teams. In most places alternative resources are present, but the links between EMS and social services are underdeveloped. A few services use “Sociolances” - combined units with social workers presenting the “Socio” part and paramedics the (Ambu)”lance” part. They are dispatched as a primary response unit. The presentation provides an overview about different models. Call triage, clearing processes, response indications and intervention strategies will be presented on a planning and strategy level as well as on a case level.
Optimal Strategies for Fatigue Risk Mitigation - What does the evidence say?
Poor sleep and work-related fatigue impact most, if not all EMS clinicians. Shift work is not going away, which means that EMS leaders must identify and implement strategies that can mitigate fatigue and improve the health and safety of EMS clinicians. Recent reviews of the best available evidence point to a number of different strategies that EMS leaders can adopt and tailor to their needs. The goal of this presentation is to summarize the best available evidence for fatigue mitigation, outline evidence-based strategies, and discuss how implementation and tailoring may help to mitigate (not eliminate) fatigue in the EMS workplace.
Opioid Response and Harm Reduction Response Unit
The Philadelphia Fire Department is one of the busiest metropolitan fire departments in the country. In 2020, we responded to an alarming 266,090 medical responses. In response to the opioid epidemic, Mayor Jim Kenny created a task force to combat the opioid epidemic resulting in the Philadelphia Resilience Project. The area affected is Kensington, known worldwide for drug activity. The fire department can team with the Philadelphia Department of Behavior Health and Intellectual disabilities Services (DBHIDS) to form The Alternative Response Unit AR2, which responds to 911 calls for suspected overdoses. This unit is directly able to provide harm reduction services and linkage to care for people with Substance abuse disorders. The objective of AR2 is to arrive on scene and administer Narcan and any other interventions to patients who have overdosed on opioids. After the patient achieves a normal mental status, has stable vitals, the unit can help facilitate direct placement into drug treatment facilities. This unit cuts out the Emergency Room. The unit takes someone from almost dead to life changing steps in the manner of moments. The unit also provides bystanders with leave behind Narcan and training on how to administer the medication.
O.O.R.A.M- Out of Operating Room Airway Management, How Our Worlds Come Together
This presentation will look at recent updates in airway management/resuscitation practices that have been studied in the prehospital setting that bridge the OORAM gap between the Prehospital, ICU, and Emergency departments. Included in this presentation will be looking at multiple factors related to improving first attempt success, why the first attempt should be your best attempt, ideas to help improve your airway assessment checklists, and how human factors relate to our job as resuscitationists.
Leading EMS Retention and Letting Recruitment Follow
In this 60 minute presentation we will discuss the factors that contribute to EMS turnover and offer solutions to EMS organizations. The EMS Professional Recruitment and Retention Ferris Wheel will be used as part of the presentation. In this learning session we will explore the importance of retention and illustrate how retention drives recruitment. The limiting factors such as funding and resources will be discussed and alternative solutions will be offered. Retention tactics will be presented based on EMS research and real EMS provider interviews.
Ambulance Marketplace
In the market for a new or redesigned ambulance? New this year to EMS World Expo is the Ambulance Marketplace mini-meeting, a unique opportunity for attendees to hear from EMS leaders with experience in researching, designing, and purchasing vehicles. After a didactic portion, the moderators will guide attendees on a tour of vehicle manufacturers’ booths in the Expo Exhibit Hall before they are open to the public. Get an up-close look at the latest offerings to give your patients and providers the best in safety and efficiency.Learning Objectives:• Attendees will be able to analyze the pros and cons of ambulance designs• Attendees will be able to apply decision-making metrics to purchasing decisions• Attendees will be able to evaluate their own agency's needs vis a vis what an ambulance design provides