EMS1.com Columnists Capnography guided care gives EMS providers the information they need to improve survival for patients who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest By Shawna Renga, NRP The application of waveform capnography in prehospital care has expanded far beyond its most ubiquitous use as the gold standard for endotracheal tube placement confirmation. Capnography as a…

Tim Nowak, AAS, BS, NRP, CCEMTP, SPO, MPO, CADS EMS1.com Columnists Application of an EtCO2 sampling device and waveform monitoring, especially during bag-valve mask ventilation, is well within the capability of EMTs Should EMTs be trained and required to utilize capnography within their scope of practice and clinical care? Yes. That was a short article!…

Bob Sullivan EMS1.com Columnists Understand how using end-tidal carbon dioxide to confirm placement of advanced airways and guide patient care Placement of an advanced airway device in critically ill and injured patients is a high-risk procedure, and permanent disability or death is likely if the airway is misplaced and not recognized. Here are three things…

Limmer Education EMS1.com Columnists Three significant consequences of routine, excessive oxygen administration By Chris Ebright Oxygen. We love it, and it keeps us alive. The atmosphere contains 21% oxygen, and we exhale, on average, 16%. Thus, with the billions and billions of cells within our body, they operate using only 5% of the oxygen we…

Bob Sullivan EMS1.com Columnists Understand the role of pulse oximetry and waveform capnography to assess and treat patients who are hyperventilating Hyperventilation syndrome is a challenging and often misunderstood condition that is frequently encountered in EMS. When triggered by anxiety, hyperventilation causes patients to feel like they are suffocating, but it eventually self-corrects and is…

Limmer Education EMS1.com Columnists Flail chest, tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade and pulmonary contusion have unique presentations, but all jeopardize vital functions By Chris Ebright Welcome to another edition of Back to the Basics! This time around, I thought I’d discuss chest trauma. The reason being, injuries to this part of the body are the second most…

Meena Thill EMS1.com Columnists An AEMT recalls a response to what appeared to be a stroke, which turned into a chest pain scenario “Ambulance 881 you are being requested to the home of a male subject possible stroke.” I rolled over, rolled out of bed and acknowledged the page. My partner and I got our…

Bob Sullivan EMS1 Sponsored EMS providers need to understand the importance of airway management and monitoring for respiratory compromise along with naloxone administration for opioid overdoses Timely recognition, airway management, administration of naloxone (Narcan), and continuous assessment of oxygenation and ventilation can be lifesaving for patients who overdose on opioids. Here are five things every…

Dr. David K. Tan EMS1.com Columnists Follow the mantra “a patient isn’t dead unless they are warm and dead” based on assessment findings and knowing resuscitation contraindications A wrongful death lawsuit for failing to initiate resuscitative efforts was filed against EMS providers by the family of Jake Anderson in late 2016. According to publicly available…

David Wright, MS, PA-C, NREMT-P EMS1.com Columnists A detailed patient history and physical examination inform this diagnosis of exclusion after a brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE) By ​David Wright, M.S., PA-C, NRP; and Kate Randolph, B.S. You and your partner are responding to a 911 call. Dispatch informs you that an alarmed new mother has…