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Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services and University of Lethbridge: First Responders for Identifying and Mitigating Biological Risks in EMS   By Andy Hudson   Paramedics work long and demanding shifts that may place them in dangerous situations, potentially jeopardizing their personal safety or the safety of their patients. In fact, paramedics are about three times more likely to experience mental or physical injury in the workplace than other professionals in healthcare-related industries (1,2). While the potential for emergency medical services … Read More

An introduction to reflective practice for paramedics and student paramedics Authors: Dayna Hilliard1 Kaitlynn James BSc1 Alan M. Batt MSc(c)1-3 Paramedic Programs, Fanshawe College, London, ON, Canada Centre for Paramedic Education and Research, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada Institute for Health Professionals, Portland Community College, OR, USA Reflective practice is an important tool in practice-based professional learning settings where individuals learn from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal teaching or knowledge transfer. It is an important process … Read More

Dr. Frank Pantridge- Father of modern EMS?                                                                             Dr. Ronald D. Stewart “Well, if that is so, if that is what is happening in Belfast, we are seeing only the tip of the iceberg; we must go out and get these people!”1 This determined declaration made in 1964 by Dr. Frank Pantridge, the equally determined chief cardiologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, could well be considered the rallying cry which gave birth to what we now know … Read More

By Chris Farnady, AEMCA, ACP Paramedicine as a profession has evolved by leaps and bounds in the last twenty years – from increases in the scope of practice practitioners can draw from to innovative programs such as the Vital Heart Program (Alberta), STEMI bypass, acute stoke bypass, Tactical EMS and Community Paramedicine, just to highlight a few. However, in some provinces the regulatory framework concerning Paramedics has evolved at a snail’s pace. Some have chosen the route of self-regulation while … Read More

By Blair Bigham Paramedics and physicians across Canada united after a shocking broadcast speculated that Canada’s paramedics were ill-equipped to respond to 911 calls. CTV’s investigative broadcast W5 ran an episode titled “911 Roulette.” The episode, hosted by experienced journalist Kevin Newman, featured registered nurse Karen Carberry, whose husband David died in the back of an ambulance while being transported to a hospital after suffering a STEMI. Newman questioned why some ambulances were staffed with primary care paramedics while others … Read More

By Blair Bigham Most emergency doctors had never heard of “carfentanil” before it showed up in Ohio in July. That’s because it’s not a human medicine – it’s an elephant tranquilizer used by veterinarians. It’s 10,000 times more potent than morphine, and a grain of it – 20 micrograms – can kill a human. It’s also hypothesized to be an antiterrorism drug – it is suspected of being aerosolized by Russian special forces in 2002 when Chechen rebels took hostages … Read More

RE: The British Columbia Fallen Paramedics Memorial Monument Unveiling March 3, 2015 Dear Colleagues On behalf of the Fallen Paramedics Memorial Committee I wish to inform you the Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of the Province of B.C and the Honorable Linda Reid, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of B.C. have announced Wednesday, May 6, 2015 as the date set for the unveiling of the above noted memorial. The committee extends an invitation to you to join your colleagues of the … Read More

Alan Batt1,3, Jessica Morton2,3, Matthew Simpson3 1National Ambulance LLC, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 2Student Paramedics Australasia, NSW, Australia 3Prehospital Research Support Site, prehospitalresearch.eu Introduction The traditional model of paramedicine refers to the role of paramedics with a focus on treatment and transport to emergency departments of acutely ill and injured patients. However, changes in demand from patients for clinical resources has seen the need for evolution and diversification of service delivery to include patient assessment with non-transport options to … Read More

New and noteworthy Apps for Paramedics Angela Anderson Ten years ago would you believe us if we said you would be able to follow the latest CPR guidelines on your smart phone? What if we said you could schedule a fleet using your pocket device? Access basic life support guidelines by the touch of a button, anywhere? With technology allowing us to do pretty much anything on our devices, there really is no excuse for not having the information we … Read More