2012 EMS World Expo Session Notes

During EMS World Expo I was able to attend several sessions. Below are my notes and some links for each presentation I attended.

Train the Trainer: Designing and Running an Injury Prevention and Wellness Program

I was fortunate to sit in on about two hours of Bryan Fass’ pre-conference. I learned and will continue to benefit from a series of passive stretches, active stretches, and foam rolller techniques he taught us during the session. Bryan asked for our ideas for implementing an injury prevention program. I captured from the discussion:

• Administrative buy-in and support
• Activities with immediate feedback, such as the tennis ball for pin-point massage
• Field personnel buy-in and support
• Small group instruction for 3 to 6 members at a time
• Team effort and participation at the start of the shift
• Add to existing exercise routines
• Use “back bumper stretches” while posting

Links:

• TheFitResponder.com
• EMS1.com columns and videos
• Trigger Point [amazon-product text=”(amazon affiliate link)” type=”text”]B005GNJBYW[/amazon-product] used during session

Will Dunn gave an excellent presentation about the history of laryngoscopy and the recent developments in video laryngoscopy. Will reviewed the products currently available, his organizations selection and implementation of the Glide Scope Ranger. He did a great job of answering audience questions and made a reasonable case for utilizing this new technology.

My notes are simply ideas for the makers of video laryngoscopy.

• The actual cost of a cell phone or digital camera is pretty low. A disposable, single use video laryngoscope might be within in the purchasing prowess of EMS services.
• The video screen, when detatched for laryngoscope, should have an “up” orientation like my phone, regardless of how it is held or positioned on the patient’s chest, bench seat, or held in someone’s hands’
• “Vocal cord” recognition, like facial recognition, and targeting should be part of the video screen.

• Poses a question
• Well constructed
• With leading questions
• Structured exploration
• Available resources
• Explanation of expectations and process
• Time set aside for independent and group work

Art also shared that effective questions:

• Ask, don’t tell
• Stimulate, probe and clarify
• Silence is golden
• Adapt and adjust
• Don’t lead

Facing considerable skepticism from the group that it is possible to break away from lecture and teach with cases Art stated, “Entire medical component of paramedic course can be taught with five case.” He didn’t tell us the list of cases but these are five I would use:

1. Altered mental status
2. Chest pain complaint
3. Abdominal pain complaint
4. Headache
5. Syncope

Which five cases would you use?

Overall this was an excellent presentation. Audience participation totally changed the energy in the room. Great work!

Educated to Kill: How EMS Education Pre-Programs Medical Errors in Future Clinicians

• Showed his cell phone number at the start of the presentation and encouraged audience to text him comments and questions.
• Used bicycling as a metaphor for EMS education.
• Paramedic students are expected to know things we don’t teach them.
• Lecture is wildly ineffective. We know this but we keep doing it.
• Way we educate is infantile.
• Through our words and actions we show little regard for our own health and safety.

I made this list of three things that some paramedics that we all should do to reduce injury and risk of error:

1. Wear eye protection on every patient contact.
2. Always wear a seatbelt in the patient care compartment.
3. Use a 2 person drug check and verification before any medication administration

Bonus item: wear a helmet in the patient care compartment.