I rarely create posts that point directly to another post, but I'm making an exception. Every once in a while I come across a post so phenomenally useful that I just have to point it out and share it. … [Read more...]
To Walk or Not To Walk?
March 11, 2010 by 10 Comments
The Happy Medic (THM) recently posted a fantastic topic on his blog. I love diving into controversial decisions that we have to make every shift. Here's one of those questions that we need to answer … [Read more...]
Responding to Hypothermia
February 25, 2010 by 5 Comments
Part 2 of a 2 part series. (Part one is here.) In our last post we looked at some of the causes of hypothermia, both typical and atypical. Then we talked a bit about the recognition of the … [Read more...]
Mastering The Head-To-Toe Assessment
February 8, 2010 by 15 Comments
You probably practiced your head-to-toe assessment a bunch in your EMT class. Maybe more than any other skill in the EMT curriculum. If your class was or is anything like mine (as a student or a … [Read more...]
Medicine Between The Frames
January 28, 2010 by 5 Comments
One of my favorite bloggers, Seth Godin, recently introduced me to the work of Scott McCloud, an author who's written several classic books on understanding comic books. Scott dissects the comic … [Read more...]
The Art of The Pulse Check
December 19, 2009 by 23 Comments
Fast or Slow, Strong or Weak, Regular or Irregular I'd like to teach you how to take a pulse in three seconds or less. Yes it's possible. I am, quite possibly, about to contradict … [Read more...]
Test For Unconsciousness: The Sternal Rub
November 17, 2009 by 14 Comments
Ahhh the embattled sternal rub. Revered, reviled ... the sternal rub is the Ann Coulter of medical interventions. Abrasive, annoying, loved by many, hated by many more. The subject of the usefulness … [Read more...]
Atypical Cardiac Chest Pain
October 22, 2009 by 6 Comments
We taught you what cardiac chest pain looked like, right? You remember. We painted the perfect picture for you in your cardiac emergencies lecture in your EMT class. The pain felt like a … [Read more...]
Understanding OPQRST
August 22, 2009 by 9 Comments
After my post/rant about the overuse and misuse of the DCAP BTLS TIC acronym in EMS education, I was asked the question, " Well, are there any acronyms that you do find useful?" And the answer is … [Read more...]
Lessons I Learned From My First Cardiac Arrest
August 20, 2009 by 7 Comments
It strange to think that it's been almost 20 years since the first time I did CPR. I still remember it so vividly. How the time flies. I was fortunate to have good mentors and teachers in my early … [Read more...]
What Readers Are Saying