Moulage / Makeup the “Basics” needed to make the Contrived Experience Work

When developing a contrived experience for EMT’s it’s important that the presented injuries are realistic and believable. This “hands-on” workshop session will provide you the necessary skills to develop realistic and believable injuries. If attending, plan on getting messy and possibly becoming a “victim”.  Enroll early; limits will be applied to the amount of attendees.

This session will inform you what is happening with the proposed revision and how it may impact you as the instructor, the EMT program coordinator and possibly the field EMT.

“It will be different when I am in charge!” – The Myths versus Realities of EMS Supervision and Management 

“Please don’t call me Honey” – Understanding our Geriatric patients

Most EMT and Paramedic programs spend significantly more time discussing pediatrics than geriatrics – even though the percentage of the US population over the age of sixty five is growing at a faster rate than ever before.  Advancements in medicine and pharmaceuticals have pushed the average life expectancy to almost 80.  An overview of specific pearls and pitfalls of assessing and treating geriatric patients will be covered, including important physical, social and cognitive facets every EMS provider should be familiar with.  More common assistive living equipment utilized in home care will be reviewed, as well as relevant topics such as the ins (and outs) of hospice, the uniqueness of geriatric trauma, recognizing elder abuse and being sensitive to end-of-life concerns.  This presentation will touch on a wide variety of medical care issues specific to the geriatric population and will hopefully instill a new respectful perspective on the challenges facing these patients.

“You Be The Jury”, Legal Case Studies for the EMT

For all levels of EMS, “You Be The Jury” is a presentation of actual court cases aligned with the issues we in EMS face on a routine basis.  We’ll review the facts of each case, identify the issues that are raised in each case, discuss them as a group, and then you will act as a member our jury, and decide whether the courts decided these right.  You might be surprised at the actual outcome compared to your own decision.  Put your thinking cap on and join this provocative session. 

Stroke Pretenders:  Differential Diagnoses of Acute Stroke/TIA

Describe EMS personnels’ role as a prehospital care partner; obtaining and using medical history to understand possible diagnose; identifying questions and clues for obtaining pertinent information from patients and familie.

Autism and Emergency Medical Responders: Safety and Risk Management

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s) are the fastest growing category of developmental disability. This disability presents unique challenges to the medical professional. Participants will receive information that will allow them to: 

The Future of Trauma Resuscitation: Hypertonic Saline

Conventional resuscitation of critically injured patients with hemorrhagic shock involves the IV administration of a large volume of isotonic or slightly hypotonic solution beginning in the field.  Recent studies have suggested that an alternative resuscitation fluid may reduce mortality in these patients.  This presentation will examine the available research on the use of hypertonic saline in the prehospital environment.

Agitated Delirium

Increasingly, we are provided with news accounts of people who suddenly die after being restrained.  Two common factors in a significant number of these deaths include a state of extreme agitation and delirium by the patient which results in a violent struggle with police officers or health care providers.  This presentation will examine the current state of the science with respect to these in-custody deaths.

Sudden Death in Young Athletes

The possibility that young physically fit athletes may be susceptible to sudden cardiac death seems counterintuitive.  Nevertheless, such catastrophes occur, usually in the absence of prior symptoms and have considerable emotional and social impact. This presentation will examine the magnitude and causes of this problem.

Just a Dish on a Tablecloth

Kinematics is an integral part of the assessment of a patient involved in a traumatic incident, and provides valuable information to guide treatment.  In this lively session we will explore the laws of physics and their interrelationship with traumatic injury.  Come see what happened before you got there and answer the age old question “How did you do that?!”

Squeeze Me? – The Pressure is On!

What is the relationship between compartment syndrome, crush injury, and crush syndrome?  Can they occur spontaneously?  How are they treated? These questions and more will be answered during this session.  Case reviews will be utilized to present medical and traumatic causes of these injuries, home health care situations where they may occur, and BLS treatment through surgical intervention.

I Swear to Tell the Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

Have you ever had a patient’s story change when you arrived at the hospital?  From the patient’s perspective we will explore the communication process, the establishment of a therapeutic relationship, and how our actions can dramatically impact the effectiveness of our communications.  After this session your patients should be telling you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

When Alternative Therapies and Medical Treatments Collide

Has a patient in the field ever told you that they receive “Chelation therapy” or take Licorice Root?   Here is a chance to learn about and discuss common alternative and complementary therapies and their impact on your evaluation and management of patients in the field.

Evaluating and Communicating with the Mentally Ill Patient

Mentally ill patients can present us with a tremendous challenge in both communication and evaluation.  We will look at the most common presentations of the patient with mental illness and discuss how to approach these patients keeping in mind our own safety as well as the patient’s.  We will also learn more about the diagnosis of mental illness through signs and behavioral changes which will present in these patients.

Objectives:

Upon completion of the presentation the participant will be able to:

Better describe the various signs and symptoms encountered with mentally ill patients and the pathophysiology behind them.

Describe general and specific approaches to interacting with patients who have a variety of psychiatric illnesses.

Have a better understanding of safety issues for both the patients and providers in these situations.

Dispel misconceptions about the mentally ill towards becoming better advocates for their care

Pediatric Abuse

Abuse in all of its forms is too prevalent in our society today.  We will look at the common forms of abuse and how to recognize them in our pediatric patients.  Further discussion will include other medical problems that may look like abuse but which aren’t and the next steps to take in helping to care for the patient as well as report the abuse.

Objectives:

Upon completion of the presentation the participant will be able to:

Define abuse in all its forms.

Relate cardinal signs of pediatric abuse.

Identify appropriate physical and psychological management of the abused child.

Discuss reporting procedures appropriate for state and local requirements.

WHY DO YOU TAKE THAT

Brief overview of some of the most commonly prescribed drugs.

The physiological effects on your patient

Provide awareness of potential prescription drug problems

EMS SKILLS NOT FOUND IN YOUR BOOK

In this practical session, EMS providers will be shown and practice skills not found in their EMS book. Consensual pupil assessment (an early sign of rising ICP), lower extremity blood pressures, other sling and swath techniques, and loading a patient to a longboard in a tight hallway using straps, will be learned.

Environmental Emergencies

Toxicological exposures will be covered as it pertains to animal bites, stings, and plant ingestions.  Farm exposures, and weather exposures will be covered in detail as well.  BLS/ALS focus

Burn Management By The Book

ABA recommendations for burns including field treatment for all types of burns including thermal, chemical, and electrical burns.  Case studies are covered in detail, including pitfalls and mistakes in management.  BLS/ALS appropriate

Metabolic Derangements

Recognition of metabolic derangements including hyper/hypokalemia, hyper/hypocalcemia, hyper/hypoglycemia, and hyper/hyponatremia.  Simple lab tests, physical exam procedures and EKG interpretation as it relates to metabolic derangements will be covered, treatment plans and mistakes in management will be covered.  Advanced ALS Focus

Rural ALS Intercept: Bringing it Home 

Shouldn’t citizens living in rural communities have the same access to emergency health care as their urban counterparts?  Deb presents the challenges and successes of providing advanced life support in sparsely populated areas and shares one success story.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, the participant will be able to:

Discuss advantages/disadvantages of rural EMS systems

Describe the value of a cooperative, multi-agency approach.

Define urban/rural alliances

Identify one model for rural ALS systems

Relate planning principles for rural system

Diabetic Emergencies:  Let’s Get Personal

This is a lively and energetic presentation for the review of diabetic emergencies and a look at some of the more recent developments in diabetic treatment from a professional and personal perspective.  Deb has been a diabetic for over 20 years and wears an insulin pump now. 

Objectives

The participant of this CE session will be able to:

Relate the Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus, Types 1 and 2

Describe the Assessment of Hypoglycemia, Diabetic Ketoacidosis,  Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Coma

Discuss Insulin PumpTherapy

Identify current trends in Diabetes Care

Complications and Management and Treatment of Diabetic Emergencies

Pharmacology for the EMT-Basic

An overview of all medications introduced in the EMT-Basic curriculum, including information on actions, contra-indications, and side effects of each medication in an easy-to-understand method.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, the participant will be able to:

Identify which prescribed medications are outlined in the 1994 EMT-Basic Curriculum

Relate the actions and desired effects of prescribed inhalers, Nitroglycerine and Epinephrine Auto-injector.

Discuss he side effects and contraindications for prescribed inhalers, Nitroglycerine, Baby Aspirin, Activated  and Epinephrine Auto-injector.

EMT-Airway, a BLS with an ALS tough primer for airway management,

EMT-Splinting

EMT-Medical Emergencies

Case Studies # 16

Case presentations, challenging your diagnostic and Treatment abilities....

The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling:

This presentation will look at the failure of the EMS system at all levels.  We must face the fact that, after 40 years, the concept of an ems system has failed.  We will look at the factors that have led up to this present state of affairs; why the ems system must first collapse before we can fix it; how we can fix it and make it a viable system designed to save lives and help people in need.

Has The State Of Connecticut Successfully Implemented EMD Or Are We Just Fooling Ourselves?:

We will take a look at how successful the state of Connecticut and the various responsible agencies have been in implementing a comprehensive, coordinated EMD system to support our ems system; we will answer the question as to present success or lack thereof of EMD; the impact of not successfully implementing EMD and if we need to do something about the present state of EMD affairs.

The Toxic House; what children find

Have you ever been call to a child choking?  How about if the dispatch indicates, “child took something?”  When you arrive on scene and begin to sort out the possibilities you actually discover that the youngster has ingested something that is not for human consumption or it is if they were say 68 years of age and 150 pounds!  What is it that children so often find, why are they drawn to toxic items, what can EMS do about this?  Join Gary in this presentation of discovery and what you can do about making a positive change and taking public health preventative action.

Headaches in EMS, Not yours-Your Patient’s!

Your patient experiencing a headache may not have had it induced from the all night EMS bash, but then again they may.  The complaint of headache to the EMS care provider often times may be vague, "my head just hurts!"  "Help me!"  Other times it may be very specific and precise.  Does age play a factor in headache type?  What about prehospital management for headache?  Join Gary as he presents an animated and informative discussion on headaches in EMS including headache types, assessment tips and patient approach.  He will also cover special questions to ask, pathophysiological factors, and what you can do to make your patient feel better in the prehospital setting.

Pre Hospital Evaluation and Management of Sports Related Cervical Spine

You are called to the local high school for evaluation and transport of a football player with a suspected cervical spine injury.

“Bullets are not Digestible”-True Stories from the Gun Club of Connecticut

Lets look at the at the anatomy, physiology, and kinematics of gunshots/penetrating trauma to the abdomen. The pre-hospital exam, diagnosis, and treatment will be discussed and matched up to the hospital emergency and surgical care rendered. What kinds of outcomes does this population have?  Can they be predicted?  And don't miss this- the latest in treatment pathways will be revealed here.

This course is open to physicians, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals who have a strong background in resuscitation, have previously completed at least one standard ACLS Provider Course, wish to renew their ACLS Provider status, and wish to gain exposure to various advanced topics in resuscitation, particularly certain special situations described below.  Put another way, it is designed for experienced providers who wish to "move beyond the algorithms.”