EMTpro Podcast

Steve, Dan, and Holly bring Nate and Andrea from the Guardian Group into the studio to discuss Sex Trafficking Awareness. As EMS providers, Nate and Andrea walk listeners through what to look for on scene, best practices when you find evidence of trafficking, and how to protect your loved ones at home. 

Steve, Dan, and Holly discuss the background and use of Ketamine in EMS. The trio interviews their guest, Oregon Firefighter/Paramedic Isaiah Burkhart, an Army Ranger veteran, about his experience with Ketamine personally and professionally. Various calls are discussed outlining what went well and what could have gone better when it comes to chemical restraint. Various doses and indications for th...

Steve, Dan, and Holly are joined by Dr. Ed Racht to discuss humor and its role in EMS. Gallows humor is discussed as well as the concept of looking at humor as a different language for EMS providers. Dr. Racht reviews when to know you've crossed the line and how to test your humor out with your co-workers, friends, and family if you're unsure if it will be received well. 

Steve, Dan, and Holly are joined with their colleague Chad who works full time in human trafficking in the Portland area. Chad describes his work, defines trafficking for listeners, and outlines what EMS providers can do when their "spidey senses" are going off.  Mental health awareness is discussed when it comes to first responders who are constantly faced with gut-wrenching calls and cases. Stev...

Steve, Dan, and Holly discuss the fundamental differences and pros and cons between private ambulance EMS and Fire-Based EMS. The trio is joined by two Firefighter Paramedics from Washington State - Eric Chamberlain and Jeff Wright, who have a unique outlook on EMS compared to the average of their peers. 

Steve, Dan, and Holly return to discuss the generational gaps in EMS and the workforce in general. The trio talks about the common stereotypes and strengths of Baby Boomers, Gen X, Xennials, Millenials, and Gen Z. The trio details their own personal experiences working with people across all generations and how those differences can make work fun. The differences between millennials and the other...

Steve, Dan, and Holly are back after an extended hiatus due to COVID-19. Listen as the trio discuss how COVID has impacted their lives both professionally and personally.  Compassion fatigue and the impact of the Coronavirus on healthcare workers across multiple disciplines are discussed. Steve discusses one of his recent COVID-related cardiac arrest calls and the changes EMS is facing in the waki...

Steve, Dan, and Holly return to discuss the pathway to a successful internship. The trio talks about how formative internship is for students and begin answering questions submitted by prospective students. The trio details the stress of the first day of internship, and what students can expect. Adaptation is key; different agencies operate differently and have their own unique challenges. Steve r...

Dan, Holly, and Steve return to discuss resiliency and its importance in emergency medical services. Dan and Holly open by highlighting their attendance at the Train the Trainer course for the FBI Officer Resiliency course. Holly and Dan further detail the organizational components of their course, and its emphasis on teaching resiliency early. Story-telling was focused on in the course, as a way...

Steve, Dan, and Holly are joined by a special guest, Dr. Brenda Tillman of Readiness Group, to discuss how we as first responders can deal with chronic stress. In today's world of Covid, natural disasters, social unrest, and political division, it's hard to maintain our sanity when you throw in a stressful job on top of it. Dr. Tillman reviews ways we can practice good self-care to stay sane and i...

In this episode, Steve, Dan, and Holly discuss lung sounds, their treatment modalities, and common misconceptions. Steve leads a Lung Sound recognition game while Dan and Holly square off to see who's the best. After listening to the lung sound, they then discuss the correct sound by reviewing the textbook definition of it and the treatment options for it in the field.

In this episode, Steve, Dan, and Holly talk about cardiac arrest response with the EMS coordinator at Rialto Fire, Joe Powell. After looking at Rialto Fire departments stats, Joe realized they had to do something different. At Rialto Fire, they have committed to the  ‘wheel of survival’ which is a regularly evolving set of steps designed to maximize the interventions of EMS personnel with their pa...

Steve, Dan, and Holly introduce Scotty Bolleter, one of the co-inventors of the EZ-IO. Scotty details how he got started in EMS, and what led him to help create the EZ-IO. Scotty discusses his time as a flight paramedic, and how his time spent training in hospitals pushed him into EMS business ventures. Steve touches on his business ventures in EMS. Scotty walks the trio through his team’s process...

Steve, Dan, and Holly introduce their guest speaker, Kari, a respiratory therapist/paramedic from Washington. Kari discusses the endotracheal tube and the importance of having a correctly sized and placed tube. Kari highlights how critical it is to understand the disease processes that resulted in the patient being intubated. Ventilation and oxygenation issues are reviewed, along with the importan...

Steve, Dan, and Holly introduce themselves, and today’s focus, trauma. Steve reviews his educational background, and how his university set him up for success in paramedicine. He then transitions into his craziest trauma call, dispatched a potential stabbing. Walking into the scene, Steve sees his patient, a 20-something-year-old who has been stabbed two times in the chest and once left arm. The c...

Steve, Holly, and Dan are back with Dr. Brenda Tillman and Ben Wescott in part two of their PTSI series. Dr. Tillman emphasizes how important it is for senior providers to encourage open discussions on mental health. Ben shares his insight on how providers can challenge the stigma of discussing mental health. Ben shares his story and highlights his path to healing. Dr. Tillman and Ben discuss peer...

Steve, Dan, and Holly introduce Dr. Brenda Tillman and Ben Wescott in their seventh podcast. Dr. Tillman discusses her experience as a clinician, and Ben introduces himself. Dr. Tillman details the difference between PTSD and PTSI, and why those differences are important when diagnosing first responders. Counseling programs for first responders are overviewed, as well as the training process for c...

Steve, Holly, and Dan begin their sixth podcast discussing the difference between PTSD and PTSI. Steve touches on his journey with PTSI. The initial triggering call is reviewed, and Steve details the emotional and physiological symptoms he dealt with. Steve talks about his experience with counseling. The trio overview common emotional and physiological symptoms of PTSI, as well as behaviors that c...

Steve, Dan, and Holly begin their fifth podcast with a case study on a motorcycle accident. Dan describes the logistics of the call and initial patient presentation. Mistakes made during rapid sequence intubation are discussed. The trio talks about the evolution of airway management procedures, such as the process of intubating patients and pre-oxygenation. Dan discusses his checklist for successf...

Steve outlines his “craziest” cardiac call for Holly and Dan, which was dispatched as a person down. He discusses logistical issues affecting patient care, and how those issues were addressed. Steve, Dan, and Holly review the call and talk about lessons learned. Dan breaks down his “crazy” cardiac call for Holly and Steve, which was dispatched as a cardiac arrest. The three review patient care ren...

Holly talks about her background as a paramedic and flight nurse. Dan discusses certifications he obtained to become a flight paramedic. Holly discusses her path to become a flight nurse. The trio outlines similarities in protocols for flying a critical patient in the field. Holly touches on the importance of flying patients with time-sensitive presentations, be it medical or trauma-related. Dan a...

In their second podcast, Dan and Steve discuss what their individual departments have done in response to COVID-19. Current statistics regarding the novel coronavirus are reviewed. Dan walks through what a call at his agency looks like in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve touches on how COVID-19 has changed how departments respond to calls, as well as the mindset of medical providers on sc...

Steve and Dan review their goals for this new podcast and how you can obtain your CE hours through EMT-CE.com. After the introductions, Steve and Dan dive into some interesting case reviews regarding airway management and trauma.