Recent content by Craig Alan Evans

Sounds like semantics, but let's play this out. In my opinion all of the brainpower is spent in the decision to perform the procedure or not. Once you pull the trigger the process of doing it really is very simple. In these situations you do not have the luxury of thinking your way through it...

We use surgical kits with scalpel, dilator, hook, and tube. As a system we do about one a year. We train very often with deer trachs simulating blood flowing as we perform the procedure so the training is pretty realistic. We make sure every medic can do the procedure from cut to ventilation in...

We have been performing RSIs for the last 10-12 years. I can't remember exactly. Every RSI is reviewed by our team of medical directors and they give immediate feedback to the crew. We have every paramedic visit the OR annually sometimes every 2 years to get experience and guidance under an...

This concave vs convex has proven to be an excellent differential diagnosis using just a 12 lead. BER and pericarditis are both concave in shape while an AMI will always be straight or convex.

There are many things that cause ST segment elevation and mimic an AMI. One of the keys in distinguishing between the two is the morphology of the T Wave. The T Wave of an acute MI has certain characteristics that when present are highly predictable. The T Wave will first be hyper acute...

Honest answer. We often discuss our beliefs at work. We debate, we agree, we disagree all in a friendly environment. It just doesn't seem like a big deal to me to discuss things like this. You can't help but get to truly know the people you work with when you spend 56 hours a week together.

abc has a valid point there. We all understand the nuances of the English language and how to phrase a sentence properly to elicit our meaning. Saying that you are civil towards another is completely different than truly being tolerant. A good example of tolerance is defending another beliefs on...

Sounds like Rocket and Tigger's tolerance needs a little work. I personally have no issues working with atheists---->devout christians, Muslims, it just doesn't matter. If it bothers you to work with someone of a particular belief system then I suggest you look inward and ask yourself why.

I say stick to your beliefs. For every person who refuses your help there will be another who I absolutely comforted by it. The world needs to abolish treating people differently because of their beliefs and it will not happen by stealthily hiding behind a surgical hat. It will be accomplished...

It is much safer to train BLS providers to give Narcan than it is to have them pump the patients stomach up with air, cause them to vomit, and aspirate. I believe IN Narcan is light years above of BVM+OPA for BLS providers.

Good read. Many of the problems defined are not unique to any one area in the US. Look like they proposed good solutions.

If you don't feel it's an issue I wouldn't be so hung up on it. Do you also have a hx of skinning your knees, wrecking your bike, etc. they aren't problems now either are they. Forget about it. Move on.

I keep my station pants down around my station boots in the same fashion as my bunker pants when I'm riding the medic unit. That way it's all the same motions just a different ensemble. :-)

I would go so far as saying the thing with hypoglycemia in general is you don't want to slam a dose of D50. A 250 bag of D10 has 25 grams of dextrose the same as an amp of D50 and you can control the rate better and raise their sugar slowly so as not to cause their system a sudden spike they...

With all the new talk about fire base EMS and fire departments in general I thought this would be a good topic for discussion. I work in a fire department as an EMS Lt in charge of a two person paramedic medic unit. We are cross trained and carry full protective gear and SCBA with us. These are...