Ketamine Use in Prehospital and Hospital Treatment of the Acute Trauma Patient

Ketamine Use in Prehospital and Hospital Treatment of the Acute Trauma Patient

Are you ready to transform how you approach trauma care on your next shift?  In the latest episode of From Science to the Scene, Jacob unpacks how a single medication serves as a versatile powerhouse for pain management, procedural sedation, airway induction, and acute agitation. This discussion dives deep into the clinical utility and helps to shatter historical myths, noting that ketamine is safe for patients with head and eye injuries without causing harmful pressure spikes. You will learn why proper preparation is the true key to patient safety, from mastering weight-based pediatric dosing to setting up essential airway monitoring.  Listen to the full episode now to elevate your clinical knowledge and bring the latest science to the scene! Read the entire study here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2020.1801920

Layperson-Administered Naloxone Trends

Did you know that layperson-administered naloxone (LAN) increased by over 43% in just two years? This week on From Science to the Scene, Jacob Kamholz discusses a major study that uses national EMS data to track how often the public intervenes during an overdose, before EMS arrives. While overall naloxone administration by EMS Clinicians actually decreased 6% over this period, the rise in LAN supports public health efforts and over-the-counter access initiatives aimed at getting this life-saving medication into the hands of the community, and the community is responding! The research notes that these interventions frequently occur in urban homes and residences, which are the very settings where rapid assistance is most critical. Check out the full episode to learn how EMS data is informing public health policy and highlighting community-led interventions. Read the study here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824732

Intra-arrest Transport vs Continued On-Scene Resuscitation

Should a Clinician "stay and play" or "load and go?" This question is at the heart of the latest episode of the From Science to the Scene podcast. Our Research Fellow, Kayla Riel, joins the show to dive into a study that challenges old habits. For a long time, the common thought was that a fast trip to the hospital was the best chance for a patient in cardiac arrest. However, the latest data from the Journal of the American Medical Association tells a more complex story. The research compares patients who were transported during resuscitation to those who received care on the scene. The results are clear: continuing care where the patient is found is linked to a higher rate of survival. A Clinician who focuses on high quality care on the scene may give their patient a better chance to return home to their family. Moving a patient while their heart is not beating is a major challenge. It can lower the quality of chest compressions and create safety risks for the crew in the back of the ambulance. Kayla Riel explains how these findings should change the way we think about our protocols and our training. See the research: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2770622 #NREMT #EMS #EMT #cardiacarrest #ambulance #emergencymedicine #podcast #research

Tranexamic Acid During Prehospital Transport

Are you ready to dive into the latest evidence on trauma care? In our fourth episode of "From Science to the Scene," we break down the STAAMP trial to see if pre-hospital administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) truly improves survival for patients at risk for hemorrhage. While the study found that pre-hospital TXA did not significantly lower the overall 30-day mortality rate, the data revealed critical benefits for specific groups. The results indicate that the Clinician can significantly impact outcomes by providing the medication within one hour of injury or to patients in severe shock. Furthermore, the study confirmed that pre-hospital TXA is safe and does not increase the risk of adverse events like blood clots or seizures. We invite you to explore how these findings might influence your practice or educational curriculum by listening to the full episode and reviewing the research today. Read the full research paper here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2771225 #NREMT #EMS #EMT #paramedic #research #TXA #medical #healthcare #medicine #study #researcher #ambulance #emergency

Pain Management

In this episode, National Registry Research Fellow Jacob Kamholz explores a national study on how pain is managed in the field. The research analyzed over 35,000 EMS records of adult patients with confirmed long bone fractures. By linking EMS data with hospital diagnoses, researchers were able to precisely identify the injuries treated by each Clinician. The study utilized the CDC Social Vulnerability Index to account for factors like income and education levels within different communities. Researchers examined whether the administration of pain medication varied across different patient groups while controlling for age, injury location, and transport time. This methodology ensures a comprehensive look at how care is delivered in various environments. The findings indicate that differences in treatment exist within the out-of-hospital setting. These variations were not explained by patient preferences or clinical contradictions. We invite you to listen to the full episode to learn how data can help the EMS community continue to provide high-quality care for every patient. Read the full study here: https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(23)00267-6/pdf