A reader asked, “I would like to know more about capnography.”

1)      Capnography for paramedics blog,

2)     Capnography, King of the ABCs: A Systematic Approach for Paramedics’ by Troy Valente

3)      Capnography Made Easy training course from Physio-control University. Physio-control university also has free industry education events. Several are related to capnography.

4)      Introduction to Capnography continuing education lesson on RapidCE.com

5)      EMS1.com article about Capnography

6)      EMS World article about capnography

7)      10 things every paramedic should know about capnography on the MedicScribe blog

8)      The Power of Capnography to Guide Respiratory Care from EMSWorld.com

9)      Capnography as a Clinical Tool from EMS World.com

10)   Remember Two Things: Invasive Capnography video on EMS1.com from paramedic educator Steve Whitehead

11)   Innovations in Patient Care podcast Part 1 and Part 2 featuring Peter Canning and Tom Bouthillet

12) What is capnography video on EMS1.com featuring Bob Page

Read related posts and tips:

1. Question: Resources to Learn more about Bath Salts A reader writes, “I need to create a training program...
2. Video: Remember Two Things about Capnography In the first video of a new EMS1.com video series...
3. Online Education and Training Resources National Registry renewal is about 10 weeks away. Do you...

The EMS Newbie podcast is hosting a great contest for new EMS professionals. The grand prize is an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas. Read all the details at EMS Newbie – Vegas Baby.

My experience with contests like this is far fewer people enter than you might expect. Which means your odds of winning are much better than you think. Put pen to paper and get started!

3 of my Top Tips for EMS Newbies:

1. Start your formal continuing education immediately. Don’t wait until the end of your first refresher cycle. Find out what is available from your employer, check with other local education providers like hospitals, and purchase an online continuing education subscription (RapidCE.com or JEMSCE.com).

2. Connect with other EMS professionals from around the world that are on social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook, listen to EMS podcasts like the EMS Garage or MedicCast, and subscribe to the great blogs at EMSBlogs.com.

3. Write (with your hand, a pen, and a nice note card) thank you notes to the family, friends, instructors, preceptors, and mentors that helped you succeed in school. Tell them specifically what they did to support you and how that impacted your success.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Scholarship Essay Writing Tips EMS professionals have many opportunities to apply for scholarships for...
2. Finalist: Fire/EMS Blog of 2009 Contest Everyday EMS Tips was nominated by my friend Chris Kaiser...
3. Contest: Chronicles of EMS Change the Name Competition Win a Trip to CoEMS On Location Filming The Chronicles...

Three things that make me feel itchy:

1. Talking about lice.

2. Wearing a tie.

3. Wool pants.

What makes you feel itchy?

Posts Outside the Service Area

A few articles and things that have caught my eye recently. Browse around and let me know what has caught your attention recently.

Bed Bugs

Are you worried about bed bugs? You should be. Bed bugs on the rise in Wisconsin.

CE Article

Catastrophic injuries from cheerleading is the continuing education article in the October issue of EMS World magazine. After reading the article browse to www.rapidce.com to earn 1.5 hours of CECBEMS approved CE.

Tactical Pants

Tactical pants guide for Women.

Test Taking Tips

Well known educator and author, Dan Limmer, has a new website and blog – EMTReview.com. Check out this great post on Test Taking Tips. Everyday EMS Tips is very pleased to have the EMT Review App as our newest sponsor. Thanks.

Pediatric EMS Podcast

A new podcast from Kyle Bates, Pedi-U.com.

Toronto Emergency Management Symposium

I have been invited to be a panelist to discuss social media and education. Lots of great sessions and presenters on the program. Conference information.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Posts Outside the Service Area: 2nd December Edition As soon as I posted the last “Posts Outside the...
2. Posts Outside the Service Area: Lists, Degrees, and Podcasts, Lists, Lists, and Lists Lists are a tool for bloggers...
3. Priority Posts from Outside the Service Area I overheard some priority traffic from other EMS bloggers, publications,...

Read the Ambulance Safety Solutions supplement from the October issue of EMS World magazine and then log on to www.rapidce.com to receive 1.5 hours of continuing education credit courtesy of ZOLL Medical Corporation.

The series of articles offers great information about:

• Mechanical CPR devices
• Driver monitoring technology
• Forces experiences during ambulance movement

How to Find the Safety Solutions Supplement

• Ambulance Safety Solutions supplement link (PDF or Digital)
• Links to each of the supplement articles in October issue of EMS World magazine

You can also log into your existing RapidCE.com account (or create a new account) to access the PDF of the article. Find the Safety Supplement Course in the shopping area. After you add it your cart and complete the no-cost purchase you will have access to the PDF and quiz questions. After passing the quiz you can print out a CE certificate.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Greetings and an Ambulance Safety Lesson from Ireland This is a guest post by EMS Safety Expert Jim...
2. AIDS/HIV Continuing Education for EMTs and Paramedics (#31daysofCE) Today (December 1, 2009) is World AIDS Day. The purpose...
3. Patients with Service Animals: EMT Continuing Education Lesson Assessing and Treating patients with service animals is one of...

The EMS Magazine CE Article for September is High School Sports Injuries. I co-authored this article with Kevin Collopy. We have been receiving lots of reader questions and comments about this article. One sign that an article is resonating with people is that they ask questions.

Read the article.

Take a quiz at RapidCE.com to earn CE credit.

Read related posts and tips:

1. EMS Academy for Minnesota High School Students This is a guest post by Paul Wilson. If you...
2. Does Reducing Minor Injuries Lead to Less Major Injuries? No. According to this article, “Reducing Minor Injuries Does Not...
3. EMSProMag Article: Our Employee Scheduling Journey Browse the online version of EMS Pro magazine to read...

This statistic really caught my attention – “Severe sepsis is fatal in 1 of four cases and will kill more than a million American’s this year.” A disease, or results of the disease, kills as many people as breast and lung cancer combined yet we hardly know anything about.

Most of what I recall learning about sepsis has come in the context as a cause for shock. The inflammatory response from a septic infection causes systemic vasodilation. Significant signs include hypotension, tachycardia, and tachypnea. The patient may or may not be febrile. Usually, a cause for infection can be identified during the patient assessment process. I have most often encountered septic patients that initially had a urinary tract or respiratory infection. Recent invasive procedures and illnesses that result in immunosuppression are also causes of sepsis.

A Sepsis Alert
Paramedic, EMS Educator, and Blogger Steve Whitehead has written an excellent article for EMS Magazine about Severe Sepsis and the Denver Metropolitan Sepsis Alert Program. The protocol equips EMS professionals to identify sepsis, initiate treatment, and activate a sepsis alert at the receiving hospital. Early identification and intervention can reduce patient mortality. Make sure you read Steve’s article. (the statistics in the introduction paragraph of this post came from Steve’s article).

Sepsis CE Lesson

Learn more about sepsis from a RapidCE lesson that discusses the physiology and treatment of sepsis. Successfully complete the lesson to earn 1.0 CECBEMS approved CE credits. Comments from previous students.

“Good course should be mandatory for all EMS providers.” Paramedic user comment

“Awesome review. Thank you!” Paramedic user comment

“This lesson was well done, for rather complex subject.” EMT user comment

“Excellent course.” EMT user comment

Read related posts and tips:

1. Question: Treatment of Severe Sepsis Reader writes, “I am looking for more information on Severe...
2. Recognition and Treatment of Sepsis (#31daysofCE) Urinary tract infections, infected pressure sores, and lower respiratory infections...
3. Pharmacology Training Resources for EMS Professionals (#31daysofEMS) Pharmacology is one of the most interesting topics in EMS,...

Director of Education for CentreLearn Solutions

I am starting my new job tomorrow as the Director of Education for CentreLearn Solutions LLC. I am really looking forward to the job and the challenges that are ahead. I am joining a great team and a fantastic company that provides a learning management system for all types of emergency response agencies. Read the press release.

CentreLearn has been distributing online continuing education I have created and produced since 2004. I will continue to create content and work with CentreLearn organizations to create and customize their own content. In the weeks to come I will be telling you more about the specifics of my job.

Not totally sure what this change will mean yet for EverydayEMSTips.com. I expect this blog to become a bit more of a personal outlet and will probably post less often. We will see.

As always thanks for your support and interest.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Free CE to Fire/EMS Professionals Affected by Recession EMSResponder.com, CentreLearn and Emergency Preparedness Systems Announce Launch of RapidCE.com...
2. Alternate Posting Locations September 2011 I also write posts frequently at Blog.CentreLearn.com, the blog of...
3. AIDS/HIV Continuing Education for EMTs and Paramedics (#31daysofCE) Today (December 1, 2009) is World AIDS Day. The purpose...

Here I go again.

Paramedic training did not prepare me for the increasing number of patients I encounter with kidney failure. According to the CDC in 2000 more than 26 million American adults had Chronic Kidney Disease. Did you know that high blood pressure and diabetes are the leading causes of chronic kidney disease? I just learned that fact and many others from these two websites.

World Kidney Day

CDC Chronic Kidney Disease Initiative

A RapidCE.com CE Lesson, from flight nurse and ICU RN, Joe Redding introduces assessment and treatment of patients with kidney failure. There is an ALS and BLS version available. Contact us for information on how your organization can access the content in this CECBEMS approved CE lesson.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Audio: Tips to Communicate Prevention Stratigies to Chronically Ill Patients Buck Feris, a paramedic and EMS educator, and Greg Friese...
2. Diabetic Emergencies (#31daysofCE) Everyday EMS Tips readers know that diabetic emergencies while being...
3. Severe Sepsis Training and Resources for EMS Professionals This statistic really caught my attention – “Severe sepsis is...

Here’s How:

1) Read the March Continuing Education article from EMS Magazine – Abdominal Trauma.

2) Browse RapidCE, create an account, and answer a set of multiple choice questions about assessment and treatment of abdominal emergencies. (If it is your first time to RapidCE.com click on the “Start Here” button to create an account.)

The CE article was written by EverydayEMSTips contributor Kevin Collopy. He is a flight paramedic in central Wisconsin, regular EMS magazine contributor, and an EMS educator. I co-authored the article with Kevin. He and I will be writing the monthly CE articles for EMS magazine for the rest of 2010. The April article is about facial trauma.

Also check out the Virtual Training Director column to add a hands-on training component to the Abdominal Trauma article.

Read related posts and tips:

1. CE Article: High School Sports Injuries The EMS Magazine CE Article for September is High School...
2. 22 Hours of Con Ed Now Available from EMS Boot Camp #EMS In just a year the EMS Boot Camp project has...
3. Continuing Education Opportunity: Ambulance Safety Solutions Read the Ambulance Safety Solutions supplement from the October issue...

I produce and design online education lessons for RapidCE.com. Since 2004 my team of physicians, nurses, paramedics, and I have produced more than 125 lessons in categories of medial emergencies, trauma, environmental emergencies, patient assessment, pediatrics, geriatrics, and workplace health and safety.

Many of you may need a few additional CE credits before March 31 or the end of your current certification schedule. I am often asked to recommend my favorite online CE lessons. As with anything, some courses were more enjoyable for me than others. This is my list of my 5 favorite CE lessons:

1. Assessment and treatment of patients with service animals. This lesson was co-written with an owner of a service dog that frequently teaches classroom sessions to fire and EMS agencies. Service animals are trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities. They are protected by ADA law and allowed in public places, including ambulances and emergency departments. Students learn about service animal functions,  assessment, treatment, and transport principles for patients with service animals.

2. Animal bite assessment and treatment. One of my favorite all time student stories was from a student that was attacked by a rabid bobcat while camping along the Baja Mexico Peninsula. She and another adult were bit several times – in the upper and lower legs – before dispatching the bobcat with a kayak paddle. Animal bites are at high risk for infections. Learn causes, injury patterns, bit assessment, and treatment strategies.

3. Basic 12-Lead ECG Operation and Interpretation. This course, due to its elegant simplicity, is consistently one of the highest rated RapidCE lessons. The lesson reviews acute coronary syndrome causes, learn to acquire a 12 lead EKG, and understand basic interpretation techniques.

4. Musculoskeletal Injuries Part 1 and 2. Rarely does a musculoskeletal injury fit into the “see this do that” model for splinting many of us were taught in EMT school. Instead splints require a set of general principles and use of materials that make the most sense for the injury. This two-part lesson series covers anatomy, physiology and injury types as well as splinting and pain management techniques. The lesson is illustrated with high-resolution custom photography.

5. C-Spine Injuries in Athletics was prepared following the National Athletic Trainers Association consensus guidelines for assessment and management of spine injured athletes. The lesson author is a certified athletic trainer and paramedic who applies his real world experience in both disciplines to teach about the guidelines and the practical application to EMS professionals. This lesson is popular anytime of year, not just when the fall football season begins.

These 5 lessons and more than 125 additional CECBEMS approved lessons for ALS and BLS EMS professionals can be found at RapidCE.com. All lessons are narrated, multimedia Flash movies. For custom elearning content development email me greg dot friese at everydayemstips dot com.

Read related posts and tips:

1. Workplace Safety Lessons from Industrial First Responders (#31daysofCE) This week I taught a medical first responder refresher course...
2. 11 New EMT Continuing Education Lessons Do you need to complete continuing education requirements before the...
3. Traumatic Brain Injury (#31daysofCE) Are you a pro football fan? Like me you have...