On Being Prepared, Having No Regrets and Delivering Asymmetric Impact.
On Being Prepared, Having No Regrets and Delivering Asymmetric Impact. by Roland Paquette I began my medical career as a first responder within the US Army. I was a US Army Special Forces Medical Sergeant or Green Beret Medic (18D). We received the civilian NREMT Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic Training curriculums augmented with 3rd […]
Do You Feel Ready to Care for a Sick Floppy Infant?
Do You Feel Ready to Care for a Sick Floppy Infant? By Po-Chang Hsu and Hector Caraballo Introduction Infantile hypotonia presents significant challenges in the pre-hospital setting. As a paramedic or EMT you will likely respond to calls involving both acutely and chronically ill children. The skill of accurately and rapidly assessing a pediatric patient’s tone […]
EMS and Maternal Mortality Trends: Can Pre-Hospital Professionals Make a Difference?
EMS and Maternal Mortality Trends: Can Pre-Hospital Professionals Make a Difference? One Story at a Time, One Life at a Time, One Calling: Make a Difference. PART 1 The call goes out for a “26 year-old female with possible seizure”. Upon arrival you find a young African-American female, Sheila, who is lying on the sofa […]
Augmented Reality and Safe Spaces for Exploring Medical Errors in EMS
Augmented Reality and Safe Spaces for Exploring Medical Errors in EMS The tones drop. You get to the rig, lights and siren scream out. You’re on your way to a 5-month-old baby. Dispatcher says its an “unknown medical” call. You get on scene and are met by frantic family members. You and your partner get […]
Remembering “Mike”
Remembering “Mike” We’ve all been there — that patient whose circumstance, behavior or personality really makes us question our career choice. Perhaps it is a belligerent, intoxicated, homeless person or a very demanding, loud and aggressive person with a seemingly minor complaint. I’ll admit, there are times that I just want to walk away. It […]
PerSim: Lives Saved by a Thousand Mistakes
PerSim: Lives Saved by a Thousand Mistakes As we were about to deliver a PerSim system to Austin Community College the other day, I was reminded of the possibilities of how this company can transform the landscape of healthcare training. Last week while we were visiting some fire stations a voice rose from the corner […]
We’re Having a Baby!
We’re Having a Baby! Well… sorta. Why is it that most simulators look like the “average” male: 5″10′, 70kg? Well, that’s what we’ve always learned on. I remember in medical school learning about this “average” male. I’ve been in practice for 20 years, and my average patient rarely meets this description. So, it would stand […]
EMS Today Conference & Expo
EMS Today Conference & Expo Last week, the team from MedCognition headed to Charlotte, North Carolina for the EMS Today Conference and Expo. The weather was fantastic, the conference was invigorating and meeting EMS professionals from all over the United States was the highlight of our trip. We had a chance to meet over 150 […]
EMS Simulation Training: It’s Time for a Leap Forward.
EMS Simulation Training: It’s Time for a Leap Forward. What do augmented reality medical simulation training and the horseless carriage have in common? Answer: Both are beholden to the diffusion of innovation. History is filled with examples of technologies that take decades to become widely adopted. The transition from horse pulled carriages to the automobile was fraught […]
MedCognition: What’s in the Name?
MedCognition: What’s in the Name? Over my career, I’ve been a clinician, trained hundreds of medics to deploy to war, prepared physicians for emergency practice and analyzed cases that didn’t go as hoped. Through all these activities, I’ve come to realize that medical knowledge and skill are only part of the equation. To be a […]
