What's old is new again.

So yesterday I was in class. Three times a year we at Hamilton EMS have to do our CME (Continuing Medical Education). Twice is done by the service, and once (yesterday) by the Base Hospital.

The Base Hospital is where we as paramedics get our certification. it is headed by a doctor (Dr. Michelle Welsford) and these are the folks that give us our drug protocols that allow us to give drugs in the field. So our Base Hospital CME in a nutshell tells us about upcoming new protocols, or changes to existing protocols, and does a Q&A session.

So yesterday was it and for the most part, it was pretty boring. They had three hours of material they stretched into an eight hour day. Do the math. While I have never had my brain anesthetized, I'm pretty sure I now know what it feels like.

The good news that came from yesterday was the changes coming up to our defibrillation protocols. Just in case you aren't aware, there are Cardiac Arrest protocols for the following:

a. Medical Arrest
b. Traumatic (Blunt) Arrest
c. Traumatic (Penetrating) Arrest
d. Hypothermic Arrest
e. Foreign Body Arrest

And while most of these are very similar, there are differences in each and every one. Each time we do a VSA (Vital Signs Absent), our actions are scrutinized by the Base Hospital to make sure we have done everything right.

So soon our arrest protocols will change and by and large they will simplify. Not just because it will be cheaper and easier with the changes (it will be, by the way) but because of evidence based research. Focus will change from following elaborate procedures to more of a "back to the basics" approach.

So with the changes we will be targeting with good, solid, old fashioned C.P.R. with a small defibrillation protocol just in case we can shock something. So what makes this somewhat exciting (as exciting as this stuff can get anyway)?

Like I said before...evidence based research. They're using more than an educated guess. Decisions are being based on solid, firm research.

So what does it mean in the long run? Less time on scene, less farting around. Better chance to actually do something effective. So what's the lesson for those of my readership who are not of the paramedical variety? Learn CPR.

Studies are now showing the fast and effective CPR is the absolute best chance a cardiac arrest patient has. I have personally seen two patients and heard of a third have there heart start beating again because of good quality CPR.

Also knowing that 70% of all CPR done by the general public is performed on a loved one, makes a compelling argument to spend a weekend learning or re-learning this stuff. And for the record, there is usually no difference between Red Cross and St. John Ambulance other than price.

So to sum up, changes are good. What's old has become new again; and for reasons I will never understand, I can't keep the damn dog out of the kitty litter.

Be well!