I have had a few calls to nursing homes where the patients IV fell out and the patient is being sent to the hospital for an IV restart. If the patient does not have any complaints otherwise, would an IV certified crew be able to start the IV and patch to not have the patient transported? If so, would this be documented as a refusal? I have always transported these patients but it would be helpful to know if there are other options to avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital. Thank you!
The AHA and COVID-19 guideline has a caveat that states in “suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases” we should implement the prescribed practices. In the event that the patient in cardiac arrest is not confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms is it reasonable to every to pre-pandemic practice of resuscitation?
Follow-up question that was asked on 29-Jan-2021 about pulse checks after no shock is indicated. Base hospital answered that pulse checks should occur concurrently with each rhythm analysis. Is this true for those of us that are using S-AEDs rather than manual rhythm analysis? The reason I ask is because First Aid & CPR courses suggest that touching a patient during an AED analysis will introduce artifact that could affect the accuracy of the analysis.
Hello and thank you for your time everyone. Module 2 point 2 reinforces the concept that high quality CPR is the primary focus for care of an opioid overdose VSA patient. However, It also highlights that naloxone may be administered as long as AHA guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation are adequately being met. Given this point; is it o.k. for paramedics to administer naloxone for these type of VSA patients? The directive book and phone application Medical Cardiac Arrest directive continues to state, “There is no clear role for routine administration of naloxone in confirmed cardiac arrest”. I found it a little unclear whether this segment was reinforcing the concept to not administering naloxone for a VSA patient, or providing guidance that it is acceptable as long as other aspects of care are effectively delivered.
What is the correct course of action if a pt goes VSA while crew is on scene, (ex. 1st analyses reveals VF, pt shocked, then 2 more analyses 2 min apart- both PEA), then pt starts spontaneously breathing and has pulse (ROSC)…then rearrests 2 min later and is in VF so crew shocks…CPR continued as pt still pulseless. Keep in mind crew is still on scene waiting for fire to show up as crew needs help with extrication.. this situation has happened and 1 crew member had called BHP for direction as it’s ‘grey” area as normally you are transporting by then and would do 1 analysis following rearrest and shock if necessary and continue with transport/CPR.. BHP was not clear just kept saying “follow your protocol” when in fact the crew was but at that point was very “grey”. Would we treat it as a whole new medical cardiac arrest protocol as its a re-arrest on scene until fire arrives? Or what would be the best course of action?
I had a patient who met the criteria for Nitro administration under the ACPE directive. The initial BP was 104/72, with no previous Nitro use, and unable to obtain IV access. The pts blood pressure in the back went up to 143/88 while in the back of the ambulance… can nitro be given now that the blood pressure has increased, even if the pt started <140 SBP?
For the IV bolus directive when one of the contraindications is fluid overload, if a patient has CHF and is presenting hypotensive, and is not experiencing SOB but has chronic edema in his/her feet/legs is that technically a contraindication to not bolus? Considering that would fall under fluid overload ? What are the signs and symptoms of fluid overload you guys are wanting us to look out for and be aware of?
In regards to an IV that you have established are other medical professionals allowed to use it to give drugs on way to hospital? Back story, picked up a female patient who had just given birth with significant post partum hemorrhage. Midwife onscene was unable to establish a line but you subsequently start one. Midwife wants to push oxytocin through the IV that you have established is this OK?
With regards to pediatric resuscitation, are we to use the pediatric setting on the zoll for only less than 8 years old, or for >30 days to onset puberty? I was reading old Q&A for this, and it was made to seem like we only use the pediatric setting for less than 8 on the zoll, and anything older than that use the adult setting
Just a question regarding a pediatric VSA. I was reading some other askmac questions and noticed they had said we use the pediatric defib setting for kids under 8, however if the child is over 8 and less than the onset of puberty, does that mean were still using the pediatric defibrillation setting or the adult setting on the semi-auto zoll?
My question is can you TOR an opioid overdose cardiac arrest. The question came up recently and it seemed a simple yes because opioid overdose cardiac arrests are to be run as a standard medical arrest. However, some people have referenced the “very early transport after one analysis… for medication overdose/ toxicology.” This is further confused by the 1-Mar-2012 Ask MAC submission where it was stated you could not obtain a TOR on an OD (but did not specify what type of OD). I am hoping you can provide some clarification on obtaining a TOR during an opioid overdose VSA.
Question: Could you please give clarification – On a VSA of a suspected opioid overdose, can we leave after the 1st analysis? Half my co-workers say yes and the other half says no, that you must stay to complete 4 analysis. I understand that early transport can be considered in medication overdose/toxicology. Where we are having difficulty with the interpretation of the protocol is “In cardiac arrest associated with opioid overdose, continue standard medical cardiac arrest directive. There is no clear role for routine administration of naloxone in confirmed cardiac arrest”. Some medics are saying that the “continue standard medical arrest directive ” means to complete 4 analysis. My interpretation is, no narcan and continue protocol, which is to consider early departure. Thanks
Good afternoon, my question is related to current ACS treatment guidelines. I have had several STEMI inter-facility transfers within the last month or so where attending physicians have initiated pain management with Fentanyl. Upon receiving patient handover from these physicians they often request that this treatment modality be continued throughout transfer. Due to the current AMHA research regarding increased mortality in ACS and STEMI patients who are treated with morphine, is there any move to eliminate this contraindication from the fentanyl protocol, or to remove morphine from the ACS treatment guidelines? If a Physician requests this treatment modality (fentanyl) are we able to patch around this contraindication for fentanyl or would this go against the spirit of the protocol patching around contraindications? If the Physician has initiated treatment with Fentanyl and we have exhausted our nitro protocol or it is contraindicated will we suffer repercussions for not initiating morphine treatment even when it was requested that we do not by the sending physician? Would we require a patch to NOT treat this patient with morphine? Why there is a heart rate range for nitro? what will happen if HR is below 60bpm and above 159bpm?
Has SWORBHP considered push dose epinephrine for ACP’s? This treatment is being used for a variety of indications in many paramedic services throughout the globe and has literature supporting it. I know this was brought up in 2017 and one of the concerns was “anytime drawing up medications, there is a risk for medication error”. There was a code epinephrine shortage in 2019/2020 and ACP’s were reconstituting epinephrine from 1:1,000 to 1:10,000 during active cardiac arrest situations without complications.
In a previous response to a question, it was mentioned that the SGA is an effective way to create a closed system and reduce risk of aerosolization when ventilating. Would it then be reasonable to go directly to the SGA in the setting of VSAs, to further protect all those involved in the resuscitation from possible aerosolization with an OPA/BVM?
My question comes from the Medical Cardiac Arrest Directive and specifically in relation to the clinical considerations section. I have two questions relating to this.
First of all, the medical directive lists medication overdose/toxicology as a circumstance where the paramedic can consider very early transport after the 1st analysis. My question is can this also apply to overdoses from recreational drugs? It touches on cardiac arrest with associated opioid overdose but doesn’t go into great detail besides the role of naloxone in these circumstances.
Secondly, it lists pediatric cardiac arrest as a situation where we the paramedics are to plan for extrication and transport after 3 analysis. However due to the rarity of this circumstance and the likelihood of its origin resulting from a reversible cause would the paramedic be correct in transporting these patients immediately following the 1st analysis?Wondering what your thoughts are in regards to administering nitro to a patient with atypical angina symptoms and no presentation of chest pain. For example, is it ok for us to administer nitroglycerin if a medic is presented with a female patient who states she becomes nauseated from angina and explains she is prescribed nitro for the symptom? I discussed this question with my colleagues and I have found there is a 50/50 split in regards to those of us who would use nitro or not. I think it is a good question to ask given the differencing of opinion in the field.
Our directives state that we are allowed to administer 2 doses of epinephrine to a patient suffering from a severe allergic reaction and 1 does to a VSA patient who is expected to have become VSA secondary to anaphylactic shock. Does this mean we are allowed to give a 2nd and possibly 3rd dose of epinephrine to a patient by following the moderate to severe allergic reaction medical directive post ROSC?
Question: I was looking through Ask MAC and there are a few questions pertaining to cardiac arrest and shocks or no shocks of other responders. Are Paramedics are to include shocks delivered by the Fire Department prior to arrival in their treatment of a VSA patient?
My understanding from teachings in 2014/2015 is that if Fire delivered shocks we could count what they did. If they did not, we did not count their no shocks and conducted our own working towards the medical TOR which is also covered in the Summary of Changes document.
The question on ASK MAC seems to say if we trust the responders we can count everything I was hoping for a clarification that can be searched when the question comes up again.Question: With respect to the updated July 17, 2017 medical directive changes, are hangings, electrocution and anaphylactic cardiac arrests considered reversible causes of arrest, and therefore subject to consideration for early transport after 1 analysis, OR are they to be run as full medical cardiac arrests/4 analyses, regardless of whether defibrillation is indicated? Thank you.
Question: When running an ALS arrest where the patient is showing a PEA on the monitor with an accompanying high ETCO2, could we assume that this patient is in fact perfusing to some degree and pulses are just not palpable for various reasons (obesity, severe hypotension, etc.)?
Secondly, if the above assumption is correct, would it be prudent to stop CPR provided the ETCO2 remains high and administer Dopamine in hopes of increasing BP until pulses are palpable and BP obtainable; or should the vasopressor effects of Epinephrine be sufficient to facilitate this so just continue with Epinephrine q5 min and CPR?Question: After consistent review of the new ALS, I just came across something that I am hoping you may clarify for me. In regards to the Medical Cardiac Arrest directive, under the “clinical considerations,” it states that under certain circumstances we transport after first rhythm analysis (and lists some examples). In the old ALS, one of these examples was “pediatrics” but now i notice that in the new ALS, also under clinical considerations, it mentions to plan for extrication and transport of pediatric cardiac arrest patients after 3 analyses. So, does this mean we do not transport after first rhythm analysis for pediatrics and must complete the full directive now?
Question: In the event we have a patient who is STEMI positive, with symptoms of CHF (crackles/pitting edema) who is hypertensive >140 systolic BP are we to treat with 0.8mg of nitro for the CHF or 0.4 mg under the ischemic chest pain protocol? Also with the new STEMI standard dropping down to 3 – 0.4mg SL doses of nitro maximum, will that change out CHF protocol for nitro administration if both problems present together?
Question: CPR guidelines: I understand that we start CPR with a patient less than 16 years old, heart rate less than 60 and signs of poor perfusion, agonal respirations as per the CPR guidelines. My question is if we have the same situation with an adult patient, what would be beneficial for this type of patient (CPR)?
Question: Can calcium gluconate be given through a CVAD? The patients requiring it (usually dialysis patients) often have difficult IV access, unstable veins and some sort of CVAD in place. If access of the CVAD for administration of fluids and cardiac arrest meds has already been performed, are we still required to start an IO for the calcium gluconate or can it be requested of the BHP to administer through the CVAD with proper flushing before and after?
Question: How many analyses would you perform on a patient who is VSA following a drowning. Is it considered special circumstances, should the patient be transported after one analysis? Or should we transport after the first rhythm that doesn’t result in a defibrillation? How many shocks total if patient stays in a shockable rhythm (4 max or more)?
Question: When attending to a medical VSA, where our monitor energy settings are preprogrammed (120J, 150J, 200J, 200J), if I happen to dump the first charge (non-shockable rhythm), should my second charge be at 120J or 150J? This second charge would be the first shock (assuming shockable rhythm), but the second analysis.
Question: While enroute to the emergency department with a VSA patient, if your patient presents in shockable rhythm (either new, or still in a shockable rhythm), can we continue to shock the patient without pulling over? My understanding of the reason for stopping was because we used to use semi-automated systems, and we did not want false interpretations based on artifact. But, if we are now interpreting the rhythm, and determine that it is a shockable rhythm, not artifact while in transit, shouldn’t we be shocking?
The OBHG companion document states to stop when enroute using semi-automated system, no wording on manual defibrillation.Question: Hello, When a crew arrives on scene and finds a patient VSA, the ALS and BLS Standards require CPR per the HSFO guidelines at 30:2. When considering that there is strong evidence showing high quality CPR is the most important care to impact patient survival, my question revolves around what care or priorities should be considered when there are just the 2 paramedics on scene awaiting additional crews or resources.
The questions specifically are:
1) While Early defib, high-quality CPR and BVM ventilation’s are a must, should an IV and medications be attempted with such limited resources? In attempting to do so, there is strong likelihood of compromising the quality of CPR because the compressor is doing about 2 compressions a second, and the 2nd medic is ventilating about every 15 seconds, thus making it next to impossible to perform any other tasks without diluting the CPR quality. This should the early defib, High-quality CPR and BVM ventilation’s be the only focus until more resources show up, or should the IV and medication process be attempted to satisfy the requirements of the directive, even if doing so will compromise the CPR quality?
2) In regard to #1 above, when working in a rural setting, in which allied resources can sometimes take upwards of 20 minutes to arrive on scene, how does this play into the care?
3) As a given, I would love to be able to meet all the requirements of the ACP Cardiac arrest directive effectively, but with only 2 paramedics on scene the problem is there is just so much to do, and with quality of CPR and ventilation’s/ETCO2 being able to be monitored and recorded, you can either violate the directive to maintain high-quality CPR, or risk having this data show your CPR quality was not great but got “everything done”. Which is the preferred method of care?
4) While there is evidence supporting that CPR saves lives, is there any strong evidence supporting that the IV/Meds and the Advanced airways lead to better patient survival?