The EMS Educator

Have you ever had a close call falling asleep because you were exhausted from working your EMS shift? While we often acknowledge fatigue in EMS as an issue, we must do more to address and operationalize the education, policy, and system design of this dangerous problem. Hosts Maia Dorsett, Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates are joined by fatigue expert P. Daniel Patterson, PhD, NRP, Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh along with Stephanie Louka, MD, EMT, an EMS physician at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Stephanie shares a gripping firsthand story of a post-shift crash where she became a patient. The episode explores the science—and the lived reality—of fatigue in EMS.  From the biology of fatigue to evidence-based strategies like tactical napping and sleep banking, this episode challenges educators and leaders to rethink how we prepare clinicians not just to treat patients, but to survive the job.  You'll hear how leaders must confront the cultural and organizational barriers of this issue to keep crews, patients and the public safe. Fatigue isn’t just a wellness issue—it’s a safety issue. What will you change after listening? Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: 2024 Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Guidelines for Prehospital Care https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39373357/ The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

How can cardiac arrest data be used to create quality education for EMS clinicians? In this episode, hosts Maia Dorsett, Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates are joined by quality improvement experts Kerby Johnson, Clinical Quality Research Coordinator for the Office of the Medical Director at Fort Worth Fire Department EMS, and paramedic Kevin Gustina from Perinton EMS to explore how systems can use data to drive smarter education and better cardiac arrest outcomes. From the power of the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) to monitor-level insights and process measures, the group discusses how agencies—large and small—can turn performance data into meaningful training. They share real-world lessons, down to the seemingly small tweaks, on improving time to first shock, high-quality CPR and team-based resuscitation. The conversation highlights how looking at your data and being purposeful about simulation and team practice can transform teams. Because in resuscitation, neurologically-intact outcomes is what matters. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: CARES https://mycares.net/ Utstein Guidelines https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030095722100126X Mechanical Chest Compression Research https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8328162/ The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

Recorded live from the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) 2026 Annual Meeting in Tampa, hosts Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates welcome back leaders from the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) — CEO Bill Seifarth and COO Alan Arguello — for an in-depth conversation on the latest updates shaping EMS education and certification. The group explores NREMT’s new mission statement that is focused on partnerships, research, and lifelong assessment of clinical competence. Bill and Alan also break down the evolving National Continued Competency Program (NCCP), the new ALS Practice Analysis, and proven ways to continue our education, like micro-learning and just-in-time learning. Plus, hear about the newly formed NREMT Advisory Group and how EMS professionals can get more involved in shaping the future of the profession — with a little pirate humor to honor Tampa's Gasparilla Festival thrown in for good measure. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: NREMT Volunteer Opportunities: https://www.nremt.org/Partners/Volunteers Join the inaugural EMS Association Summit (EAS) — the first national event uniting state EMS association leaders, board members, and staff. Experience two days of inspiration, idea-sharing, and collaboration designed to strengthen partnerships and shape the future of EMS nationwide. February 17-19, 2026 | Kansas City, KS - https://attendeas.net/daily-agenda/ The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

Clinical challenges and EMS games are powerful learning tools that blend vulnerability, courage, and joy. In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs conference, Prodigy Medical Director Maia Dorsett and Prodigy Director of Critical Care Shane O'Donnell speak with the organizers behind the NY Vital Signs EMS Games to explore why simulation-based competition matters for learners and educators.  Listen in to hear how these competitions create psychologically safe spaces for growth, translate conference learning into real-world decision-making, and push clinical reasoning far beyond checklists. We unpack how thoughtful scenario design, intentional debriefing, and educator humility turn stress into deep learning. Mastery in EMS can come from this curiosity, reflection, and a willingness to step into discomfort. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

How can EMS educators help their learners find resilience in what is sure to be a challenging profession? In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs Conference, Prodigy EMS Medical Director Maia Dorsett sits down with renowned artist, retired paramedic, and counseling therapist Dan Sundahl. Their conversation explores the powerful intersection of creativity, trauma, and learning in EMS. Starting with a “Mindset Minute” from Ginger Locke, the episode challenges the traditional analytical focus of EMS education and highlights how inductive, creative thinking supports both better clinical reasoning and mental health. Dan shares his journey through PTSD, the role of art in healing, and the transformative potential of post-traumatic growth. Educators will gain insight into how creative pathways, neuroplasticity, and deliberate processing can help learners find resilience—and even emerge stronger—after difficult experiences. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

What if EMS educators placed as much focus on emotional intelligence, empathy, and reflective practice as they do knowledge and skills? Listen in as hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence talk with Liz Harney, quality assurance leader at Baptist Health in Kentucky and former paramedic program director, to explore the often-overlooked affective domain of EMS education.  Liz shares how her frustration with the neglect of the affective domain inspired her to transform her own EMS instruction—bringing emotion, awareness, and humanity into every case study, scenario, and clinical rotation. From teaching students to manage bias and self-regulate under pressure, to modeling vulnerability and connection as educators, this conversation reveals how intentional focus on the affective domain can elevate not only patient care, but also the well-being and longevity of EMS clinicians. As Liz says, teaching the affective domain can help your students "choose the version of themselves they want to walk into a room." Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: Bloom's Taxonomy for cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains: https://www.astate.edu/a/assessment/assessment-resource-links/files/Revised-Bloom%20s-Taxonomy-All-Domains.pdf Rob's story about the hypothermic man on a bench: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20700524.hoodie-heroes-commended/ Addressing Bias in Patient Care:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/addressing-bias-in-patient-care-part-1-of-2/id1573326528?i=1000565780169 The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.  

Discover how collaborative learning, well-designed simulation, and fostering a culture of psychological safety are transforming prehospital airway care. National EMS Quality Alliance’s (NEMSQA) Airway Collaborative organized EMS agencies from across the country to analyze their current practices and explore ways to improve the safety and effectiveness of airway management. Join hosts Maia Dorsett and Hilary Gates as we explore why education alone isn’t enough for sustained improvement, highlighting the crucial role of system design and a patient-centered approach. Guests from the collaborative include Shawn Brinkley, Matt Francis, Tom Grawey and Marlow Macht. They share candid insights from their agencies, discussing how data revealed surprising performance gaps and spurred a paradigm shift towards optimizing patient outcomes over simply “getting the tube.” Listen in for invaluable lessons on how to cultivate a system where the expectation is a patient managed carefully by EMS to be truly optimized for the best outcome possible.  Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: NEMSQA Airway Collaborative: https://www.nemsqa.org/airway-collaborative IHI Breakthrough Series: https://www.ihi.org/library/white-papers/breakthrough-series-ihis-collaborative-model-achieving-breakthrough SALAD: https://www.sscor.com/suction-assisted-laryngoscopy-and-airway-decontamination-salad NAEMSP Prehospital Airway Position Papers:  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2021.1977877   https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2021.1990447   The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.  

EMS Corps is a groundbreaking recruitment and training program that prepares young adults to work in their own community as EMS clinicians. The program helps to remove barriers to joining the EMS profession and focuses on leadership development, mentorship, and job training. Hosts Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates interview Melissa Corney of the Oxnard Fire Department and Captain Janick Lewis of New Orleans EMS, both of whom have instructed in EMS Corps’ innovative model of flipped-classroom learning and wraparound support that sets up students for success.  One of those success stories is EMS Corps recent graduate Savannah Gaskill, also joining the podcast.  From its origins in Alameda County to recent national expansion, EMS Corps is proving that when clinicians reflect the communities they serve, patient outcomes, agency culture, and clinician confidence all improve. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: https://oxnardemscorps.org/ https://nolaemscorps.org/ The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

How well do EMS teams manage critically ill pediatric patients—and how do we know? In this episode of the EMS Educator Podcast, hosts Rob Lawrence and Maia Dorsett speak with Mark Cicero, lead author of a landmark study published in Prehospital Emergency Care. The study used simulation to assess EMS performance in pediatric emergencies. From medication dosing errors to missed fundamentals like cap refill checks, Dr. Cicero breaks down what the study revealed across more than 150 simulations in three states. Dr. Dorsett shares how the findings challenged her own assumptions as an educator and led to reflections on curriculum design, quality improvement, and the need for deliberate, high-frequency pediatric practice. They also explore the power of SIM Box—a free, low-tech, high-impact simulation toolkit—and how small, creative learning opportunities can help EMS clinicians gain confidence, accuracy, and readiness for rare but high-stakes pediatric calls. Whether you're a field provider, educator, or medical director, this episode offers practical insights and real tools to help build a system of pediatric care that’s proactive, not reactive. Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." Mentioned in the episode: Simbox: https://www.emergencysimbox.com/emstelesimbox Quality of Care and Opportunities for Improvement in Prehospital Care of Critically Ill Pediatric Patients, An Observational, Simulation-Based Study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2025.2500715 The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

We’re going back to school in this episode of The EMS Educator podcast! Specifically, you’ll hear audio recordings of what EMS students and educators wish they had known when they were in school.  Hosts Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence are joined by EMS educator Ginger Locke to offer commentary on this sage wisdom. There are tips about possessing quiet confidence and kindness, practical study strategies, and the importance of active reflection and being open to feedback. Tune in for this helpful discussion to help you navigate the demanding task of learning how to be an EMS clinician. Mentioned in the episode: Unconditional positive regard: https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/57646/how-unconditional-positive-regard-can-help-students-feel-cared-for Sahaj Khalsa's EMS Educator episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/addressing-bias-in-patient-care-part-1-of-2/id1573326528?i=1000565780169 For the first time, Maia Dorsett highlights the episode's key points with "Maia's Minute." The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com.  Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.