FOAMfrat Podcast

EMS is well-trained in peripheral intravenous as well as intraosseous access. However, central lines remain off-limits for many clinicians in various response areas. If accessing these types of lines is allowed, it's usually permitted when the patient is (nearly) dead. This isn't very surprising since the scope of practice of the EMS clinician usually focuses on emergent treatments. Unless it's learned during a critical care class, little thought is typically given to topics like central, dialysis, and PICC lines in EMS. Why not?

Had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Sam Slishman, the inventor of the Slishman traction splint. We had a great conversation on the idea/concept of this splint, who to apply it on, and some additional questions, which we plan on having him back on to discuss.

A-a gradient, a/A ratio, and P: F ratio - are all different views of the same item. These formulas do not have a complete view of oxygenation. Oxygenation is a huge topic, and there are more common values that we use: How well is the patient saturating? Is there dyspnea? How do the lungs sound (auscultation) or look (POCUS)? Where is the patient on the OHCD? What does the ABG show?

I ran some specific decision points when treating the REALLY BAD massiVE pulmonary embolism patient by Shane & Brian from the FOAMfrat Team. This discussion really focuses on the logistics and ideas when you are trying to get the patient from A to B without having to do CPR.

Theresa Bowden is a rockstar flight nurse who specializes in NICU transports. In this episode, you will listen in as Theresa explains anything and everything you have ever wondered about NICU interfacility transports. Topics include: Who gets prostaglandin? IO or IV catheter for UVC Cardiac vs. Respiratory Initial Vent Settings Get credit for this class by listening to it in FOAMfrat Studio.

Does IVC assessment have a role in pre-hospital ultrasound? This week we talk to one of the newest members of FOAMfrat, Shane O'Donnell.

Do specialized pediatric jump bags alienate the pediatric population? They typically don't get used as much, and introducing a foreign bag into a low volume population may add to the stress of running a pediatric call anyway. In this episode, Sam & Tyler discuss the case against the pediatric jump bag.

The FOAMfrat podcast is back in 2022 with a discussion on how virtual reality can be used in EMS education. We did our first VR class a few weeks ago and here's what we learned and what we plan to do with it!

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland. But for some, it can be more like a bullet to the neck. The number of systems that our thyroid helps regulate truly is incredible, and an over or under-active thyroid can cause a whole host of acute and chronic issues. On the one hand, imagine a patient who has a thyroid history and is cold, weak, and has a depressed level of consciousness. Why is this occurring, and what's the diagnosis and treatment? On the other hand, imagine an anxious, hyperpyrexic patient in atrial fibrillation. Both patients have thyroid issues, but why do these patients present so differently? Let's see what happens when the scales tip either way for a few of the systems that the thyroid helps control!

I reached out to @medtwitter asking for help finding a guest to talk about the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It may seem weird to be talking about RSV when everyone is thinking about the current pandemic, but I find the virology and mechanism of symptoms of RSV exciting. Twitter did not let me down, my friend Ashley Liebig recommended Natalie May from Sydney, HEMS. Natalie is an EM, and Pediatric-EM trained UK doctor working in Prehospital & Retrieval Medicine in Australia. I was very excited to have a chance to speak with Dr. May regarding RSV & Bronchiolitis and what the current evidence suggests for treatment.