Posts by The Paramedic Hive
Paramedics: Why We Can’t Recruit the Next Generation
“Where have all the applicants gone?” EMS has been asking itself the same question for years. Every class there are less candidates. Training academies have open seats they can’t fill. New grads don’t stay for more than a few years. Rural communities can’t staff their ambulances. Urban systems are scraping by on mandated overtime and burned-out…
Read MoreThe Corridor Between Heart Beats
The shift started like any other, with our ambulance smelling of wet antiseptic vinyl and orange Lifesavers. Dispatch sent us to a warehouse after a man collapsed beside a pallet of discontinued orthopedic braces. The fluorescent lights buzzed above; as dust floated throughout the room. The patient was in his mid-40s, a white male with salt & pepper…
Read MoreRethinking Cervical Spine “Immobilization:” Current Science, Risks, and Practical Do’s and Don’ts
Introduction Until recently cervical spine immobilization—the automatic application of a rigid cervical collar and long spine board—has been the accepted standard of care for decades. This practice is no longer recommended without question. During the past 15–20 years increasing research evidence and several important specialty consensus statements have led clinicians toward more selective spinal motion restriction (SMR)…
Read MoreFirst responder mental health: 5 stories of heartbreak and hope
More than ever before first responders are willing to talk about suicide, PTSD and mental illness in ways that support and help one another December 23, 2015 07:14 PM • The Code Green Campaign https://www.ems1.com/2015-year-in-review/articles/first-responder-mental-health-5-stories-of-heartbreak-and-hope-yGKZC2qSigYzqvNi Sometimes it helps to hear the other stories out there. You are definitely not alone. For this we look back at…
Read MoreUnequal Accountability: Fire Department Response Times vs. Private Ambulance Guidelines
Across many municipalities, a growing friction has emerged between fire departments and private ambulance providers. At the heart of the problem is an uneven system of accountability: private ambulance services are tightly bound to strict response-time contracts, while public fire departments often operate under far looser obligations (AHA, 2020; RAND, 2013; Municipal contract examples/news). The…
Read MorePrincess Diana Prehospital Response Care & Analysis, From Scene to OR.
A special featured case review for the Paramedic Hive. The crash happened at ~00:23. The Princess was removed to the ambulance at 01:18 and departure happened at 01:40. About five minutes out from the hospital transport was stopped (~0200) to try to stabilize BP – apparently because the IV or other stabilization measures could not be maintained…
Read MoreParamedicine, A Disappearing Profession?
There’s a quiet crisis unfolding in emergency medical services. Once a clearly respected trade — a blend of acute clinical skill, split-second judgment and physical courage — paramedicine is being hollowed out by indifference, penny-pinching and a culture that mistakes token gratitude for real support. The result: an essential profession that’s slipping toward obsolescence. Paid…
Read MoreEcho Unit
The truck smelled like copper and adrenaline. Mara Quinn stood in the open rear doors of Ambulance 7B. The trauma bag at her feet was wrong: not hers, not packed the way she packed, a roll of blood‑soaked gauze tucked into an outer pocket. “Who was on transport tonight?” she called. Eli Navarro, hunched over…
Read MoreFentanyl, Fear, and Realities of Street Overdose Medicine. The 911 Safety Net
Source: adapted from Chapter 27, Mocking Time — How Paramedics Save Minutes, Lives and The Crisis Behind Who Will Answer The Next Emergency Call by Scott J. Ash Title: Fentanyl, Fear, and Street Medicine — A Detailed Look for the Paramedic Hive Introduction Fentanyl has altered the landscape of prehospital care. Where overdoses once followed…
Read MoreMemorial Day, Summer Heat, and the Calls That Never Stop.
What the Season Ahead Means for Paramedics and First Responders For most Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. It is a long weekend filled with barbecues, lakes, fireworks, travel, and family gatherings. For paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, dispatchers, law enforcement officers, and emergency room staff, Memorial Day signals something else entirely: The beginning…
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