Blogs
A Life That Changed Thousands: Honoring EMS Pioneer John Osborn
By Scott Ash for The Paramedic Hive There are paramedics who answer emergency calls. Then there are paramedics who answer a calling. John Osborn belonged to the second group. For decades, John dedicated his life to a profession that was still finding its identity. He served when paramedicine was in its infancy, when protocols were…
Randolph Mantooth: The Paramedic Who Never Wore the Patch, But Inspired Generations Who Did!
By Scott Ash, NRP The Paramedic Hive – Built for Those Who Answer the Call Some heroes wear badges and run into burning buildings. Some fly high above us and keep our skies safe. But few have run faster than Paramedic Johnny Gage. Some heroes never respond to a 911 call. Some never place an IV, intubate a…
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…
Rethinking 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)…