clinical skills

Ambulance clinician assessment and management of transient loss of consciousness: a retrospective clinical audit

In August 2010, NICE published guidance on the management of T-LOC in adults and young people. The NICE guidance aims to ensure T-LOC patients are directed along the appropriate pathway to receive the...

Is IV paracetamol as effective an analgesic as IV morphine for patients in non-cardiac pain? A literature review

The literature search, along with a Cochrane Database search was conducted on 3 April 2015. This question in its key terms was inputted into PubMed, the British Medical Journal (BMJ), University of...

Pre-hospital treatment of supraventricular tachycardia: a literature review

A research question was designed using the PICO process with a systematic Boolean search methodology. A MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) search was carried out on ‘paramedic’ and ‘pre-hospital’ to...

Airway management in UK ambulance services: results of the National Ambulance Service Airway Management Audit

An internet-based survey entitled the National Ambulance Service Airway Management Audit was created using the Bristol University Online Survey Tool (University of Bristol; www.survey.bris.ac.uk). The...

A critical analysis and appraisal of the management of croup in the UK out-of-hospital environment

Croup is a common respiratory infection with an incidence of around 3% of the paediatric population per year, most commonly affecting children between 6–36 months and more commonly males than females...

Can pre-hospital recognition and intervention improve outcome for patients with severe sepsis?

A comprehensive literature review was completed to evaluate the available evidence, undertaken in late 2013.

Developing understanding and awareness of children's distress, distraction techniques and holding

Clinical procedures such as blood glucose measurement, administration of medicines and the application of dressings can cause children to experience upset, fear and anxiety, expressed through crying,...

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance: a focused case series for pre-hospital practice Case 3: a femoral shaft fracture

A 23-year-old woman who, while crossing the road, was hit by a car coming towards her from her right side. Witnesses reported that the car drove over the patient and dragged her a few yards down the...

Rapid sequence induction and the paramedic

Rapid sequence intubation/induction (RSI) is an advanced procedure not currently advocated for UK paramedic practice although some paramedics attached to Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)...

A review of the challenges and solutions during paramedic endotracheal intubation

‘…paramedics within King County achieved ETI success rates comparable with other highperforming EMS systems and emergency physicians’.

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance: a focused case series for pre-hospital practice Case 2: tension pneumothorax

A 55-year-old man lost control and was ejected from his motorcycle at approximately 60 miles per hour on a country road. The patient was wearing a helmet and full protective clothing. When the first...