Using Time To Guide EMS Patient Care

Early in EMS education we are presented with the idea that "time" is a factor in much of what we do. Golden Hours, Platinum Ten Minutes, Time is Muscle etc.

While some of these can help us with our treatment and transport decisions, have you ever wondered or questioned if they are getting in the way of patient care?

As EMS providers we bring much of the Emergency Department to the patient. Even more so we are expected to provide certain levels of care to our patients prior to delivery to these ED's.

I am sure that you have been questioned or made to feel like less of a provider when you don't provide certain aspects of care. Even when it was due to trying to follow dictated "time" constraints that are expected and may have been in the patients better interest to transport rather than perform a skill prior to arrival at the ED.

So what do you think? Are these time markers valuable to us as providers or helpful?

Do we end up focusing too much on them and not on what is best for the patient?

Join us for this episode as we discuss this and other popular EMS topics. Call in Toll Free or come into the chat room to share your opinion.

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Visit Jim at EMSSEO.com

Check out Josh over at WANTYNU.com and be sure to look up his newest EMS Tool - The PALM.