Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

In this episode of the pre-hospital care podcast, we welcome Mark Faulkner, an advanced paramedic practitioner, to unpack the often daunting legal world that paramedics are exposed to.

You never know when that "nightmare job" or patient is going to appear and put you to the test. As clinicians, we should be always attempting to push our push our skills closer to perfection. In this episode, Ben Clarke shares his insights into deliberate practice, in-time learning, and meta-cognition. 

In part 1 of our conversation with Ben Clarke (Assistant medical director of London Ambulance Service), we talk about leadership in pre-hospital care. What's more important - a good leader, or a good team willing to follow? Can you teach leadership or does it only come from experience? Can you be born a leader? How do you empower different types of staff on-scene? Join us as we explore the nature of leadership in pre-hospital care. 

Have you ever been working, and all sense of time and self melts away, and you find yourself in perfect sync with what you’re doing? There’s a word for that. It’s called the Flow State.  In part 2 of our conversation with Dr Esther Murray, we  explore Flow and how to put yourself in hyper productive mindsets more often using specific techniques anyone can implement in their work. Dr Murray is a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology and an expert in the subject of moral injury and self-care. 

Update:  Due to a technical hiccup, this episode was cut short by about 15 minutes during the first day of it's being published. It's now updated, so If you listened to it then and would like to catch the rest of this conversation, you can re-download the episode now. Thank you for your patience.  We're back with the second season of the Pre-Hospital Care podcast! Our first episode is a fascinating conversation with a cardiac arrest survivor and long friend of Eoin's, Zoe Hitchcock. They met when Zoe suffered a heart attack and Eoin happened to be sent out to treat her. Tune in for a fascinating and unique perspective on pre-hospital healthcare from the patient's perspective.

We end the first season of The Pre-Hospital Care Podcast by finishing up Eoin and Rich’s conversation with Dan Davis as they talk about dealing with the emotional trauma that is, unfortunately, part and parcel of pre-hospital care.  Thanks so much for being a part of this journey into healthcare podcasting. Keep an eye out for season 2! It’ll be out before you know it. 

On this episode of Pre Hospital Care Podcast, Eoin and Rich continue their discussion with Nick Brown to tackle the non-technical skills necessary in controlling a tragic and highly emotional scene. In 96% of cardiac arrest cases, the patient doesn’t make it. When that happens, they are not the only patient.  Losing a loved one is traumatic and a genuine health risk over time. If we take our oath as clinicians seriously, therefore, we must be well prepared and skilled in not adding any further stress and trauma, as well as set up avenues for ongoing help and support.  Medics.Academy is dedicated to educating health professionals on every aspect of medicine, both technical and non-technical.  Go to www.Medics.Academy to browse our library of healthcare education. 

On this episode of Pre Hospital Care Podcast, Eoin and Rich talk tackle perhaps the toughest topic in pre-hospital care. Delivering bad news to family members. Health professionals are not usually well taught about how to deliver the news of the death of a patient in a suitable and tactful way. This episode explains the four stages of delivering bad news, words to avoid, and how to remain professional but give support as much as you and your team can. Medics.Academy is dedicated to educating health professionals on every aspect of medicine, both technical and non-technical. Go to www.Medics.Academy to browse our large library of CPD-ready courses. 

In this week’s podcast, we continue to discuss the crucial topic of pre-hospital airway management. How can we maximise the chances of patients with airway problems when time and circumstance are not on our side?  Eoin Walker and Rich McGirr walk through different procedures and both technical and non-technical aspects of managing the airway in the field.  For CPD-relevant content about pre-hospital care and many other healthcare fields, sign up at www.Medics.Academy.

Eoin Walker and Rich McGirr are back to discuss the ever growing evidence base and controversial topic of airway management in the pre-hospital setting. How does the reality of managing this urgent, life-or-death part of the body differ from what is taught in the classroom? What are the essential steps in dealing with the prehospital airway? What are the pros and cons of each method?

Eoin Walker and Rich McGirr are back with special guest Martin Mist to talk more about the unique challenges that present themselves to paramedics when dealing with crises brought on by ingestion of illegal substances. When will you need to resort to physical restraint? Why part of a paramedic’s job is to be a detective. How to do proper research on new. What the top 5 hard-hitter drugs are and key nuggets for dealing with each. All this and more on the latest episode of the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast.

Paramedics are constantly in the middle of life and death situations. In the first full episode of the Medics.Academy Pre Hospital Care podcast, paramedics Owen Walker, Richard McGirr, and Martin Mist discuss Club Drugs and Non-Legal Highs and their effects on patients. As paramedics, they’re the first medical professionals to assess a situation before getting them to physicians at the hospital. They see the patients at their lowest point, suffering from anything from a cardiac arrest, a severe allergic reaction or a psychotic episode. Among many other topics, this episode covers the common and uncommon presentations of patients after drug overdoses and what paramedics look for and how to assess the situations.

This podcast is presented by Eoin Walker and Rich McGirr and is a Medics Academy podcast. The purpose of this podcast is to provide paramedics an easy-to-access set of resources and educational materials wherever they are. Feel free to take a look at the description in the footnotes of the podcast. Sign up to Medics Academy today to find out even more about what we do and just how much content we put out there for your education.

In this conversation, we will examine the role of AI within pre-hospital care. We will also look at how AI is being embedded within the systems and processes from dispatch algorithms to diagnostics to demand profiling. We also look at the future of AI and where it might support patient care. To do this I have Nico Preston with me, Nico is a scientist and paramedic with a background in health, technology, and innovation. He has 15 years of experience with complex emergencies, emergency medicine, infectious disease, natural disasters, supply chains, and toxic drugs and a career spanning non-profit, academic, government, and corporate sectors.

In this conversation, we will examine Patient Liaison and follow-up. Pre-hospital clinicians are often just the first point of medical contact, so checking in throughout the rehabilitation allows clinicians and patients to close the loop on any unanswered questions and often is a chance to learn about things from the patient’s perspective. This fosters continuous improvement by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Additionally, ongoing liaison both humanises patients and builds trust & rapport with clinicians and can bring closure for EMS personnel who often only witness the initial phase of patient care. Knowing patient outcomes and recovery status can improve job satisfaction.   To do this we have Stuart Plumbley and Sarita Taneja with me. Stu is the Patient and Family Aftercare lead at Kent Surrey and Sussex (KSS) Air Ambulance Trust, Emeritus HEMS Paramedic, & Critical Care Paramedic (SECAmb). Sarita is the Patient and Family Aftercare Manager at KSS and was awarded Charity Staff Member of the Year at the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence in 2022. KSS as a service can be found here: https://aakss.org.uk/

Join me in this episode where I speak with Mike Donal. We unpack his journey through growing up, dropping out of school, drug use, mental health, self-harm, suicidal attempts, steroid use, sex, and mental health section in a hospital, all before 21 years old. We also look at Mike’s journey through the gym, alcohol, relationships, tattoos, and steroids. Mike shares his 180-degree turn to cleaning everything up and influencing others for the better as well as his current revelations on health, faith, and a balanced mindset. We discuss the theme of selfishness and where that comes from, mental health issues such as addiction to pain and torment, self-harming, the gym, self-loathing and coping mechanisms, steroids, and the second-order effects of steroids. Mike also talks about his children, Amber and Ezra, and how they played a significant role in his change. Join us as we unpack Mike's story and take-home messages.

In this episode, we speak with Professor Mark Wilson about the forthcoming SIS trial. This randomised study aims to compare the safety and patient outcomes of the current spinal immobilisation practice versus a more flexible "movement minimisation" approach for suspected spinal injury patients. The findings could inform future clinical guidelines. The main concepts of the trial include assessing if "movement minimisation" is no worse than the current standard "triple spinal immobilisation" for patients suspected of spinal injury in pre-hospital and emergency settings. Current practice of triple spinal immobilisation (rigid board, straps, neck collar) may have potential harms like breathing difficulties, skin/brain injury. Movement minimisation allows more flexibility and comfort, but its safety/efficacy compared to triple immobilisation is unknown. Around 8,316 patients will be randomly assigned to either movement minimisation or triple immobilisation groups. Their neurological function, complications, and long-term well-being will be assessed. The study involved spinal injury and trauma patient groups (ASPIRE, Imperial Trauma PPI) in design, emphasising the need for research before guideline changes. Results will be shared internationally with patients, the public, paramedics, doctors, and nurses through conferences, social media, reports, and publications to inform future NHS guidelines. More information on the trial can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/ctu/trials/sis/ This podcast is sponsored by PAX. Whatever kind of challenge you have to face - with PAX backpacks you are well-prepared. Whether on water, on land or in the air - PAX's versatile, flexible backpacks are perfectly suitable for your requirements and can be used in the most demanding of environments. Equally, PAX bags are built for comfort and rapid-access to deliver the right gear at the right time to the right patient. To see more of their innovatively designed product range please click here: ⁠https://www.pax-bags.com/en/⁠

In this conversation, we will look at the relationship between Paramedic theory and practice with Vince Clarke. We will dig into Vince’s doctorate in Education on the subject, various frameworks for the acquisition of skills through simulation, reflective models of learning, the progression from novice to expert, directive versus facilitative learning, theory/practice conceptual frameworks, and finally, student views and where they perceive learning originates.   To do this I have Vince Clarke with me, Vince has been a paramedic since 1998, progressing on to an IHCD tutor. As well as completing an undergraduate degree in Paramedic Science, he has completed a master’s degree in health law and ethics in Practice and a Doctorate in Education.  He is currently the principal lecturer at Hertfordshire University Paramedic Science Program, the trustee for education with the College of Paramedics, and an external advisor to several organisations. Vince's thesis can be found here: https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2299/21089/99008890%20Clarke%20Vince%20final%20version%20of%20submission.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 This podcast is sponsored by PAX. Whatever kind of challenge you have to face - with PAX backpacks you are well-prepared. Whether on water, on land or in the air - PAX's versatile, flexible backpacks are perfectly suitable for your requirements and can be used in the most demanding of environments. Equally, PAX bags are built for comfort and rapid-access to deliver the right gear at the right time to the right patient. To see more of their innovatively designed product range please click here: ⁠https://www.pax-bags.com/en/⁠

In this conversation, we will look at the life of an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP). We will dig into what the training looks like, the autonomy involved, the various specialisms you can take, what Dan has learnt along the way and much more. As more and more alternative career pathways are opening, we explore if this one is an attractive option. We also look at the alignment to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) curriculum and how this shapes Dan's practice, skills and clinical decision making. ACPs play a vital role in the delivery of emergency care across the UK. They now make up over 10% of the college membership. There are over one thousand ACP members and this number is rapidly increasing. ACPs are represented on all major RCEM Committees. We also examine some of the educational expectations outside of the RCEM curriculum to fulfil the role as an ACP and also some of the various clinical backgrounds that ACPs come from. To find out more about the ACP role you can visit the RCEM website, menu, - training / careers/ Advanced Clinical Practitioner https://rcem.ac.uk/emergency-care-advanced-clinical-practitioners/  This podcast is sponsored by PAX.  Whatever kind of challenge you have to face - with PAX backpacks you are well-prepared. Whether on water, on land or in the air - PAX's versatile, flexible backpacks are perfectly suitable for your requirements and can be used in the most demanding of environments. Equally, PAX bags are built for comfort and rapid-access to deliver the right gear at the right time to the right patient. To see more of their innovatively designed product range please click here: ⁠https://www.pax-bags.com/en/⁠

In this episode, I will be speaking with Jay Baldwin. At 26 Jay had suffered bilateral leg amputations from an IED whilst serving in the British army in Afghanistan. He was medically discharged from the UK military at 28, divorced at 32 and battled and won cancer at 33. Since being medically discharged from the Army, the dad of six has learned to walk on prosthetic limbs, has retrained as a fitness instructor and has truly inspired many. He is currently the UK’s only double amputee personal trainer. You can find Jay on social media @ https://twitter.com/NoLeggedNinja1