Standing Outside the Box

     There's no doubt that EMS education is an ongoing process, because not everything you need to know comes neatly packaged in the National Standard Curricula and the CE programs you participate in. Often you have to look for the information you need outside of the box and that is the focus of this issue.

     If you've never considered the fact that you could be sued for the lifesaving you do, then think again. In 2006, more than 30 EMS-related lawsuits reached the appellate level and hundreds more were settled out of court or went to trial. In this month's cover report (Surviving a Lawsuit, p. 47), EMS attorney Jay Weaver discusses the strategies providers can deploy to help avoid being sued, as well as how to improve your chances of winning if you become a defendant. Surviving legal action could be as simple as putting pen to paper, notes Weaver, with many EMS cases being decided by what was, or, more important, what was not written down regarding patient care.

     As the response to the recent bridge collapse (which we will cover in the next issue) illustrates, Minneapolis-based responders were prepared for this worst-case scenario. Such preparation requires agencies to conduct comprehensive preplanning and threat assessments, as well as establish working relationships with each other before an incident hits. In Great Preparations on page 79, Associate Editor John Erich profiles some agencies that are working outside of the box to prepare for the specific threats their communities face. Among others, Erich discusses how Austin/Travis County EMS has trained its medics to respond to flooding and how the Anchorage Fire Department has planned for patient decontamination under extreme temperatures.

     Finally, do you know what to do when called to treat a terminally ill patient being cared for at home? In Palliative Care & EMS on page 58, authors Ray Barishansky and Keith Haller help providers navigate this sensitive area that is often neglected in educational programs.

     We hope these articles help you find your way out of the box and we welcome your feedback on other topics you need information on. E-mail nancy.perry@cygnusb2b.com.