Medicine is dynamic. We don’t do things that we used to. In the future, we may not do things that we do now.
Treatment of shock used to include MAST trousers and elevating the patient’s lower extremities. Innovations for shock treatment are now being designed and developed that might impact treatment of shock in the future.
Other controversial topics include:
• Air transport versus ground transport
• IV fluid resuscitation
• Synthetic blood products
• Endotracheal intubation
All EMS provider actions have both risks and benefits. Read current literature, discuss treatments with your medical director, participate in research trials and advocate for a strong quality assurance program to learn what treatments are evidence-based and what treatments can have the greatest impact on your patients.
Most of all, keep an open mind and continue learning to improve patient care and outcomes.
