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Patient Care & Compassion

The patient care topic covers the human side of EMS: the interactions between providers and patients, family members and loves ones. From learning to build trust with empathy to managing difficult conversations, this section offers insight into compassionate patient care that extends to all on scene.

Matt Zavadsky challenges EMS system design
“As healthcare professionals, it is not the purview of EMS providers to judge our patients. It is our job to care for them”
Jimmy Kimmel’s story reminds us of the breadth of EMS’ commitment to our patients
Data from 600,000 stroke patients nationwide shows EMS providers were 20% less likely to give prehospital notification for Black patients
5 tips for connecting with patients and their families
5 insidious partner issues to avoid so that patients feel safe in our care
Gaining patients’ confidence can be achieved by deliberate actions, like connecting with caregivers, as well as small subtleties, like body language and facial expressions
Put yourself in the patient’s position to gain an understanding of how their fear may complicate your interventions
How to respond to, “I want my mom,” and other patient requests out of our control, with Steve Whitehead
Adapting to growth and changing demands with innovative community partnerships
Firefighter/EMT-turned-attorney Steve Wirth addressed the criminalization of medical errors in cases like the Elijah McClain trial
Chris Cebollero shares a recent family health emergency and offers his insider views on the quality of international medical care in contrast to the U.S.
Inside Health 34 – UC Davis Fire’s mobile approach to non-emergent support and service navigation
Takeaways from a GSW response that quickly escalated into chaos
“EMS is a privilege that has been entrusted to you for safekeeping”
While every situation is different, most people are more receptive to a sympathetic approach than an authoritative command
Responders are taught about “command presence,” but what about the “quiet presence” that comes with empathy?
Being thoughtful is the key to success in EMS training, providing compassionate care and setting priorities
The memorable calls from a patient perspective identify the disparity in what EMS providers think is a job well done, and what patients think
When we offer our service in an unexpected way magic happens
The curse of a busy EMS career is that compassion is the skill that erodes while all the rest of our skills become stronger with constant practice