Heavy Lies the Helmet

We wrap up AMTC18 in style with our exhibit hall neighbors and fellow podcasters Eric Bauer & Mike Verkest of FlightBridgeEDand SecondShift. Tune in as we discuss Podcast Row, FOAMed, and tips for new and old podcasters alike. We also touch on the history of HLTH, and how it all got started.

Protect your head! In this next AMTC18 Podcast Row episode, we are joined at our booth by Carlos Andino, Market Development Director at Paraclete Aviation Life Support. Tune in as we continue our discussion of helmet safety with an industry expert. We touch on commonly used materials, defining Military Standard (MIL-SPEC), Department of Defense (DoD) versus civilian testing, and other safety expectations that should be met...and aren't being met.

Live from Podcast Row, we continue our AMTC18 series with a brief, “Short Final”. It is no secret that signs and other physical phenomenon are numerous. Sometimes, it is difficult to remember all of these when performing our head-to-toe assessments. In this episode, we take the time to consider one sign in particular; a sign especially common in the pediatric population. Tune in as we discuss sunset eyes phenomenon, when it’s benign, and when it matters.

Kicking off our AMTC18 series, we are joined at our Podcast Row booth by the beloved Dr. Cynthia Griffin. Cynthia is an Emergency and Flight Physician for University of Wisconsin, and a member of the FOAMfrat team. Tune in as we discuss the challenges of flight medicine, finger thoracostomy, and front-of-neck access.

In this informal podcast episode, we are joined by Brad Garmon; Flight Medic, Educator, and overall good dude. Brad was our fellow "Sick Lung" clinical category presenter at the 2018 Every Coast Helicopter Operations (ECHO) annual conference. After the last day, we decided to grab dinner, a few beers, and chit chat about our overall impression of the conference. We touch on our individual presentations with an occasional tangent to finish up a weekend full of education, networking, and fish.

In this special podcast episode, we are joined by a third person: Flight NP and PT Intensivist, Dan Rauh. Dan joins us at the 2018 Every Coast Helicopter Operations (ECHO) annual conference as a fellow clinical track speaker and critical care panel participant. Tune in as we discuss three, in-depth topics including Nurse Practitioner autonomy, advanced acid/base interpretation, and coagulopathy reversal.

Magnesium is a co-factor in more than 300 enzyme systems that are responsible for biochemical reactions in the body. This includes protein synthesis, muscle/nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation. In this podcast episode, we continue our popular electrolyte series by discussing this important electrolyte. As usual, we touch on hyper and hypo states, supplementation, and other reasons to administer magnesium sulfate aside from hypomagnesemia replacement.

This is the video that accompanies Episode 21 where we demonstrate how to introduce an OG tube when inserting by conventional methods is difficult.

Gastric tubes are commonly used in both the pre-hospital and hospital environment for a variety of reasons. Depending on the patient and/or provider, these range from orogastric to nasogastric in nature. In this podcast episode, we raise the question, "Does it matter which one we choose?" Tune in as we discuss gastric tubes in general, indications, contraindications, and why you should choose OG over NG whenever possible.

The vast majority of endotracheal tubes (ETT) are now cuffed. In general practice, appropriate cuff pressures are assessed by external palpation or cession of an audible leak. But is this conventional method safe? In this podcast episode, we discuss hyper and hypo-inflation, frequency of their occurrence, and how to accurately measure cuff pressures to ensure appropriate inflation.

In America, many of our patients do not speak English. This presents a challenge for us as healthcare providers when trying to communicate or acquire pertinent information regarding their illness or injury. Deaf persons who communicate via American Sign Language (ASL) can compound this issue, if we are not educated appropriately. In this video, Bryan teaches you how to sign common medical questions and responses, so that you can better communicate with your deaf patients.

Helicopter ditching is a harsh reality of the HEMS industry that can affect any crew flying near bodies of water; large or small. In this podcast episode, we are joined by Chris Sharpe who, among other things, is an expert educator in Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET). Tune in as Chris describes his personal experiences as a multiple helicopter ditching survivor, common misconceptions surrounding dunk training/HUET, and his recommendations for preparing for such an incident.

Base deficit and excess are reliable biomarkers in determining the severity of our patients’ conditions. But is a deficit an automatic indicator for fluid resuscitation, as some may believe? Tune in as we discuss acid/base balance and what you should base fluid resuscitation on. We also include an updated mnemonic that will help you remember the causes of metabolic acidosis.

In this micro-episode, we discuss evidence based dilution of medications, medication errors, and how you should approach your next medication administration.

In this episode, we review Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), the benefits of prone positioning, and how we as critical care transport providers can effectively perform these transfers.