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Background Information: Double external defibrillation (DED) is an intervention often used to treat refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF). This procedure involves applying another set of pads attached to a second defibrillator to a patient and shocking them in hopes of terminating the rhythm. N Engl J Med.
The patient received 1 mg of epinephrine IV x2 with conversion of his rhythm to ventricular fibrillation (VF) for which he was defibrillated twice in the field. The patient is moved over to the stretcher and connected to the monitors and defibrillator. In our case, the patient had accidentally overdosed on drugs prior to being found.
Calcium is associated with harm but is still necessary in certain situations (hyperkalemia, calcium channel blocker overdose) (Level 3 recommendation: no benefit). With respect to timing, for cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm, it may be reasonable to administer epinephrine after initial defibrillation attempts have failed.
In Basic LifeSupport (BLS) emergencies, a single EMS provider can not deliver optimum care, such as when trying to hold direct pressure on a bleeding wound, while preparing bandages, to stop bleeding. In Advanced Lifesupport (ALS) emergencies, a “single” paramedic or ER doctor can not deliver necessary care.
I recerted CPR, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac LifeSupport) and PALS (Pediatric Advanced LifeSupport) late in December. For all the fancy changes over the year, the bottom line has always been to provide good CPR compressions and timely defibrillation. Pediatric defibrillation doses should be 2j/kg, 4j/kg.
CPR is taken over by responding crews, and he is placed on a cardiac monitor/defibrillator. After several cycles of defibrillation, epinephrine, and amiodarone, the patient remains in cardiac arrest. This continues to be supported by new literature. He is found to be in ventricular fibrillation (VF). References: 1. Ramazan, K.,
On the other hand, you could be called in to attend to the victim of a car accident or a shooting or a heart attack, drowning, mountaineering accident, or drug overdose. You may even have to deliver a baby! You can never predict what will happen over the course of any given shift.
You must also pass your practical examinations, which can include things like HARE traction splints, manual airway management, or proper CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) use. They had overdosed, and this was before the widespread use of Narcan. My First Call I became an EMT when I was sixteen.
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