EMS Protocol of the Week - Traumatic Cardiac Arrest (Adult and Pediatric)

For the large number of “medical” cardiac arrest calls we field on the OLMC phone, we rarely (if ever) get calls from crews asking for orders in traumatic cardiac arrest. Why? Well for one, as you can see in this week’s protocol, the only real Medical Control Option available in traumatic cardiac arrest is for additional crystalloid fluid resuscitation, which I think we can all agree is probably not the lifesaving intervention here. But more to the point, as you read through the protocol from the top down, you’ll see how high a priority it is for crews to simply transport the patient, starting at the EMT level. Remember, this is in line with most trauma jobs, which are usually managed by EMTs who can more rapidly bring these patients to a trauma center for definitive care rather than spend extra time securing vascular access or an airway in the street. So don’t be caught off guard if BLS rolls in a traumatic arrest rolls with chest compressions, a BVM and nothing else; the EMTs are doing what they were trained to do!

Look at us, gang, we’ve made it through another year of these emails! I really appreciate you all taking the time to read through these and provide feedback, and I’m glad to hear that it’s helped some of you have more informed interactions with our EMTs and paramedics. But look at me, prattling on…such a bleeding heart.

www.nycremsco.org and the protocol binder for all you go-getters out there!

Dave