Understanding Healthcare

Being an EMT is a tough job, and it doesn’t take long to figure out that the equipment you’re using can make everything go more smoothly… or drive you totally crazy. One of the most essential pieces of gear is your EMS bag. You take the bag with you on every call, and you depend on it to store, transport, and organize all your supplies. When responding to an emergency, a good EMS bag can save you time and help you treat the patient faster by allowing you to find what you need in an instant. On the other hand, a poorly designed bag can leave you scrambling for the right supplies while precious seconds tick away. A bag that is hard to maneuver can also cause strain, slowing you down on the way to the scene of an emergency or even causing injury. Take the time to find the EMS bag that is right for you, and you will appreciate it on every call.

Follow these tips to make sure you are purchasing the ultimate EMS bag:

The Right Fit

You’ll be spending a lot of time carrying your EMS bag around, so make sure you can transport it comfortably. The StatPacks G1 Perfusion ALS/BLS EMS Bag is a great example of a versatile pack designed with your comfort in mind. It features ergonomic shoulder straps, and the shoulder straps as well as the back panel are padded to make carrying a fully loaded bag as effortless as possible. The shoulder straps and waist belt can be stored out of the way if you prefer to carry the bag by the side handle.

Make It Your Own

Why should you settle for someone else’s attempt at organizing your EMS bag? Choose a bag that allows you to customize the storage options to fit your unique assortment of gear. You need your supplies to be easily accessible, and you don’t want to waste space on pockets or compartments that you don’t need. Meret’s OMNI v.2 ALS/BLS Pack offers extensive flexibility with a customizable main compartment and the option of attaching or removing side modules, elastic loop strips, and deep pockets.
And if you’re looking for style in addition to utility, you can’t ask for a better recommendation than Meret, the brand of EMS bags that’s been featured on NBC’s popular TV series "Trauma." Click here to watch full episodes and see a variety of Meret bags in action!

Easy Access

No matter how much gear fits compactly into your EMS bag, it won’t be of any benefit to you (or your patients) unless you can find the right piece of equipment or EMS supplies as fast as possible. Good EMS bags are organized and feature see-through pockets so you can find what you need. It’s also helpful to have a main compartment that opens completely, allowing you to access any supply in an instant. Think about the supplies you use the most often and make sure there is room to store these items in easily accessible compartments.

Stay Safe

Emergency rescue work can put you in dangerous situations, like working in bad weather, at night, or near high-traffic roads. Your EMS bag should have safety features to maximize your visibility, like the StatPacks G1 Perfusion ALS/BLS EMS Bag’s reflective piping and tie down loops. With a bold, high-visibility stripe on the back of the pack, motorists and pedestrians will be able to see you clearly even in the worst conditions.

Think Long-Term

You may be experienced in emergency care, but you don’t want to be stuck providing “life support” to an EMS bag that breaks down on the job. Make sure any bag you choose has durable construction, rugged material, and reliable zippers. The Meret OMNI v.2 ALS/BLS Pack is made of tough 1200 Denier coated TPE that is resistant to water and stains. In addition, all surfaces that touch the ground are reinforced with PVC for maximum durability.

The Extras

While you don’t want to choose a fancy extra over something essential, like safety or ease of use, well-designed extra features can make the difference between a good bag and a great one. For example, the G1 Perfusion has a safety whistle built into sternum strap buckle for easy accessibility. The Omni v.2 features an enclosed front pocket that keeps paperwork protected and easy to find. Helpful features like these are thoughtfully included in the EMS bag design to help you out on the job.
Have any buying tips of your own? Leave a comment and let us know what you love- or hate- about your EMS bag.

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Tags: buyers guide, ems, emt, equipment

Dangerous heart defects are usually about the last thing on a new parent’s mind when they are bringing their newborn home from the hospital. As long as the baby looks healthy, they are only too happy to check out of the hospital and bring their new bundle of joy home. However, critical congenital heart defects (CHD) that are not diagnosed soon after birth can cause serious problems after babies go home – even death. And heart problems are not as rare as most people think. Heart defects are one of the most common types of birth defects, and about 1 out of every 125 babies is born with a congenital heart defect.

Fortunately, many heart defects are treatable and babies born with these heart defects can go on to lead active, productive lives. But a baby can’t receive treatment unless someone realizes there is a heart defect present. It is estimated that hundreds of American babies die each year because they were born with heart defects that were treatable, but unfortunately were not detected in time. When a newborn is seen by a pediatrician before being discharged from the hospital, the doctor will listen to the baby’s heart with a stethoscope to make sure the heart sounds like it is working properly. This method can pick up on some heart defects, but unfortunately it does not pick up on everything. Babies need further evaluation to detect the presence of other types of heart defects. However, additional screening for heart defects is not usually done in most hospitals.

Why aren’t all babies being screened for heart defects so they can receive the appropriate treatment? You might think it is difficult or expensive to screen newborns for heart defects, which explains why it is not being done in most cases. But the truth is, screening newborns for heart defects is fast, easy, cheap, non-invasive, and only requires standard equipment that is already available in every hospital!

All it takes to detect many of these heart defects is to use pulse oximetry to measure the amount of oxygen in the baby’s blood. A pulse oximeter is a small monitor that can be strapped to a newborn’s foot and beam light through the foot to determine the level of oxygen saturation in the blood. It doesn’t hurt the baby, and it only takes about a minute. Pulse oximeters are essential pieces of medical equipment that are used regularly to monitor patients. New advancements in pulse oximetry technology have lead to even more accurate and easy to use monitors, like the Nellcor N-65 OxiMax Pulse Oximeter. The Nellcor N65 is a convenient handheld device that can monitor oxygen saturation and pulse rates. It uses the latest digital signal processing technology to provide more accurate readings over a wider range of measurements, and it’s even resistant to signal interference. If hospitals were to use pulse oximeters like the Nellcor N65 to screen newborns for heart defects, they would be assured of the most reliable results, and the testing itself would be fast and simple to perform.

Research studies have proven that pulse oximetry is an effective way to catch most congenital heart defects. On July 6, 2009, the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement reviewing the current research. They conclude that using it to screen newborns is effective, low-cost, and safe. Based on their conclusion it seems obvious that pulse oximetry is something that should be recommended for all newborns, but these organizations stop short of actually saying pulse oximetry should be used to screen all babies. Instead, they recommend more research before they will decide whether this should become standard of care.

However, as Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, a pediatric cardiologist, explains in a New York Times blog, parents don’t have to wait for this life-saving test to be accepted as the standard. Parents can simply ask a nurse or doctor to use pulse oximetry to screen their newborn for heart defects before leaving the hospital. The ideal time to use pulse oximetry is after 24 hours of life but before being discharged from the hospital. The test should not cost anything since the hospital already has the equipment.
What parent wouldn’t want the assurance of this simple test?

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Filed under: Focus on Healthcare by Administrator

Tags: instruments, nellcor n-65, pulse oximter

You may have never heard of Charles Chamberland, but chances are you’ve benefitted from the invention credited to this seventeenth century French microbiologist. The autoclave is essentially a specialized steam cooker used to sterilize equipment. Surprisingly, the autoclave shows up in more places than you’d think, and is essential for ensuring patient safety in many situations.

Picture this- you’re sitting in the doctor’s office, dentist’s chair, or even a tattoo parlor.  As they approach you with a sharp-looking metal instrument, you nervously wonder how clean this instrument really is. Sure, it looks clean, but what if there’s some nasty germ that got on the equipment from the last person it was used on? Is soap and water enough to ensure your safety?

You’re right to wonder, but thanks to the autoclave, you’re probably safe (as long as the equipment was sterilized correctly, of course). Physicians, dentists, tattoo artists and others use autoclaves to kill any bacteria, viruses, or fungi that may be present on instruments.  The autoclave uses steam, intense heat and high pressure to sterilize items. Autoclaves, or sterilizers as they are sometimes called, come in a range of types and sizes to meet the needs of different settings.

Autoclave Types

Stove Top Autoclave

The simplest autoclave is a stove-top model. It looks like a large pot with a bolt down lid and a pressure gauge. As the name implies, the stove top autoclave requires an external source of heat. While this is the most affordable type of autoclave sterilizer, the stove top autoclave is both inconvenient and very dangerous if not used correctly.

Front Loading Autoclave

Front loading autoclaves are more popular than stove top models because they are easier and safer to use. (However, they are also potentially dangerous and must be used with caution.) These self contained units include a heat source and they allow the user to set controls to the desired temperature and cycle length. Smaller counter top sterilizers are convenient for medical and dental offices or tattoo parlors. Larger installed units are generally found in hospitals, laboratories, and other facilities that regularly need to sterilize a large volume of items.

Both manual and automatic front loading autoclaves are available. Manual sterilizers generally have dials on the control panel that allow users to set temperature and cycle time. Choosing a manual front loading autoclave is a great option for small medical practices or other offices that need effective sterilization at an affordable price.

Automatic autoclaves may be a little more pricy, but they offer the maximum convenience for sterilizing equipment. Users can select pre-programmed cycles or enter their own specifications. With an automatic sterilizer, the user can push one button and have the unit sterilize and dry a load without any further human input. Some automatic autoclaves even open their doors by themselves to allow heat and steam to vent after sterilization.

Autoclave Effectiveness

Autoclaves are very successful at killing germs like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. In fact, autoclaving is the standard method for sterilizing non-disposable medical equipment in order to ensure patient safety.

However, in very rare situations an autoclave may not be enough. Sterilization alone is not effective against prions that cause Mad Cow Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that contaminated equipment should also be immersed in Enzol Enzymatic Detergen during the sterilization cycle for in order to destroy the prions. Also, a microbe called “Strain 121” can actually survive the very high temperatures in a sterilizer. Not that Strain 121 poses a threat to anyone’s health- this microbe was discovered living in thermal vents deep under the ocean. Still, it illustrates that sterilization is not perfect.

A more common problem with autoclave sterilization occurs when something goes wrong with the cycle and the proper temperature and pressure is not maintained for long enough to kill all pathogens. Several quality control methods have been developed to ensure that the sterilization was effective. Autoclave tape and some medical packaging contain chemical indicators that change color when the necessary autoclave conditions are reached. Biological indicators (“spore tests”) use spores to also create a color change and are more reliable than the chemical indicators. Physical indicators contain an alloy that melts when the autoclave cycle has run properly.

To keep an autoclave working properly, it should have maintenance performed ever six months. A spore test or biological indicator should be run at regular intervals, and autoclave tape or bags with indicator dye should be used with every load. The owner’s manual of an autoclave will also describe daily and weekly maintenance needed for optimum performance.

Bag instruments to be autoclaved that will not be used immediately. This will keep instruments sterile after they are removed from the autoclave until they are ready to be used.

When used properly, autoclaves are an effective and essential way to sterilize equipment and instruments. The steam sterilization used by autoclaves is non-toxic, low cost, and reliable. Autoclaves have greatly contributed to patient and consumer safety in doctor’s offices, hospitals, dentists’ offices, and tattoo parlors.

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Tags: autoclaves, doctor, Midmark, sterilizer, tuttnauer autoclave

The unit itself is made of a soft material which still has firmness to it but allows for some flexibility in order to get it into position to apply it. Contained within the material are a series of wooden slats which help to perform the rigidity of the ked board. It consists of a head piece which also has a hard collar for the cervical section of the neck which stops the movement of the cervical spine.

It then has some straps attached to it so the unit can be locked firmly in place to prevent movement. It comes with a cushion that is placed behind the head and then has handles on either side in order to be able to lift the patient.

in order to get the most benefit of the ked extrication device, proper use and application is critical. To begin with training should be carried out in the proper use of the ked board and it also requires good teamwork to get the most benefit from it.

Individuals that are taking part in applying the ked extrication board to a patient should know what their specific job is. Usually the perfect scenario is to have 5 individuals plus a doctor or paramedic that is in charge. It must be remembered that before the ked device can be used the patient must be stabilized first.

When the ked is prepared and ready to use it is placed between the seat and the victim, and the cervical spine must be kept rigid while this is taken place. The ked board has to be completely and correctly lined up so that the wings of the ked are where they should be under the armpits and lined up with the torso. In order to do this this means leaning the patient forward slightly again though the spine must be kept rigid. All of this must take place by doing only one movement forward. Once this is done then the straps are fastened securely and in proper order. Most often the most senior personnel on the scene will determine if and when the ked extrication device is to be used.

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Filed under: Focus on Healthcare, Focus on Products, Product Information by Jack - Editor

Tags: emergency medical equipment, ems, ems equipment, emt, emt training, immobilization equipment, ked device