Pragmatic Paramedics

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with Kevin from PreparedMed and discuss popular EMS topics from 2024. We discuss leadership, EMS on duty carry, and a couple more hot topics within the EMS community. The discussion has a lot of our personal solutions and thoughts for the problems discussed. We had a ton of fun discussing the topics and think that you will enjoy the wide ranging discussion. As always, thank you for listening and let us kow your thoughts. We appreciate Kevin coming on the show and sharing his thoughts and you can find him on Instagram, Facebook, and his website. Go give him a follow and check out his pages.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

1/13/25 • 99:39

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with G from the EMS Lounge and discuss a wide variety of topics. We talk pay, education, trolling on IG, and other topics. This is a fun episode with a ton of different viewpoints on a variety of different topics. You will definitely laugh during this one and may even think about some topics in a different light. Thanks for listening and as always, please let us know what you think.  Big thanks to G for coming on and having this discussion with us. You can check out G on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and his podcast The EMS Lounge. Go give him a follow and check out his pages.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

12/9/24 • 67:57

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with Cory from Ordinary Ops Medic and discuss whether EMS is a career, profession, or both. All three of us have different thoughts or opinions and those opinions hopefully get you to think differently. We can all agree that EMS needs a massive mindset shift and we hope that this episode gets you to think about how you can change EMS for the better. This is a great discussion that touches on multiple thoughts and ideas. Thanks for listening and as always, please let us know what you think.  A big thanks to Cody for coming on the show and chatting with us about a topic that causes a wide variety of opinions, some good and some bad. You can follow Cody and his work at Ordinary Ops Medic and at his website, on Medium. You can also check him and the Alert Medic 1 here on IG and check out their podcast. Be sure to give Cody a follow. Also, if you are interested in finding out more about a different position, check out the Worst Responders.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter.   

11/11/24 • 124:03

In today's episode, Aaron and Jason, sit down with Jason Warn, the Mindfulness Medic and talk about mental health and physical fitness in EMS. We discuss a wide variety of topics, how mental health is impacted by physical fitness, performance at work and the impacts poor mental and physical health impacts providers professionally and personally. This topic is rarely discussed but we feel like the topic is worthy an indepth, intelligent conversation and contributes to how we provide care to patients and lead more fulfilling lives. Thanks for listening and let us know what you think! Thank you to Jason Warn for coming on the show and chatting with us about this interesting yet overlooked topic. You can follow Jason and his work at IG @mindfulnessmedic and at his website, mindfulnessmedic.net. Be sure to give him a follow and reach out to him if you need to chat or get more information about his programs.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

9/23/24 • 66:54

In today's episode, Aaron, Jason, DR, and Chris sit down and roundtable the topic of professionalism in EMS. We discuss appearance, uniforms, performance and how all these contribute to how EMS is perceived by the public. This topic is rarely discussed but we feel like the topic is worthy an indepth, intelligent conversation and contributes to how we provide care to patients and increase EMS standing in the public service arena. Thanks for listening and let us know what you think! Thanks to @disruptive_ranger and Chris Rosa aka @a_sad_paramedic for taking time out of their busy schedules to talk with us and if you’re not following them - go on over and give their pages a look and follow. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

7/22/24 • 81:40

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with James Boomhower (Boomer) from StayFit4Duty and talk about mental health and resources for first reponders. Boomer has been involved in EMS for over 20 years in a variety of health systems throughout New England. He currently functions in the role of Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic/ Lead Peer Support Director and is working on obtaining his Masters in clinical psychology.  We discuss the different aspects of mental health, what signs to look for when someone or yourself needs mental health help, and organizations that can help first responders with improving their mental health. Boomer has been a great advocate for improving first responders mental health and is passionate in helping those that need help. Check out the episde and remember that it is okay to not be okay! Boomer can be found on Instagram and his website is a great resource for those looking for help improving their mental health. If you are looking for a provider or someone to talk too, check out 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

6/10/24 • 57:09

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with Mustafa, Josh and Ken from Alert Medic 1. We discussed the interview they had with the oncoming NAEMT President-Elect Chris Wray.  The discussion covered our differing views on education, pay, reimbursement, and our feelings about the NAEMT.  There was also an indepth discussion on the Advanced Paramedic Practioner concept as well.  We had a great time with Alert Medic 1 crew and they are throughtful, intelligent medics who are willing to have professional conversations.  Check out the episode and let us know your thoughts! Please give the Alert Medic 1 crew a like on IG, Twitter, and check out their podcast.  They cover a wide range of topics and have some great and interesting guests.   Follow the PragMedics on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. EMS Advocacy, the Paramedic Practitioner Controversy, and other Topics in EMS w/ Christopher Way, President-Elect, NAEMT Podcast Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ems-advocacy-the-paramedic-practitioner-controversy/id1465198214?i=1000652348045  

5/20/24 • 70:20

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with Sam, the PrepMedic. Sam is a current flight medic, has a popular YouTube channel, and is the PrepMedic. We discuss scene times and why they are important, education, and other topics in this episode. Sam brings a ton of different, life experience and thought into this conversation that shows why our profession is extremely nuanced. This is a great episode that presents the topic in a way that is not frequently discussed and hopefully gets you to reevaluate your position on not only scene times but our delivery of patient care. Sam has a wealth of information on his YouTube page and check it out if you want to get informative, entertaining education. He is also on Instagram and Facebook. Go give him some love and check out his content, it will definitely be worth your time! Follow the PragMedics on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

4/17/24 • 75:38

In this episode, Aaron and Jason sit down with Nick Nudell from the American Paramedic Association and discuss EMS education. Nick is a current paramedic, a Ph.D student, and a founder of the only advocacy group that is made up of paramedics.  We chat about the different ways the APA advocates for paramedics and the ways that we can improve the current education model. This is a lively discussion with a variety of ideas discussed and what the model may look like in the future.   Thanks for Nick for taking time out of his day to chat with us. Check out Nick on Instagram and sign up for a membership to the APA on their website. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

4/8/24 • 58:44

In this episode of PragChat, Aaron and Jason sit down with Dr. Schauer (@armyemdoc) to discuss research papers and his thoughts on some trauma topics. Understanding research and how to interpret research papers is valuable to improving our practices and Dr. Shauer does a great job of breaking down how to interpret data and research. Dr. Schauer also discusses some trauma topics as well that is backed up by evidence based medicine.  This was one of the most informative episodes on how to effectively evaluate research, that is constantly evolving, and implement that knowledge into your current practice. Dr. Schauer gives a master class on how to understand and evaluate research and we truly enjoyed discussing these topics with him! Thanks to Dr. Schauer for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him, check out his Instagram.  Also check out his Twitter and YouTube page that he is constantly updating with new information and videos.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter.   

3/11/24 • 66:16

In this episode of PragChat, Aaron and Jason sit down again with @thevascularguy and discuss IV's. Dennis is an interventional vascular access RN and comes to the show with a wealth of valuable information concerning IV access. We discuss a variety of topics that include psychology of starting IVs, best practices, and variety of additional topics.  We had a blast talking with Dennis again and he is a great guest with lots of applicable knowledge. We know he is a RN but he is a friend to EMS and if you want to better your patient care, check this episode out and start with improving how you gain access to your patients.  Thanks to Dennis for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him, check out his Instagram and TikTok.  Also check out his Twitter and YouTube page that has videos on how different ways to obtain vascular access.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

2/26/24 • 103:18

In this episode of PragChat, Aaron and Jason sit down with @thevascularguy and discuss IV's. Dennis is an interventional vascular access RN and comes to the show with a wealth of valuable information concerning IV access. We discuss a variety of topics that include ED and EMS relationships, why IV's are important, selecting the best catheter, and other topics. We had a blast talking with Dennis and this is only Part 1 since we barely touched on all the topics we wanted to chat with him about. We know he is a RN but he is a friend to EMS and if you want to better your patient care, check this episode out and start with improving how you gain access to your patients.  Thanks to Dennis for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him, check out his Instagram and TikTok.  Also check out his Twitter and YouTube page that has videos on how different ways to obtain vascular access.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

2/5/24 • 68:44

In this episode of PragChat, Aaron and Jason sit down with Dr. Jeremy Kaswer and discuss REBOA. REBOA has been a hot topic recently due to a recent paper that presented some new information concerning patient outcomes. Dr. Kaswer discusses what REBOA is, how it works, why it could become a valuable tool in trauma, and other aspects.  Dr. Kaswer a surgical critical care fellow at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a flight surgeon with the 28th ECAB in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He worked EMS during medical school and continues to volunteer as a lieutenant with the Avon Fire Department and EMT with New Hartford Volunteer Ambulance.  Thanks to Dr. Kaswer for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him, check out his Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

11/6/23 • 46:00

This is the second episode in our education series with Max Dodge, where we discuss education and standards for EMS and why they’re so important to the growth of the industry. Currently, the highest level of practice for paramedics to attain is literally paramedic. Talk about a ceiling. Sure you can improve your skill set and be a better medic but there’s nothing formal after medic. Even FP-C, as much as some people want to believe that it’s a step above a “regular” medic isn’t truly a “higher” achievement. It’s more of a sub specialty. That said, we are advocating that if you’re a medic that you work toward a degree. At this stage I’m happy with an associates but if you have the wherewithal to get a bachelors or can even find a decent school - do so. Thanks for listening and as always, let us know what you think! Thanks to Max for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him - go on over and give his page a look. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

10/23/23 • 87:04

In this episode of PragChat, Aaron and Jason talk with Max Dodge about paramedic education.  We discuss the reasons why we should have different levels of degrees and the reasons why they are important. We also discuss why EMS should be professionalized and how that process looks. We had a great chat with Max about this topic and how we can help influence change within our profession. It is a needed discussion and we look forward to having Max back on the show. Thanks for listening and as always, let us know what you think! Thanks to Max for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him - go on over and give his page a look. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

9/25/23 • 90:53

This is part 2 of our chat and the conclusion to this series with @disruptive_ranger where we talk about use of force, BWC, and carrying firearms on duty.  We also have a fun little conversation at the end about weird things medics do and the motoring public. It was a great chat and DR is a great guest! If you don’t like our opinions, feel free to hit us up and we will schedule an episode for your counter points. Thanks to @disruptive_ranger for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him - go on over and give his page a look. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

9/4/23 • 92:21

In this episode, the Pragmatic Paramedics, Aaron and Jason, sit down with the Disruptive Ranger and discuss scene safety, violent patients, BWCs, and if carrying on shift is smart. The Disruptive Ranger is a full-time ranger that is a paramedic, wildland firefighter, and law enforcement officer.  The chat went so well we had to break into two parts. So this episode is part one and should be a good listen. If you don’t like our opinions, feel free to hit us up and we will schedule an episode for your counter points. Thanks to @disruptive_ranger for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and if you’re not following him - go on over and give his page a look. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

8/21/23 • 42:08

Welcome to the third episode of Monday Morning Medic! In this series of episodes, Jason, Aaron, and Chris Rosa sit down and talk about real life calls and patients that we or our special guests have had. We discuss treatments and outcomes to help learn from real-world cases. In this episode, Aaron, Jason and Chris sit down with Mike from the World’s Okayest Medic podcast and talk about a neonate code he ran a few years back. It is a great call that we sit down and dissect with tons of lessons learned and fun to be had by all. This episode is about one of the craziest type of calls we can run and Mike knocked it out of the park. So strap in and listen to this great episode and start getting prepared for your next neonate call with the experience learned from Mike!  If you have a patient that you would like to discuss, let us know! We would love to talk about patients and improving patient care with our listeners. Let us know what you think and if there are any topics that you'd like to discuss. Check out Mike Carunchio, also known as the World's Okayest Medic on Instagram or on any podcatcher. Search for the World's Okayest Medic Podcast and it will be well worth your time and listening pleasure! Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. You can find Chris on Instagram.

7/17/23 • 45:29

In this episode, the Pragmatic Paramedics, Aaron and Jason, sit down with Nick Petroski and discuss different career paths for medics. Nick is a flight medic and close protection medic in Northern Virginia who has a different career path than most medics. We discussed different ideas and ways for medics to expand their careers. If you are interested in expanding your medic career outside the box, this episode has a wealth of knowledge to help you do just that.    If you have any questions or thoughts, DM Jason on IG or Nick P on LinkedIn. The company talked about in the episode is Emergility and they can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and IG.  Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. 

7/3/23 • 53:04

Welcome to the first episode of Monday Morning Medic! In this series of episodes, Jason and Aaron, along with special guest Chris Rosa sit down and talk about real life calls and patients that we have had. We discuss treatments and outcomes to help learn from real-world cases.   This episode of Monday Morning Medics is a conversation about a worst case, once in a career patient. The patient is a woman who is 30 weeks pregnant with a saddle PE.  We talk with Darren, a Canadian critical care/flight paramedic about the logistics and treatment of this patient. This is a great conversation about one of the most difficult patients a medic could ever see.  If you have a patient that you would like to discuss, let us know! We would love to talk about patients and improving patient care with our listeners. Let us know what you think and if there are any topics that you'd like to discuss. Darren can be found on Instagram! Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. You can find Chris on Instagram.

6/5/23 • 41:15

Welcome to the first episode of Monday Morning Medic! In this series of episodes, Jason and Aaron, along with special guest Chris Rosa sit down and talk about real life calls and patients that we have had. We discuss treatments and outcomes to help learn from real-world cases.   In our first episode, we sat down and talked about a unique motor vehicle accident involving a motorcycle.  We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the call to help our listeners improve their care. If you have a patient that you would like to discuss, let us know! We would love to talk about patients and improving patient care with our listeners. Let us know what you think and if there are any topics that you'd like to discuss. Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter. You can find Chris on Instagram.

5/1/23 • 32:36

During a recent chat with Doc Godfrey “Cric Em If You Got'em,” we discussed intubations and airway management in the trauma setting. Of course, after recording it we remembered that the NAEMSP published a paper discussing these very topics so we decided to have a guest come on and chat with us about it – Drew Congdon – a critical care paramedic and paramedic instructor out of New Mexico was kind enough to come on and help walk us through the paper. Listen along with us and hear what the NAEMSP thinks and our take on managing a trauma patient’s airways. Link to the NAEMSP Paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2021.1994069 Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter   

4/21/23 • 55:41

As we wrap our series, "A Thin Blurred Line," we take a moment to sit down with an investigative journalist who has covered incidents such as the ones in the media - Elijah McClain and Tony Timpa. We discuss both cases with her in this great conversation with someone outside EMS.  Listen in as we talk with Cary about her experiences, what she found during her investigation into these incidents and how they impact EMS. Cary is a reporter for the Marshall Project and has been reporting on public safety for numerous years. You can follow Cary on Twitter Check out the Marshall Project on Twitter and on the Interwebz Follow the PragMedics on Instagram and Twitter 

4/4/23 • 42:16

In this episode we discuss trauma airway management with Doc Godfrey (CricEm if you got ‘em). Doc sits down with us as we look at a paper from The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery which discusses prehospital definitive airway not being associated with improved survival in trauma patients. Trauma airway management is complicated, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be… We talk about how to best utilize your clinical skills and assessment along with BLS and basic airway adjuncts as well as medical direction’s role and the effectiveness of appropriate training. Great chat and as always, we appreciate Doc CricEm (Godfrey) for coming on to talk with us to provide everyone with some quality evidence-based guidelines for airway management. As always, thanks for listening and we hope this series provides just one more tool to help you better yourself and the patients we see daily.  Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. References Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 89(2S):p S237-S241, August 2020. | DOI: 10.1097/TA.0000000000002722 The American Surgeon 87(1);159-161 January 2020 DOI:10.1177/0003134820945228

3/15/23 • 46:23

As EMS providers we know all too well about violence, trauma, and the associated dangers of the job but we tend to struggle with what to do when we encounter violent scenes that involve our brothers and sisters in law enforcement and the patients we are committed to care for.  However, what happens when the line we need to cross is one of our own? Police use of force has been an ongoing issue in the U.S. for decades but recently the media has started to focus on not only the police officers involved in these violent encounters but also the EMS providers who are dispatched to aid the patient.  There is a thin and very blurred line that we must navigate to be a patient care provider and advocate but also a public safety brother and sister.  Listen in as we talk with providers, reporters, and others who face these difficult situations in the name of community safety, wellbeing, and the job.  In this episode, with The Mando Medic, we discuss his personal experiences with these situations, thoughts on how to decrease negative patient outcomes in these scenarios, and ways to improve EMS and LE cooperation. As always, thanks for listening and we hope this series provides just one more tool to help you better yourself and the patients we see daily.  Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Give Mando Medic a follow as well!  

2/22/23 • 50:59

As we hop back in the saddle we want to a reaffirm our commitment to this industry through providing you with quality insight and information about clinical practice and evidence based medicine as well current events.  We are you, not experts by any standard and hope that our conversations help improve the quality of EMS in all facets for generations to come.  Thank you for coming back to the show and listening in on these discussions.  Make sure to follow us on IG @pragmed and on your favorite pocatcher! 

2/15/23 • 16:29

In this episode, the PragMedics talk with Dr Timothy Durkin and  discuss Heat Stroke, the signs, symptoms, myths, and of course treatment modalities. The boys and Dr. Durkin look to find practical ways for street level providers to identify and treat heat stroke. Dr Durkin provides the listeners with useful tips and thoughts regarding management of heat stroke and ways for systems to improve their response and treatment of this completely treatable injury. Dr Durkin is a board-certified emergency & sports medicine physician and is Base Medical’s Chief Medical Officer. He has over 2 decades of response, patient care and teaching experience that drive his passion for excellence in Base Medical’s curriculum.  His premedical experiences included service as a camp staffer, SAR responder, urban/rural paramedic, BLS/ACLS/first aid instructor and work on a program management team for DARPA. You can follow him @colorado_rescue_doc on IG! Thanks as always for listening and please check us out on social media as well as Saint Fishers EBM and Trauma Daddy for medical and trauma content. Also checkout BaseCamp https://www.base-medical.com to see what Dr Durkin is up to! Here are some references provided by Dr. Durkin: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322528359_Consensus_Statement-_Prehospital_Care_of_Exertional_Heat_Stroke This is the EHS position paper that was in PHEC in 2018    https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2016/03000/a_tale_of_two_heat_strokes__a_comparative_case.13.aspx This is a paper called a tale of two heat strokes. It describes to service members clinical course after collapsing of heat stroke during the Marine Corps Marathon. One patient received immediate ice water cooling, the other got taken to a hospital. Although both patients survived, difference in outcomes is pretty stark.

6/21/21 • 71:10

In this episode, Jason and Scooby (Aaron was on shift doing real work) sit down with Ryan Kerr to discuss his free online ventilator book, reasons for writing and publishing a free book, and other ventilator thoughts.  Ryan is a current medic/nurse who flies for AirMethods in the Southwest. This is one of our favorite episodes and it is a great conversation that you shouldn't miss!  Please check out Ryan's work at www.rykerrmedical.com and on IG.  He also has published the ventilator resource on Amazon so check him out!  Thanks for listening! As always, we want to thank our supporters: Priority 1 Air Rescue, Red Clover Coffee, SayAgainOver, and finally Pelican, but also and more importantly to our listeners!

5/31/21 • 47:26

In this episode, the PragMedics and Scooby sit down and discuss a proper disaster patient, one with an upper GI bleed (esophageal varices). We discuss a patient from the ICU perspective with lessons learned for paramedics.  These patients are challenging to manage, and it's a great conversation that will help a paramedic manage this type of patient.  Thanks for listening, and be sure to check out our "I had this patient" Facebook group!  As always, we want to thank our supporters: Priority 1 Air Rescue, Red Clover Coffee, Black Wolf Helicopters, SayAgainOver, and finally Pelican, but also and more importantly to our listeners! Check out the First Responders Children's Foundation and Do It For Drew as well and donate to a couple of great causes!

4/5/21 • 34:01

The PragMedics decided to look inward and interview Aaron about a recent austere/disaster response mission he participated. Jason and Scooby talk with Aaron about his recent trip to a developing country in response to a natural disaster.  This episode has bits and pieces from disaster response preparation for paramedics, resource limitations, and better, best, good methods for treating patients post-disaster in austere environments. Thanks for listening and enjoy this episode! As always, we want to thank our supporters: Priority 1 Air Rescue, Red Clover Coffee, Black Wolf Helicopters, SayAgainOver, and finally Pelican, but also and more importantly to our listeners! Check out Global Response Management and the First Responders Children's Foundation as well and donate to a couple of great causes!

1/27/21 • 41:42