What Does NICE Say About Epilepsy? The Video
The NICE guidelines, summarised, and made relevant for Paramedics (anything irrelevant is not included)
When Treating Burns, Consider IV Fluid
This is a fast fact based on this post. Full reference available there.
The ‘C’ of Burns – Do Your ECGs
This is a fast fact based on the full post: Burns: The Practical Stuff. Full reference available there.
Beware of the Toxins You Can’t See
This is a fast fact based on the full post – Burns: The Practical Stuff. Full reference available there.
When Treating a Burns Patient, Consider Giving O2
This is a fast fact based on this post. Full reference available there.
Patients with burns to their chest might suffer progressively worsening breathing
chest wall burns, constriction, tightening, ventilation, HEMS, critical care
Beware the swelling airway in burns patients
FAST FACT – This is based on the Burns: The Practical Stuff video and post. Full reference available in full post.
Video – Burns: The Practical Stuff
This video demonstrates the assessment and management of burns, using equipment that is recommended within the locality at the time of production. Remember to check your local, current guidelines before putting anything into practice. Produced by HCPs and students.
For Adult Patients: What to do when you have a high temperature or feel unusually cold (video)
This video has been created by Paramedics in response to the number of patients we are coming across who are unsure what to do when they have a high temperature or don't know that the signs and symptoms they are experiencing may mean that they have a high temperature. I hope the below video is helpful and informative. If there are any concerns, please let me know in the comment box below.
Airway ›
Quizzes Now Available On Selected Videos. Test your Knowledge
The first video in the series is Ventilator V2, which was posted some time ago on the website & on YouTube. You may view the original video & more information […]
I-Gel: Why, What, When, How?
An Article 999 video produced by paramedics for operational staff, explaining the why, what and when of I-Gels and demonstrating how to insert them. This video has been referenced accordingly and will be peer reviewed. A shorter version of the video will be uploaded soon. This video has not been endorsed by any organisation, author or ambulance trust. You must refer to local guidelines and read Article 999's full disclaimer, available at www.article999.co.uk/about/ (disclaimer tab), before putting into place anything you see or read here.
Article Summary: Maxillofacial Trauma Patient
Summary of 'Maxillofacial trauma patient' (Krausz et al, 2009). An article discussing the importance of effective airway management in the maxillofacial trauma patient and the complexities that such an injury presents. Only points relevant to UK paramedics have been included. For more details, please read the original article.
OP Airways VS LMAs and ETI
According to research by Khosraven et al (2015) one of the main disadvantages of an OP airway is that its length, shape & lack of an inflatable cuff may cause oxygen to leak, leading to less oxygen than we might hope for entering the patient's lungs.
Breathing ›
Quizzes Now Available On Selected Videos. Test your Knowledge
The first video in the series is Ventilator V2, which was posted some time ago on the website & on YouTube. You may view the original video & more information […]
Free Ventilator Downloads from Smiths Medical
So far, Article 999 has a reasonable collection of information and videos about positive pressure breathing and ventilators used in prehospital emergency care. Smiths Medical is behind the PneuPac ParaPac. […]
Ventilators: How?
This is a shorter version of the Ventilator: Why, What, How, When? video, featuring the how-to only.
Ventilators: Why, What, How, When?
Made by UK Paramedics, this video demonstrates how to use the PneuPac ParaPac ventilator.
Circulation ›
PARAMEDIC-2 Trial Results
‘For more than 50 years, treatment strategies have included the use of various drugs, but there is limited evidence that such treatments are effective’ (Perkins et al, 2018). Now […]
Considering the Differential Diagnoses of Chest Pain? Consider This.
We tend to consider acid reflux as one of the differential diagnoses of chest pain. We, or the patient's GP might advise them to alter their acidic diet. We might even suggest they take their own gaviscon if it's available. But the patient might be suffering from too low acid, not too high. And gaviscon and omemprazole might worsen their symptoms. This is a guest post written by Paul Burgess of Athletic Nutrition (athleticnutrition.tv).
What are the paramedic drugs and doses for adult ALS?
Adrenaline, amiodorone, sodium chloride... What do our guidelines say about when, how and how much of these drugs we should be giving?
Capacity, Consent, Mental Health ›
What is a section?
A sectioning order is legislation powers given to health care professionals and police officers under the Mental Health Act's of 1983 and 2007 that allow for compulsory admission of an individual to hospital or a place of safety.
Who can enforce a sectioning order?
Nurses, doctors, police officers and mental health professionals whose requests are approved by police officers all have sectioning powers. Their powers vary in accordance with the law. The type of section they can place also varies between them. Paramedics do not have sectioning powers. Read more...
When can you say an adult lacks capacity?
If the person cannot: ‘understand the information relevant to the decision’ ‘retain that information’ Remember, the person only needs to retain this information long enough to decide ‘use or weigh […]
What are the 5 principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005?
Or: How do you decide if someone has capacity? Someone always has capacity until it’s proven otherwise ‘[…] All practical steps to help’ someone make a decision must be tried […]
Disability ›
What is a section?
A sectioning order is legislation powers given to health care professionals and police officers under the Mental Health Act's of 1983 and 2007 that allow for compulsory admission of an individual to hospital or a place of safety.
Who can enforce a sectioning order?
Nurses, doctors, police officers and mental health professionals whose requests are approved by police officers all have sectioning powers. Their powers vary in accordance with the law. The type of section they can place also varies between them. Paramedics do not have sectioning powers. Read more...
Video Library ›
Video – Burns: The Practical Stuff
This video demonstrates the assessment and management of burns, using equipment that is recommended within the locality at the time of production. Remember to check your local, current guidelines before putting anything into practice. Produced by HCPs and students.
Revise the NICE Head Injury Guidance in Under 5 Minutes
Check out the video summary below. For more information, have a look at the related Article 999 post here. Other posts that may interest you: Fast Fact: Head Injury is […]
Ventilators: How?
This is a shorter version of the Ventilator: Why, What, How, When? video, featuring the how-to only.
Fast Facts ›
An Easy Way to Remember How to Identify Left and Right Bundle Branch Blocks
This is easily remembered as: in English we read from left to right, but the ECG prints a view of the heart from right (V1-V2) to left (V5-V6).
Head injury is the commonest cause of death
Another Fast Fact
PARAMEDIC-2 Trial Results
‘For more than 50 years, treatment strategies have included the use of various drugs, but there is limited evidence that such treatments are effective’ (Perkins et al, 2018). Now […]
Children are more likely to arrest due to a lack of oxygen or hypotension than a cardiac cause
Smith, G. 2015. Prevention of cardiac arrest and decisions about CPR, Available Online: https://www.resus.org.uk/resuscitation-guidelines/prevention-of-cardiac-arrest-and-decisions-about-cpr/#decisions (Accessed 02/05/2018)
Article Summaries ›
Should Patients Take Caffeine-Containing Analgesics?
Many of our patients have high temperatures, especially during COVID outbreaks. Some of them are taking over the counter pain relief as required. This is of course recommended, however many of our patients are also tachycardic due at least in part to their high temperatures. When they complain of palpitations, do they need to be aware of the effects of caffeine-paracetamol combinations? Should they be taking this combination at all, or should they simply ease off dietary sources of caffeine while taking analgesics? Here are a few quotes on the subject. Full references are below.
Revise the NICE Head Injury Guidance in Under 5 Minutes
Check out the video summary below. For more information, have a look at the related Article 999 post here. Other posts that may interest you: Fast Fact: Head Injury is […]
What does NICE say about head injuries?
NICE guidelines are great, but they're annoying sometimes. They're lengthy, and it can be hard to find only the content that is directly relevant to frontline ambulance clinicians. Here is a summary of their head injury guidelines, showing only the points and quotes that are relevant to us. Article 999: Simplifying, Presenting, Refreshing.
PARAMEDIC-2 Trial Results
‘For more than 50 years, treatment strategies have included the use of various drugs, but there is limited evidence that such treatments are effective’ (Perkins et al, 2018). Now […]
What Does NICE Say About Epilepsy? The Video
The NICE guidelines, summarised, and made relevant for Paramedics (anything irrelevant is not included)
HCPC CPD Portfolio Help Folder and Template
If you're a UK Paramedic looking for a OneNote template to use for your CPD folder, here's a link to one I've made.
Video – Burns: The Practical Stuff
This video demonstrates the assessment and management of burns, using equipment that is recommended within the locality at the time of production. Remember to check your local, current guidelines before putting anything into practice. Produced by HCPs and students.
What is Negative Pressure Breathing?
Negative pressure breathing is how we breathe normally, without the aid of bag-valve-masks or mechanical ventilators. This article describes the process and begins a series on breathing and ventilator mechanics.
What is positive pressure breathing?
Positive pressure refers to the way artificial ventilation ‘inflate[s] the lungs’ (Hess & Kacmarek, 2014). ‘Normal breathing depends on drawing in air to the lungs by creating a partial vacuum […]
What is the relief pressure dial on the ventilator?
The relief pressure dial on the ventilator ensures that the pressure of ventilation is not so high that it causes problems but allows it to be high enough to help ensure that the patient actually is ventilated. Read more...
What is a section?
A sectioning order is legislation powers given to health care professionals and police officers under the Mental Health Act's of 1983 and 2007 that allow for compulsory admission of an individual to hospital or a place of safety.
Who can enforce a sectioning order?
Nurses, doctors, police officers and mental health professionals whose requests are approved by police officers all have sectioning powers. Their powers vary in accordance with the law. The type of section they can place also varies between them. Paramedics do not have sectioning powers. Read more...
What are the main sections used for?
The various parts of the law applicable to mental health sectioning are Section 2, 3, 4, 5, 135 and 136 but Community Treatment Orders also enable sectioning. These allow for durations of 6 hours, 72 hours, 28 days or 6 months, depending on the type of section. Read more to find out which types provide those durations...