What Procedures Can Paramedics Perform?

• Perform cardiac support for heart attack victims.
• Perform emergency respiratory procedures for people with blocked airways.
• Administer IV (intravenous) fluids.
• Bandage wounds.
• Stabilize head and neck injuries.
• Stabilize broken bones.
• Resuscitate drowning victims.

Who can perform pericardiocentesis?

Percutaneous pericardiocentesis now is the procedure of choice for the safe removal of pericardial fluid. Whenever possible, this procedure should be performed by

a surgeon, an interventional cardiologist or a cardiologist trained in invasive techniques

.

Can paramedics perform Pericardiocentesis?

Paramedics are

allowed

to perform cricothyroidotomy in 68 programs (85%), pericardiocentesis in 24 (30%), and tube thoracostomy in 23 (29%).

Can paramedics perform a thoracotomy?

The 2003 guidelines for withholding or terminating resuscitation in prehospital traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest

What can a paramedic do for cardiac tamponade?

Treatment is directed

at decreasing intrapericardial pressure by withdrawing fluid from the pericardial sac

. Typically, a needle is inserted into the pericardial space and enough fluid withdrawn to normalize vital signs. This process, called a pericardiocentesis, is dangerous.

Can paramedics do surgery?

Some paramedics actually

perform surgical procedures

as part of their job. Surgical cricothyroidotomies, chest tubes, central catheters, postmortem cesarean sections and field amputations are only some of the surgical skills that many paramedics in the United States are authorized to perform.

Can paramedics diagnose?

Paramedics are

able to determine preliminary diagnoses at satisfactory level

. The relationship between educational background and diagnostic accuracy suggests that there is a definitive need for a specific pre-hospital nursing education.

Can paramedics insert chest tubes?

Although the placement of chest tubes usually falls to physicians, many healthcare workers—be they paramedics or nurses—have had to take care of patients with chest tubes in place, either in a hospital setting or during transport.

What is the difference between thoracotomy and Thoracostomy?

Thoracotomy is

surgery

that makes an incision to access the chest. It’s often done to remove part or all of a lung in people with lung cancer. Thoracostomy is a procedure that places a tube in the space between your lungs and chest wall (pleural space).

Why is cardiac tamponade a medical emergency?

In cardiac tamponade,

extra fluid builds up in the sac around the heart

. The fluid pushes on the heart so it’s not able to pump normally. Most cases of cardiac tamponade are emergencies. Untreated, cardiac tamponade can cause shock and, ultimately, death.

What are the three signs of Beck’s triad?

• low blood pressure (weak pulse or narrow pulse pressure)
• muffled heart sounds.
• raised jugular venous pressure.

What does electrical alternans indicate?

Electrical alternans is defined as

alternating QRS amplitude that is seen in any or all leads on an

electrocardiogram (ECG) with no additional changes to the conduction pathways of the heart. This rhythm is typically associated with pericardial effusion via the “swinging heart” from the fluid surrounding the heart.

How do you identify cardiac tamponade?

1. Chest pain or discomfort.
2. Shortness of breath.
3. Fast breathing.
4. Increased heart rate.
5. Enlargement of the veins of the neck.
6. Fainting.
7. Swelling in the arms and legs.
8. Pain in the right upper abdomen.

What are the ranks of paramedics?

The three levels are defined as

the Supervising EMS Officer, the Managing EMS Officer and the Executive EMS Officer

. We feel that the majority of EMS officers from across the United States can identify their position among these three categories.

Are paramedics like doctors?

A paramedic is a medical professional who specializes in emergency treatment. They

are not doctors

, nurses, or physician’s assistants. … Paramedics have more training and can provide more advanced emergency medical care. They can use basic and advanced equipment on ambulances.

What do paramedics do between calls?

When paramedics are not on call and are off-duty, they live regular lives much like any medical professional. While on-duty but not responding to emergencies, paramedics may be responsible for filling out paperwork about the emergencies they handled,

restocking the ambulance, and ordering supplies

.