With public health experts continuing to advise physical distancing, we took to online tactics early to meet our commitment to educating, evaluating and authorizing practice for paramedics.

Learning and demonstrating skills using mediated means, however, came with concerns. Would we be able to provide quality instruction? Could paramedics expect a fair, clear experience? Would we know when we were seeing learners struggle and could we help them from miles away?

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Our hospital has come through with a temporary solution to the problem of ambulance offload delay at the Civic campus.

The Offload Medicine Transition Unit at The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus is now open for patient care. The unit officially opened its doors on January 5, 2021.

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Andy picked up by OPP

After almost 20 years with the base hospital, Dr. Andrew Reed, BSc, MSc, MD, EMCA, BPE, FRCPC, is moving on to a new endeavor. Andy has accepted a full time appointment as Medical Director with the Ontario Provincial Police.

Please join us in congratulating Andy on his new position with the OPP! Andy's last day with RPPEO will be June 30, 2020.

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Have you noticed that some people seem to be adjusting better than others to the challenges of 2020?

We're each a distinct bundle of emotions, stressors, capacities and strengths. In times of stress, some will cry, some will laugh. And, some of us will read.

What do you do when you're too stressed?  

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Following identification of patient safety incidents regarding use of IV EPINEPHrine for anaphylaxis across the region, Dr. Richard Dionne, Regional Medical Director, has issued an important Medical Advisory for paramedics identifying the patient safety risk with using the IV route in administration of EPINEPHrine for anyone who is profusing.

Paramedics should read Medical Advisory 2022-02. If you have any questions, please contact quality@RPPEO.ca.

The Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS) outline the specific patient care procedures authorized for Ontario paramedics, aligned with their scope of practice at the Primary Care (PCP) and  Advanced Care (ACP) levels.

ALS PCS Version 5.4

The full standards document as released by the Ministry of Health.

ALS_PCS_5.4_Final.pdf

Ministry of Health Memo on ALS PCS v5.4

This official memo from the Ministry of Health confirms the implementation of ALS PCS v5.4 and outlines the effective date.

Download MOH Implementation Memo

OBHG Companion Document for ALS PCS v5.4

Prepared by the Ontario Base Hospital Group Education Subcommittee, this educational supplement provides context, rationale, and clinical considerations to support the implementation of ALS PCS v5.4.

Download OBHG Companion Document

OBHG Memo on ALS PCS v5.4 Practice Changes

This memo from the OBHG Education Subcommittee highlights the most relevant updates in ALS PCS v5.4 that impact paramedic clinical practice and patient care.

Download OBHG Practice Changes Memo

The BLS Patient Care Standards are the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care expectations with respect to how paramedics will interact with their patients.

The Ministry of Health (ministry) has proceeded with the implementation of patient care models for eligible 9-1-1 patients, as enabled since the regulatory and legislative changes proclaimed on November 1, 2019. These patient care models will provide eligible patients with appropriate community-based care options to improve patients’ timely access to care needed, and to reduce pressures on hospital emergency departments and ambulance services.

Where will you find October MedicNEWS when it's December? It's in the MedicNEWS archive, of course! 

We've put back issues of MedicNEWS in the Resources tab on the menu. If you're searching for a topic we've covered or want to flip through old issues, check out the MedicNEWS archive.

In This Issue

• RPPEO Holiday Message to Paramedics
• Focus: Meet the Physicians from Your Consultations on the Phone
• Deadline Alert: Maintenance of Certification
• BHP Corner: What's the Big Deal about Atrial Fibrillation?
• Quality & Patient Safety: The Times are A-Changing in Paramedicine

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