RPPEO News & Updates

How is advanced airway care evolving, and what does that mean for paramedic practice? Save the date for the RPPEO Nasotracheal Intubation Town Hall to be held online on December 10 at 1pm. Registration details will follow.

Advanced airway care calls for clinical judgment, technical skill and a strong foundation in the basics. As evidence and practice evolve, the Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario (RPPEO) is taking a closer look at how we support safe, effective airway management, including procedures that paramedics may have few opportunities to use.

A conversation worth having

Nasotracheal intubation is part of that conversation, alongside broader questions about advanced airway care: how we choose an approach, maintain skills in infrequently used procedures and bring the fundamentals into every airway encounter. We are also looking closely at how advanced airways are managed and monitored, including the role of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring in ongoing assessment. These questions deserve time and thoughtful discussion.

This is about the evolution of practice, not a judgment on the care paramedics have provided. The Town Hall will offer space to reflect on clinical experience, explore the thinking behind changes in airway practice and ask what those changes mean for patient care.

Keeping the focus on patient care

Advanced airway assessment and management remain essential parts of paramedic care. This conversation will keep the focus on BLS fundamentals, clinical judgment and the authorized airway-management approaches that fit the situation not only when establishing an airway, but throughout ongoing care and monitoring. Practical resources will help connect the discussion to day-to-day care.

Join the RPPEO Town Hall

RPPEO will host a Town Hall on December 10, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. Dr. Michael Austin and the RPPEO team will share the thinking behind this work, explore nasotracheal intubation and its use in our region, review practical airway management and answer questions. Bring your experiences and questions: this is an opportunity to learn together and discuss what evolving practice means in the field.

There’s a new way to keep track of your ACE correspondence on RPPEO.ca.

The new ACE Inbox brings your recent correspondence together in one place after you sign in. Items requiring a response appear at the top, making it easier to see when something needs your attention.

From the ACE Inbox, you can:

• open and review your correspondence;
• respond when required;
• search your correspondence history by call number or date; and
• request to reopen closed correspondence if you would like to add comments.

Nothing is disappearing. The ACE Inbox adds another way to access and manage your correspondence, and RPPEO will continue to send email notifications when new ACE correspondence is created.

Getting Started

Download the ACE Inbox User Guide for Paramedics for screenshots and step-by-step instructions on accessing and using your Inbox. 

Questions or having trouble accessing your ACE Inbox? Contact RPPEO at info@rppeo.ca.

RPPEO has issued Medical Advisory MA-2026-01, “Preventing Patient-Safety Incidents Involving HYDROmorphone,” following patient-safety incidents involving medication selection and errors in calculating or preparing HYDROmorphone. 

The advisory introduces safeguards to support safer medication preparation and administration. Paramedics should read the medication name and concentration directly from the vial, complete a medication cross-check before preparing and administering HYDROmorphone, and resolve any discrepancy in the medication, concentration, dose, calculated volume or route before proceeding. 

As an additional system safeguard, affected Paramedic Services are transitioning from HYDROmorphone 10 mg/mL to 2 mg/mL. Services may transition at different times, making it particularly important for paramedics who work in more than one service to verify the concentration stocked rather than relying on familiarity with a particular vial, package or service. 

The Medical Advisory also reminds paramedics to consider the full range of analgesic options available under the applicable medical directive. An OMC Base Hospital Physician can provide additional support with dose and volume calculations when helpful. 

Read the Advisory and Supporting Resources 

• Medical Advisory MA-2026-01: Preventing Patient-Safety Incidents Involving HYDROmorphone 

• HYDROmorphone_Evidence_Based_Regional_Change.pdf

• HYDROmorphone_Safety_Considerations_for_Paramedics.pdf 

These resources are intended to be used together to support the regional transition and reinforce safe medication selection, preparation and administration. 

Paramedics are encouraged to continue reporting medication incidents, near misses, good catches and medication hazards through the RPPEO Patient Safety Incident Report. These reports help RPPEO and Paramedic Services identify opportunities to strengthen medication systems, education and patient care. 

Questions about the Medical Advisory can be directed to quality@RPPEO.ca or MedicLINE at 1-877-587-7736. 

Drug shortages, recalls, and supply disruptions can have a direct impact on patient care. RPPEO's Drug Availability Database provides a centralized resource to help Paramedic Services, Base Hospitals, and Ministry of Health partners monitor the availability of medications used in Ontario paramedicine and proactively plan for supply challenges. 

Available at DRUG AVAILABILITY DATABASE, the database brings together information on medications used under the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards and ACP Palliative Care Treat & Refer directive, as well as medications associated with research projects and anticipated future implementation. By consolidating information from national drug supply and safety monitoring sources, the database helps support a more coordinated approach to managing shortages and maintaining equitable access to patient care across the province. 

The County of Renfrew Paramedic Service is inviting abstract submissions for the 2026 Paramedic Research Symposium, a gathering that will bring together paramedics, researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, and community partners to share ideas and advance the profession.

The symposium will showcase work that is helping shape the future of paramedicine, with submissions welcomed in the areas of research, quality improvement, innovation, education, community paramedicine, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Whether you are evaluating a clinical initiative, exploring new models of care, advancing paramedic education, or leading a quality improvement project, this is an opportunity to share your findings and contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting paramedic practice.

The Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA), a national leader in reducing stigma and improving substance use health, in partnership with The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and RPPEO, is inviting active-duty paramedics to participate in a focus group on improving how people experience care for substance use health needs. 

This session will explore paramedic experiences supporting patients with substance use health needs, including emergencies. Insights will inform improvements to care delivery and patient experience. 

Details: 

July 8, 2026 

18h00 to 20h00 

Virtual (Teams) 

Register: 

https://survey.toh.on.ca/limesurvey/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=775524&lang=en 

For inquiries, contact: shawn.fisk@capsa.ca