Seminar Topics

Jason presents on many topics related to EMS and pre-hospital activities. The topics listed on this page include keynote and clinical addresses.  If you don’t see a topic that you would like to have Jason present on, contact him to discussion a custom presentation.

 

TOPICS: GENERAL SESSIONS/KEYNOTE


When Disaster Strikes: Is Your Family Prepared? (new lecture 2015)

Have you ever thought to yourself, “What would I do if” as you watch the news about a natural disaster?  Jason will discuss real world disaster events and the challenges faced by citizens and emergency workers.  He will also show you some basic concepts for planning, making home ready kits, sheltering and much more that will help your entire family be better prepared.

It’s In Our Back Yard: Domestic Terrorism on the Rise (new lecture 2014)

Domestic Terrorism has become a big challenge for public safety and the health care industry facing everything from deadly mass shootings to bombings.  Since 9/11, the number of state side incidents that are related to international terrorist groups to individuals acting alone are on the rise at a fast pace.  The question remains, “What are we doing to be proactive vs. reactive?”  Active shooter drills have become the norm for training law enforcement and first responders.  Mass shooting protocols are starting to become a frequent policy addition for most agencies.  Intelligence units within law enforcement are working more with federal assets to keep our communities safer.  However we have to ask additional questions about whether we’re paying enough attention to domestic terrorism following the September 11, 2001 attacks.  This session will evaluate numerous domestic terrorism events and address ways to improve situational awareness and challenges we continue to face.

Through The Eyes of a Rescuer (Popular Lecture)

The world of public safety can be challenging, stressful and full of rewards.  Everyday fire fighters, EMT’s, paramedics, and nurses witness traumatic situations.  No matter how long you have worked in our line of work, you never become immune to the tragedies and human suffering you witness.  As time goes on, either you learn to cope with these scenes better or you head rapidly towards breaking point.  Laughter and discussing inner thoughts help.  But are these true answers to solve our problem?  For some, yes and for others, no.  This session is full of excitement, laughter, and motivation.  Laughing with brothers and sisters of our profession will give you a few tools to pull from when you are in need of a shoulder to lean on.  This presentation will examine several types of incidents that present similar stressors.  By the end of this presentation you will have a better understanding on how to survive happily and healthy in the world of public safety.

Creating a Culture of Civility: Challenges, Chaos and Recommendations (popular lecture)

Tired of dealing with people who BMW (bitch, moan and whine) and bully all the time?  They suck our energy from us and pluck our last nerve.  Labeled as “it is just their personality” they keep getting away with their behavior.  In a time when team work, good communication, and solid interpersonal relationships are critical for creating a stress free environment that meets the public’s needs, we can no longer afford to allow this behavior to continue.  This session will look at how to deal with them and what to do when they accept no responsibility for their behavior and its impact on others.  This session is helpful for anyone who is tired of working with “them” and would love some new insight.

From the Past to the Present: What we’ve learned in EMS

Few people realize that modern EMS has only been around for the last 40 years.  In the first half of the 20th century, many ambulance services were operated by community funeral homes.  In the 1960’s pre- hospital care generally was limited to a “scoop and run” operation.  The greatest accomplishment of EMS, however, is the fact that more lives are being saved.  Many of these have complicated medical or traumatic conditions that require considerable knowledge, skill, and judgment.  Some are critically injured and the proper care can literally make the difference between life and death.  Today EMS is accepted as one of the “Big Three” public safety responders: Police, Fire, and EMS for its lifesaving capability.  This lecture will look at the evolution of EMS from past, present and future.

How to Expect the Unexpected (new lecture 2013)

It happens so fast you don’t have time to think about it…until later.  How do we perform under pressure?  Who’s the right person for the crisis on hand?  How do we prepare for the “what if” call or situation?  Crew Resource Management known as CRM has been mastered in the airline industry.  Have we really taken a look at how CRM applies to EMS calls, the emergency department, fire ground operations, and MCI’s?  This lecture will take an in depth look at how we as clinicians and public servants can apply the same concepts on the ground that are used at 35,000 feet in the air.

EMS and Nursing, Tension vs. Teamwork (popular lecture)

The world of EMS and Nursing has a wide range of similarities and differences in both the pre-hospital and hospital setting.  Think about those days when you say, “What were they thinking” “How come you couldn’t….”  “Don’t take the patient to that hospital, they are so rude” “That ambulance crew is so dumb.”  With that said what we can do to make those working relationships better and improve patient outcomes.

 

TOPICS: LEADERSHIP


Loyalty and Integrity: The Impact on Organizational Culture

Our profession is dependent on people functioning autonomously with a high level of independence coupled with minimal direct oversight.  As leaders, there is an inherent responsibility to create a culture that provides the necessary tools for doing the job safely and efficiently.  For this to happen, the culture of any program must be objectively evaluated throughout all levels.  Organizations with a high level of integrity equip ALL individuals with the necessary tools to make difficult decisions and have the hard conversations.  This presentation will begin the process of evaluating the team concept as well as delve in to the differences between loyalty and integrity; both shape and mold organizational culture and future growth/viability of your program.

Forecasting: Not Just for Weather (new lecture 2013)

While not an exact science, business forecasting can be challenging and stressful.  There is a variety of factors that come into play when planning for the future of your organization.  The world of public safety has recurring challenges with staffing issues, decreasing budgets, equipment replacement, community needs, local and national regulations, data collections and much more.  Jason will present some ideas, concepts, and challenges for group discussion.  This session is designed to share information as a group to help each other work through similar challenges within your organizations and develop new ideas together.

From Beginners to Winners: Building Teamwork for Success (new lecture 2013)

Team building is an ongoing process that helps a work group evolve into a cohesive unit.  How does your team rank?  Are you prepared to go all the way to the championship and win?  Is your team confident and competent?  The team members share expectations for accomplishing trust, integrity, support, and mutual respect.  Your role as a team builder is to lead your team toward cohesiveness and productivity.  Each team has a culture of its own and requires team members to adapt to change with fluency.

 

CONFERENCE TOPICS: CLINICAL


“The Elephant In The Room: When Medical Errors Go Bad” (New 2015)

Think of a time when you heard of, personally know of, or committed a medical error while care was being provided.  The amount of medical errors that go unreported unnoticed and covered up are shocking at best.  In this enlightening session, Jason will take you on a journey as he uncovers some of the common medical errors and contributing factors that affect patient outcomes.

Street Sense: Protecting yourself while saving your patient (New 2015)

In the world of public safety, there are inherent dangers we face every day when we answer the call.  That call for help can turn into a dangerous situation for you at any given point.  What training do you have for violent encounters?  What do your policies and procedures say about handling dangerous situations of physical confrontations with patients or bystanders?  In today’s world of public safety, we all have become victims of targeted attacks of violence on crews.  Jason will bring a reality approach to this class through case studies and hands-on demonstrations with the audience.  Are you prepared as an organization and individuals to handle these increasing dangers we face?

Permissive Hypotension: Are Fluids Truly your Best Friend?  (New 2014)

Remember in EMT school when you learned a blood pressure of 120/80 was the target goal for all trauma patients?  The “Golden Rule” treatment was MAST pants, 2 large bore IV’s with fluids wide open and lots of diesel.  Recent studies have found that there is some benefit to allowing specific patients to experience some degree of hypotension in certain settings.  Does the Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) on my monitor really matter to me?  The current trend, in ambulances and emergency rooms, is to limit fluid resuscitation, at least until hemorrhage is controlled.  Let’s discuss why our trauma patients are being managed drier than we have in past times.

Combating Change vs Tradition in EMS (New 2014)

Where will the fire service be in the next 10 to 20 years?  We all have heard the terms “brotherhood” and “tradition” since joining the EMS service.  To some these are just words spoken during new hire orientation; to others, they are a matter of pride and a way of life.  Is that true?  What do you think?  Where are we heading?  What are we doing for long term sustainability in the EMS service where traditions are fading daily with our changing society?

EMS Management of our Elderly Population (New 2014)

The elderly account for the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population with the life expectancy of the U.S. population continuing to increase.  The elderly patient population impacts our prehospital, hospital systems and long term acute care facilities.  This population can be some of the most complex medical and trauma patients.It is important to understand the unique issues related to caring for elderly patients to ensure they are managed appropriately.  You will be elderly someday, so come join this fun discussion of what life looks like for you in the future! The elderly account for the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population.

This is My Puzzle: Autism Spectrum Disorder (New 2014)

ASDs affect one out of every 68 children in the U.S.  While autism appears to be on the rise, it’s unclear whether the growing number of diagnoses shows a real increase or comes from improved detection.  Are we prepared as EMS providers to manage patients who have pre-existing conditions that affect social acceptance?  Managing sick or injured patients with Autism can be challenging.  Come join our discussion and better understand the Autistic patient population from a professional and personal prospective.

The ABC’s of critical Thinking (New 2013)

Critical thinking in medicine requires using logic to understand medical problems and make reasonable decisions in patient management.  Have you had that patient that stumped you or made you really think?  Have you had that call where your patient assessment and management flow didn’t go so well because you didn’t know where to start with treatment priorities?  Jason will break down and simplify the ABC’s of patient assessment, management, and treatment priorities.  This fun and exciting class will have you walking away feeling more comfortable, confident and competent with your critical thinking and patient management skills.

“Bath Salts” Beauty or Beast?  (New 2012)

The street drug “Bath Salts” is the newest and latest addition to a growing list of items that young people can obtain to get high.  Unfortunately, doctors, clinicians, and law enforcement have indicated that ingesting or snorting “bath salts” containing synthetic stimulants have been linked to an alarming number of ER visits for cardiac issues, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, suicide, and murder across the country.  This lecture will take an in-depth look at the street level use of “bath salts” and the challenges providers may face when managing this rising patient population.

Battered and Beaten: Uncovering the Invisible Signs of Domestic Abuse (Popular Lecture)

Based on reports from 10 countries, between 55 percent and 95 percent of women who had been physically abused by their partners had never contacted non-governmental organizations, shelters, or the police for help.  Domestic violence is a serious problem that needs to be stopped sooner than later.  This session will help you better prepare to recognize patients suffering from the physical and mental injuries from abuse, documentation, reporting, and management during transport.

I Can’t Believe They Don’t Use Butter: Burn Care 101

Prehospital providers play an important role in the initial burn care treatment and management.  In caring for the burn patient, it is important to remember that many factors impact the care that we are able to deliver.  As the science for clinical care of burn patients rapidly evolves, it’s important that additional tools and improvements in burn care treatment and management are applied in the prehospital setting.

Who’d a Thought?  The New Trends of Chemical Suicide

There is no longer a routine call.  Mixing household chemicals to create toxic vapors in a confined space and inhaling them has become a new trend in the United States.  Over the past several years we have seen a steady climb in calls that have involved this process. We are also seeing a new trend of people ingesting “bath salts” which has also led to a rise in overdoses and suicides.  This session will take a look at the history of both practices and the dangers first responders’ face through literature and case studies.

Dealing with Patients in Police Custody

There are many cases around the US where suspects became patients while in custody and died. Clearly, a close working relationship between police, fire, and EMS is crucial to our safety and success of proper assessment, management, and transport of a patient who is in police custody.  This session will look at cases and medical conditions to address different learning points for ALL public safety.  This session is a good eye opener for all providers and officers.

Case Studies: There is Value

The ideal evidence base practice is based on randomized double blind studies.  Although case studies or individual experience is the lowest level of best practices, it still has value.  This lecture will provide case studies to show interesting insight in patient management.

Triage and Air Medical Services: Are You Making the Right Decision?

The use of air medical helicopters has shown valuable in patient outcomes.  There is much debate over the benefits and appropriate utilization of HEMS.  EMS is the start to the patient’s success based on their triage decision.  This lecture will look at key issues affecting those decisions and what the debate is all about.

Capnography: Valued or Undervalued?

Capnography has become the golden standard and is being used by paramedics primarily to aid in their assessment and management of the intubated patient in the prehospital environment.  So how does monitoring of ETC02 really help steer the management and treatment of the intubated and non-intubated patient?  With the technology of waveform capnography, how valuable is it in the assessing the hypoperfused patient?  This session will look at the overall uses of waveform capnography and how paramedics can better assess and manage their patients.

Managing the Special Needs Patient in your Community

Although every special-needs patient is different and every family is unique, there are some common concerns that link these patients together.  Maintaining appropriate care and management in the prehospital setting can be a challenge when not properly trained and prepared for these unique cases.  With newer and updated equipment, it has become more common and practical for patients once cared for in the hospital setting to be cared for at home.  Specialized equipment, chronic conditions, communications, management, and transport of these patients can be a challenge for prehospital providers.  This session will review some of the latest and greatest devices, management, and transport considerations.

Man vs. Machine: “ATV” Trauma Case Studies

All-terrain vehicles are popular off road vehicles used for a wide variety of work and recreational activities.  Recently, the growing popularity of ATVs and the increasing size and power of the vehicles has led to concern over injury risk.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that ATVs result in more than 100,000 emergency department visits annually, including more than 30,000 injuries for children 16 years of age and younger.  During the past decade, more than 200 children died annually due to injuries sustained on ATVs.  Children make up a disproportionate number of ATV injuries.  This lecture will focus on the most commonly seen injuries as well as management.

Curbside to Bedside: Pediatric Trauma Case Studies (popular lecture)

Injury is the number 1 killer of children in the United States.  In 2014, injury accounted for 79.5% of all deaths in children younger than 18 years.  The financial burden to society of children who survive childhood injury with disability continues to be enormous.  The entire process of managing childhood injury is complex and varies by region.  0nly the comprehensive cooperation of a broadly diverse group of people will have a significant effect on improving the care and outcome of injured children…  This session will address injuries and illnesses of children and their respective treatment modalities from the scene through ED.  There will be an emphasis on collaboration and teamwork to benefit patient care.

Crush Injury vs. Crush Syndrome: Why is it Important to Know?  (Popular lecture)

Two hundred six bones, countless muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and supporting structures weave together to form the musculoskeletal system.  Although injuries to this system are common and rarely fatal, they often result in severe pain, blood loss, and potential long-term disability.  Adverse outcomes can often be prevented with prompt temporary measures, but which ones?  This lecture is designed to discuss commonly misdiagnosed and mistreated injuries in the field.  Full of visuals and simple definitions, this will offer all EMS providers a better understanding on crush injuries.

Organized Chaos: Four Patients and a Medic (popular lecture)

Should the rescuers move quickly through all the victims making some errors?  Or, should they go more slowly, aiming for a higher degree of accuracy?  Should they begin treatment, or finish the triage first?  Should they start CPR on the victim who is in full arrest?  The answers to these questions called for a sensible, orderly triage protocol for MCI’s.  A search of paramedic training material and medical literature revealed several applicable concepts, but no specific, step-by-step plans for initial MCI triage for small scale incidents.

Airway Case Studies: When the Simplest Thing Made the Biggest Difference (popular lecture- I involve the audience with some hands on demonstrations)

Ensuring quality in pre-hospital airway management is challenging because the generally fast-paced process occurs in a less-than-ideal setting with bad lighting, limited space, and under demanding circumstances.  Research increasingly suggests that pre-hospital intubation may be non-beneficial and perhaps even detrimental to the care of some trauma patients.  In a case study format, we will highlight core measures of patient safety, timeliness, oxygenation, and ventilation.  Our biggest challenge as providers, is deciding when airway skills are right for the patient.  When you pull out your “airway bag” or “tool box” what are you going to do?

3 Storks and a Baby: OB Emergencies (popular lecture)

This exciting lecture is geared for all Fire based EMS, Third city EMS services and private EMS provides and educators.  This presentation will cover the nuts and bolts of obstetrical emergencies.  Obstetrical emergencies can seem like routine and boring medicine most of the time.  How many people are prepared and knowledgeable of the “Real Deal” obstetrical emergency?  This presentation is filled with great educational slides and cases of real obstetrical emergencies and delivery complications that prehospital providers may face.

Stomped, Trampled and Tossed: Rodeo Trauma Case Studies (popular lecture)

Rodeo is similar to Spanish bull fighting in that it is considered a true test of a man’s masculinity.  The range and type of injuries typically sustained by Rodeo Cowboys is broad.  A comprehensive 20-year study of rodeo injuries concluded the most dangerous event was Bull riding, causing over 50% of the injuries, followed by Bareback Riding and Saddle Bronco Riding.  Timely clinical assessment, integration of the mechanism of injury into the plan of care is vital for improvement of patient outcomes.  This lecture will take an interesting but in-depth look at an unusual national sport and the injuries associated with it.

The Golden Hour: STEMI and Stroke

The “Golden Hour” is a brief window of time, in which critically injured patients are delivered to definitive care at a Trauma Facility.  Years of applying this concept to practice has drastically improved the outcome for traumatic injuries.  This same concept can be applied to the care of certain medical conditions as well.  Delivering ST Elevation MI (STEMI’s) to a Chest Pain Center and Acute Non- Hemorrhagic stroke (CVA) to a Stroke Center in a timely manner is becoming a standard of care.  The same principles applied to traumatic injuries can be utilized for STEMI’s and CVAs to decrease morbidity and mortality.  Rapid assessment and decision making by EMS and Emergency Department Personnel upon initial patient contact are imperative to utilize this principle of rapid transport to definitive care.

OB Trauma Cases Studies: My patients pinned and pregnant!  (Popular lecture)

Imagine that you receive an 8 month pregnant patient who is trapped in a vehicle after being involved in a collision at an intersection.  Extrication has taken place by the fire department and the patient is headed to the hospital by ambulance or helicopter when…..  These case reviews will look at a logical sequence for the initial assessment and management of these trauma patients.  Come challenge yourself and see how your service would handle these cases.

Making the Best of a Bad Situation: Should We Really Have Prehospital RSI Yes or No?

Effective management of the advanced airway in patients remains controversial.  Some studies have suggested that pre-hospital endotracheal intubation in general and rapid sequence intubation in particular may not be safe or effective.  Other studies have found the opposite.  Some studies have suggested that rapid sequence intubation can be accomplished safely and effectively with low rates of complications.  Pre-hospital intubation generally occurs in a less than ideal setting with bad lighting, limited space, and under demanding circumstances.  So what exactly is all the controversy about?

Size Does Matter: Obesity’s Impact on Prehospital Care

The term Bariatric has become common vocabulary in flight medicine and critical care transport in the past few years.  Research and evidence base guidelines to practice have provided us with ways to predict, prevent, and manage complications associated with obesity.  Although the clinical implication of obesity is clear within the literature for in-hospital care, the pre-hospital air and ground transport is not.  Key concepts include pharmacology, medication calculation and administration, fluid resuscitation, airway management techniques, equipment, packing and transport.  This lecture will take an important look into the challenges transport teams face with this special patient population.