Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Regional EMS Awards! Follow this link for all the information you need to nominate your local heros.

Showcase your agency, your outstanding providers, your OMD, and others who are deserving of consideration for an award!

This year, you also have the opportunity to nominate someone for the Regional "WVEMS Benny Summerlin Award for Service to Local Government"  This is a very special award intended to honor someone who has demonstrated a 25-year commitment to service to EMS and other areas of local government in the ethical and dedicated manner demonstrated by Benny Summerlin. Summerlin, former WVEMS president and Henry County Administrator, was active in EMS and public service for nearly 40 years. Unfortunately, he died last year at the young age of 53.

Click Here to see the new 2013 WVEMS Protocols, Policies and Procedures, and Medication Reference, along with FAQs,schedule & information about Rollout Training and the changes that were made on January 4, 2013.

New items in the FAQs and the new  Drug Box Schematic is also available for your review.

IMPORTANT! You may practice under the new Protocols ONLY after you have received Basic Protocol Rollout Training, and have satisfied any other requirements imposed by your agency and/or OMD.

The drug shortages continue and seem to change daily.  Recently our pharmacies are experiencing difficulties obtaining dextrose in both pediatric and adult concentrations. Some pharmacies are starting to only stock 1 D-50 to stretch out the supply. Epinephrine in prefilled syringes seems to possibly be the next one we will have to cut back on.  Also the new additional medications such as calcium chloride and nitro-paste are in short supply. The situation varies from pharmacy to pharmacy, but it eventually affects all of them.  Expiration of medications also affects what a box may be short.

Check your Drug Boxes for warning labels at the beginning of every shift. All providers are cautioned to assume nothing. Please check and re-check every drug in the box before you use it. Ensure it is the correct drug, the correct concentration and then delivery the proper dose.. Look at packaging and labeling. Revisions in drug box stock may differ from hospital to hospital.

WVEMS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. We strive to support our citizens, EMS providers, hospitals, localities and EMS/public safety agencies to the best of our ability. But we also need your support! All contributions, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated!

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC) has published a guidance document specific to Infection Control for EMS. Click here to download: APIC Infection Control Guide.  Please download this document and make it available to your Infection Control Officer and all EMS providers and administrators within your agency.

The APIC Implementation Guides help infection preventionists apply current scientific knowledge and best practices to
achieve targeted outcomes and enhance patient safety. This series reflects APIC’s commitment to implementation science
and focus on the utilization of infection prevention research. Topic-specific information is presented in an easy-tounderstand-
and-use format that includes numerous examples and tools.

Visit www.apic.org/implementationguides to learn more and to access all of the titles in the Implementation Guide
series.

Effective Tuesday, May 21, 2013,  Carilion Clinic, Roanoke Memorial Hospital will implement the following procedure for ALL Trauma & Gold Alerts as the crew and patient arrive at the hospital.

Patient Access will now meet all ground crews at the ambulance entrance door and all flight crews as they come off the elevators on second floor to obtain the patient's name and date of birth.

The purpose is to have the patient's information entered into the EMR prior to arriving in the trauma room. This will give staff the opportunity to complete real time documentation of the trauma resuscitation.

Any questions please contact; Gary Meadows RN, BS glmeadows@carilionclinic.org or 540-266-6236