Blazing Trails in Prehospital Care

Blazing Trails in Prehospital Care through Targeted Issues Grants: The Center for Rural Emergency Services and Trauma (CREST) Network for EMS Providers and Pediatric Evidence-Based Guidelines Assessment of EMS System Utilization in States (PEGASUS)

In a changing healthcare environment, emergency medical service (EMS) providers are exploring new and promising models of care delivery, embracing evidence-based practices, and firmly establishing their roles as professional healthcare providers. The EMSC Program is helping to lead the way in innovation, model systems development, evidence-based practice, and research. In 2013, the EMSC Program funded six Targeted Issue grants focusing solely on pediatric prehospital research. This represents one of its largest investments in prehospital-focused research, totaling $5.4 million over three years.

This webinar will feature two of these Targeted Issues projects from the 2013 grant cycle. The first project, Innovating and Improving Prehospital Pediatric Care in Rural New Hampshire and Vermont: The Center for Rural Emergency Services and Trauma (CREST) Network for EMS Providers, studied knowledge and competency of EMS providers in rural settings through the implementation of a rural EMS training network.

The second project, Pediatric Evidence-Based Guidelines Assessment of EMS System Utilization in States (PEGASUS), improved the evidence-base for pediatric prehospital care utilizing the National Prehospital Evidence-Based Guideline (EBG) Model Process. A multidisciplinary project team developed pediatric-relevant EBGs for airway management, allergic reactions, spinal care and shock after a thorough review of the medical literature, including an evaluation using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. In addition to these four guidelines, the PEGASUS project implemented five previously created guidelines on asthma, bronchiolitis, croup, seizures, and pain management in the City of Houston Fire Department EMS system as well as the EMS protocols of several states in New England.

Moderator: Diane Pilkey, RN, MPH, Senior Nursing Consultant, Health Resources and Services Administration, EMSC Program

Presenters: Tom Trimarco, MD & Manish Shah, MD, MS

Slides from Presentation | Transcript | Link to webinar broadcast

Continuing Education was offered for Nursing and Pre-Hospital personnel who viewed the live webinar and completed the requirements.