Saturday November 16th
Keynote
Life, Death and Everything In-Between

Blood. Broken glass. Twisted metal. Death. At some point in our careers, every EMT has asked himself the question, “Is this job really worth all this?” All too often, we discover that EMS does not love us nearly as much as we love it. The hours are long, the pay is low, and the pressures are enormous. So why do we continue to do it? Join Kelly Grayson as he describes a career arc from rookie EMT to experienced paramedic to career burnout and beyond. You’ll see yourself in these stories and laugh alongside him as we examine how we face Life, Death and Everything In Between.

Saturday November 16th
How Vital Are Vital Signs?

Blood pressure, pulse, respirations, pulse oximetry. We all call them “vital signs,” and some people even add temperature and CO2 to the list. But how “vital” are vital signs, really? How important are a bunch of numbers when

your patient already looks like death on a cracker? All too often, inexperienced EMT's anchor on obtaining a set of vital signs, to the detriment of even lifesaving interventions; they're busy counting the rate of agonal respirations, when they should be providing normal ones. Let's face it, when your patient is in danger of dying in the next few minutes, you don't need to know what the

vital signs *are*, you just need to know what the vital signs *aren't*, and you can get that information with your basic senses, without the need of a stethoscope, pulse oximeter, or sphygmomanometer. Join Kelly Grayson as he explains how and when vital signs are important, and when they can be deferred until later.
 

Saturday November 16th
Yes, We Do Diagnose

“Do paramedics diagnose?” Few questions are guaranteed to spur as spirited debate in EMS as that one. Whether you call it a field impression, a field diagnosis, a differential diagnosis, or a Supermedic Hunch, what we do

accurately meets the definition of a diagnosis. Not only do paramedics diagnose, but so do EMTs! Join Kelly Grayson as he examines the outdated and inaccurate practice of treatment by symptom management, how diagnoses are formed, refined, and changed, and how it is absolutely necessary to diagnose a patient before we can treat one.