In this month’s Educational Journal Club, we dive into a multi-state study examining EMS team performance during simulated pediatric emergencies. We will explore how well EMS clinicians handle high-stakes scenarios like respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, and seizures in children—and whether having a Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC) makes a difference. With insights into training gaps and simulation-based performance data, we’ll discuss what these findings mean for frontline care and how to better prepare EMS teams for rare but critical pediatric calls. Article: Quality of Care and Opportunities for Improvement in Prehospital Care of Critically Ill Pediatric Patients: An Observational, Simulation-Based Study https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10903127.2025.2500715

Listen to the Education Research Oral Abstracts presented live at EMS Expo.

Join us for this month’s Journal Club from the Prehospital Care Research Forum as we take a closer look at the NAEMSP Trauma Compendium: a landmark collection of trauma care guidance from some of the field’s leading voices. In this special episode, we’re joined by the lead author for a guided tour through each article, while our panelists bring sharp questions and on-the-ground insights. Whether you’re in the classroom or on the curbside, this is the trauma update you don’t want to miss.

How ready are EMS clinicians to care for patients who don’t speak English—and what shapes that readiness? This new study explores the intersection of language access, EMS training, and clinician confidence when serving diverse communities. Join us this month for the Prehospital Care Research Forum Journal Club as the lead author shares what they uncovered and why it matters for future EMS education and policy. If you’ve ever faced a language barrier on scene, this conversation is for you.

The article can be found at: Factors Associated with EMS Clinician Preparedness to Provide Care for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

What really happens after a lift assist? This study uncovers the timeline of patients who call 911 for help getting up—only to return days later, this time in an ambulance. Are these quiet calls a warning sign? Join us as we follow the path from floor to gurney and explore how repeat lift assists could be the key to predicting preventable emergencies. If you think a lift assist ends when the crew drives away, think again.

Article: Timeline for repeat EMS encounters resulting in transport following "lift assist" in a suburban EMS system

Burnout is a growing concern across healthcare, but how deep does it run in EMS, and what’s the real cost? In this episode, we explore a national survey of EMS clinicians that uncovers critical insights into well-being, workforce stability, and what might be driving providers away from the profession. Join us to find out how burnout is measured, why it matters more than ever, and what the data reveal about the future of the EMS workforce.

Violence against EMS clinicians is rising—but what if we could see it coming? This month’s Journal Club explores Aggressive Behavior Risk Assessment Tool for EMS (ABRAT-EMS), a simple yet powerful 3-item checklist that helps identify potentially violent patients before transport. With strong sensitivity and specificity, this tool could be a game-changer for EMS safety. Tune in as our panel dives into how it works, what it means for frontline providers, and where it fits into broader violence prevention strategies.

Article: Aggressive Behavior Risk Assessment Tool for Emergency Medical Services https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.uthscsa.edu/science/article/pii/S2688115225000530

For EMS clinicians, clinical judgment involves higher-order thinking, beginning with clinical reasoning and culminating in clinical decision-making. Existing frameworks suggest that other constructs like leadership and communication may also influence clinical judgment. This evaluation aimed to determine whether leadership and communication are integrated within the broader concept of clinical judgment. Presented Live from Accreditcon 2025.

Article: Understanding higher-order constructs of leadership and communication in EMS clinical judgment https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-024-06282-5