I Don’t Need Your Civil Warfarin – Hematologic & Renal Emergencies

Some of the most dangerous emergencies in EMS don’t look dramatic when you first arrive on scene. In this episode, we dive into hematologic and renal emergencies — the “quiet” problems involving blood, kidneys, dialysis, and anticoagulants that can deteriorate rapidly if key details are missed.

Mike, Max, and Jonathan break down how blood and kidney function are deeply connected, why blood thinners deserve immediate respect, and how missed dialysis, fistulas, and fluid imbalance can turn a routine call into a critical one. This episode emphasizes patient history, secondary assessment, and recognizing subtle red flags that matter just as much as vitals.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, episode title, and catching up

29:06 – Overview of hematologic and renal emergencies

30:46 – Medical Term of the Week: Blood Thinners

48:40 – Blood disorders, anticoagulants, and EMS implications

01:12:00 – Renal emergencies, dialysis patients, and fistula considerations

01:43:30 – Missed dialysis, rapid deterioration, and transport decisions

01:45:34 – Student Tip of the Week: Secondary assessment and patient history

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

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Step Back From That Ledge My Friend (Psychiatric Emergencies)

Psychiatric and behavioral emergencies are some of the most complex, emotionally charged calls EMS providers will ever respond to. In this episode, we take a deep dive into mental health crises, suicide, and behavioral emergencies—why they’re becoming more common, how they present in the field, and how EMTs can approach these patients safely, professionally, and with empathy.

Drawing from both textbook fundamentals and real-world experience, we break down how to recognize a true mental health emergency, how to communicate with patients in crisis, and why these calls can escalate quickly if warning signs are missed. We also tackle excited delirium as our Medical Term of the Week, discuss involuntary holds, scene safety, and documentation, and wrap with an important reminder that EMS providers are not immune to mental health struggles themselves.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, life updates, and setting the tone

12:06 – Overview of psychiatric emergencies, mental health crisis, and suicide

19:09 – Medical Term of the Week: Excited Delirium

36:28 – Recognizing behavioral emergencies and red flags

43:04 – Triggers vs. causes in mental health crises

01:11:22 – Assessing mental status and patient communication

01:47:23 – Involuntary holds, documentation, and legal considerations

02:07:34 – Tools of the Trade: Airway adjuncts

02:07:53 – Student Tip of the Week: EMS provider mental health and asking for help

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Episode 24 – Let the Fear Take the Wheel and Steer - EVOC and Graduation

In this episode, we’re officially on the other side of EMT school — but not without one last gut check. We break down our EVOC experience, what we thought emergency vehicle operations would be versus what actually matters, and why “due regard” isn’t just a legal phrase — it’s a mindset. We also reflect on graduation, testing anxiety, and the strange emotional whiplash of finally being done… and immediately thinking about what’s next.

From cone courses and uncomfortable realizations to why slowing down can actually save more lives, this one ties together the end of EMT school with the beginning of real-world responsibility.

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Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro, EVOC nerves, and expectations vs reality

50:55 – Graduation, practical exams, and NREMT head games

01:29:40 - Medical Term of the Week: Due Regard

01:46:03 - EVOC After Action Report

01:54:45 – Tools of the Trade: ANSI / NZ 107 High-Visibility Safety Vest

02:04:40 – Student Tip of the Week: Scene safety isn’t optional — make yourself visible

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net