About Drugs.

That is, the drugs I'm authorised to carry and administer.
The highest level of Paramedic in Australia is an ICP - Intensive Care Paramedic. There are additional specialist fields but ICP is the top of the totem pole.

An ICP and myself would care the following drugs;
Adrenaline (Epinephrine) 1:1000 & 1:10000.
Atropine 600mcg in 1ml.
Calcium Gluconate 1g in 10ml.
Glucose Gel 15g.
Fusemide (a Diuretic) 40mg in 4ml.
Glucagon 1mg in 1ml.
Glyceryl Trinitrate.
Hartmann's (Ringers Lactate).
Lignocaine (Lidocaine) 100mg in 5mls - Antiarrhythia's
20mg in 2ml - local anaesthesia.
Metoclopramide - anti-nauseant/emetic.
Morphine.
Naloxone.
Salbutamol - bronchial dilation for asthma.
Sodium Bicarbonate.
Aspirin.
Midazolam.
Methoxyflurane.
Oxygen.
Paracetamol.
Ipratropium Bromide - used with salbutamol for asthma.
Fentanyl, we use it via a nasal delivery spray.
Benzal Penicillin.
Amiodarone.
Influenza Vaccine - only issued before winter for staff or during a pandemic.
Ibuprofen.
Glucose 10% fluid bag.
Ondansetron.
Fexofenadine.
Atropine auto injector - only issued in a nerve agent is released.

Right so I'm not an ICP but there isn't much I don't have with me anyway.
Our education does direct you to independent clinical decision making but you can always call for backup (ICP) which works in the metro area but if you out the back of no-where with the nearest backup a two hour helicopter flight away????

That's why we have the drugs and are educated in their use and our max dose can appear large because we are expected to operate autonomously.

Lauren wrote a message about the pt I gave 30mg of Morphine to, my pain management protocol starts with,
Posture,
Oxygen,
Cooling (burns), irrigation for chemical burns or smoke irritation, cold/hot paks for various insect or marine animal bites,
Then drugs like paracetamol, methoxyflurane, fentanyl then morphine.

IVI morph, if it doesn't drop your LOC, can be given to 0.5mg/kg and then repeated 30 minutes later. Pain generally doesn't exist in the back of my ambulance, well not for long anyway.


See you at the big One.

Taz