The RPPEO is pleased to announce the full lineup for Fall 2023 CME under the theme At the Heart of the Matter: Emergency Cardiac Care. Advanced Care Paramedics (ACP) certified by the RPPEO and Primary Care Paramedics (PCP) from participating paramedic services are invited to learn the latest evidence-based approaches and practise intervention skills for cardiac emergencies.

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for our Fall 2024 Continuing Medical Education (CME) program, titled "A Basket of New Skills." This course is designed to enhance your expertise in the latest advancements in paramedic emergency care and introduce new treatments based on updates from Ontario's Ministry of Health to the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS).

Be among the first to explore these cutting-edge updates and complete your online course in MedicLEARN! Stay at the forefront of paramedic care by equipping yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to provide the best possible care to your patients.

On October 19, 2021, the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) released an update to the memo Considerations for Paramedics Managing Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Paramedics should familiarize themselves with the memo since it contains important changes.

A new RPPEO Medical Advisory is in effect.

Medical Advisory on Cardiac Arrest On-scene Resuscitation Time (2024-01) provides clinical practice guidance for RPPEO-certified paramedics.

You may find this Medical Advisory and other written RPPEO guidance in the Policies and Practices section of RPPEO.ca.

Ondansetron (Zofran) is the preferred medication over dimenHYDRINATE (Gravol) to treat nausea / vomiting in patients 65 and older. Paramedics can consult (patch) a Base Hospital Physician (BHP) if they believe an antiemetic is indicated for patients 65 and older and ondansetron is not available.

Paramedics should read Medical Advisory DimenHYDRINATE (Gravol) for Patients 65 and Older. If you have any questions, please contact quality@RPPEO.ca.

A new RPPEO Medical Advisory is in effect.

Medical Advisory on Discontinuation of Cardiac Monitoring in the ED 2023-01 provides clinical practice guidance for RPPEO-certified paramedics.

In accordance with our preoccupation for patient safety, the Medical Advisory on Discontinuation of Cardiac Monitoring in the ED 2023-01 presents guidance prioritizing patient safety in the face of scarce resources.

Following the identification of patient safety incidents regarding use of IV EPINEPHrine for anaphylaxis across the region, Dr. Richard Dionne, Regional Medical Director, has issued an important Medical Advisory for paramedics. This Medical Advisory identifies the patient safety risks associated with using the IV route in administration of EPINEPHrine for anyone who is profusing.

Paramedics should read Medical Advisory 2022-02. If you have any questions, please contact quality@RPPEO.ca.

We are happy to reintroduce to you an online tool, called MedicASK, where you can submit clinical questions. All questions will be reviewed and answered by one of your Medical Directors. Our goal is to answer your question directly within two weeks if you choose to leave your name and email address to follow up. Selected Q&As will be posted on this website for all to view. They will be categorized by topic as well as a tool bar to search by key words. Currently you will find posted our most recent Q&As.

To access MedicASK simply click on the icon below.  No login is required.

The Ministry of Health's Emergency Health Regulatory and Accountability Branch has published a partial revision to the Provincial Equipment Standards for Ontario Ambulances version 3.6. The revised Equipment Standards come into force on Monday, December 20, 2021.

The Ministry has also provided a Summary of Changes to version 3.6 of the Equipment Standards.

For a complete list of all the up-to-date standards for Ontario paramedicine, please visit the Paramedic Practice Documents page on the Ministry of Health website.

If you have any questions about this update, contact ParamedicStandards@Ontario.ca.

MyGriefToolbox.ca helps paramedics respond to palliative care calls and expands their capacity to provide quality care.

The first seven modules provide paramedics with:

• Tactics to support patients and families in acute grief before and after a death.
• Strategies to intervene sensitively.
• Guidance to constructively manage work-related grief and the other stresses of working with people at end of life.
• There is also a module for your friends and family to help them understand and respond to the stresses of your career.
• Your words and actions matter. They significantly impact your patients and their families and have the potential to make a positive (or negative) impact for years to come.