Dallas Caruth: EMS Education STEMI Workbook
Dallas Caruth: EMS Education STEMI Workbook
Dallas Caruth: EMS Education STEMI Workbook
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Dallas Caruth Initiative American Heart Association Dallas Office 8200 Brookriver Drive, N-100 Dallas, Texas 75247
- The importance of the Early ECG The initial step of STEMI treatment is achieving the early ECG in patients who have symptoms of acute coronary syndrome, or patients whom you believe are at risk for ACS. When responding to medical emergencies or known chest discomfort calls, ensure you have your ECG monitor with you upon initial patient contact. Once you have confirmed the patient is suffering from chest discomfort, have your partner or first responder assist you in immediately applying the ECG electrodes to capture the 12Lead ECG as soon as possible. The 12-Lead ECG should not be delayed because of patient treatments and completed where you find your patient. A high quality diagnostic ECG is produced by ensuring proper lead placement. EMS crews should prepare the skin for lead placement by shaving the chest or using alcohol pads if necessary. Ensure pads are secured in the proper anatomic locations and ask your patient to remain as still as possible during the capture of the 12Lead ECG. Discuss with your EMS crew how you can achieve early ECGs during initial patient contact; the early ECG will provide clear recognition of STEMI patients.
- Transmit the ECG - Activate Code STEMI Once you or the ECG monitor recognizes the presence of a STEMI, early transmission and activation of a Code STEMI at the receiving hospital is essential. Do you know the location of the closest appropriate receiving hospital for rapid treatment of your STEMI patient? Similar to trauma care EMS crews must ensure the patient is transported to the nearest appropriate receiving hospital capable of providing rapid treatment in a cardiac cath lab. If your ECG device is capable, transmit the ECG as soon as possible to the receiving hospital. Follow up transmission of the ECG with phone or radio contact to ensure the hospital is aware of your ECG transmission and request to have a Code STEMI activated. Early ECGs accomplished by EMS personnel, and early activation of the cardiac cath lab at the receiving facility starts a process that allows for hospital staff and equipment to be properly prepared to ensure your patient will receive the most appropriate and rapid treatment possible. Allowing the hospital to begin the STEMI process as early as possible is paramount in minimizing damage to heart muscle and improving patient outcomes.
- Rapid Transport - Do Not Delay Following rapid recognition and activation of the receiving hospital, rapid transport of the patient from the scene to the ambulance and rapid safe transport to the receiving hospital is required to ensure the best possible outcome. Similar to trauma victims EMS crews should focus on accomplishing treatments enroute and should not delay transport for IV attempts or medication administration. While these treatments are important and should be accomplished during transport, the necessary intervention for your patients is arterial reperfusion in a cardiac cath lab. Minimizing scene time and providing safe rapid transport helps to minimize heart muscle damage from the acute MI. How can you work with your EMS crew to reduce scene time?
CARUTH
E.M.S.
STEMI
GUIDE
Essential items to document in your patient care record - Time of initial patient contact - Time of symptom onset
(Time of Symptom Onset = when symptoms started that led the patient to calling 911) - Time of ECG Transmission - Time you requested the Code
Septal / Anterior Lateral Inferior Lateral Inferior Inferior Anterior Septal /Anterior
Anterior
Lateral
Lateral
ED Walk-In
Patient presents to ED with signs and symptoms of ACS. Triage Nurse initiates patient contact. 12 Lead ECG occurs <10 min from patient contact.
NO
NO
YES
YES
Contact ED Immediately Activate Code STEMI Transmit ECG Initiate Transport ASAP Patient arrives to ED on EMS stretcher, continue to use EMS monitor.
YES
YES
Transport to Cath Lab Immediately, continue to use EMS monitor and EMS stretcher if applicable. Goal : E2B <90 min
NO YES
NO
NO Continue to stabilize in ED
Consider the use of Fibrinolytic Therapy Goal: Door to Needle <30 min.
NO Continue to stabilize in ED Be prepared for rapid transport to cath lab when available.
1. List four signs and symptoms of acute coronary syndrome: ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. List four items if found in a patients history that would increase their risk of having acute coronary syndrome: ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The 12-Lead ECG should be accomplished within ___________ minutes of initial patient contact. 4. What is the criteria to activate Code STEMI when ST segment elevation is found on a 12 -Lead ECG? ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Describe two ways in which EMS crews may reduce on-scene times of STEMI patients to the closest most appropriate PCI capable hospital: ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. List three essential items to be included in your patient care record for STEMI patients: ________________________________________________________________________________________