Tune in for "Fighting for Air" on 9/14/26 at 8AM CST.

I the next episode of "Patient Playback," hosted by Dr. David K. Tan, the panel discusses a critical respiratory emergency case. The primary focus is the comparison between RSI and DSI. Tune in on September 14.

In this episode of "Patient Playback," Dr. David Tan, Chief Medical Officer for the St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD), hosts a panel discussion with paramedics on the critical topic of career longevity in EMS. The conversation centers on the high stress and burnout common in the profession, noting a significant 67% divorce rate among first responders. A major theme is "compassion fatigue" or "empathy fatigue," which the panel describes as the depletion of a provider's emotional reservoir over a long career. To combat this, the paramedics emphasize the importance of setting firm boundaries by fully disconnecting from work when at home and normalizing debriefs after every call to process experiences. The panel also highlights how organizational culture plays a vital role in retention, giving best practice strategies that lead to higher retention rates. WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl4tRj5ahHo&list=PLlcQdBrybtgdhlwPduXZ972cyooFq5OnG&index=1&t=181s&pp=iAQBsAgCDownload Patient Playback podcasts here:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5UMnpbKSg5EeNoCXnkHegD?si=e770879a8c6d4571Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f88c7b4d-bf94-4f16-b98d-a79e26e20b9a/patient-playback-with-dr-david-k-taniHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/335758581/Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4pkSS1oBe sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the NOTIFICATION bell to receive updates on new content!00:00 Introduction02:18 What Does EMS Career Longevity Really Mean?05:00 Protecting Your Empathy & Preventing Compassion Fatigue11:18 Setting Boundaries 12:00 Why Low-Acuity Calls Can Lead to Burnout17:07 Building a Career That Lasts 30 Years18:45 Creating Multiple Career Paths in EMS26:31 Investing in Education & Professional Growth29:08 Why Workplace Culture Matters31:21 What Employees & Employers Can Do39:54 Creating a Just Culture for EMS Providers47:17 The Keys to a Long EMS Career50:32 Final ThoughtsVisit us on social media!⁠www.youtube.com/@sccadtrainingcenterhttps://www.facebook.com/sccadems/https://www.instagram.com/sccadems/https://x.com/sccademshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/sccadems/https://www.youtube.com/sccademsChief Medical OfficerDr. David K. TanProduced by David Dalton, MBAwww.sccad.comPresented by St. Charles County Ambulance District.#ems #emt #emtb #paramedic #emergencymedicine #ambulance #emergencynursing #nursing #education #training #paramedicschool #nremt #podcast #education #professionaldevelopment #firefighter #burnout #retentionstrategies paramedic retention, ems staffing crisis, why emts quitASLC-4F2E1A8B-7828412DA7

Patient Playback Airs Monday, August 31st on your favorite podcast platforms.

EMS Burnout and Staffing Crisis #paramedic #ambulance #staffing #burnoutprevention #emt #podcast

Episode 4 Airs Monday, August 31.

Dispatched to a "minor" car accident, EMT finds the driver out of the car claiming he's fine. The crew leaves, and two hours later, the man loses consciousness from internal bleeding. Is a lawsuit in the crew's future?

Having a clear, simple definition of "patient" may seem silly, but mountains of case law prove otherwise.

In this episode, Dr. Tan and a panel of paramedics discuss ways providers can protect themselves and their "patients."

00:00 Intro

03:05 Do We Need A Definition?

06:49 What Does Having A Definition Accomplish?

07:03 The 6 Criteria That Define a Patient

08:45 Practical Application

11:50 Getting to the Truth

14:58 What is a "Safe Place Move"? Do We Need to Document It?

20:31 The Pitfalls of Falls

28:20 Coping with Burnout, Fatigue, and Other Barriers to Going the Extra Mile

35:11 Non-Injury Doesn't Mean Non-Patient

42:40 Involuntary Patients & Provider Safety

49:40 Wrap-Up

Coming August 17, 2026 at 8AM

WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl4tRj5ahHo&list=PLlcQdBrybtgdhlwPduXZ972cyooFq5OnG&index=1&t=181s&pp=iAQBsAgC

EMT's and Paramedics are routinely taught to look for "clues" on every scene to figure out what's wrong with the patient. However, some clues are easier to spot than others. In this episode, paramedics recount a mystery where one vital clue and a new treatment approach made all the difference.

00:00 Intro

02:23 The Usual "Clues"

03:26 The Case

09:30 The Smoking Gun

12:12 The Solution

18:51 The Outcome

22:23 Dual Process Theory

24:10 High-Density Decision Phase

25:46 Scene management tips for high acuity calls

31:58 Tips for students and new EMTs/paramedics

37:11 Peri-intubation critical steps

38:57 Wrap-up

Visit us on social media!

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https://www.facebook.com/sccadems/

https://www.instagram.com/sccadems/

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On the next episode of Patient Playback with Dr. David K. Tan...

Premieres August 3, 2026

Survival rates for traumatic circulatory arrest (TCA) are historically low. Dr. David K. Tan explains why standard CPR compressions without fluid volume interventions are futile in these settings. The panel discusses strategies for increasing survivability, how EMS services can implement their own prehospital blood program in spite of limited financial resources, how and when to use ultrasound (POCUS) appropriately, how to apply pit-crew dynamics, how to decide between terminating or continuing resuscitation efforts, and how to address the psychological and emotional impact these calls can have on rescuers.

00:00 Introduction03:00 Prehospital Trauma Compendium: Prehospital Management of Traumatic Circulatory Arrest.05:50 How do medics feel about withholding compressions?10:17 HOTT to reversible causes.15:28 point of care ultrasound (POCUS).23:05 Team Dynamics: prehospital blood and rapid transport.29:40 Whole blood vs. component therapy.35:27 When to terminate resuscitation.42:40 Team well-being & psychological first aid.55:50 Conclusion

Recorded May 29, 2026.

Hosted by Dr. David K. Tan

Produced by David Dalton, MBA

www.sccad.com

Visit us on social media!

www.youtube.com/@sccadtrainingcenter

https://www.facebook.com/sccadems

/https://www.instagram.com/sccadems

/https://x.com/sccadems

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https://www.youtube.com/sccadems