Protocol Updates

Protocol updates and training are necessary and important. Some of you are going, well, duh, no kidding. Some of you look at the assigned updates and groan, procrastinate, and grit your teeth through them. Some will do the absolute minimum. Some of you may forget whatever you learned. Or you may have chosen not to learn about the updates at all.

Just like everything else that has changed, evolved, and morphed into something else, the protocols are continually revised. They go through changes, modifications, and updates like several other aspects of our job. These updates are only released after the IAED’s Council of Standards goes through a process that includes reviewing Proposals for Change (PFCs) submitted by protocol users as well as considering recent Academy research. This process is not carried out quickly. None of the changes are added without a thorough vetting process.

How will you find out about the changes that benefit you—and in some instances, your callers—if you don’t review the updates? Knowing the protocols, using them correctly, and obtaining continuing education is part of your job. In some agencies, maintaining your certification(s) is required to maintain your employment. Updates are part of that certification maintenance process.

Remember, what you get out of the updates is in your approach. If you go into it with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, you won’t learn much and tolerate-to-dislike every minute of it. If you approach it with the mentality that your community depends on it, you will pay more attention. If you want to do a good job and internalize the differences, you’ll focus on them. The updates are there to teach you what’s changed.

Have you ever had the shocking moment when a new question, new answer choice, or something altogether different from what you were expecting appears on the protocol? Admit it, you have some protocols memorized, know the next question, and then you go there and it’s different. Learning and listening to the updates will prevent you from having that shocking moment where you flounder on a call. Who—not counting field providers—had heard of CPR back compressions prior to the MPDS^® update where they were added? A recent change on the Seizure Protocol has an atypical seizure now being processed as a cardiac arrest. For years we only stayed on the Seizure Protocol; this is a major change in our processing. Limit your surprises and learn while the updates are still fresh. Seeing an update for the first time when taking a high-acuity call is not the right time to find out about the change.

When reviewing more involved, longer updates, parse it up into small chunks. A little bit at a time. If you do all the updates at once, you will miss something, gloss over it, and not give it the attention needed. Information overload can be real and impact your learning and retaining ability.

Open your mind to learning because your “I’m here for the con ed” attitude isn’t going to benefit anyone, especially your caller or field provider. If you have a training CAD with integrated ProQA^® software, create test cases if you’re not sure how to handle something or just want to see it in action for yourself. If you don’t have a training CAD, use the TEST CASE feature in the protocols. Ask questions of your supervisor or Q when you’re unsure about a change.

Protocols are there to provide you with a standard of operation. We have the ability to affect change so learn more about the PFC process in case there’s ever a time you have a suggestion for the protocol. Stay on top of protocol updates with a timely review and be aware of how these updates will affect your usage of the protocol. After all, you get Continuing Dispatch Education (CDE) credit for them. Prioritizing these updates shows your commitment to the protocol and your agency.