Benefit Open Enrollment
Our Benefit Open Enrollment will take place between September 16 and October 7 this year. All Full Time staff must make an election – whether you are enrolled in benefits or taking the Opt Out benefit.
HIPAA / Insurance Form Signatures – Cardiac Arrest
You are NOT expected to get a signature on the HIPAA/Billing form for any field term or 980. Currently we can’t exempt those from the request for a special report, so simply state field term or 980 on the special report. If you do transport, get a signature from the hospital staff as we do for any patient who is unable to sign.
Change in Annual Health Assessments, N-95 Testing, Flu Shots
We are moving forward with a change in when we do our Annual Health Assessments, N-95 Testing, and Flu Shots each year. We will be conducting all of these together before our Staff Meetings between September-November time frame in-house. Stand by for more information as we get closer but please be aware the normal Annual physical will not be done in May this year. Any questions, please reach out to the Clinical Care Team, the Training Dept. or Gabrielle.
PRB Changes
Please see the linked Change Order regarding updates and changes to the Primary Response Bags in both North and South Divisions. There are substantive changes so please read carefully. Crews may be asked to assist with the change process over the next few days, please communicate with your shift supervisor for details. Changes can be found here.
Ambulance Gurney
Please do not raise the ambulance gurney while it is still in the vehicle. This results in re-latching that creates a potential patient safety issue. If you are mopping, remove the gurney from the ambulance completely. Please reach out to Steve Ladue or Eric Thomas with questions.
Check & Inject Kits
Please note that the plastic boxes in which the Check and Inject supplies are kept are reusable, and should not be thrown away after use. We are no longer able to get these boxes, and there are only four left in reserve stock. So please reuse what we have. The contents can be restocked by any provider from available stock, and the box resealed with the expiration of the next item (usually epinephrine). Boxes should have alcohol preps, Band-Aids, 23 gauge needle, epinephrine 1 mg / 1 ml... read more
Seal Color Coding
Currently, we are stocking a number of colored seals for various kits/bags in our loadout. To avoid confusion, we will attempt to remain true to this scheme so we don't run out, and we know what each symbolizes: Blue - RSI Kit Seals - blue seals should only be used on RSI kits and have an orange sticker on them with the expiration of the first medication - usually Rocuronium. Yellow Pull-Tight Seals - cabinets in the ambulances, Peds Kits, MTKs, etc. Basically anything NOT ALS. Green... read more
Annual Physicals- June 4th
The signup sheet is available in dispatch. If you do not sign up for a slot for June 4th, it will be your responsibility to reach out to Northern Star and make an appointment to have your annual physical done.
RSI Kits & Expiration Dates
Rocuronium is the only drug in the RSI Kit that actually needs to be refrigerated. It can be used up to sixty (60) days after reaching room temperature. We are facing issues when kits are taken out of vehicles, as sometimes the warm kits are being put in a refrigerator, sometimes cold kits are not being marked "WARM" when placed in vehicles without fridges. Please make every effort to put an orange circle sticker on warm kits with WARM printed on it and the date sixty days from the day it was... read more
Medication Expiration Date Extensions
As a result of ongoing availability issues, Dr. Cushman has extended the expiration dates on a number of medications. This is based on information received from the Food and Drug Administration and certain pharmaceutical manufacturers. At present the ONLY medications this effects are Epinephrine and Atropine. • Epinephrine 1 mg / 10 ml prefilled syringes (box) and 1 mg / 1 ml vials (for anaphylaxis) will be extended six (6) months and nine (9) months respectively past the date printed on the... read more