JEMS Connect - EMS Emergency Medical Services

Social and Professional Network

Protocol vs Guideline

My medical director has chosen to write guidelines as opposed to protocols. The intent is that it gives us the ability to think outside of the box and veer from the standard if it is necessary. The difference has been explained that we need not go from step 1 to step 2 and so forth but rather picking and choosing from what is available to treat a patient that does not fall directly into these predefined categories. Is everyone else still following the recipe?

Views: 246

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on November 2, 2012 at 5:58pm

Our protocols have been implemented the way you describe for years.  It seems to work good, but you can't be a "protocol compliance" robot in that environment.

That's a good thing!

Permalink Reply by iDriveTheTaxi on November 6, 2012 at 7:21pm
I agree. You need the ability to think outside the box and I think many other programs have moved this direction.
Permalink Reply by Nathan Stanaway on November 7, 2012 at 7:15pm

I think that many progressive EMS services are moving towards guidelines.  It seems like with guidelines there are less pages than with protocols.  If you dont have to have a protocol to cover every conceivable situation then you wont need as many pages :)   I like to think that it creates less stress for the providers too, they dont have to try and memorize the whole cookbook...   Besides, I think it promotes critical thinking and a REAL knowledge of why and how you are doing what you're doing and not just step 1 - step 2 - step 3.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Follow JEMS

Share This Page Now
Add Friends

JEMS Connect is the social and professional network for emergency medical services, EMS, paramedics, EMT, rescue squad, BLS, ALS and more.

© 2013   Created by JEMS Web Chief.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

Sign in to chat!