ENLS Informational Guide Volume 1 | Page 60

Why is ENLS Important for EMTs & PARAMEDICS ?
What Other Paramedics are Saying About ENLS *
Why is ENLS Important for All Providers in the Emergency Setting ?

Why is ENLS Important for EMTs & PARAMEDICS ?

Emergency Medical Technicians ( EMTs ) and paramedics are most likely to be the first healthcare professionals to encounter patients suffering an acute neurologic emergency . Critical early assessment findings obtained by paramedics , and therapies provided in the prehospital setting , could affect the trajectory of patient care in the hospital setting .

Also , with advances in Neurocritical specialty care , particularly for stroke and traumatic brain injury , Emergency Medical Service ( EMS ) professionals must be able to determine if a patient would benefit from transportation to specialty care centers capable of providing advanced treatments that optimize patient outcomes . This can only be achieved through an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of neurologic emergencies , their clinical presentations , common risk factors , and the key factors in early assessment and treatment that have been shown through research to improve patient outcomes . By including prehospital recommendations , the ENLS education program invites paramedics to train alongside emergency and Neurocritical care specialists , encouraging a seamless continuum of patient care . ENLS values the unique experience of patient and prehospital providers in those critical early minutes of neurologic injury . It also provides EMS professionals with a voice as vital contributors in determining best practices for patients with acute neurologic emergencies . Paramedics benefit from ENLS certification through a challenging curriculum that expands and deepens their knowledge of the neurologic events they are likely to encounter , and encourages the use of evidencebased decision making to provide responsible patient care .
Megan Corry , EdD , EMTP , Paramedic Program Director

What Other Paramedics are Saying About ENLS *

“ This course gave me a greater understanding of the role of ENLS protocols for our Mobile Stroke Unit .”
“ ENLS helped me activate a more rapid response .”
“ ENLS has allowed me to better triage and treat patients . I am better able to suggest improvement to local paramedic scope .”
“ I will improve the way I communicate with nurses when transferring care of neurological patients . The course helped me understand the protocols and steps the Emergency Department uses to handle emergent patients and neurologic emergencies .”
* Comments submitted by online ENLS course participants .
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