Custom Continuing Education Courses

Shaun Fix has been practicing and teaching in the hospital and prehospital field since 1983. He holds a degree in Emergency Medical Service Management and is faculty at several colleges. Shaun is the president of Emergency Medical Consultants, Inc and a company officer in charge of EMS for Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services in the Palm Beach area of South Florida. Shaun has presented programs at State, National and International Conferences and has appeared on national training videos including FETN, Pulse, Emergency Medical Update, Medic Monthly, and 24/7 EMS. A frequent lecturer, author and consultant, Shaun is best known for keeping his programs upbeat and relevant while bringing “the reality of emergency medicine” to the classroom setting.  Shaun is the author of the Brady text, Success in ACLS, and recently completed writing the book Safety and Survival in Emergency Medicine.

The following subject areas are examples of custom lectures that Shaun Fix has provided and can bring to you.  Contact our office for more details.

Emergency Airway Management – A Skills Approach
6-8 Hour Seminar

Approximately 30% of all trauma deaths are related to the inability to control the airway. Prevention of hypoxia requires both maintaining the airway and providing adequate tidal volumes. This skills intensive program will review both basic and advanced methods for securing the airway and maintaining adequate ventilations. This program is designed for those familiar with standard procedures and will progress to more complex situations such as trauma, unique anatomy, cricothyrotomy, and pharmacological assisted tubes. A hands on review of many airway devices makes this program both exciting and educational.

Cric! A Review and Hands on Skills Lab
120 Minutes (Can be a 60 Minute Lecture as Well)

This program will review the applications, indications, and complications of various cricothyrotomy techniques using slides, lecture, and actual photos of the procedure. Following the review, participants will practice the skill using various devices on manikins and animal tracheas. A true learning experience – “Adults learn by doing”.

Paralytics – RSI is Not Rapid – Is it for Everybody?
120 Minutes

This program will review the controversial use of sedation/paralytics in the prehospital setting. A brief review of each agents pros and cons will be discussed as well as who to consider and who not to consider for this procedure. The program will end with a skills lab using real time to perform RSI on manikins – this program is designed to introduce the provider to the required “team approach” necessary to safely utilize RSI on patients.

Pediatric Mega Code
180 Minutes

This program is designed to give the provider a real life approach to managing a pediatric code, including reviewing the pathophysiology, success rates and common causes of peds codes to following the latest American Heart Association Guidelines for pediatric resuscitation. Following a 90 minute lecture and live footage review, teams will progress through cases actually performing “megacode” skills in real time on child and infant manikins. The emphasis is to reduce anxiety and stress the skills necessary in the pediatric setting.

Pediatric Airway Management
120 Minutes

There is a great deal of concern relating to the paramedics’ ability to control the child’s airway with advanced procedures. This segment will review the anatomy, techniques, and skills required to effectively maintain a patent airway on a child. Basic to advanced skills will be discussed and practiced.

Playgrounds Injury Prevention
60 minutes

Home or public playgrounds are supposed to be happy fun places for children, unfortunately many children are injured or killed in those areas each year. This program looks at the safety/prevention aspect of the playground. Participants will be given a playground safety report card for assessing child play areas in their jurisdiction.

The Art of Prehospital Pediatric Assessment
90 minutes

Treating the seriously ill or injured child may cause us the most stress while assessing the stable child causes us the most distress. This lecture will discuss the modifications required to effectively assess the pediatric patient. Learn how age, stress, fright, and physiological differences should change your assessment technique. Normal and abnormal findings will be discussed, as well as “tricks of the trade” for assessing and treating the pediatric patient.

Pediatric Trauma – “Mean Streets”
90 minutes

Unfortunately, Florida roads remain an unsafe area for our children. Kids are being injured, maimed, and killed in epic proportions! This lecture looks at the “disease process” of pediatric trauma – including statistics, mechanisms, signs, and management, and our role in prevention and public education . The clinical review will discuss keys to assessing children and common injuries that cause kids to “crash.”

Initial Management of the Pediatric Arrest – “The Panic Zone”
90 minutes

“The Real Deal” – this program is hard hitting, high energy and graphic. A real life look at “running a peds code” – This seminar is designed for any medical professional involved in the care of children. The program begins with a review of the pediatric arrest physiology, stresses appropriate BLS management, followed by necessary and appropriate basic and advanced life support. Using live footage and emphasizing realistic treatment of the arrested child, our goal is to help reduce anxiety in participants and make them feel more comfortable with performing skills, and understand expected outcomes in the pediatric code situation.

CPAP – Can your Patients Take the Pressure
60-90 minutes

Continuous positive airway pressure for use in the prehospital pulmonary edema patient was originally thought by many to be too awkward and complicated. The risk/benefit and time ratios were unclear. Come hear a users prospective – review the procedures pros and cons and hear the success rates as measured by QI managers and paramedics using several systems.

Termination of Resuscitation – “When to say When”
60-90 minutes

How effective is CPR and ACLS? Should we start in the first place? How long should we continue? Should the ER keep working the patient or stop? What are the ramifications of terminating a code in the field?…This program will review all of these controversial issues with an analytical view of the pros and cons relevant to each decision. An interactive session designed to stimulate the thought process.

ACLS Special Arrest Cases for EMS
60 minutes

Shaun Fix, the author of the text “Success in ACLS” looks at the latest resuscitation guidelines and algorithms. The segment will review the management of unique cases the EMS provider my encounter. The paramedic is one of the few individuals who will be charged with the task of managing an arrest throughout the entire process. How do we recognize and manage cases which fall outside of standard ACLS? Trauma, Electrolyte issues, Drownings, Overdoses, and unique medical cases will all be reviewed while emphasizing a “think outside the box” mindset for the patients who are not responding to standard ACLS.

Tips and Tricks for the Difficult Intubation
60 minutes (optional skills lab)

This segment will deal specifically with placing an endotracheal tube in the patient “hard to tube”.  While we understand other devices are an option and often a good option, this lecture is designed to review recognizing anatomy, positioning, various techniques and devices to be successful at INTUBATION.  Through the use of photos, video and review of adjunctive intubation devices, this program will present many variations of the standard technique to obtain sucess.

Makin’ It In The Streets
Surviving a Career in Emergency Services – (Series A, B or C)

A. Recognizing Scene Violence – Stayin’ Alive
90 minutes

This segment is designed for all medical personnel. Using lecture, case review, and many unique photos taken by the author, this segment will focus on safety in terms of understanding potentially violent scenes and patients, prescreening for violence, preventing violence, and safe areas of the scene for medical personnel. An interesting array of common and “not so common” weapons will be reviewed. Participants will be taught “universal precautions for safety.” A real eye opener!

B. Management of the Violent Patient / Self Defense Options
90 minutes

This lecture is designed for all medical personnel. Using lecture, photos, and demonstration, this segment will concentrate on physical confrontations with patients or bystanders – Legal ramifications, being attacked, fleeing, break-aways, take downs, and restraining will all be addressed. – Warning – “A 1 hour lecture does not a self defense expert make!”

C. Surviving the Elements of Self Destruction
60 minutes

This lecture is designed for all medical personnel. This portion covers the common elements of career dissipation – including “burn out” and stress, long term career planning, and prevention of common occurrences such as divorce, back injuries and drug and alcohol abuse. “Going to work happy…without chemicals!”

Surviving the Interview Process
60-90 minutes

Designed to assist participants prepare for oral interviews as an initial applicant or as commonly used in the promotional process. This lecture includes the purpose of an interview, what interviewers look for, effectively presenting yourself, and, what to do before and during the interview.

An In Depth Look at Advanced Life Support Skills for EMTs
90 minutes

This lecture is designed to help EMTs understand ALS procedures and be better prepared to assist with them. Also, an excellent review for paramedics and nurses. Areas covered will include intubations – oral, nasal, and C-Spine, cricothyrotomy, plural decompression, intraosseous infusion and medication calculations.

Geriatrics: As the Golden Years Tarnish
60-90 minutes

Over 1/3 of all emergency patients will be over 65 years old. Management of the geriatric population requires a special understanding of the mental, physical, and social changes your patients will undergo. This program will address all areas of dealing with the elderly – including effective attitude, physiological aid, and special medical considerations which make our golden years more difficult to manage.

Simulation On a Shoestring Budget
60 minutes

Don’t have $200,000 to spend on a simulation manikin but want to give your students a better experience than a plain old Annie? This program will review the science of simulation then look at the various “high end” manikins available and their features. Finally we will offer some views on more economical options to enhance the learning experience without breaking the bank. While these options may not be exactly the same, participants will be exposed to various devices that will create stimulating simulation at a fraction of the cost.

Suddenly You are the Supervisor (or Preceptor)
60 minutes

The good “street provider” often moves into the supervisor or preceptor role, whether it is dealing with a student or your co workers, turned subordinates, this becomes a difficult task for some. As the leader of the crew you are charged with the task of managing the scene as well as mentoring and evaluating those who fall under you. This section will review the concept of being the street “teacher” and informally as well as formally evaluating those you work with in order to enhance performance and growth as well as protecting the citizens and your “system” against those who may need remediation.

End Tidal Co2: The Wave of the Present
75 Minutes

ET Co2 has been becoming the standard for recognition of tracheal tube placement across the country and in many areas is considered the gold standard. This program reviews an end users perspective of Co2 in the breathing patient. Following a simple review of the science, this section presents videos of various patients, their distress level and vital signs, then reviews how the clinician can use the device to assist in evaluating, managing, and diagnosing an array of conditions

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