Advice(Lifelines)

The Three Lifelines

When I was a Field Training Officer working with new employees and new medics, there was one thing I drilled into them early on: you have three lifelines. When things start going sideways, these are what keep you grounded, focused, and moving in the right direction.

They exist for a reason. Use them.

Lifeline #1: The Protocol Book

The protocol book is your foundation. It lays out our guidelines for patient care and ambulance operations. It isn’t meant to live in the glove box or to be opened only when someone is being tested. You should flip through it every couple of weeks to keep things fresh. Not because you don’t know your job, but because repetition builds familiarity. You start to know where things are. You know which section to go to. And when your brain is overloaded, and the pressure is on, that matters.

When you’re in the heat of battle, the last thing you want to do is hunt through a book you barely know. Familiarity buys you time and confidence.

Lifeline #2: Online Medical Control

Online medical control exists to help you. You can call the receiving hospital and speak directly with an ER physician to get guidance on patient care. Some medications and procedures require physician approval. Other times, you’re just stuck and need another set of eyes and ears.

When you call medical control, you need to have your ducks in a row.

That means knowing:

• What you’re asking for

• Why you’re asking for it

• The patient’s condition

• Vital signs

• Treatments already given

• ETA to the hospital

Confidence matters. I used to tell people, “If you’re trying to ask for something and you say ‘uhh,’ you might as well forget it.” If you believe in what you’re asking for and you can clearly explain why, you’re going to get a very different response.

Medical control isn’t just for approvals. If you’re genuinely unsure what to do, ask. Good physicians can guide you, suggest treatments you may not have considered, and help you through tough calls.

Just remember—document everything:

• When you called

• Who you spoke with

• What you told them

• What you asked for

• What they told you to do

If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.

Lifeline #3: Phone a Friend

The third lifeline is what I call phone a friend.

This is a trusted person—someone you respect and trust more than anyone else—that you can call for guidance. This person does not replace online medical control. They don’t authorize treatments. They help you think.

My phone-a-friend is a former charge nurse who is now a flight nurse. Most of the time when I called her, it was for drug calculations, medication pump questions, or a critical patient I just needed backup on. I’d work the math or a treatment path out myself and then call her to double-check it. She’d tell me if I was right or a little off. She was also someone I could talk to after calls. I’d ask if there was anything I could have done better or missed. That kind of honest feedback is invaluable. Over time, I became more confident. There are apps now for drug calculations. But I always knew that if I needed her, she would pick up the phone. She once told me, “I know how bad the patient is by the tone and volume of your voice.” At first, I didn’t believe her. She explained it wasn’t panic or fear—just a subtle change in pitch. I came to appreciate that. Because when I walked through the ER doors, there was always a room ready and the right staff waiting.

Nurses don’t get the credit they deserve. Seasoned nurses are worth their weight in gold and are a true asset to their facilities. If you find one you trust, learn from them and protect that relationship.

The Bottom Line

Know your protocols.

Use medical control the right way.

Have someone you trust when you need another brain.

Lifelines aren’t a sign you don’t know enough—they’re proof you care enough

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