Paramedic PapersHome Daily scans 27 October 2026
Daily scan
Paramedic research, 27 October 2026
6 new paramedic and prehospital papers from the 27 October 2026 scan.
Listen to the 27 October 2026 podcast episode
-
What patients think of alternative response units
A scoping review of patient, family and carer experiences of alternative ambulance response units found that people value receiving competent care at home, avoiding hospital transport, and referral pathways with continuity of care beyond the initial episode.
-
Psychological first aid for paramedic families
A qualitative study of a family-focused psychological first aid programme for first responders found participants felt more confident starting difficult conversations at home, with less stigma around operational stress, though gaps remained in organisational integration and programme sustainability.
-
Supporting bystanders after failed resuscitation
An Italian perspective paper argues bystanders and relatives involved in unsuccessful out-of-hospital resuscitation are an overlooked group at risk of lasting psychological distress, and sketches supportive follow-up and referral roles for emergency clinicians.
-
Overdrive pacing for refractory pVT prehospital
A prehospital case report describes transcutaneous overdrive pacing used as rescue therapy for refractory polymorphic ventricular tachycardia after cardiac arrest, highlighting the gap between guideline options and what ambulances actually carry.
-
Ambulance contamination hotspots: cuffs and sats probes
An Iranian cross-sectional study sampling 23 high-touch sites in ambulances (1,932 ATP tests) found the worst contamination on patient-contact kit — pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff — and showed handwashing cut paramedic hand contamination nearly tenfold.
-
EMS alcohol education: limited and patient-focused
A US qualitative study of 31 EMS clinicians found alcohol-related education for staff is limited and patient-focused rather than wellbeing-focused, with participants wanting EMS-specific content, personal narratives and stronger peer and family support.