Big news in EMS this week · Rescue Academy

Big news in EMS this week

Pretty crazy story. EMS crew responded to a snake bite and gave and antivenom on seen. The word is that they may we in trouble for "acting out of their scope of practice". Wild scenario, and honestly I can't blame them if they were trying to do what was best for the patient.

A Powell County, Kentucky EMS crew now faces a hearing after giving antivenom to a reptile zoo director, because state policy restricts antivenom administration to wilderness paramedics. The medics acted quickly, believing delay could lead to paralysis or arrest, and medical reviewers say they likely saved his life; now they must justify the decision under regulatory rules. This case highlights the tension between real-time clinical judgment and scope-of-practice limitations—a valuable lesson in how policy, training, and oversight intersect in EMS.

https://www.ems1.com/ems-protocols/ky-ems-crew-faces-hearing-after-giving-antivenom-to-save-reptile-zoo-director EMS1

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