EMS PRO NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
than a preceptor; over the course of the rotation she proved herself to be a role model for patient advocacy, a patient and fair teacher, level-headed in the midst of chaos and the voice of encourage- ment,” Alba says.
“Anne is always willing to explain concepts, do post-incident analysis of runs, share resources to aid learning, encourage when she sees the need and genuinely wants to help students become good medics, capable of thinking critically and clinically,” Alba says. “She gives feedback to her students in private and makes sure they understand and learn from each experience. She herself is quick to ask medical directors questions to increase her knowledge and share it with her students.”
She notes that Edwards models her strong work ethic and conscientious- ness when she unfailing- ly and thoroughly checks her ambulance at the beginning of each shift, anticipates a possible in- ability to get back to the station for more supplies in case of back-to-back calls, and immediately addresses any issues that may interfere with patient care. “Anne is
not one to stand on the sidelines when she can do something to make things better.”
When the agency teamed up with the MESH Co- alition to build a disaster team capable of deploy- ing to the MAST-F, a 25- bed mobile tent hospital system, Thralls says that Edwards quickly stepped up to volunteer her ser- vices and has become a team leader instrumental in developing policy and deploying missions. Ad- ditionally, to help unify EMS services within the county, Edwards has provided her expertise in developing a new field training program, poli- cies and procedures. “She has put in hundreds of hours with the focus of making the service better for our future patients,” says Thralls.
Thralls notes that Ed- wards takes her time on scenes to ensure the fam- ily, friends and patients understand their options, and facilitates the best choices for the patient. He says that on time- critical calls, she guides the patient care team to keep everyone on task in a timely manner.
Alba says Edwards is an inspiration and shares this story of how she
12 EMS PRO Magazine
goes above and beyond to advocate for her patients: “We had a run during which a female patient was confused about her medica- tion. Anne called the company that sent the patient medication every month, getting the error corrected for both the patient and her husband when she realized he had the same issue. She saw the bigger picture – and by taking the time to make the call, she helped two people avoid becoming patients in the future. When the situa- tion allows it, she helps her patients improve their long-term health.” Alba says that on a busy ambulance, Edwards sees her share of “regulars,” and although it is easy to treat these patients with less than professional- ism, Edwards greets them by name and is fa- miliar with their history and issues, addressing their conditions with the same regard, time and time again.
“I believe it is fair to say that there are few people who display true passion for their work, compas- sion for others, dedica- tion to the mission of their organization, and are willing to do both the sweaty, back-breaking work and office work with the same degree of energy, all while main- taining a positive at- titude,” says Alba. “Yet Anne does exactly that.”
The NAEMT Para- medic of the Year Award is sponsored by EMS World and is a part of the National EMS Awards program. Award recipients receive $1,000, registration to EMS World Expo, plus $1,000 for travel and lodging to attend EMS World Expo and the NAEMT Annual Meeting. On August 30, at its General Member- ship Meeting in Las Vegas, NAEMT awarded its EMT of the Year Award to William (Bill) Rise, EMT-I, of Milbank, South Dakota. u
Guide for Transitioning to New National EMS Certifi cations Published
Do you need information to better understand the transition to the national scope of practice? The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) has published a new flyer with key information on National EMS Certifi- cation Exams, additional content to be included on the exams, the transition for different EMS practitioner levels and more. Please log on to
www.naemt.org for more information.
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