By Holly Drone
When it comes to administering medications in the prehospital setting, emergency medical professionals often have to use some ingenuity to confront challenges. Just like everything in EMS, there are situations we face on a daily basis (e.g., strokes, cardiac events, etc.) and then there are the wildcards. While our training prepares us well to handle those common situations, it’s the complex medication scenarios that create a need for a confident and creative expert.
That’s why in early 2023, Hennepin EMS (HEMS) created an official pharmaceutical consulting role in the field. For years, HEMS leadership had observed how EMS professionals would informally leverage the expertise of a clinical pharmacist in the ED setting, seeking guidance on everything from logistics, like crash-safe storage and dosage best practices; to helping identify efficient and cost-effective drug alternatives amid shortages or limited availability. The recognition of and response to this need and opportunity in prehospital …