Special Edition: Branching Diagnosis

Special Edition: Branching Diagnosis

Author: Long Pause Media | FlightBridgeED January 14, 2026 Duration: 1:32:30
In a traumatic twist, Spencer finds himself planning to extricate a patient from... a tree? Does he make the right call? Can he remove this patient from a STICKy situation? Vote now on Instagram!

Hosted by paramedics Spencer Oliver and Christopher Pfingsten, EMS 20/20 turns the ambulance bay into a classroom without walls. Each episode is built around the raw, unfiltered details of real emergency calls, dissecting the split-second decisions and complex scenarios that define pre-hospital care. The conversation moves beyond textbook protocols to examine the human factors, the unexpected complications, and the critical thinking that truly matters when the pressure is on. You’ll hear a frank analysis of what worked, what didn’t, and the practical lessons that only come from years on the road. This podcast serves as an ongoing dialogue for the EMS community, whether you’re a student building your foundation, a veteran medic refreshing your perspective, or simply someone curious about the realities of emergency medicine. The focus is always on the granular details of the job-the kind of insight that changes practice. It’s a deep dive into the art and science of field medicine, produced by Long Pause Media and FlightBridgeED. Tune in for a candid look at the challenges and nuances faced by responders every day, where every call has a story and every story has a takeaway you can use.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 236

EMS 20/20
Podcast Episodes
Salmon Stabs Spaghetti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:06
Chris and Spence review a call that goes clinically... fine. But what happens when the patient suddenly doesn't like the direction the call is going? And what happens when a doctor is.... WRONG?!
Choosy Medics Choose STEMI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:58
The guys review a nutty situation where a responder is sandwiched between a DNR and a very serious diagnosis... and also their partner...
A *Very* Sticky Case [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:25
Spencer and Chris bring in the big guns from the Standard of Care podcast, Samantha Johnson and Nick Adams! This episode is probably one of the most disturbing cases of neglect we've reviewed in a while, so you've been w…
Railroading Rod [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:55:53
Ashlyn O'Dell joins Chris and Spence as the trio try and be very useful engines on a trauma call! With an object stuck... somewhere and a rather un-useful little engine on scene, the team has their work cut out for them.
You're Tearing Up My Heart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:30
It might sounds crazy, but it ain't no lie... Spencer and Chris try to navigate what to do when a big mistake is made on a severe trauma patient... and it's not a mistake that is hard to make, either.
Avoiding SeDEADtion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:10
The guys try to figure out exactly where the line between sedation and death is, and as a bonus, Spencer teaches you how to smoke meth.
12.875 Kilometer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:36
Crossing into Canadian terrain, Spencer and Chris delve into a call where a patient does their best attempt at refusing treatment for their... gunshot wound?
MI Bleed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:30
Chris and Spencer see if they can solve why a man with the most rancid of toots can't stay upright. And also... Chris totally screws up! Also be sure to check out this week's sponsor, In Case at getincase.com/EMS2020!
Who has the Baby!? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:13
Spencer throws Chris for a loop by making him critique... himself(ves)? In today's VERY strange episode, two BLS responders care for a sick baby, make a last minute switch on who is doing what, while the patient's mother…
You Can't Make Me! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:09
Sometimes patients don't just say no, but sometimes they say f&^$ no! What happens when two responders are confronted by a verbally hostile patient? Does fighting fire with fire work? Spoiler: no, it does not. Check out…