Frozen Fingers, Time Is Tissue: The Prehospital Approach to Frostbite

Frozen Fingers, Time Is Tissue: The Prehospital Approach to Frostbite

Author: Ross Orpet, Paramedic turned EMS Physician April 1, 2026 Duration: 1:00:06
Frostbite is more dangerous than it looks and easier to make worse than you think. In this episode, Ross and Will sit down with Dr. Greg Doctor, a wilderness medicine specialist and emergency physician practicing in the Colorado Rockies, to break down frostbite from the prehospital perspective. Greg walks through field assessment, when to rewarm vs. when to leave it alone, pain management, and when to bypass your local ED for a tertiary care center. Whether you’re running urban calls or wilderness rescues, you may see this and this episode will help inform how you approach cold injury.   Want more? Subscribe to The Confidence Dispatch, our free weekly newsletter for paramedics who want to get 1% better every shift: →  https://loudandclear.kit.com/d45b012fae   Want to go even further? The Paramedic Confidence Builder is a year-long course and coaching community for new medics who want to close the gap between what school taught them and what the job actually demands. Not a lecture series. Not another CE you'll forget by your next shift. Real frameworks for clinical reasoning and mental performance. The stuff nobody teaches you in school. If that sounds like what you've been looking for, book a free 30-minute coaching call and we'll talk about whether it's the right fit. Even if it’s not we’ll give you actionable advice on the call so that you still walk away with something valuable: →  calendly.com/d/cq38-87r-fkk/paramedic-confidence-builder

Stepping out of the classroom and into the rig is where the real learning begins, but that transition often leaves even seasoned providers with a lingering doubt. Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles addresses that gap directly, moving past the basic protocols to explore the foundational reasoning that makes for excellent prehospital care. Hosted by Ross Orpet, a paramedic who now practices as an EMS physician, this podcast digs into the "why" behind the algorithms. It’s built on the understanding that no textbook can possibly cover every unique scenario you’ll encounter on the road. Instead of just listing steps, each episode examines the core principles that guide critical decisions when the situation doesn't fit a neat checklist. You’ll hear discussions that bridge the gap between field experience and medical rationale, focusing on the adaptive thinking required for complex emergencies. This is advanced continuing education designed for paramedics, EMTs, and all prehospital providers who feel that standard training was just the beginning. The conversations in this series aim to solidify your clinical judgment, helping you build confidence through comprehension. By tuning in, you gain access to a deeper level of professional development, where the objective is to think clearer and act more decisively, no matter how many days you have on the job. This podcast serves as a vital resource for those committed to mastering their craft beyond the basics.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles - Advanced Continuing Education for Paramedics, EMTs & Prehospital Care Providers
Podcast Episodes
NEW NAME! The podcast gets a new name, find out what and why... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:48
Hello everyone, we have an exciting announcement. Today we are announcing our brand new name: Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles. My name is Ross, and alongside my co-host, Will, we're thrilled to present this fresh ch…
Invisible Scars: The Battle for Mental Health in EMS - PATH4EMS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:04
Let's discuss the pressing issue of mental health among first responders, particularly within the EMS community. Will gets vulnerable and shares a personal story of trauma on the job to highlight the urgent need for ment…
Wide Complex Tachycardia: Get Comfortable With Uncertainty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:02
Learn a systematic approach to management of wide complex tachycardia that doesn't rely on exact rhythm identification or scoring systems with guest Dr. Kevin Butler. By understanding the physiology rather than memorizin…
Trailer - Loud & Clear: EMS Guiding Principles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44
You’ve looked at other paramedic continuing education resources but it’s the same basic material they taught you in school. There’s more you need to know, or you might miss something, someone might get hurt, or worse som…
From Novice to Navigator: Mastering the Art of EMS Field Training [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:34
Joined by Josh, Cody, and Moose from the AlertMedicOne podcast, we explore key principles of good training, leadership, and the importance of making mistakes in a safe learning environment. We discuss strategies to foste…
The Difference Between Equal and Equitable Care [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:12
Explore the crucial distinction between providing equal care versus equitable care within emergency medical services (EMS). We give you an in-depth discussion with Ritu Sani from The EMS Show podcast, highlighting the im…
Life Over Limb: Field Amputation, Preparing for the Unthinkable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
Dr. Avery McKenzie interviews Dr. Eric Adler, regional medical director for Flight for Life, about the challenging and rare procedure of field amputations. They discuss the importance of being prepared for the unexpected…