Advance medical study for paramedic

1.    What evidence is there to support or reject the use of portable, non-invasive CPAP in the prehospital environment?  Include reference to clinical outcomes and financial considerations.

2.    Choose one cause of meningitis.  Explain the pathophysiology, presentation and management of such.  Emphasis should be on current emergency treatment.

3.    Explore the history of CAL/COAD/COPD.  How and why have the terms changed? What does current evidence show about the theory of ‘hypoxic drive’ and ‘CO2 retainers’?  Should we withhold oxygen from these patients as a matter of course? Your paper should include a thorough discussion of the acid base derangements consistent with these diagnoses.

4.    Stroke bypass: what does the evidence tell us about bypassing peripheral hospitals and transporting direct to a stroke unit?  Is there evidence to support despatch and transport priorities by ambulance services?

5.    There is growing interest in the measurement of lactate levels in critically unwell patients. What is the relationship between increased lactate levels and mortality rates?  Concentrate on sepsis as opposed to trauma for this unit.