Physicians, EMS Chiefs, Training Officers, and Field Paramedics throughout Florida developed the Florida Regional Common EMS Protocols. These protocols are based on National Standards and the most recent clinical studies regarding the delivery of prehospital care. Medical experts in the specialized areas of the protocols were an integral part of the protocol development process. In addition, an in-depth peer review was conducted to provide all participating agencies the opportunity to give input into the design and content of the protocols.
This protocol manual is part of the medical direction program for participating Emergency Medical Services (MS) agencies in Florida, and as such, the medical treatment protocols are designed as clinical guides for EMS providers. The protocol manual in its entirety is designed to be a one-stop source of information for on-scene patient care, medical refernce, and training purposes.
The medical treatment protocols outline care for a typical case and follow the case, step-by-step. The protocols are divided into adult and pediatric section, each with three parts:
- Supportive Care - Actions authorized for the EMS or paramedic that are supportive in nature.
- ALS Level 1 - Actions authorized only for the paramedic prior to physician contact.
- ALS Level 2 - Actions authorized only for the paramedic that require a physician consult.
