Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

Communication under pressure is one of the most critical and most fragile skills in pre-hospital care. When it fails, the consequences can be immediate and profound. In this episode, we explore why communication breaks down in high-stress environments, what that costs us clinically, and, crucially, what we can do to improve it.
Joining me is Dr Stephen Hearns, one of the most influential figures in emergency and retrieval medicine. A consultant in emergency and aeromedical retrieval medicine, he is the founding force behind Scotland’s Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS), a government-funded critical care organisation delivering advanced pre-hospital care across some of the UK’s most remote and challenging environments. With over 30 years of experience spanning HEMS, mountain rescue, expedition medicine, and medico-legal practice, Stephen is a globally recognised authority on human performance under pressure. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, has published extensively on human factors in acute care, and has played a key role in developing postgraduate education in retrieval and transfer medicine.
Further reading relevant to this episode from Stephen can be found here:⁠ https://corecognition.co.uk/performance-infographics/8-tools-to-improve-communication-under-pressure
Learn more about Core Cognition:⁠https://corecognition.co.uk/⁠

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become one of the most exciting developments in modern pre-hospital care. From enhancing clinical assessment and supporting critical interventions to influencing transport and treatment decisions, ultrasound is increasingly finding its place in the hands of pre-hospital clinicians.
In this special compilation episode of the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast, we bring together three previous episodes that explore the role of ultrasound from different perspectives. Together, they provide a comprehensive overview of the opportunities, limitations, and governance considerations surrounding pre-hospital ultrasound practice.
In this episode, we discuss:
The evolving role of ultrasound in pre-hospital decision-making
How POCUS can augment clinical assessment in critically ill and injured patients
The use of ultrasound in trauma care and time-critical interventions
Current evidence supporting pre-hospital ultrasound
Training, competency and governance requirements
Challenges of implementation and avoiding over-reliance on imaging
The future of ultrasound in pre-hospital and critical care practice

Featured Episodes
Sound Decisions: The Evolving Role of Pre-Hospital Ultrasound
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sound-decisions-the-evolving-role-of-pre/id1441215901?i=1000723373532
Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Critical Care with Dan Nevin
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/point-of-care-ultrasound-in-critical-care-with-dan-nevin/id1441215901?i=1000625086379
Pre-Hospital Ultrasound in Trauma: Practice & Governance
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pre-hospital-ultrasound-in-trauma-practice-governance/id1441215901?i=1000724321110

Resources
For more episodes and educational resources, visit the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast and follow us on social media for updates on future episodes and series.
If you enjoyed this compilation, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing the episode with colleagues who have an interest in pre-hospital critical care.

Paediatric mental health presentations are becoming an increasingly common part of pre-hospital and emergency care. Yet, many paramedics report feeling under-prepared when it comes to recognising and responding to psychological distress in children and adolescents. Unlike physical illness or injury, mental health concerns often present subtly, evolve dynamically, and sit within complex family, social, and developmental contexts.
Today’s guest, Kristina Maximous, is a dual-registered Paramedic with extensive clinical and academic experience in both Australia and the United Kingdom. She currently serves as a Lecturer in Paramedicine and Academic Resourcing Lead and is completing a PhD focused on paediatric mental health screening and assessment within paramedic-led emergency care. Her research has explored how paramedics make decisions about children and adolescents in psychological distress, and the limitations of current screening tools in dynamic, time-pressured environments. Kristina’s work aims to inform more developmentally appropriate, biopsychosocial approaches that support safer, more equitable care for young people. 
In this episode, we explore the distinction between screening and assessment, unpack the challenges paramedics face on the frontline, and discuss what a more holistic, biopsychosocial model might look like in practice. You can find Kristina's scoping review here: https://science-health.csu.edu.au/schools/nursing-paramedicine-health/research/projects/reframing-paediatric-mental-health-screening-and-assessment

Major incidents challenge clinicians to balance speed, simplicity, and clinical effectiveness in highly dynamic environments. In this episode, Advanced Paramedics in Critical Care Keir Rutherford and Alec Wilding reflect on lessons learned from real-world major incidents and the findings of inquiries such as the Manchester Arena bombing. The discussion explores the early recognition of terrorist attacks and how responders can distinguish these events from more routine presentations in the initial stages of a call.
A central theme is triage. Keir and Alec examine the implementation of the new NHS major incident triage framework, including the Ten Second Triage (TST) tool and the Major Incident Triage Tool (MITT). They discuss how these approaches are designed to rapidly identify patients who will benefit most from immediate life-saving interventions, while supporting efficient resource allocation in mass casualty events. The conversation also explores the relationship between triage, enhanced clinical care on scene, and the role of casualty clearing stations.
Joining the discussion is Dr. Philip Cowburn, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and co-author of the Ten Second Triage Tool. Phil shares insights into the evidence underpinning these developments, the influence of recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry, and how national practice has evolved to improve patient outcomes during major incidents.
Beyond clinical processes, the episode highlights the importance of interoperability between ambulance, police, and fire services, alongside the emotional and psychological challenges faced by senior clinicians during and after major incidents. Together, the guests provide a practical and reflective overview of modern major incident management and the evolving systems designed to deliver the greatest benefit to the greatest number of patients.

This episode is sponsored by PAX: The gold standard in emergency response bags.
When you’re working under pressure, your kit needs to be dependable, tough, and intuitive. That’s exactly what you get with PAX. Every bag is handcrafted by expert tailors who understand the demands of pre-hospital care. From the high-tech, skin-friendly, and environmentally responsible materials to the cutting-edge welding process that reduces seams and makes cleaning easier, PAX puts performance first. They’ve partnered with 3M to perfect reflective surfaces for better visibility, and the bright grey interior makes finding gear fast and effortless, even in low light. With over 200 designs, PAX bags are made to suit your role, needs, and environment. And thanks to their modular system, many bags work seamlessly together, no matter the setup.
PAX doesn’t chase trends. Their designs stay consistent, so once you know one, you know them all. And if your bag ever takes a beating? Their in-house repair team will bring it back to life.
PAX – built to perform, made to last.
Learn more at ⁠https://www.pax-bags.com/en/⁠

Today on the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast, the discussion opens with a critical question: why do even highly trained clinicians struggle to perform under pressure, and what can be done about it? To explore this, we are joined by Dr Stephen Hearns, a globally respected clinician, educator, and author whose work bridges emergency medicine, human performance science, and high-stakes decision-making.
Stephen is a consultant in emergency and aeromedical retrieval medicine and played a central role in developing Scotland’s Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS), a government-funded critical care retrieval organisation delivering advanced pre-hospital care to major trauma patients and those with complex critical illness in remote environments.
Drawing on his book Peak Performance Under Pressure, Stephen examines the cognitive and behavioural factors that influence performance in extreme conditions. This episode focuses on practical strategies, including mental rehearsal, shared mental models, and cognitive aids, and how these translate into sharper decision-making and improved outcomes in real-world pre-hospital care.
Further reading relevant to this episode from Stephen can be found here:
https://corecognition.co.uk/blog/the-arc-of-performance
Learn more about Core Cognition:
https://corecognition.co.uk/

This episode is sponsored by PAX: The gold standard in emergency response bags.
When you’re working under pressure, your kit needs to be dependable, tough, and intuitive. That’s exactly what you get with PAX. Every bag is handcrafted by expert tailors who understand the demands of pre-hospital care. From the high-tech, skin-friendly, and environmentally responsible materials to the cutting-edge welding process that reduces seams and makes cleaning easier, PAX puts performance first. They’ve partnered with 3M to perfect reflective surfaces for better visibility, and the bright grey interior makes finding gear fast and effortless, even in low light. With over 200 designs, PAX bags are made to suit your role, needs, and environment. And thanks to their modular system, many bags work seamlessly together, no matter the setup.
PAX doesn’t chase trends. Their designs stay consistent, so once you know one, you know them all. And if your bag ever takes a beating? Their in-house repair team will bring it back to life.
PAX – built to perform, made to last.
Learn more at ⁠https://www.pax-bags.com/en/⁠