It is important for EMS to know when to call the poison center as oftentimes, such a call can save lives, prevent unnecessary emergency room visits, and expedite treatment. The tips below provide a general guideline of situations which warrant a call to the CPCC. For more information, contact the community education specialist regarding a free educational session.

EMS can call the Poison Control Center for:

• Overdoses
• Unintentional poisonings
• Pill identification
• Treatment advice
• Symptoms to watch for
• When to use charcoal
• Advice on when to transport
• Antidote information and coordination
• Hazardous materials
• Reporting a poisoning
• Protecting the public health
• Information on trends of abuse

Continuing Education

The Connecticut Poison Control Center offers two- to three-hour continuing education sessions for Emergency Medical Services. There is no charge for a presentation.

Presentation Outline

• Welcome and introductions.
• Poison Center basics and more including our services, roles, etc.
• Education - programs available to public and professionals
• Data - Connecticut-specific poisoning stats and typical calls
• Pre-hospital poisonings, trends, and treatment for EMS
• Red flags - poisons that you should pay attention to, need treatment and transport via EMS.

 

Below are some comments from past EMS participants regarding which parts of the sessions they liked best:

“I had a better understanding of the connection between our services and yours.”

“It was very informative and well presented.”

“The presentation was in depth, stayed interesting, and was at the correct level for our provider level.”

“The presenters covered a vast range of relevant information, very in depth.”