NAEMT's renowned Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS) course has published a new first edition textbook and instructor electronic resources for teaching the newly updated course.

AMLS is the most comprehensive EMS continuing education course addressing the assessment and management of patients. The course emphasizes the use of scene size-up, history, interactive group discussion on potential treatment strategies, and physical exam to systematically rule out and consider possibilities and probabilities in treating patients’ medical crises. It is for all levels of practitioners with a strong commitment to patient care, including first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists and physicians.

Although the course had been actively taught since 1999, the new first edition is the result of NAEMT's new publishing relationship with Mosby/Elsevier, Inc. The newly updated materials feature:

- A focus on a dynamic rather than a linear approach to assessment and management using a newly defined AMLS Assessment Pathway algorithm. The assessment process identifies key components of the patient’s cardinal presentation, pattern recognition and critical thinking skills.

- Expanded content throughout the nine textbook chapters as well as three new chapters on Endocrine, Metabolic & Environmental Disorders; Infectious Disease and Toxicologic Emergencies; and Hazardous Materials and WMD.

- References in each chapter to specific issues related to bariatric, geriatric and special needs patients. 

- A discussion of transport decisions and initial emergency department interventions, and discussions of a variety of diagnostic tools, such as lab values, ABG’s, radiography and acid/base abnormalities.

- Increased use of evidence-based assessment, diagnostic tools and management strategies throughout the medical-director reviewed textbook, scenario and lecture presentation components.

- Expanded appendices including the AMLS Assessment Pathway, 12-Lead Electrode Placement Review, Normal Lab Values, Rapid Sequence Intubation/Airway, Drug Profiles and Answers to Chapter Quiz questions. A laminated, quick reference guide is included.

Lecture presentations are on eight chapters, and a patient assessment demonstration video replaces the lecture on that topic. Improved course forms include an Evaluation Station format.

A streamlined AMLS Instructor Course now offers the option of same day monitoring. All AMLS courses will need to utilize the new materials by July 1, 2011. Instructors and coordinators who have not yet taken the instructor update are encouraged to contact the affiliate faculty in their area to arrange an update.

“These new AMLS first edition materials offer high quality and a great depth of information.” says NAEMT President Connie A. Meyer. “We thank the members of NAEMT's AMLS Committee, especially Linda Abrahamson, who served as chair, for the tremendous effort they put forth to produce these updates.”

The members of the AMLS Committee include Sarah Seiler, who now serves as chair, Linda Abrahamson, Rosemary Adam, Ann Bellows, Jeff J. Messerole, Brad Pierson, associate medical director Angus Jameson, M.D., and medical director Vince Mosesso, M.D.

Learn more about AMLS here.