Our Standing Written Orders

Ada County's standing written orders are developed through a process of research, discussion, and consensus among our field personnel, department administrators, area hospital representatives, medical directors, and specialty physicians. The result not only showcases our provider-friendly, liberal, and appropriately aggressive standards of practice but also is replicated often by other EMS agencies. The level of trust our medical directors and area physicians give us to treat our patients is equally represented by the high expectations we place on our peers and ourselves, especially in life-threatening situations. Our providers know not only when and how to intervene but why and, many times, why not.

Our SWOs are the result of the combination of nationally recognized guidelines, local medical practice, and input from area medical directors and our Standards of Care Committee. Sources include but are not limited to

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS and ACLS-EP) and associated branch courses,
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS),
• Pediatric Education for Pre-hospital Providers (PEPP),
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP, NALS),
• Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS),
• Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) and associated branch courses,
• Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and associated branch courses, and
• Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS).

Continue to our SWO Table of Contents