Don’t Sleep on It: Legal and Clinical Risks of Fatigue in EMS

Friday, September 22, 2023

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM CT

Location: 348/349

CE: 1

Sponsored By

Co-Speaker(s)

Samantha MBA Johnson, JD, MBA, MHA (she/her/hers)

Senior Associate General Counsel
Grady Health System
Atlanta, Georgia
Nick J. Adams, MPA, CEM, Paramedic (he/him/his)

EMS Division Chief
Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services
Marietta, Georgia

Disclosure(s):

Samantha MBA Johnson, JD, MBA, MHA: No financial relationships to disclose

Nick J. Adams, MPA, CEM, Paramedic: No financial relationships to disclose

Fatigue-related incidents are a significant liability risk to providers and their agencies. Nick, the EMS Division Chief for one of the largest county-based ALS first response agencies in Georgia, and Samantha, an attorney for one of the largest hospital-based EMS systems in the Southeast, examine the legal and clinical risks of fatigue-related events. Using actual incidents and reported legal cases, Nick and Samantha offer tips and tricks for providers, administrators, and educators to recognize and mitigate fatigue-related risks.

Learning Objectives:

Identify and discuss areas of potential fatigue-related liability for EMS providers.
Describe characteristics of successful fatigue management programs.
Demonstrate practical strategies for integrating fatigue management into departmental training and operations to allow providers and administrators to recognize and mitigate fatigue-related risks.