Katherine Koch, associate professor of educational studies, has published a new textbook titled “EMS Response to Patients with Special Needs: Assessment, Treatment, and Transport” (Fire Engineering).
The textbook is the first comprehensive resource of its kind to address the emergency prehospital needs of people with disabilities. Koch provides descriptions of a specific disability or disabilities and how the characteristics are relevant to a prehospital setting and to the paramedics and emergency medical technicians who are treating the patients.
“A large subset of our population could be at risk for misunderstandings, potentially inadequate patient care, and incorrect or even dangerous interventions due to insufficient knowledge about disabilities in general and the issues particular to specific disabilities,” said Koch.
She is currently working on an audiobook version as well as instructor materials for potential courses associated with the text.
