Effective Wednesday, Aug. 1, Fishers Fire Department paramedics will be substituting an opiate pain option, such as Fentanyl, with non-addictive pain reliever Nitronox (laughing gas/nitrous oxide) when responding to medical emergencies in need of pain management. Fishers is the first in the state of Indiana to provide this option.
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Nitronox is 90 percent effective in controlling pain, and it reduces anxiety. Quick-acting and quick to wear off, this option can be utilized for such injuries to extremities like broken bones and sprains. It cannot be used for abdominal pain, head injuries, collapsed lungs, or secondary to opiates.
Fire Chief Steven Orusa said, “This is an effective and responsible adjustment to the care of our patients without the introduction of opiates into their system when possible.”
To be eligible for patients to be given this medication, they must be alert enough to administer the gas to themselves, under the supervision of a paramedic. It will take effect within two to three minutes, and when proper sedation has been given, the patient naturally drops the mask. This may re-occur through the course of the ride to the hospital as needed. This is a portable system and can be brought to the patient’s location.
Administrators for the department will closely monitor the use and effectiveness of the Nitronox and will provide that information to the medical director at St. Vincent Hospital, as well as the State of Indiana EMS Medical Director, a division of IDHS.
Fishers Fire Department operates three Advanced Life Support (ALS) transporting ambulances as well as six additional apparatus with ALS capabilities. All Fishers firefighters meet a minimum requirement of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). 144 firefighters operate out of six fire houses and one EMS sub-station.
Fentanyl was provided on 10 percent of 2017 transports. This treatment change is estimated to reduce the use of Fentanyl by 66 percent.