

Heavy Lies the Helmet
Mike Boone, Dan Rauh, & Dr. Amanda Humphries
The Heavy Lies the Helmet® Podcast is by critical care professionals, for critical care professionals. Hosted by Mike Boone, Dan Rauh, and Dr. Amanda Humphries, we dive deep into the realities of emergency and critical care medicine.
Our conversations are raw, honest, and practical — cutting through the noise to focus on real-world challenges, clinical decision-making, and the human side of high-acuity care. Whether we’re unpacking complex patient scenarios, discussing the nuances of teamwork and leadership, or highlighting the mental and emotional weight of the job, our podcast offers a space where providers can learn, connect, and feel understood.
No fluff. No corporate agendas. Just real talk for real clinicians.
Our conversations are raw, honest, and practical — cutting through the noise to focus on real-world challenges, clinical decision-making, and the human side of high-acuity care. Whether we’re unpacking complex patient scenarios, discussing the nuances of teamwork and leadership, or highlighting the mental and emotional weight of the job, our podcast offers a space where providers can learn, connect, and feel understood.
No fluff. No corporate agendas. Just real talk for real clinicians.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 19, 2022 • 50min
Episode 93 - Performing Under Pressure w/Dr. Stephen Hearns
It's no secret that we as emergency and critical care professionals are expected to perform highly in high pressure situations. Unfortunately, none of us are immune to limited cognitive capacity, task saturation/fixation, time pressure, negative team dynamics, and poor communication. How can we mitigate these variables, so that we can continue to effectively operate in our respective fields? Join us for an insightful podcast episode where Dr. Stephen Hearns explains how. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

May 31, 2022 • 33min
Episode 92 - Flight Suit Pat Down (Audio Only)
What should you carry in your flight suit as an American-based HEMS provider? In our opinion, no one can definitively tell you that. But we can attempt to share some ideas based on our personal experiences and training. In this vodcast, Mike shares what he currently carries in his flight suit; from survival gear to medical equipment. Watch the vodcast on our YouTube channel at /heavyliesthehelmet. Brands include: One Shear ER Life Benchmade Foursevens Fisher Space Pen Littmann Nite Ize Doug Fitter Tactical Notepad Covers Sharpie Bic Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Apr 30, 2022 • 39min
Episode 91 - Immobi-Lies w/Dr. Mike Hudson
Mores lies! But this time, we focus on empirical use of spinal immobilization devices and the harm associated with them. The dogma surrounding this topic is staggering, to say the least. From EMS agencies to Level 1 tertiary centers, cervical collars and long spine boards (LSB) remain a "standard" predicated on a lack of evidence. What evidence DO we have regarding spinal immobilization? And how should we restrict spinal movement of polytrauma patients based on that evidence? Tune in to another eye-opening podcast episode where we are joined by air medical director, Dr. Mike Hudson, who has been leading the way in U.S. spinal motion restriction (SMR) techniques. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Apr 15, 2022 • 41min
Episode 90 - The Key to Ketoacidosis
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common metabolic disorder, particularly in the pediatric population. If treated inappropriately, these patients can quickly decompensate to the point of hypovolemic shock, acute respiratory failure, and even cerebral herniation. What are the physiological differences behind DKA verses HHS (Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome)? What are some simple methods to identify DKA in the field? How do we effectively treat DKA? And how should we monitor our interventions? Tune in to a bittersweet podcast episode where we discuss this derangement in its entirety. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Mar 30, 2022 • 53min
Episode 89 - Para-Lies
There are a lot of "lies"/misunderstandings surrounding appropriate use of paralytics AKA neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs). When are these medications truly indicated? How do we appropriately administer them? How do we accurately monitor these patients? And how do we reverse the effects of NMBAs? Tune in to another pharmacologically driven podcast where we draft our EM pharmacist friend, Chase Turner, to discuss. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Mar 8, 2022 • 59min
Episode 88 - Closing the Blood Gates
The clotting cascade, particularly in the context of anti-coagulation reversal can be complex to understand. Unfortunately, many of our patients are on anti-coagulation agents that require reversal in the presence of life-threatening hemorrhage. How do we choose the most appropriate agent based on which step of the coagulation cascade that it antagonizes? And when is it time to pull the trigger on doing so? In this podcast episode, we discuss this intense topic. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Feb 17, 2022 • 51min
Episode 87 - The Lesser Evil Overdose w/Dr. Arne Skulberg
Which is the lesser evil, opioid or naloxone overdose? To avoid adverse effects, how should we be administering naloxone in the presence of opioid overdose? In this podcast episode, we are joined by Dr. Arne Skulberg, anesthesiologist and lead author, to discuss his recently published RCT comparing intranasal with intramuscular naloxone. We highlight naloxone dose discrepancies and the pitfalls surrounding intravenous administration of it. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Jan 31, 2022 • 1h 16min
Episode 86 - Pilot Down But Not Out w/Wade Dunford & Scott Davis
An incapacitated pilot scenario is an unfortunate but potential reality of working in rotor and fixed wing EMS. What do you do as medical crew members if your pilot becomes incapacitated? What training and capabilities do you have to revive the pilot and/or get the aircraft on the ground? Do some Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) incidents actually involve an incapacitated pilot? In this podcast episode, we are joined by Pilot Wade Dunford and Flight Paramedic Scott Davis to discuss their Incapacitated Pilot Working Group (IPWG) and how they have taken steps to address this issue in their region. We cover the crawl, walk, and run phases, and how you can stabilize an aircraft using a 3-axis autopilot system. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Jan 13, 2022 • 54min
Episode 85 - A Great First Compression w/Dr. Per Olav Berve
Transport of patients with ongoing CPR to the correct treatment center is a high risk but potentially lifesaving intervention. Mechanical CPR (mCPR) devices are recommended to reduce risk and maintain chest compression quality. However, such transports have inherent pitfalls to both patient and provider safety. This is a poorly studied field of our practice and no clear consensus for how this should be done exists. In this podcast episode, we are joined by Dr. Per Olav Berve to discuss the practical challenges of these missions, CPR physiology, hemodynamics, and hopefully some hard-earned advice on how to get a patient in cardiac arrest to hospital in a survivable physiologic state. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Dec 16, 2021 • 57min
Episode 84 - VAD Max w/Allen Wolfe
Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD) come in many shapes and sizes. From right to left, extracorporeal to intracorporeal, pulsatile to continuous - It can be confusing. Join us for a podcast episode where Allen Wolfe clarifies the confusion and gives us the maximum amount of knowledge we need to succeed while taking care of these patients. Get CE hours for our podcast episodes HERE! -------------------------------------------- Twitter @heavyhelmet Facebook @heavyliesthehelmet Instagram @heavyliesthehelmet YouTube /heavyliesthehelmet Website heavyliesthehelmet.com Email contact@heavyliesthehelmet.com Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed on the Heavy Lies the Helmet podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of their employers and their employees. Heavy Lies the Helmet, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any information available for listening on this platform. The primary purpose of this series is to educate and inform, but it is not a substitute for your local laws, medical direction, or sound judgment. -------------------------------------------- Crystals VIP by From The Dust | https://soundcloud.com/ftdmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US