Cheryl Bakhtiari, Austin/Travis County EMS

"My name is Cheryl Bakhtiari and I have been in EMS for 37 years. It has only been in the past 5 years that more attention has been focused on the particulars of strangulation. The first training I took in strangulation, which was provided by Kelsey to our department, really opened my eyes to the lack of information presented to and/or available to EMS in recent years. After attending the training, I searched all of my old paramedic books, PHTLS, BTLS, my nursing books and many online EMS sites, only to come up with next to nothing on strangulation. This lack of information meant that we (EMS) have been missing signs and symptoms of strangulation injuries for years. We have also been missing opportunities to look for other injuries and better inform patients of the risks associated with those injuries and the importance of seeking medical evaluation and treatment beyond EMS. The thought that I have likely missed many opportunities to better identify a patient’s injuries and therefore their health was adversely affected, was sobering indeed.

For the past two years, I have provided “expert witness” testimony in strangulation cases. The most important aspect of this, is teaching the court basic anatomy and physiology that allows them to then understand the seriousness of strangulation. I am not going to sugar coat this endeavor. It’s tough. I make mistakes. And I learn more every single time. I write better PCRs. I take better care of patients. I do a more thorough exam. I give patients necessary information so that they can make better decisions for themselves. I make a difference."