For EMT / Paramedics ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll have Claude set up with your agency's protocols uploaded as a reference document. Instead of flipping through a thick PDF, you'll be able to ask questions like "What's the max dose of adenosine in our protocol?" or "What does our protocol say about RSI indications?" and get direct answers from your actual protocols.
What you'll need
Ask your supervisor, EMS coordinator, or medical director for the current protocol document as a PDF. Most agencies distribute protocols digitally. If yours only has printed books, ask if there's a digital version — virtually all modern EMS agencies have PDF protocols.
What you should see: A PDF file on your computer, typically named something like "County EMS Protocols 2025.pdf" Troubleshooting: If no digital version exists, you can also find many state protocol documents online — search "[your state] EMS protocols PDF." Note that some agency protocols are locally customized, so state-level protocols may differ.
Go to claude.ai and create an account if you don't have one. Subscribe to Claude Pro ($20/month). The free tier doesn't support document uploads — you need Pro for this workflow.
What you should see: A Claude interface with a sidebar showing "Projects" option.
In Claude's left sidebar, click "Projects" → "+ New Project." Name it "EMS Protocols [Your Agency/County]." This creates a persistent workspace where your uploaded documents stay available across all conversations.
What you should see: A new project workspace with a chat interface and a "+" or paperclip icon for file uploads.
Inside your project, look for the attachment/upload icon (paperclip or "+" symbol). Click it and upload your protocol PDF. Claude will process and index the document — this takes 1–3 minutes for a typical protocol book.
What you should see: Your uploaded file appears in the project's knowledge section. You'll see a confirmation that the document was processed. Troubleshooting: If the PDF is too large (most Claude Pro uploads support up to 100MB; typical protocol PDFs are 5–30MB), try splitting it into sections (medications, medical protocols, trauma protocols) using a free PDF splitter like smallpdf.com.
In the project settings, add instructions that tell Claude how to use the document:
You are a protocol reference assistant for an EMT/Paramedic. You have access to the agency's EMS protocols in the uploaded document. When I ask protocol questions:
1. Answer from the uploaded protocol document whenever possible
2. Cite the specific section or page number when you can
3. Always include the caveat "verify in your current protocols" for clinical decisions
4. If you can't find the answer in the document, say so clearly
Ask a few test questions to verify it's reading your protocols correctly:
What you should see: Specific answers that match your actual protocol document, with section references when available. Troubleshooting: If Claude's answers don't match your protocols, ask "Which section of the uploaded document did that come from?" to verify it's reading the right document vs. using general knowledge.
Bookmark claude.ai on your phone. When you have a protocol question between calls, open the project and ask — you'll get a direct, searchable answer from your actual protocols, not a generic internet answer.
Adjust these to your common protocol questions:
Drug dosing: "What is the adult dose of [drug name] for [indication] in our protocols? Include route and any repeat dosing information."
Protocol criteria: "What are the criteria for [field termination / CPAP use / pediatric pain management / spinal motion restriction] in our protocols?"
Scope of practice check: "Does our protocol allow [specific intervention] at the EMT level or is it paramedic-only?"
Protocol comparison: "What does our protocol say about treating hypertensive emergency? How does it differ from standard AHA guidelines?"
New protocol orientation: "Summarize the key points of the cardiac section of our protocols in bullet points."