For EMT / Paramedics ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll have EMS SOAP set up on your phone or tablet and be able to dictate your patient care narrative by voice — getting a complete, compliant SOAP note in under 60 seconds instead of typing for 15-20 minutes after every call.
What you'll need
Go to emssoap.com on your phone or tablet browser. Tap "Sign Up" or "Get Started" and create a free account using your email address. You'll be asked for your certification level (EMT, AEMT, or Paramedic) — select your level so the system calibrates its terminology.
What you should see: A dashboard or "New Report" button after logging in. Troubleshooting: If you don't receive the verification email within 5 minutes, check your spam folder.
Tap "New Report" or "Start Narrating" to see how the interface works. You'll see a large microphone button and a text area where your transcription appears. Take 5 minutes to get familiar before using it on an actual patient call.
What you should see: A clean interface with a prominent record button and a text display area.
After your call, when you're ready to document, open EMS SOAP and tap the microphone button. Speak your narrative naturally in clinical language, as if you were giving a verbal report to an ER physician. Include: dispatch information, patient presentation, vitals, your assessment, treatments given, and disposition.
Example of what to say: "Dispatch to a 64-year-old male with chest pain. On arrival, patient was found sitting upright in his kitchen, alert and oriented, complaining of 8 out of 10 substernal chest pain with radiation to the left arm, onset approximately 45 minutes prior, with associated diaphoresis and nausea. Initial vitals: blood pressure 168 over 94, heart rate 88 regular, respirations 16 non-labored, SpO2 97% on room air, GCS 15. 12-lead ECG acquisition revealed ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF. Patient was treated with oxygen 2 liters per minute via nasal cannula, aspirin 324 milligrams orally, nitroglycerin 0.4 milligrams sublingually with partial relief, IV access 18 gauge right antecubital, and transported priority one to the emergency department with cath lab notification en route."
What you should see: As you speak, text appears in real time showing your transcription. Troubleshooting: If transcription is inaccurate, speak more slowly and enunciate drug names and abbreviations clearly. Avoid speaking while driving.
When you stop recording, EMS SOAP processes your dictation and formats it into a SOAP structure: Subjective (patient's complaint and history), Objective (vitals and findings), Assessment (your clinical impression), and Plan (treatment and disposition). Review for accuracy and completeness.
What you should see: A formatted SOAP note, ready to copy.
Select all text in the EMS SOAP note and copy it. Open your ePCR (ESO, ImageTrend, ZOLL, or whatever your agency uses) and paste it into the narrative field. Edit as needed before submitting.
What you should see: Your complete narrative pasted into the ePCR narrative section.
Use EMS SOAP for every call for one full shift. The first few calls may feel awkward — speaking out loud is different from typing. By call 5 or 6, you'll find your natural dictation rhythm and the time savings become obvious.
Speak these phrases to generate common narrative types:
Cardiac chest pain: "Dispatch to [age/sex] with chest pain. Patient found [position/appearance], complaint of [description, onset, severity, radiation]. Vitals: [BP/HR/RR/SpO2]. 12-lead findings: [results]. Treated with [medications/interventions]. Transported [priority] to [destination]."
Altered mental status: "Dispatch to [age/sex] unresponsive/altered. Scene safety established. Patient found [position], GCS [score], pupils [description]. Blood glucose [reading]. History of [conditions]. Treated with [interventions]. Transported priority."
Trauma: "Dispatch to [mechanism of injury]. Patient found [position], complaining of [injuries]. [C-spine status if applicable]. Vitals: [BP/HR/RR/SpO2]. Injuries noted: [description]. Treated with [interventions]. Transported [priority] to [trauma center vs. ED]."
Refusal (AMA): "Dispatch to [complaint]. Patient assessed, found to be alert, oriented, with decision-making capacity. Informed of [risks of refusal]. Declined transport against EMS advice. Patient verbalized understanding and signed refusal form. Advised to call 911 if condition worsens."