For most people, going above and beyond means working overtime to complete an important project or help a neighbour out of a tough situation.

But for Dr. Nic Sparrow, going above and beyond means saving people含羞草研究社檚 lives or drastically changing the recovery outcome of a severe injury or health crisis, and he is hoping more doctors and community members will join in the fight.

Sparrow is an emergency room doctor at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, but he feels the duty of saving lives doesn含羞草研究社檛 end when he leaves the hospital at the end of his shift.

Sparrow remains on call and often leaves the comforts of his home for some of the harshest realities of life 含羞草研究社� the most severe 9-1-1 calls in the West Kootenay. He does this work as a volunteer 含羞草研究社� giving his time and providing his own supplies and equipment.

The idea of doctors attending accident scenes, cardiac arrest calls and drug overdoses seems like a new approach here in Canada, but the practice is actually quite common in Europe and other parts of the world.

Sparrow first became familiar with the practice while working in the United Kingdom.

After moving to Canada, Sparrow started volunteering his time for this type of work in 2008 while working on the Sunshine Coast.

Sparrow is quick to emphasize that he does not do this work alone, that it is a team effort 含羞草研究社� he is there to support the first responders, ambulance attendants, paramedics and fire department personnel.

含羞草研究社淚 think they do an absolutely amazing job 含羞草研究社� but there are some calls that a physician who is trained in pre-hospital response can assist with,含羞草研究社� said Sparrow.

含羞草研究社淭o support the emergency services, and secondly to help save lives and help the most critically ill or injured patients in the community 含羞草研究社� that is my goal,含羞草研究社� explained Sparrow who has attended 260 calls over the last four years.

Sparrow says its hard to calculate how many lives have been saved through the work.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 not working in isolation, I含羞草研究社檓 working always with the paramedics, with the firefighters 含羞草研究社� so it is hard to equate to lives saved. But I have definitely, massively changed the outcome for a subset of critically ill patients,含羞草研究社� he said.

This is partly because he is able to provide things like anti-seizure medications 含羞草研究社� stopping patients from enduring long periods of seizures and advanced life support drugs and treatments to the scene of cardiac arrests.

含羞草研究社淭here are certain things that I can provide that other providers at the moment in the pre-hospital environment cannot 含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 partly why I respond,含羞草研究社� said Sparrow.

含羞草研究社淭he paramedics on the ground and the firefighters 含羞草研究社� they have to deal with some really tough stuff and work in the confines of what they are allowed to do 含羞草研究社� when we have basic life support, there are only a limited number of things the province allows them to do.含羞草研究社�

Before moving to Canada, Sparrow responded with the ambulance service of the UK as a first responder and also alongside ambulance services in South Africa.

含羞草研究社淚 have seen the benefit of having physicians in rural areas respond,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淚 think it should be a national program. There should be volunteer pre-hospital trained physicians 含羞草研究社� and maybe in the fullness of time it won含羞草研究社檛 be volunteer 含羞草研究社� across the province in rural areas assisting the ambulance service.含羞草研究社�

Kootenay Emergency Response Physicians Association

Sparrow and others have formed a non-profit organization to help fund this work 含羞草研究社� the Kootenay Emergency Response Physicians Association (KERPA).

He hopes other physicians will join him in the work but explained it may take a while before that could happen.

含羞草研究社淭here is quite a lot of specialist training you require to translate your emergency skills into the pre-hospital setting,含羞草研究社� explained Sparrow.

He also knows the idea is a tough sell.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 an unusual model because you are not being paid for your time, you are on call 24/7 unless you turn your phone off. It含羞草研究社檚 not an overly attractive job concept.

含羞草研究社淵ou have to be slightly weird in order to want to do it 含羞草研究社� hopefully the Kootenays will attract some more weird people to join me,含羞草研究社� added Sparrow.

KERPA has developed a wish list that includes a designated marked vehicle to take to the scene of calls. The vehicle could then be stocked with the necessary equipment and outfitted with lights and sirens.

Sparrow has been using a LifePak 12 defibrillator/monitor on loan from Interior Health and an upgrade to a LifePak 15 is also on the organization含羞草研究社檚 list.

They would also like an automated chest compression device 含羞草研究社� the LUCAS 3.

KERPA has already raised about $20,000 and has purchased a state-of-the-art hand-held ultrasound machine.

The above equipment will cost about $75,000 to $100,000 so KERPA is looking for a dealership or someone else to sponsor the vehicle and is accepting donations through its Facebook page.

含羞草研究社淲e are just a volunteer organization, trying to help 含羞草研究社� we have no political agenda,含羞草研究社� added Sparrow. 含羞草研究社淚 feel I have a duty to help these people and I am going to do it 含羞草研究社� I含羞草研究社檓 just going to do it.含羞草研究社�

And that is where the conversation ended 含羞草研究社� Sparrow含羞草研究社檚 phone rang, and he was needed elsewhere.