Unreal Patients Give Medics Real World Training
Posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012
Dr. Paul Nioce uses ultrasound to place a central line needle during practice at a trauma training. Assisting him is Dr. Mike Wilcox, CALS instructor.
Emergency medical personnel recently received sophisticated hands-on training in skills to stabilize critically ill or injured patients.
Emergency medical personnel recently received sophisticated hands-on training in skills to stabilize critically ill or injured patients.
The CALS (Comprehensive Advanced Life Support Training) attracted 15 Mercy Health/Love County participants for two days of intensive practice at the global events center of WinStar Casino.
CALS is designed for rural hospitals.
It emphasizes a team-approach and using materials at hand to stabilize patients until they can be transferred by ground or air ambulance to higher level trauma centers in Oklahoma or Texas.
Local participants included Dr. Paul Nioce; Tad Hall, PA, manager of the emergency room and EMS; paramedics Gary Anderle, Will Bradley, John Gilliam, Scott Neu, Dustin Newsom, Cole Reed, Teresa Tow, Derek Weeks, Ryan Weger, Chance Weger, Daniel Whited, and Adam Zimmerer; and registered nurse David Manning.
Additional participants came from Weatherford, Enid, Healdton, Tishomingo, and Sulphur.
The group trained in techniques for opening airways; resuscitation skills, including for heart and brain injuries; obstetric delivery and neonatal emergencies, and child (pediatric) trauma.
The CALS trainers, from Minnesota and Texas, provided mannequins and needed equipment for participants to sharpen their skills.
The CALS trainers, from Minnesota and Texas, provided mannequins and needed equipment for participants to sharpen their skills.
The Love County group, said instructor Wendy Dahl, already had “a great sense of teamwork.”
Instructor John Gonzales praised the Oklahoma system in which hospitals cooperate to quickly identify the first-available trauma center and transfer patients without delay.
Twice in the past three years, Mercy Health/Love County has served as host location for CALS.
The Oklahoma Office of Rural Health organized the training, with Rod Hargrave in charge.