Continuing Ed - what to cover?

[LucidResq]

My SAR team holds a CE class once a month. It's my job to decide what should be covered.

I asked around to see if anyone had something they would like to be covered, but no one has mentioned anything.

Recently we've done head injuries and spanish.

Anyone have any ideas for a good CE topic? Keep in mind that we do SAR, we only cover medical topics at CE (not rescue), we do not transport, and the students are "advanced first responders", an in-house cert that is basically equivalent to EMT-B, except by protocol we cannot use airways.

Thanks in advance!

 

[EMT19053]

I don't do SAR but I would think that splinting a fractured arm or leg, treatment for hypothermia and/or frostbite, lacerations or abrasions, even altered mental status due to hypoglycemia or dehydration would all be possibilities if a person were to be trapped or lost somewhere that required a SAR team to be dispatched. Hope these ideas help.

 

[Outbac1]

Hypothermia and Alt. LOC behavior would be good topics. The ins and outs of hypo(hyper)thermia and the resulting behaviors they elicit can be fairly complex. A good understanding of how they actually work would give the rescuer a better understanding of what they may see when the lost person is found.

 

[Ridryder911]

I have required ones that all employees must cover yearly. The general ones are safety, lifting techniques, fire extinguishers, documentation, HIPAA, communications, etc. Bi-annually, geriatric adult abuse, pediatric abuse, resuscitation measures, ACLS, PALS, NRP, PEPPP, PHTLS, etc.

I offer the minimum of 2 hours per month on-line courses and short 1/2 hour poster board or topic I place in the restroom called "potty training"- in which they can think about and give me an answer of course later on.

R/r 911

 

[rgnoon]

Environmental exposure...Treating for exposure is integral in SAR and my team is sure to refresh ourselves on appropriate treatment regularly. It is my opinion that treatment for hyper/hypothermia cannot be reviewed too often in search and rescue.

 

[MedicDoug]

short 1/2 hour poster board or topic I place in the restroom called "potty training"- in which they can think about and give me an answer of course later on.

R/r 911

Ummm, I think I get the concept here, and I think it's great, but the food in your cafeteria must be pretty substandard if this can be completed in one "session"? Can you elaborate (on the poster, not the potty)?

SAR Training topics: Burns, rescuer safety, altered mental status cases.

 

[Ridryder911]

What I have found is many medics read the most when they are doing their "doody". With this being I placed on the backside of the door or above the urinal some topics such as i.e Cordarone, V-tach (narrow vs wide complex), Differentiating EtCo2 waveforms, etc.. Something short yet precise, with possible attending questions in bullet forms (i.e. : Patients on Coumadin is contraindicated with Cordarone, Cordarone should be mixed with D5W, etc)

I have found many, at first was skeptical, but later found out how much they could learn in a few minutes or less.

Sometimes, I even have "strip-tease" .... a name that strip/EKG with the first correct winner with a token prize (gift certificate, etc) if a tie, then names are drawn.

R/r 911

 

[MedicDoug]

Outstanding! Consider this idea stolen!