St. John’s Life Line
crew members are getting real-life
training with two simulation devices. The mobile demonstrator /
training simulator and emergency care simulator allow program educators
to build realistic scenarios to test a flight team’s in-flight skills
while working with a patient.
“This is the only way
to put our crew in real-life scenarios to simulate a situation with a
high-risk patient”, says Eric Howard,
St. John’s Life Line flight paramedic and
simulation center coordinator. The mobile demonstrator simulates the
flight conditions and helicopter equipment, while the emergency care
simulator “mannequin” simulates a patient.
A flight nurse and a
paramedic work the scenario as a team, just like they do when
transporting a patient. Much like arriving on the scene, the only
information given to the crew prior to the simulation is what type of
case, such as a cardiac patient. “We are watching to see not only how
they respond to each situation within the simulation, but how they are
interacting with one another,” said DJ Satterfield, RN, Life Line
Program Director.
MOBILE DEMONSTRATION
AND TRAINING SIMULATOR
The mobile
demonstration simulator is replica of an EC 145 helicopter, which is
similar to the St. John’s EC 135 Life Line
helicopter. It is housed inside a van and is configured with the same
lights, seats, and equipment that is found on-board the helicopters. In
addition LCD displays in the windows simulate the different lighting and
weather conditions crews face while in flight.
This traveling
simulation unit is owned by Metro Aviation and has been to 33 additional
medical helicopter programs around the country. It will be used by
St. John’s Life Line for training through the end
of January.
EMERGENCY CARE
SIMULATOR
The Emergency Care
Simulator (ECS) is an anatomically correct mannequin that delivers
human-like responses to clinical conditions and therapeutic
interventions. The ECS allows for the physical demonstration of various
clinical signs including bleeding, blinking eyes, breathing and
convulsions. Like the systems within the human body, the ECS systems,
nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular-skeletal, respond to and
integrate with each other. These system models provide the appropriate
responses to treatment interventions including intubations,
catheterization, defibrillation and the administration of drugs.
The instructor uses a
workstation and a wireless remote to manage the scenario. A user
interface controls all airway management, cardiac functions, CPR, pulse,
blood pressure and sounds.
Additional features of
the ECS include:
-
Life-like
intubation head
-
Tracheal access
through the neck
-
IV training arm
-
Variable pupil
size
-
Simulated patient
response to drug administered is automatically linked to physiology
-
Pulses
synchronized to physiology of circulation and chest compressions
-
Various ECG
rhythms
-
Live
defibrillation
-
3 or 5-lead ECG
monitoring
-
CPR