PHTLS

Sorry for the delayed report on the PHTLS class - I am swamped at work and tired...

The 16 hours of class this weekend (Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support) were well worth the energy. Most lecture sections were taught by M.D.s from the nearest Level II trauma center (the one we go to with anyone meeting state trauma criteria). In fact, one is a MD by day and volunteer paramedic at night. Cool!

The lectures were, for the most part, superb (the worst one was still good). The best part, however, was the hands on experience. Unlike my basic EMT class, these practical stations were aimed at teaching us how to handle multi-system traumas in very practical situations (as opposed to following the state skill sheets verbatim). Scenarios included rapid extrication, unsafe scenes, difficult to maintain airway, limited equipment, pediatric immobilization, etc. Excellent experience and I recommend the class to any EMS personnel interested in serving their trauma victims better. One thing that was very clear at the end of the course was that if your BLS skills are not up to speed ALS procedures are not going to help you.

Medic class last night was soft-tissue and musculoskeletal injuries. Seems the exam from last week wounded some people (the range, before they added points to everyone’s score, was from 53 to 95). You need a 75% average at the end of each module to continue in the course, and the module exam makes up 75% of this (the other 25% comes from the quizes). My understanding is that you are allowed to re-take one module exam during the course and a few people just used up theirs.

Couple of EMS calls over the weekend but nothing to phone home about (one severe headache and one whooping cough).

It started snowing yesterday and ice is on the roads for the first time this season – I used to call this season late-fall / early winter, but now I call it Trauma season…