Aviation Practicum

[Arctickat]

So, I've recently started a new business partnership with a health facility and an airline for the provision of aeromedical services to remote health clinics. Airline provides the aircraft and flight crew, I provide the medics, Health facility is the funding partner.

Our educational institutions do not provide for any aeromedical practicum training, so I'm thinking I may offer up an opportunity.

For any of you who have been involved in the aeromedical training, what pitfalls can I avoid.

For any of you who might be interested in such training, what specifically would you like to see?

Just remember, this isn't any sort of critical care transport, it's simply a ground ambulance that has to fly because there are no roads.

[scubanurse]

Just thinking off the top of my sleep deprived brain, but height/weight ratio is a big one in flight. I have friends who are amazing critical care paramedics but can not fly d/t the fact that they are overweight or too tall.

I think safety around aircraft goes without saying as well.

[rock_shoes]

If you're starting entirely from scratch I would suggest finding a CAMATA course to put your people through. The course is fairly old and certainly due for an update but it's the best primer I know of without putting them through a full Critical Care Paramedic program (The 1-2 year Canadian version of the CCP I mean).

http://www.camata.ca/educationoverview.htm

A lot of it will come down to the basics. Teach Loading/unloading using whatever system the aircraft is equipped with; flight physiology and how you can expect it to affect you and your patients. Racking equipment for the flight environment; Modified patient assessment for the flight environment. It doesn't sound like you'll be flying any vented patients so that should make things a little easier. If you're flying psych patients BC actually has a fair amount of experience with this and a well developed sedation policy. It's a policy that has come under some heat over the years but is strongly backed by a record of zero patient harm incidents.

[Arctickat]

Thanks Rock, my staff has all been trained in CAMATA and it's a requirement for employment. I'm thinking of targeting the student paramedics. More or less an aviation primer so they have a chance to actually witness how physiology is affected by flight as well as the safety and patient handling aspects that many of them may only see infrequently from a ground perspective.

[rock_shoes]

I can't speak for other programs but CAMATA was included in my ACP program at SAIT. I suspect the best thing would be to approach the local schools directly and offer the ride along/practicum space for students on final practicum. Perhaps it could be an additional two tours/blocks at the end of a successful students practicum?

[Arctickat]

Thanks Rock, that's kinda what I had in mind. We only have the one school here, so it'll be an easy discussion. CAMATA isn't a part of our ACP training here.