Odessa American
ABILENE, Texas 鈥� It was a team effort to treat 15 鈥減atients鈥� during a staged mass casualty training event on Texas State Technical College鈥檚 Abilene campus on Thursday, Dec. 7.
Students in TSTC鈥檚 Associate Degree in Nursing and Emergency Medical Services programs participated in an extrication day activity along with local first responders. The exercise allowed students to showcase what they have learned in labs as if it were a real-life situation, a news release said.
The scenario was a three-vehicle accident, including a school bus, in which there were major and minor injuries, as well as two fatalities.
Chase Jarvis, the Emergency Medical Services director for the Fisher County Hospital District and a graduate of TSTC鈥檚 Emergency Medical Services EMT and Paramedic programs, said the scenario helped students see what would transpire in real-time while on the scene of an accident.
鈥淭hey were able to see the chaos that goes on with a mass casualty event,鈥� Jarvis said in the release. 鈥淭hey will be well prepared for this situation because of this activity. It is difficult to portray something like this in a classroom.鈥�
The scenario turned into a real-world situation with Air Evac unable to participate due to an actual medical call. Randy Teague, chief pilot for 360 Aerial Services and former responder, said that played perfectly into the situation.
鈥淏ecause the helicopter did not land will help because it is going to happen to you,鈥� he said to the students. 鈥淒o not think twice about asking for a helicopter because the patients come first. We have services that can get to you.鈥�
Teague offered the EMTs advice after watching them in action.
鈥淭alk to your patients. They will be more comfortable hearing that you are talking to them,鈥� he said.
Sam Jackson, a student in the Emergency Medical Services program, served as the incident commander for his classmates. He was not nervous about being the lead until the scenario began to unfold. But his instincts took over, and he was able to lead the team鈥檚 response.
鈥淚t was a very eye-opening experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter today, I know that I will not freeze on my first mass casualty event. I will have an idea of what will need to be done.鈥�
Tim Scalley, TSTC鈥檚 statewide content matter expert for the Emergency Medical Services program, worked as the dispatcher and saw several positive aspects from the students.
鈥淭he response was quick and timely to treat the patients,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey put what we have taught them into practice.鈥�
Wendy Proctor, interim director of the Associate Degree in Nursing program, said having her students involved will benefit them in the emergency room.
鈥淚t showed them what to expect in the hospital,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here will be no stopping (for breaks) when this type of event happens.鈥�
Victoria Jones, an Associate Degree in Nursing student, said the hands-on experience is the best training opportunity.
鈥淲e usually watched this play out in the emergency room during clinicals,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o be able to put our critical-thinking skills into practice during an exercise like this takes our training to another level.鈥�
Registration for TSTC鈥檚 spring semester is underway. For more information, visit .
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