Doctors and paramedics from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) this week delivered trauma training to the paramedics of tomorrow.
Approximately 50 second year paramedic students from Teesside University got a taste of the challenging scenarios faced by the GNAAS aircrew on a regular basis.
The training was held at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Serviceโs training centre in Bowburn and gave students the opportunity to gain some practical hands-on experience.
Paul Burnage, GNAAS paramedic, said: โWhat we are trying to do is increase the critical thinking skills of the student paramedics and educate them on how to take care of a trauma patient.
โWeโve got a vast array of knowledge and experience within GNAAS and a number of subject matter experts so we can pass that knowledge on to future paramedics and thatโs great.โ
A range of different scenarios were set up for the students including extrication of a patient from a vehicle involved in a road traffic collision, patients with traumatic brain injuries, patients with catastrophic haemorrhage and paediatric patients.
Speaking at the training day, Chris Brown, a student paramedic said: โTodayโs been a real insight into the trauma that we might potentially have to go to as a newly qualified paramedic. Itโs illustrated the key importance of forward thinking, and how that affects care of patients that weโre going to see.โ
Another student paramedic, Danielle Bestford, said: โThe scenarios are really realistic so itโs obviously going to benefit us when we go out in the future. It reinforces everything weโve been learning as well.โ
This was the third trauma training day ran by GNAAS and there are already plans in place to run another one next year.
GNAAS wished to thank the fire service for its support in running the training sessions.
