By Amanda Amsel
Staff Writer
The Prairie Township firefighters show emergency room doctors from OhioHealth Doctors Hospital how they would treat a firefighter who was in cardiac arrest during a field day at the Prairie Township Fire Department. The field day educated emergency room residents on how first responders treat patients before they come to the hospital in an effort to enhance patient’s treatment. Some of the activities that took place at the event include jaws of life demonstrations, defibrillator demonstrations and ambulance ride alongs.
In an effort to better understand each other, as well as give patients the best treatment, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital and the Prairie Township Fire Department recently joined forces.
The two organizations recently hosted a Residents Field Day at the Prairie Township Fire Department for emergency medicine residents.
“Emergency Medicine physicians are on the front line of that interface, their understanding of that environment is essential in understanding what field capabilities and limitations exist,” said Dr. Rob Lowe, director of the emergency medicine residency program at Doctors Hospitals and coordinator of the field day. “Additionally hands-on learning and experiential learning have a way of being much better retained in the learner’s knowledge base.”
Lowe said he has coordinated this event several times for past residents and each time it has been very successful.
During the event residents, as well as a few medical students, participated in a variety of activities to get a better feel for the circumstances first responders have to work in when treating patients. Some of the activities they participated in included Jaws of Life vehicle extractions from battered cars, an ambulance ride along and defibrillator training.
“They also did a vascular access lab with newer techniques, worked on their airway skills in the back of a moving ambulance and a fire ground experience where they carried a hose while wearing full gear and breathing packs,” Lowe said.
One of the most challenging things the residents did included doing a search for a patient in a smoke filled room. Residents had to drag the rescued dummy out of the building and then begin CPR. This would be similar to what Prairie Township Firefighters have to do in the event of a person trapped in a fire.
According to Lowe, the residents loved getting hands-on experience out of the hospital and were surprised by the rough environment first responders have to work in. The activities they enjoyed the most were the Jaws of Life demonstrations and treating patients in the back of an ambulance.
During the event, the residents also got to witness the use of some new camera technology. Oculus Rift, a special camera that shoots videos from all angles, was used by the Ohio University College of Medicine. OU professors plan to use the footage for educational videos for medical students in the future.
Lowe said this event helped future doctors and emergency responders understand each other better and will benefit the patients in the end.
“The treatments first responders do are under direction of their medical director or physician, many of these residents will be emergency medicine physicians, so these relationships are paramount,” he said. “Also understanding the environment the patient came from is critical to understanding the types of injuries that could be present.”
The emergency medicine residents who attended the training will continue their training for four years with Doctors Hospital and upon completion will be emergency medicine physicians.
According to Lowe, the hospital plans to continue to collaborate with the Prairie Township Fire Department as the students continue their education and look forward to future partnerships.
