OEC SouthBay Wraps Up

OEC SouthBay 2023 is complete.  At this point, we have no plans for a SouthBay class in 2024.  Contact the Eastern Sierra Region or Far West Division for more info at http://www.easternsierraregion.org/

For now:

Congratulations OEC SouthBay 2023 Graduates!

A big congratulations to this year's Outdoor Emergency Care course graduates!

As we said in class "Train hard so game day is easy". And you all did just that - hundreds of hours, countless scenarios. I am confident you'll all go on to be great ski patrollers. Give yourself a pat on the back...and then check CMS.

As always, a big thanks to your Chief Judge, Mark Galicia. Great job once again this year. And of course to all the volunteers who made the course & exam possible.

Now, let it snow!

Updated Class Schedule

Candidates, All - 

Note changes to remaining class schedule.  Same dates & times, updated topics.  

See the full schedule on the link above.  Remaining classes are:

Keep Your Skills Fresh!

  

As we get into more complicated scenarios & treatment protocols, it's common for baseline skills to tail off a bit.

Keep 'em fresh.

As we discussed, practice them often, on any willing "patients".

(Thanks Chris &  Anna for the great example!)

Interesting (Useful?) EMS Social Media Sites

A selection that I follow. Some informative, some entertaining, some both:

https://www.instagram.com/nardoctor/

https://www.instagram.com/northamericanrescue/

https://www.instagram.com/northamericanrescue2.0/

https://www.instagram.com/firedepartmentchronicles/

https://www.instagram.com/whats.good.media/

https://www.instagram.com/theparamediccoach/

https://www.youtube.com/@PrepMedic

https://www.instagram.com/the_resuscitationist/

https://www.instagram.com/prolonged_field_care/

https://www.youtube.com/@BrianSuttererMD

https://www.youtube.com/@Medcram

https://www.instagram.com/the_anatomylab/

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAnatomyLab

https://www.youtube.com/@StanfordMedicine25/videos

https://www.youtube.com/@Anatomyzone

https://www.youtube.com/@EMin5

https://www.youtube.com/@StrongMed

https://www.youtube.com/@FirstLookMRI

Ski Season Fitness: Ski Season and Your Candidate Year, Approaches

As Lucy noted in class, the better shape you're in, the better your candidate year will go.  There are, of course, a huge number of programs to help you get ski-fit.  

Here's a good one from CMH Heliski.  Link to article here.

Another one from Wagner Skis here.  

Our advice - Start now.  Find a good program.  Hit it hard.  Now.

Blood Pressure Measurement

Candidates - 

As part of your training, we want you to know how to take a patient's blood pressure - manually, using a BP cuff (aka sphygmomanometer).  

You won't likely be doing this on the hill, but may well do so in the First Aid room. We'll cover this in class, and get hands-on time with the stethoscopes & cuffs.  

In preparation, here's a good video to review.  Be sure to do so.

Here's the key:

Mass Casualty Simulation Event - Thursday, Nov. 2 - Need Volunteers!

The culmination of our class, mass casualty simulation night, has proven to be the most engaging, most instructive, and probably the most fun class of the entire course.  Great fun for patroller candidates & volunteers alike.

What's Mass Casualty Night?

We simulate an event where we have multiple patients in need of care.  Each patient acts out a unique injury.  The patroller candidates assess each patient and then provide the appropriate care by themselves or by leading a team to do so.   Pictures from previous year's event below.

Why is it unique?

The event is unique in that it requires the candidates to bring to bear all the skills they've learned in class, and do so in a stressful environment that we create.  It's also a great opportunity for friends, family and others interested to see what this Outdoor Emergency Care is all about.

We need your help

To make this happen, we need a large number of volunteers.  This year, we're looking for around 40.  Young and old, we want and welcome all.  We'll provide you some coaching on your "injury".  In some cases, we'll also apply some moulage to better simulate the injury.   And you'll get to act it out as you like, being as high or low maintenance as you like to your patroller-rescuer and their team.

Location

This year, our Mass Causality Simulation will take place at Putnam Mazda, Burlingame. located here.

How to Sign-up

If you're joining us, please sign-up. To do so, click on the link below and go to Nov 2. Sign up as a "MCI Night Patient Volunteer". Link here:  https://teamup.com/ksbbcadac8c015e175

No doubt this year will once again prove to be very instructive to candidates, and very fun for the volunteers. 

Thanks in advance for your support!

Lower Extremity Splint Selection

 

Sager Splint Process

  

Head Trauma

 We discussed this in class.  Here's a great visual that captures the mechanics:

Heart Attack: Male & Female Symptoms

Last week we discussed heart attacks, and reviewed the different symptoms male/female.  Thanks to Mike Nealon who pointed out this instructive article on the topic.  Thanks Mike.

Link here.

Airway Adjuncts: OPA & NPA Videos

 Candidates -

Here are two videos you may find helpful.  Plus the usual disclaimer - stay in your scope of training/practice & always follow the instructions in the OEC protocols & book...


NPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-fahKPOvc

Update: Above video may not be available.  If not, try this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UF-VaUKmvg

OPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a00BMlI03s

Glacow Coma Scale

Candidates - 

As we discussed in class, the GCS is commonly used in trauma (and many other medical) situations.  It is good to know for communicating with other medical personnel.  Here's a good video that is worth your time to review.  

Thanks Dave R for sorting through the many videos on this topic and finding this one.

Bandaging & Splinting Guide

Candidates - 

Here's the bandaging & splinting guide we discussed in class.  Use this together with slides from class

Evaluation Sheets

Here are the Final Practical, Class, and Midterm eval sheets.  Download them here.

Assessment Verbalization 2-Pager

 Download from the link here.

Class Materials & Photo Album

 Here are links to:

    - The class materials here

    - The class photo album here.

Enjoy.

Great First Weekend!

Candidates - 

Congrats on a great first weekend. As we discussed Patient Assessment is the fundamental basis of our class, enabling you to quickly, efficiently, and effectively determine:

    What do I have?

    What do I need?

    

    What's my plan?

It was a long weekend, with lots of ingest, and you all did great.  Congrats

Next step is to fully digest the material, know it by heart, and be able to execute it at any time, in any conditions.  As we discussed in class, get in at least 10 reps before next class.  And psych-up for "The Assessment Lottery".

Great job.  Keep up the good work!

SouthBay OEC 2023 is a go. Class Prep

Candidates -

Our class is a go.  We have 10 candidates and a great instructor crew assembled and are looking forward to a great class.

In preparation for the start of class in a few weeks, I'd like to point out/reiterate a few items to focus on:

- As you know, our first class is Saturday, Sept 9. We'll start class at 9:00AM, but I'd advise you show up 15 mins or so early to take care of some paperwork, get to know a few folks, and get settled. Location specifics/directions on the blog. Plan is to go all day, wrapping up around 17:00. We'll have coffee & snacks to get things started. Bring your own lunch & water bottle.

- As you saw in the "Class Materials" section of the blog, be sure you have read the initial chapters in the book.  And in particular, prior to class start, it's very important to spend some extra time to read and fully digest the "Guide to Assessment".  Overall, assessment is a foundation of medical treatment, and is critical to have down 100% so that you can determine and direct appropriate treatment. We spend the first class sessions on this important skill, and it's important that you arrive at class with this well studied so that we can hit the ground running.

- As you also saw in the blog, our class is driven in large part by scenarios - simulated situations where you'll be applying the skills you're learning in class. With this approach, you'll get dirty - spending time on the floor, with moulage, etc. As such, it's best to wear old clothes that you're comfortable exposing to such situations.

- Finally, we have a set of supplies you'll be receiving Saturday. Bring something to carry it all in such as what's described in the blog, i.e. backpack good; shopping bag not.

Looking forward to having you all in class this year. Shoot me a note with any questions you may have.

ReplyForward

Registration Open for SouthBay OEC 2023

I'm pleased to announce that once again this Fall, we'll be hosting the Ski Patrol medical training course, Outdoor Emergency Care, our 10th year holding the class!

Registration is open Sunday July 9.  Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outdoor-emergency-care-south-bay-fall-2023-tickets-673999569857?aff=oddtdtcreator

Note that we will need at 10 candidates (or more) to run this year's class.  We've had about that many express interest to date, so spread the word that registration is open.

OEC 2023 - Preliminary Information

Plans for SouthBay OEC 2023 are in progress.  

Tentative schedule posted on the link above.  

We're finalize arrangements now for the venue.  

Registration will open as soon as we have that squared away.  Stay tuned.