Plan for Midterm & Backboard Sunday

Here's the plan for this coming weekend:

Midterm: Oct 5 

• Start at 09:00
• Bring your own patient
• Bring your own snack
• End appx. 14:00

Backboard Sunday: Oct 6

• 07:45 Coffee, 08:00 Start
• Morning: Skills instruction
• Afternoon: Practical application in a variety of situations
• Dave R. is organizing lunch
• Wear old clothes, bring knee pads
• End appx. 16:00-17:00

Location: NetApp, Sunnyvale.  Directions on the link above.

Ski Season, and Your Candidate Year, Approaches - Get Fit

As Lucy noted & we discussed 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 my friends at CMH Heliski.

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

Link to article here.

Perspectives from EMS: Orthopedic Considerations of the Polytrauma Patient

As we cover orthopedic trauma in the next couple weeks, here's another perspective from the EMS world.

https://www.jems.com/articles/print/volume-39/issue-5/features/orthopedic-considerations-polytrauma-pat.html

As always, for OEC work, stick to the OEC protocols, but you may find this additional perspective both interesting and instructive.

Saturday Bandaging & Splinting Practice

All -

Saturday's practice will be at Rinconada Park, Palo Alto.  9AM to 11AM.  Meet near the tennis courts.  Focus will be in upper body & lower body bandaging & splinting.

OPA & NPA Demo 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

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

CPR Class

Candidates -

Bianca Gonzalez will once again do a CPR class for us this year. She's a great instructor and we're pleased to have her do this for us once again. Details:

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29

Time: 9AM to 1PM

Location: Life Safety Associates, 1876 Hartog Dr, San Jose, CA 95131

Course Certification: American Heart BLS.  On completion of class, you'll receive the AHA eCard as certification that you've completed the course.

Cost: $85, payable to Bianca, ideally by Venmo @ her link below

Action: Please sign up directly with Bianca.  She'll need your confirmed attendance & payments 1 week prior in order to order the materials and get things set up for class.

Further Questions: bianca_g02 [at] yahoo.com

Bianca's Venmo Info (@Bianca-Gonzalez-12):

Interesting Shock Calculation

Given today's topic is shock, here's an interesting calculation for your use:

Communicating with a Deaf Patient/Hearing Impaired - Sign Language to Know

Some good knowledge to have in your bag.

Link to article & videos here.

Tahoe Webcam 16 Sept 2019

Interesting/Useful Social Media Feeds

Candidates -

As we discussed in class, there are several social media feeds where you may find interesting & useful information.  Among those to check out below.  Will add more as we vet them.

EMS Related:

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

https://flipboard.com/@billb/outdoor-emergency-care-qs6at1ioy

https://www.instagram.com/tc3committee/

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

Weather Related:

https://www.instagram.com/noaa/

https://www.instagram.com/savycenter/

https://www.instagram.com/snow.forecast/


And of course:

https://www.instagram.com/natlskipatrol/

Trauma Care: ABC vs MARCH

All -

As we all know well, our priorities on initial patient contact/care are to establish ABC's. 

Here's another perspective, with roots from recent findings in the military, on massive trauma care.

https://www.ems1.com/trauma-assessment/articles/319159048-EMS-trauma-care-ABCs-vs-MARCH/

As always, for OEC work, stick to the OEC protocols, but you may find this additional perspective both interesting and instructive.

Bandaging & Splinting Guides

Useful reference material/guidance on bandaging & splinting here.

Class Presentation Materials & Photo Album

Candidates -

Here's a link to the Powerpoint & other materials we use in class (posted at conclusion of each class), and to the class photo album:

• Class PPT here.

• Class photo album here.

Assessment Verbalization 2-Pager (Updated)

Here's the 2-page Assessment Verbalization sheet we used in class.  (Now with latest updates -10 Sept 2019)

Link here.

Congratulations on a Successful First Weekend

Candidates - Nice work on completing weekend #1.

As we discussed, top priority now is to fully ingest & become comfortable with the patient assessment "flow".  Focus on committing the baseline assessment procedure to memory and being able to execute it at a moment's notice.  As a wise man once said: "know the flow like you know your name".

The best approach for most is to get as much practice as possible - walking through it verbally by repeating it to yourself often, and getting practical experience with your friends, family, pets, etc. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday for the Assessment Lottery, Assessment Exam, and more practice.   As we discussed, our goal is to have Assessment skills solid by end of class Tuesday, and thus have the baseline we need to accelerate into the assessment & treatment of broad set of injuries we encounter as Patrollers.

Skills Evaluation Sheets

As we discussed in class, here are the evaluation sheets for the class scenarios, midterm & practical final exam.  Link to files here.

Assessment Flow Video!

Marty & Brian put together a great video of the Assessment flow.  Very helpful.

Big thanks, guys!

Link to video here.

OEC Southbay 2019 Starts Tomorrow - Final Details

Candidates - 

Looking forward to class start tomorrow.  Some final details:

- We'll start Saturday at 9:00.  Plan on arriving 15 mins or so early to fill out some paperwork, get to know a few folks, and settle in.  We'll plan to go until 17:00

- We'll have coffee & snacks for all for the AM.  But, best to have a solid breakfast before the day starts.  As for lunch, one of the team members kindly offered to bring in pizza.  If that's not your thing, bring your own lunch.  We'll have fruit & energy bars for snacking throughout the day.

- This year, we won't be getting water in plastic water bottles.  Bring your own bottle & fill up ahead or @ NetApp.

- Sunday we'll start at 9:00 and go until about noon.  Same snacks, no lunch.

- Be sure to give the Assessment overview document another scan before class.  Link above.

Patrollers - 

- Note times, food, & water details above.

- AM team - can you also show up early to help set-up.

- Be sure to sign up on TeamUp for your shift(s)

All - 

Reminder on course location on the tab above.

Thanks all,

- Bill