Discovered with gunshot wounds, and severe facial injuries due to someone stamping on his head, this ‘patient’ whose airway was compromised was dumped from a car at the entrance to the ED. He was just one of five ‘scenarios‘ which emergency teams were called to deal with during the first trauma team training course to be held at the Scottish Centre for Simulation and Clinical Human Factors based at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Throughout the day 15 participants from five Health Boards across the country battled to ‘save lives’. Consultants, surgeons, anaesthetists, emergency and ITU staff, nurses and paramedics quickly swung into emergency mode and spent time learning from each other.
The course was organised by Emergency Medicine Consultants Dr Roger Alcock and Dr Laura McGregor and ‘manikins’ were dressed to look like trauma victims, complete with ‘blood-soaked’ bandages and realistic wounds.
Roger said: “When we surveyed trainees and non-training grade doctors they told us trauma was one of the areas they needed more exposure to.”
“The training is also timely with the development of the Scottish Trauma Network and provides an opportunity to tailor a bespoke high-fidelity simulation course for Scotland that fosters inter-professional dialogue and training.”
After a hard day’s work Roger summed up: “I’m really positive about this course. It’s been fantastic for both the Faculty and participants to learn from one another and ultimately improve trauma care for Scottish patients. What reassured me was that people felt supported and were able to learn together in very challenging trauma situations.”
