By Art Hsieh
EMS1 Editorial Advisor
The National Transportation Safety Board issued its verdict this week on the Continental Express air crash that killed 50 people last February — and there are lessons to be learned for all of us.
Responsibility for the crash in Clarence Center, New York, was placed directly on the pilot and copilot, with investigators ruling they did not follow protocols and reacted improperly to an otherwise avoidable emergency.
As I read the findings, one comment stood out: an NTSB investigator remarked that “the crew did not perform in a way consistent with the training they received.” As a trainer and educator, I find myself shuddering at the thought.
Training is foundation
In EMS, training is the foundation of quality emergency care. Medicine continually evolves; new technologies are introduced, and policies and protocols change as new information presents itself.
It’s easy to become complacent about progress; many folks actually resent that they have to attend continuing education programs. Our failures in EMS may not be as dramatic as the Continental Express crash — unless you’re the patient who suffers as a result of a mistake.
Training helps us to be better at our job. It builds confidence in the ability to perform tasks, make accurate decisions, treat our patients using sound judgment and provide a solid defense against litigious patients. It also keeps us safe, reducing injuries, ambulance crashes and other hazards of our profession.
However, training is only as good as your ability to understand the information and more importantly, value its worth. Yes, there is some amount of not-so-great training out there, but most EMS trainers I know want to have the same outcomes you do — good patient care.
You might be thinking, ‘Well, that’s all and good but I work in a department that doesn’t provide training opportunities.’ Or, ‘Training is so expensive. How do I afford to go to these conferences?’
My first response is how can you afford not to continue training? Second — be creative in creating the opportunities. For example, why not organize a journal club, where EMS folks can get together to maybe have dinner, and present topics they find especially interesting or have expertise in the subject. This can be a low or even no-cost endeavor. You may have to find the assistance of an agency that is authorized to approve continuing education courses but if you are doing the work it might be easier than you think!
Ideas to try
Why not organize an article sharing list serve? When an interesting article passes by, take the moment to forward it on to fellow providers. You might be surprised how appreciative other EMS folks might be. Someone else might return the favor and send something along that catches their eye.
Consider organizing a small conference. It does not need to be fancy; a hall to hold people, maybe some refreshments, and three to four speakers. You might be surprised again to know how many people are out there who want to have the opportunity to present their passion in front of groups like this, including nationally known ones!
Most speakers love to get involved with folks who want education as part of their professional careers. If you can help to cover the cost of travel, many would not require much or nothing at all in terms of a fee. With social media these days, it’s much easier to get the word out about your event.
These are just some grass-roots ideas. You might have some too — and if so, please share them in the member comments area below.
The main thing is just do it. You won’t regret it.
Art Hsieh, MA, NREMT-P, is Chief Executive Officer & Education Director of the San Francisco Paramedic Association, a published author of EMS textbooks and a national presenter on clinical and education subjects.