ALLEGHANY COUNTY, Va. – Training for the worst is helping first responders do their best.
As part of National Emergency Nurses Day, LewisGale Hospital Alleghany wanted to host a training for their emergency department.
In order to have the training, the hospital needed patients, so participants in a local EMS class were staged at the Alleghany Government Complex in what was a ‘mass casualty’ incident.
These incidents are defined as events that overwhelm the local healthcare system, where the number of casualties vastly exceeds the local resources and capabilities in a short period of time. LewisGale Hospital Alleghany has 10 beds in its emergency room.
Nicole Tucker, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, said it was important for the staff to have a ‘mock’ real-life scenario.
“We really wanted our team to be kinesthetic and hands-on. You know, you have to practice like you play and in real life we want our patients to get the best care,” Tucker said.
First responders from across the Alleghany County area helped with the training.
Dwaine Paxton, Assistant Chief of Dunlap Fire and Rescue, alluded to the importance of working together in their community.
“You may be from one agency working with somebody from another. So it’s very important to train together. You train individually but it’s also very important to train together,” Paxton said.
The entire training was treated like a real-life situation.
Many of the personnel were constantly communicating with each other, which Paxton said is critical when it’s a life-or-death scenario.
“Very important … from Dispatch all the way down to individual units and providers,” Paxton said.
Paxton said it’s also important to never stop training – the medical field is constantly changing and it’s important for everyone to be on the same page when arriving at the scene.
“If you’re going to be a good provider, you got to keep training. Training never stops,” Paxton said.