Emergency Services Training at First Care Medical Services
Instructors from across the state came to First Care Medical Services Hospital on Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24 to present a CALS (Comprehensive Advanced Life Support) training class for emergency medical providers. Twenty-four students were enrolled in the class including medical providers who traveled from as far away as Canada, Wisconsin and Minneapolis to take the class. Twelve First Care providers took the class including: Kristina Beckman, EMT-P, Amanda Johnson, RN, Dan Suhr, EMT-P, Shelley Wahlin-Quinlan, PA-C, Linda Ward, RN, Faylene Wetterlan, RN, Larry Yunker, CRNA and Dr. Charles Winjum from Innovis Health Fosston. All First Care Medical Services emergency personnel are required to be CALS certified. Those taking the class were either new employees or getting re-certification, which is required every four years.
The CALS program grew out of a need in rural Minnesota for knowledge and hands-on skills training in emergency medicine. Because rural medical providers are presented with a wide range of clinical problems and sometimes inadequate resources in the emergency department, rural health care providers were at times unsure about the most appropriate care for their patients. In response to their unique needs, the CALS program (a 501 (c) 3 organization) and its comprehensive advanced life support curriculum were developed. The first CALS Provider Course was held in 1996 and since then over 3,600 medical professionals have completed the course. First Care hosted the CALS class in this area in 2004.
Seven CALS instructors from various parts of the state made up the education team, and Judy Bergh from the Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care visited First Care on Friday to observe the classes. Bergh stated she likes to observe the hospitals her office funds to stay in touch with their needs and to see first hand the impact of the funds that are being provided. Bergh also stated the Office of Rural Health is a strong advocate of rural health and especially critical access hospitals. "Rural hospitals provide excellent care and we are lucky to have them," she said.
The CALS course covers anticipation, recognition and treatment of life-threatening emergencies. Since the success of caring for critically ill or injured patients is dependent on the overall skills and knowledge of the entire advanced life support team, a team-based approach to caring for the paitent is taught.
The CALS curriculum originated in Minnesota, but the need for hands-on skills training in emergency medicine is not unique to rural Minnesota. After hearing about the success of the program in Minnesota, medical personnel in other states, as well as remote providers outside the United States, have contacted the CALS Program to learn how they can bring the same program to their rural hospitals.
Dr. Charles Winjum, Innovis Health and Patricia Wangler, Chief Executive Officer at First Care, welcomed Judy Bergh from the Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care to the CALS class hosted by First Care on Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24. Bergh observed the classes and visited with medical personnel from various parts of the state who were enrolled, as well as First Care Medical Services staff.
Students in the CALS (Comprehensive Advanced Life Support) class listened as instructor Carol Peterson, R.N. talked about pediatric airways. Students were John Ryden, MD from SMDC Lakeside Clinic in Duluth, Linda Ward, R.N. from First Care Medical Services and Charles Winjum, MD from Innovis Health Fosston.