In a concerted effort to enhance emergency response capabilities, the Adams Center at the University of Montana became the stage for the state’s most extensive collegiate medical simulation training event to date. The exercise, meticulously planned and executed on Wednesday, aimed to prep health care students and professionals for potential injuries or emergencies at college sporting fixtures.
The training was orchestrated by the University of Montana’s College of Health and involved around 50 aspiring health care experts from varied programs — the UM Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana, UM Masters of Athletic Training, and Missoula College Paramedicine programs. The simulation marked a significant milestone as the largest interprofessional medical simulation ever within the Montana University System.
Kerry Haney, a respected pharmacy faculty member, detailed the complexities involved when attending to an injured athlete, especially when considering the intricacies of extricating them from cumbersome sports gear without exacerbating potential spinal injuries. This foci of the exercise underlined the critical nature of the skill required for such delicate operations.
The medical scenarios acted out at the training event captured the unpredictable nature of sports-related health crises. Griz football players, volunteering as mock casualties, lay amid the facility to offer a realistic approach for the participants. They learned to carefully maneuver their ‘patients,’ removing helmets and other equipment while adeptly applying necessary medical support, such as bracing to prevent further injury.
Source: Missoulian