A number of firemen and ambulance drivers from across the island converged on St Jude Hospital last week; not to transport the sick and injured, but to participate in an important workshop on emergency medical care.
The workshop was conducted by Dr. David H. Adler –Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Rochester in New York, United States.
Approximately 30 firemen from the St Lucia Fire and Ambulance Services along with St Jude Hospital ambulance drivers and physiotherapy staff benefitted from the exercise.
The training covered a number of important topics including, the fundamentals of trauma, obstetric emergencies, and evaluation of chest pain.
“I hope that this training will enhance decision making in the care of trauma and chest pain patients. I also hope that it encourages the broader development of pre-hospital care in St. Lucia, inspiring more EMTs to seek and obtain advanced training, and reminding all of them that the work they do matters,” Professor Adler said.
The visiting Professor also delivered a lecture to doctors on the evaluation of suspected ectopic pregnancy with a focus on the use of ultrasound. Ectopic pregnancy is where the fetus develops in the fallopian tube and not in the uterus as in a normal pregnancy.
“Ectopic pregnancy is a leading cause of death of women of childbearing age. Early recognition and management of this condition is critical,” he said.
Dr. Adler’s visit here is part of a fact-finding mission aimed at forging a partnership between St Jude Hospital and the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester in New York where he also serves as the Director of Global Health.
He is hopeful that his visit will mark the beginning of the University of Rochester’s educational work with St. Lucia’s first responders.