8:30AM—12 NOON
Leadership Development Academy
Presented by J.R. Henry and Chris Dell CEU Total: 2.5 other NREMT Category 2

The Leadership Development Academy is a program designed by the Allegheny County EMS Council to educate current and prospective leaders of EMS organizations. The normal program is 56 hours of instruction in a broad variety of EMS management subject matter.  Faculty provide highlights from the last session and assist others with organizing similar programs. To gauge what is important to attendees, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=N8efxWpIIIkjAQ2bCfLMpg_3d_3d prior to March 15 and provide insight on your issues.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a non-invasive means of providing respiratory support for patients who are in enough distress that they need more than supplemental oxygen, but are able to maintain a patent airway and do not yet require intubation. By providing a continuous level of pressure to the lungs through an airtight mask, CPAP has been shown to decrease or delay the need for intubation both in the hospital and in the field. Hands-on demonstration conclude the program.

Many of the situations emergency responders respond to involve inherent risks, but none may be more hazardous to the rescuer than those in which technical rescue skills need to be employed to access and/or remove the patient(s) from a hazardous environment. Failure to consider or recognize certain medical implications when caring for patients in these situations can result in adverse patient outcomes and long term health problems. Most of these complications are preventable or their impact can be lessened if anticipated and treated appropriately prior to extrication. It is important that rescue activities and patient care decisions be fully integrated.

Asthma is a significant health problem in the United States, affecting up to 10% of the population. The number of asthma patients and deaths has continued to rise over the past 20 years, in spite of increased treatment options and medications. Asthma is a leading reason for school absences and may account for an estimated three million lost workdays. The EMS response to acute and chronic asthma exacerbations has changed markedly over the past few years, particularly with the application of research into cellular response to irritation. The result is the release of new pharmacological tools to treat asthma, both long-term and acutely in the prehospital phase of care.

Do you eat right and get enough rest? What about exercise? This class examines dietary, exercise and sleep habits and the effects of nicotine and alcohol on the body. Through group participation, attendees will be afforded the opportunity to examine their own personal lifestyle and be provided with easy and healthy choices that can be made to take care of the most important person...you!

This session will cover one of the more interesting potential assignments in EMS...working with dignitaries who may visit your local community. The topic will cover basic components of security and safety procedures taken on behalf of dignitaries, operations involving the dignitary's events, and working safely with other operators while moving the dignitary from one location to another.

Cervical collars immobilize the spine, we splint the spine based on mechanism of injury, you know the rest. Much of the training of EMS providers has been very dogmatic, sometimes in spite of the actual evidence in the medical literature. This session will explore the myths surrounding many time-honored EMS skills and challenge you to consider new immobilization practices.

You passed the exam and now you are working for an EMS agency. How can you assure that you will be a successful employee? There is more to EMS than patient care skills. This program will give you the steps for becoming an employee that other agencies will want to hire.

Where do monsters come from? Is it possible that the supernatural isn’t that supernatural and just rare medical cases that our ancestors misdiagnosed? This presentation covers several different disease processes that have been theorized to cause patients to suffer signs and symptoms much like the Halloween myths of Medieval lore. “Monsters” discussed in this program include vampires, werewolves, giants, hunchbacks, mermaids, zombies, and gnomes.

Students will learn how to assist the ALS provider on emergency scenes or in an ambulance. This course will expand the EMTs knowledge of procedures and equipment used during an emergency call pertaining to IVs, glucometers, intubation and cardiac monitoring. Hands on practical lab utilizing the above will conclude the course.

This session will be a case study of a pregnant female burn victim and her 3 year old son who was burned. The focus will be on pre hospital and hospital care of a pregnant burn victim, a pediatric burn victim and an unborn child. Included will be scene safety considerations, early assessment and management pertaining to pregnancy and burns, and pediatrics, triage decisions, and wound care. Interventions which occur in the burn center are also presented including a video of skin grafting surgery.

Have you ever encountered or treated a person who could not hear? Sandi and Chuck will teach you the basics of American Sign Language so you won’t be frustrated trying to communicate with a deaf patient. You’ll soon be comfortable using ASL to chat with the deaf.

A recent survey stated that less than fifty percent of EMS providers trust their officers. Forty percent of officers are threatened by talented EMS providers. What has happened to sound leadership? How do we improve these statistics? How can I become a strong leader in my organization? This program will answer these questions and many more.

Identification of MI’s on a 12 lead EKG should not be a difficult task. Yet for many of us, it is something we dread doing. Deb’s got a quick and dirty 12 lead review that makes looking at EKGs easier and even fun. By using a simple device, Deb makes EKGs less intimidating.

Kinematics is an integral part of the assessment of a patient involved in a traumatic incident, and provides valuable information to guide treatment. In this session we will explore the relationship of physics and traumatic injury, as well as the effects of traumatic impact on various body systems.

In our litigious society, emergency medical services have become a target of complaints and lawsuits. This presentation is aimed at providing you with the knowledge needed to protect your certification. The course will provide an overview of the EMS Act, the complaint investigation process, criminal histories and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS disciplinary process. Examples of actual events and complaints will be discussed.

The incidence of shock is greater than 37% in children requiring interfacility transport with an associated four-fold increase in mortality. With this in mind, we will review pediatric shock, it’s epidemiology, and how it relates to the children we treat. The importance of rapid assessment and early intervention in the overall outcomes of children with shock regardless of etiology will be discussed. The appropriate stepwise administration of therapeutic interventions from the ACCM-PALS guidelines are introduced. An interactive case study will complete the lecture.

This is a fast paced session that discusses the deadliest forms of trauma. These eight conditions prove to be very challenging for the EMT. They must be recognized and treated in a timely manner for the patient to survive. Patient assessment and treatment will be discussed.