FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For further information refer to:
Kara Davis
Indiana Memorial Union Student Activities Tower
900 E. 7th Street, IMU Suite 672
Bloomington, IN 47405
260-433-8869
IC-EMS HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL DAY-LONG EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING SIMULATION
Bloomington, IN—March 4, 2022 Intra Collegiate Emergency Medical Service at Indiana University (IC-EMS at IU) hosted its annual full-scale training simulation from 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, March 4, at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The event, which simulated medical and trauma situations of varying severity, was designed to help the organization’s members maintain a high level of readiness for the events for which they provide care, including the upcoming Little 500 bicycle races, the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. The simulation was documented with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Emergency Medical Services and the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians.
This event allowed IC-EMS members, all IU students who hold an EMT, EMR, or basic first aid certification, or no certification at all, to practice emergency medical care and first aid skills in lifelike scenarios. Using a combination of live patients and high-tech trauma mannequins, they addressed situations that included cardiac arrest, overdose, allergic reaction, amputation, fall from a significant height, mass casualty incident, and a variety of potential biking injuries that required triage and treatment.
Nearly 20 providers of IC-EMS took part in the comprehensive exercise. Isabell Deem, Vice President and Training Director for IC-EMS explained the exercise: “Our providers were divided into squads of 2-3, each with one EMT. They then rotated through various stations focusing on both skill practice and patient interaction. They were dispatched to each location via radios, and each squad had their own set of gear, similar to what we staff our events with. They arrived at each station to find simulator mannikins or live patients who either “endured” a medical emergency or severe trauma, including scenarios like cardiac arrest, overdose, and a significant fall. A fan-favorite was our Trauma Randy simulator scenario, which was used to practice bleeding control and quick response in a gory trauma.”
IC-EMS is unique in that the organization is entirely student-led and staffed. Accordingly, the simulation was entirely organized by students. Members of the IU community volunteered as patients and in other roles, and the IU School of Medicine allowed the use of its state-of-the-art mannequins to create scenarios where live volunteers could not provide an adequate lifelike simulation.
To all members, the team dynamics and skills practice were encouraging. Deem stated: “It was incredible seeing the growth in our providers compared to last year, but also in the growth of our organization and its connection to other agencies in the community. We could not have put on this event without the gracious support and assistance from the IU School of Medicine – Bloomington’s Interprofessional Simulation Center, IU Funding Board, IU Student Foundation, IU Health LifeLine, volunteers from different local Fire/EMS agencies, Little 500 Riders Council, and other IU student volunteers!”
About IC-EMS at IU
Intra Collegiate Emergency Medical Service (IC-EMS) is a state-certified basic life support (BLS) organization that is completely run and staffed by student volunteers. Its roughly 100 members all hold certifications as either EMT-basics, emergency medical responders (EMR) or first aid personnel and share a passion for patient care. The mission of IC-EMS is to educate and provide emergency medical care to the Indiana University and Bloomington communities. It is privately hired by university departments, student organizations, and community organizations to provide comprehensive emergency medical care to event participants. IC-EMS at IU has a proud tradition of providing quality emergency medical service at major university events, including the Little 500 bicycle races, IU Athletics events, IU Auditorium performances, as well as local events in Bloomington, such as Bloomington Pride and Hoosiers Outrun Cancer.
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