Course Offerings

Critical Care Transport

Course ID: EMS-4600A4
Overview
Course Outline
Requirements
Intended Audience
More Details

The Critical Care Emergency Medical Transport Program is designed to prepare paramedics and nurses to function as members of a critical care transport team. Critical patients that must be transported between facilities require a different level of care from hospital or emergency field patients. Participants will gain an understanding of the special needs of critical patients during transport, become familiar with the purpose and mechanisms of hospital procedures and equipment, and develop the skills to maintain the stability of hospital equipment and procedures during transport.

Course Objectives

Describe the concepts and components of critical care transport.

Manage the special needs of critical patients; apply critical care procedures; and operate critical care equipment.

Apply essential legal principles and medical-legal aspects of critical care transport.

Correctly interpret laboratory data when applied to case scenarios.

Define and relate appropriate treatment for shock, multi-system organ failure, and communicable diseases within the specific scope of practice.

Correctly diagnose and relate appropriate treatment for complications of respiratory emergencies.

The ability to use critical thinking skills to assess and treat patients in emergency settings.

Outline of Instruction

Preparatory
History & Philosophy of Transport', 'indications for critical care transport, review of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), Air Medical outcome research, aircraft fundamentals, safety & survival, flight physiology, stress management, 'Transport vehicle safety

Airway Management
Basic & advanced airway management, oxygenation & ventilation, RSI

Respiratory
Acute & chronic conditions, assessment, acid-base balance, ABG interpretation, capnography & ventilator management

Cardiovascular
Cardiac pathophysiology, acute coronary syndromes, cardiogenic shock, vascular emergencies, pacemakers, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump theory & transport, VADs, 12 lead ECG interpretation

Neurological
Medical & trauma neurological emergencies, CVAs, spinal trauma, head trauma, neurogenic shock states, ICP monitoring

Pediatric
Assessment, respiratory emergencies, cardiac emergencies, neurologic emergencies, metabolic emergencies, trauma emergencies, special needs children

Toxicology
Toxic exposures, poisonings, overdoses, envenomations, anaphylactic shock, infectious diseases

OB/GYN & GU
Obstetrical emergencies, trauma in pregnancy, renal disorders, reproductive system disorders, fetal assessment, HELLP syndrome

Medical
Septic shock, hypertensive emergencies, environmental emergencies, coagulopathies, endocrine emergencies, Lab value interpretation

Neonatal
Management & delivery of the full-term or pre-term newborn, delivery complications, NRP & PALS

Trauma
Trauma assessment, adult thoracic & abdominal trauma, vascular trauma, musculoskeletal trauma, burns, ocular trauma, maxillofacial trauma, penetrating & blunt trauma, distributive & hypovolemic shock states, Trauma Systems & Trauma Scoring, Kinematics of trauma & injury patterns

Radiographic Interpretation
Wherever appropriate, the above education should include information regarding radiographic findings, pertinent laboratory and bedside testing, and pharmacological interventions.