CareFlight MediSim trauma care workshops running across NSW in 2023

If this happened, would you know what to do?

CareFlight MediSim is a community-focused education program providing participants with high-quality training at no cost.

Their flagship course, based on simulation-based trauma care training, is called the Trauma Care Workshop and targets participants who act in any capacity as first responders in regional, rural and urban Australia.

Since 2011, CareFlight has trained more than 7500 participants nationally.

"Often in rural and remote areas, these people are first on the scene of trauma incidents, and what they do in the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death," CareFlight head of operations education and training Lara Miller said.

"Participants generally already have first aid skills, and CareFlight's MediSim workshops expand on those skills, providing learners with high-quality, specialised training."

From April 1, 2023, until the end of the year, CareFlight will run 32 workshops across rural and remote locations in NSW, including Wentworth, Hay, Hillston, Gwydir, Inverell, Dubbo, Tweed, Glen Innes, Ku-Ring-Gai, Singleton, Central Coast, Armidale, Upper Lachlan Shire, Eurobodalla, Snowy Monaro, Tibooburra, Broken Hill, Wilcannia and Cobar.

"Health resources are stretched in rural and remote areas," Ms Miller said.

"Often, the first people to arrive at the scene of a trauma incident will be the local teacher, farmer, mechanic or other community member who is part of a volunteer emergency response team.

"These first responders can then wait for anything from a few minutes to many hours until professional medical help arrives.

"In these situations, the emergency service first responders need to know how to sustain a life.

"Appropriate treatment during this time significantly improves the outcome of the patient. Indeed, their actions can mean the difference between life and death."

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The CareFlight MediSim program ensures participants have the confidence to manage an emergency scene or start a specific treatment on a baby or child.

"We know that the first few minutes after someone is injured are critical, and the sooner treatments commence, the greater the chance of survival and recovery," Ms Miller said.

The workshop combines theoretical and simulation-based trauma training.

It covers the triage of patients, assessment and scene risk awareness.

It also teaches the terminology and procedure for a handover to medical personnel when they arrive on the scene.

The training includes rescue scenarios using a car crash simulator, and participants work together in teams to learn about trauma care skills and communication, and is delivered by experienced emergency response specialists, including doctors, nurses and paramedics.

The program's centrepiece is CareFlight's mobile, simulation-based equipment that helps replicate real-life accidents.

They also use mannequins to ensure realism in scenarios.

Participants are taught how to manage patient airways, crush injuries, burns, spinal injuries, haemorrhage, remove motorbike helmets, and triage patients in a mass casualty situation.

"Since completing the workshops, participants say they feel more confident arriving at trauma scenes and are more competent with their assessment and treatment at the scene of an accident," Ms Miller said.

The courses are free thanks to donations to CareFlight from individual members of the public, corporate donors, and government grants.

For more information or to sign up for a workshop, email medisim@careflight.com