posted November 11, 2024

Life Saver crew provides hands-on training to enhance patient care 

EVERGREEN, AL, Nov. 12, 2024 – Nurses and technicians at Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville are now better equipped to respond to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) emergencies thanks to special training delivered by the flight nurses and flight paramedics of Evergreen’s Life Saver 5 emergency air medical program. Last month, nearly 30 clinicians from the hospital’s emergency room, intensive care unit, medical-surgical department, and home health division attended four course sessions to learn the latest techniques in emergency cardiac care.  

Flight paramedic Ashley Robinson, one of the course instructors, noted that while most providers have some training in ACLS, honing the ability to quickly and confidently recognize, respond, and treat cardiac emergencies is critical. 

“If you can reliably understand and utilize tools like ACLS algorithms, then providers should be able to effectively treat critical patients at the drop of the hat,” said Robinson. “Whether it be at the back door of a rural hospital ED [emergency department], on scene in the middle of the night, or in a calm med-surg unit, being comfortable with these skills is always helpful.” 

The classes included hands-on practice that provided both a better learning experience and the opportunity to build some muscle memory through repeated application of the skills covered. It also helped clinicians gain confidence in their ability to perform the skills without the stress of a real patient experiencing a cardiac event. 

“Ashley did a wonderful job teaching our ACLS class,” said Michelle Cobb, RN, an emergency room nurse at Monroe County Hospital. “Her delivery of information was effortless and easy to understand. Although ACLS is nothing new to us, we left the class feeling more confident about our skills, interpretation of rhythms, medication administration, and the equipment we use.” 

As part of their commitment to bringing the very best clinical care to the people of Alabama, the Life Saver team frequently hosts courses for hospital staff and first responders on a variety of emergency skills. This month, the team is training on pediatric advanced life support. 

“I like teaching this class because I feel like it gives autonomy back to providers,” said Robinson. “It seems like sometimes people get caught up in following policies and protocols. When it matters, providers should always have a solid foundation like ACLS they can act on confidently.”  

Life Saver is part of Air Methods, the nation’s leading emergency air medical service provider. Together with the Life Saver bases in Cusseta and Sylacauga, as well as their sister program, USA SouthFlight in Semmes, they provide an ecosystem of care across the state of Alabama. All Air Methods clinicians have at least three years of experience in an emergency or intensive care setting before joining a flight crew. They receive ongoing advanced training, and every flight nurse and flight paramedic has access to Air Methods Ascend, an in-person and online training program that allows clinicians to perform at the top of their licensure. Ascend’s offerings of innovative education programs are designed to help critical care clinicians and emergency medical responders advance their training, help improve emergent patient outcomes, and meet their continuing education needs.