The manikins are talking ...

From the moment I step foot into school today, I knew that if I wasn’t already prepared, I didn’t have a prayer. As a friend and I walk down to the lower gym, we sit atop the balcony. Looking down onto the gym floor, I see 3 different manikins lying next to a tall ladder. I suddenly see what this is all about. Our instructor hands us the schedules for the practical. I am one of the first to go. I grab my stethoscope, bp cuff, penlight and gloves, head down the stairs and wait to be directed.

First up was the medical station. The scenario was a female moving bags of fertilizer. One bag broke and created a cloud of dust all over. She was having difficulty breathing and coughing. I decided to pull her out of the area, as it was a hazard to the both of us. I applied O2 NRB at 15 lpm and then did a medical assessment. ALS was requested. I even called poison control to advise them that fertilizer has been spilled and is creating large amounts of dust into the air. Then I expressed what I would do in a ongoing assesment.

The second station was a trauma. A male had fallen from a ladder and was knocked unconscious. I approach the scene, keeping in mind initial assessment. I find the victim to only responding to pain (AVPU). After applying O2 NRB at 15 lpm I decide to do a rapid trauma assessment (I did mention to apply an airway, I didn’t actually perform it). I requested ALS support immediately. While moving down on the victim he moaned once I began to press on his iliac crest. I quickly ran down the rest of the extremities then exposed the area of pain/concern.

Afterwards I asked for a sample and did not get one. I then proceeded to an ongoing assessment which normally would be in the Ambulance and anticipated for ALS intercept.

All and all, I believe I passed. I might have forgotten to mention a step or two. You must keep in mind I was incredibly nervous and much of the morning is a blur.

Tomorrow I have off.