COLUMBUS, Ohio - While deployed to Baghdad last year supporting the Global War on Terror, Soldiers from the Columbus-based 285th Area Support Medical Company had to be trained and certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support as part of their mission.
Obtaining this certification is no small task. In addition to spending many hours in the classroom for initial certification, students are required to possess the ability to initiate intravenous access, manage a patient's airway, read and interpret an Electro Cardio Gram and administer
emergency medications.
The medics were tested many times during their deployment with real world cases on the battlefield and their experience and expertise in emergency cardiac care saved lives.
Now that the 285th has returned to home, keeping these Soldiers certified came with its own unique set of challenges. Medics are not currently required to be certified in ACLS.
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Runyon, 285th treatment platoon sgt., approached his civilian supervisor John Gardner, a certified ACLS instructor, about teaching a recertification class to keep his Soldiers' skills sharp. Runyon and Gardner both work for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction located in Columbus, Ohio.
Gardner as well as several other members of the ODRC staff graciously accepted to teach a refresher course.
When asked why they were so willing to participate Gardner stated, "We all watched as many Soldiers from the 285th and other units make a sacrifice to serve our country overseas. This is a small gesture to show our support for their commitment to our country. We want our Soldiers to be fully trained and prepared to care for their wounded comrades, and this will help keep them
proficient in their skills."
On Sunday, Jan. 25, members of the ODRC staff spent eight hours providing ACLS recertification to the Soldiers.
The ODRC staff was impressed with the knowledge and motivation of the Soldiers who attended the refresher course, and Gardner commented further that the Soldiers seemed very well prepared for this challenging class and it was obvious that the Soldiers had spent a significant amount of their own time preparing for the course.
Even the Soldiers who do not actively work in the health care industry picked up quickly where they had left off and passed both the classroom and hands-on exam with flying colors thanks to the expert training they received.
| Date Taken: |
03.17.2009 |
| Date Posted: |
03.17.2009 12:09 |
| Story ID: |
31260 |
| Location: |
COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: |
386 |
| Downloads: |
337 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Guard and civilian employer team up for Advanced Cardiac Life Support recertification for 285th Area Support Medical Company, by SSG Andrew Brace, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Subscribe
