Paramedic students from Ternopil National Medical University took part in joint training exercises with State Emergency Service rescuers
In September 2018, the first group of students enrolled in Ukraine’s first paramedic training program. In 2024, the fourth class of future emergency medical care specialists will graduate. During this time, teachers, students, and stakeholders have the opportunity to make changes to the program aimed at both improving professional skills in line with current requirements and shaping the student’s personal educational trajectory.
The subject “Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Care in Mass Casualty Incidents” is particularly relevant today. It covers interaction with all participants in a rescue mission: emergency medical personnel, State Emergency Service rescuers, national police, military, medical institutions, etc. Their communication, coordinated actions, and mutual support are key to saving as many victims as possible. In Ukraine, especially in the frontline regions, there is considerable experience in solving a number of problems that arise in the context of challenges caused by the war. This experience was shared at a special meeting initiated by the Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine with the support of the WHO. The new knowledge gained by the teachers formed the basis for practical classes during the 2023-2024 academic year.
It was quite logical at the first stage to work out the technologies for organizing and providing emergency medical care in mass incidents of various origins, medical triage in student auditoriums based on the Ternopil National Medical University simulation training center. Subsequently, joint practical classes and comprehensive training sessions were held at the State Emergency Service unit. This is one of the recommendations mentioned by graduate students during public discussions of the educational and professional program.
It so happened that, starting with the first graduating class, students have been participating in joint training sessions every year, where they test their strength and skills together with professional emergency medical teams, rescuers, and police officers during simulated mass incidents..
On April 4, 2024, four field teams of graduating paramedic students were formed to participate in similar exercises. Their distinctive feature was maximum realism of the case, real-time work, communication and team interaction with rescuers, contact with the senior doctor, and evacuation to medical facilities. The nature of the injuries and the number of victims were unexpected, requiring maximum concentration and effort from all participants in the training. It is worth noting that the actors who simulated the victims were second-year paramedic students, which also served as a unique learning experience for them.
The scenario involved simulating a rocket strike on a strategic facility with a mass casualty incident – 20 victims, 15 of whom were unable to move independently. The students independently formed a team that coordinated and performed medical triage. In real time, the victims were examined, triage groups were determined, and triage tags were used. Emergency medical care was provided to priority victims, who were then evacuated first. During the training, in addition to the mandatory elements, various interesting circumstances arose that required students to be quick-witted, make non-standard decisions, and communicate more.
After the training, a debriefing was held, where each instructor and student discussed what had been done well and what could have been done better in a similar situation.
During joint classes with rescuers, students also had the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge about the rules of interaction between the State Emergency Service and the emergency medical service system. Future paramedics also viewed the museum’s exhibition, which presents the development of the fire and rescue service in the Ternopil region from the late 19th century to the present day, including an exhibition of explosive objects seized by Ternopil sappers during the demining of deoccupied territories, and honored the memory of firefighters who died in the line of duty.
Information provided by Arsen Gudyma.
Photos by Arsen Gudyma and Valeria Hrytsivych.