Course

MERITS - Mastering Emergency Response Interventions for Traumatic Brain Injury & Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Self-paced
10 credits

Spots remaining: 10

$100 Enroll Now

Full course description

This course will help attendees optimize their treatment of two extremely time-sensitive medical emergencies: Traumatic Brain Injury and Sudden Cardiac Arrest. TBI occurs when external mechanical forces impact the head and cause an acceleration/deceleration of the brain within the cranial vault. It is a leading cause of death and disability and is THE leading cause of death and disability in children. Primary brain injury occurs at the time of the event. Secondary brain injury evolves in the ensuing minutes, hours, and days and results from inflammatory cascade, ischemia, and systemic insults (hypoxia, hypotension, hyperventilation). Studies show that implementation of prehospital treatment guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes. Sudden Cardiac Arrest, a severe malfunction or cessation of the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart, is a leading cause of death across the world and, like TBI, is a major public health problem. More than 250,00 people suffer SCA every year in the United States, and overall survival is less than 10%. Early, high-quality CPR, including chest compressions of sufficient depth, rate, recoil, and fraction, and proper ventilation, is associated with improved outcomes. This course will survey the evidence-based guidelines for treating both TBI and SCA and lay out strategies to translate these guidelines into best practices for prehospital care. We will emphasize hands-on skills practice and team choreography through scenario-based simulations in an effort to help attendees master concepts and vital skills for saving lives.