Medical staff at Altona's hospital have honed some of their critical care skills, thanks to a training day hosted by STARS personnel. The rescue team brought its mobile classroom, a specialized vehicle that functions as a trauma simulation and education bus, to the facility for a full day of hands-on training on how to best stabilize a trauma victim in an emergency. "We are a community that has had trauma. We have used STARS quite a few times," explained Shari Szeremley, Manager of Health Services at the hospital. "I think it helps with our staff to become familiar with STARS' routine - when they come and what their expectation is." The fully equipped mobile education unit essentially replicates a hospital emergency department, complete with a high-fidelity mannequin that has a pulse and breathes acting as the patient. "The course of the case will go based on how the mannequin is treated," explained Grant Therrien, STARS provincial director of Manitoba operations and flight paramedic. "If they are providing the right treatments, the mannequin's vital signs improve and, if they don't, the mannequin's condition worsens." With over 200 cases built into the system, Therrien says they like to have the staff practice scenarios that may be rarer in a smaller community. "What we do find, over the course of this program, is the next time our crew comes in, you see some of the principles we've applied in training together happening for the betterment of the patient. The care is improved, and the staff is more confident." Megan Klassen is a nurse with STARS and actually started her career as a nurse at the Altona hospital. "I would have loved to have done something like this, as a new nurse working in a smaller centre," she said. Dr. Darwish believes this education not only benefits the medical team, but the community as a whole. "When you have confident staff, experience and always continuing education, this is how they help people when they come through the emergency room." With the day's exercises focusing on air way, circulation and intubation management, Dr. Best agreed, adding this kind of training is a great way for them to improve their skills and stay sharp. As well, Dr. Haq believes the opportunity better prepared the team to handle trauma cases before the STARS team arrives to transport the patient. "We are more equipped now. I think we can keep the patient longer than what is expected now," she said. Knowing these skills, Dr. Ramen believes local doctors will also be more confident in picking up E.R. shifts. Overall, the doctors said they'd like to see more educational opportunities and for them to happen more frequently. "We are looking for more sponsorship from the community as well as from the region because they are the stakeholders," noted Dr. Haq. This most recent training day was sponsored by Green Valley Equipment in Altona, something Branch Manager Mark Krahn says they were eager to support. "It impacts a lot of people at all different times," he said. "It was a good opportunity to give back to our community."