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Health and Medicine
        Teaching Today Minnesota | Spring 2025                                                                                                 Page 5


                     EMTs in Training Put in “Pressure Cooker”

        Spring Lake Park Schools            event.  There are three different scenarios
            Visitors arriving at Spring Lake Park   running simultaneously. Teams are split into
        High School on Saturday, February 22, found   groups, and they rotate between the three sce-
        what appeared to be a major emergency event.   narios along with a stop for a written exam.
        Instead, nearly 70 high school students train-  The scenarios are based on real situ-
        ing to become Emergency Medical Technicians   ations and kept secret from coaches and
        were testing their skills at the State Youth EMS   students until the moment they enter the
        competition.                        situation. Past scenarios have included pool
            The 39th annual State Youth EMS com-  rescues, simulated vehicle accidents, the
        petition  included  17  teams,  four  members   release of radioactive material in a crash, and
        each, representing 15 schools. With a growing   other high stakes situations. Students go into
        shortage  of  emergency  medical  technicians,   each scenario blind and are scored on how
        these  efforts to train  the  next  generation  of   well they handle each situation.
        emergency responders are more important   At the pool, the teams scattered around
        than  ever.  While  teams  were  full  of smiles   the pool deck. They were handed a piece of
        and sporting fun names like Floo Fighters and   paper with a brief situation report. They read
        Awesome Aorta’s, the purpose was serious.  quickly.
            “This  is a pressure cooker,” says Bill   A young adolescent hit his head in the
        Neiss, conference  chair  and director  of the   water. The lifeguard performed a rescue, and
        Opportunities in Emergency Care program at   the child is lying unconscious on the pool   information is revealed – similar to a real life   full CPR. You can hear the intensity in their
        Spring Lake Park High School. “We want it   deck. The near drowning has resulted in mul-  emergency.       voices.
        to feel real. Each scenario is taken from a real   tiple injuries and imminent cardiac arrest.   “Wipe all the water before shocking,”   Then an abrupt, “Stop all action.”
        situation. Students’ skills and knowledge are   The victim’s grandmother, who is nearby, is   says one student.  Everyone freezes. Teams slowly come back
        tested on everything from patient assessment   agitated and wheezing. At some point in the                 to life — and gradually put away their gear.
        to oxygen administration to bleeding control   situation (they’ll learn later), she will refuse   A Gentle Cadence Continues  The judges convene for scoring and the
        to CPR and more.”                   care.
                                                After  reading  the  initial situation, the   “Checking airway. Checking breathing.   teams prepare to move to the next scenario.
        Three Real-Life Scenarios           EMT team quickly communicates with   Checking pulse. Applying pressure to lacera-  In the Panther Gym, a diabetic patient
                                            the judge their plan of action.  The judge’s   tion.”                  has accidentally overdosed after taking the
            What does an EMS competition  look   response is tailored to the plan the team   Over the course of 15 minutes, the situ-
        like? Well, it looks a bit like a mass casualty   shares.  With each step and check, more   ation escalates to chest compressions and   Continued on Page 6


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