One of the most important aspects of providing emergency medical treatment is being able to safely move patients away from danger without causing further injury. This is why it is a reinforced science for Sampson Community College’s Emergency Medical students.

“Learning spinal immobilization, used when there is a possibility of back or neck injury is of the utmost importance,” says Jim DeMay, Lead Instructor and Clinical Coordinator at SCC. “This can be very tricky because we want to get people out of harm’s way as fast as we can, but we also have to survey the situation and make sure to evaluate the issues they have before we arrive as not to endanger them any further.”

SCC students practice safely moving an injured patient away using a Kendrick Extrication Device (KED).

SCC’s EMS110 course introduces basic emergency medical care. Topics include preparatory, airway, patient assessment, medical emergencies, trauma, infants and children, and operations. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve North Carolina State or National Registry EMT certification.

The primary focus is to provide basic emergency medical care, skills, and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. EMTs function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. EMTs perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. The EMT is a link from the scene to the emergency health care system.

“This is a little different than providing treatment to those who have already arrived to the hospital,” adds DeMay. “We are the first help on the scene. Everything we do there or do not do is very critical to how the rest of their care will go.  For more information or if you are interested in this type training, contact DeMay at jdemay@sampsoncc.edui or at 910.900.4138.