CARIBOU — When a child is critically ill or injured, special medical training is required to handle the unique needs of the younger patient. With this in mind, nurses from Cary Medical Center and Northern Maine Medical Center recently gathered to learn more about how to best care for pediatric patients experiencing a health crisis.
Staff from Lifeflight of Maine, the air transport service used to transfer critical patients from Aroostook County’s four hospitals to trauma centers outside of northern Maine, provided a one-day training program called “Pediatric Care on the Edge” at Cary Medical Center on Jan. 6. Participants were provided hands-on instruction using child simulators that cry, have a pulse, and even breathe. During the class, trainers replicated realistic medical situations and instructed nurses on how to handle them.
“Being able to hone our skills using the simulators is a tremendously valuable experience,” said training organizer Ann King, RN, of Cary Medical Center. “The simulators actually respond to the treatments we give them in very life-like ways, making this an excellent learning opportunity.”
The Pediatric Care on the Edge class prepares hospital staff to care for critically ill or injured infants and children until the Lifeflight team arrives to transport the patient to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The closest PICU to Aroostook County is in Bangor.
King plans to organize additional trainings throughout the year. “It’s important that we keep our skills current,” she said. “While it doesn’t happen often that a child in our region needs intensive care, when a crisis does occur, it’s vital that we are prepared to handle it.”
