It started as a regular commute for Rachel Hoffman, a musculoskeletal/biopsy coordinator at Penn Radiology at Valley Forge. And then it wasn’t.
Hoffman saw a man lying on the side of a busy street, with part of his legs on the road. She quickly pulled over to help. “I was unsure if he was conscious when I pulled over and walked toward him, but upon approaching him I discovered that he was conscious,” she said. Helping him move his legs out of the road, she asked another person who had also stopped to call the police.
Hoffman credits her quick reaction to Penn Medicine’s First Five Minutes program, which uses simulated medical emergencies to train staff on how to respond to potential emergencies. “All the training gave me the confidence to know that I could help someone,” she said.
This response is the precise goal of the First Five Minutes program, said Chet Zaremski, Life Support program administrator for the Simulation Center. By going through the simulation, a participant remembers what to do and is comfortable taking action. “The goal of the simulation is self-awareness, teamwork and communication during a life-threatening emergency,” he said.
The simulation trainings use actors to create emergency situations, such as a patient experiencing anaphylactic shock or chest pains after receiving an IV. Someone might even portray a patient’s family member inquiring about the situation. Employees also participate in online CPR training.
The team can now quickly recognize a medical emergency and respond rapidly. “It is remarkable to see staff of all roles work together to increase their abilities and comfort levels to assist people in need,” said Cristine Hutchinson, administrator of Practice Operations for Valley Forge, Paoli and King of Prussia.
“The group has made amazing progress,” agreed simulation operations specialist Ted Czyzewski. “Their confidence level is off the charts.”
Because patients visiting ambulatory care facilities are often sicker today than they were a decade ago, this kind of training is essential. “It’s not a matter of if an emergency will occur,” Czyzerski said. “It’s a matter of when.”
For more information on First Five Minutes, contact Christi Jefferson, operations manager at the Simulation Center at 215-893-7710 or christi.jefferson@pennmedicine.upenn.edu, or visit http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/SIMcenter/.