Unique Learning Opportunity Flies into Nursing Students’ Outdoor Classroom at Altamaha Technical College |
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Jesup, GA – On a beautiful fall day, at precisely 9:45 a.m., ATC Nursing Instructor Betty Manning receives a call on her personal cell phone. The Air Evac Lifeteam Member on the other end says, “We’re on our way.” She quickly assembles her students and they walk to a gazebo on campus grounds under the guise of holding class that day outside. Little do the students know they are about to experience a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity thanks to Manning and Air Evac Lifeteam.
As the students round the corner for this “outdoor classroom,” they see an unusual sight. Jesup Fire Department’s Fire Chief Billy Brantley, Rookie Firefighter Chris Hughes in full gear, the Engine Number Four Fire Truck and an additional Fire Department pickup truck are awaiting their arrival in the distance. While the class gathers in the gazebo and begins listening to Manning teach, Air Evac Lifeteam Program Director Tony Sumrow makes his way to the area and shares with the firefighters that the Air Evac Lifeteam Medical Emergency Helicopter is on its way and he, a former military pilot, can hear them in the distance (a sound others have yet to hear). This particular helicopter was on its way to Jesup from Waycross. Air Evac Lifeteam also covers areas such as Hazlehurst, Baxley, Brunswick, Hinesville, St. Simons and Kingsland.
At precisely 10:05 a.m., twenty minutes after that phone call, a brand-new, fully equipped, $3 million dollar Bell helicopter with a Rolls Royce engine in it circles the college grounds, while students look up in amazement as it lands in a clearing in front of their outdoor classroom. Manning then lets them know this activity involving Air Evac Lifeteam is their outdoor activity for the day.
Ironically, the flight paramedic onboard and head medical director for Wayne County EMS, Richard Johnson, has a daughter in this very class, Blair Moseley. Because the mission was to be a surprise to the students, he had to lie to her earlier about his plans for the day. Upon exiting from the helicopter and saying hello, he apologized to his daughter about this necessary fib.
Manning shared, “As this nursing class is 7 weeks from their pinning ceremony and subsequent graduation, career opportunities are at the forefront of the minds of each student.” Manning specifically wanted to bring in a unique group of health care professionals to expose the students to all different types of positions in the industry as they near graduation. As each of the 3-member helicopter team spoke, they took questions from students and shared their pathways to their current positions. Head Nurse Eric Herrin stated, “As medical protocols are constantly changing, continuing education is even more important once employed, as we regularly take competency tests- some monthly, some quarterly and some annually.” Crew members also touched on procedures that can be performed in-flight, available equipment onboard and the fact that they can treat anyone up to 400 lbs on the helicopter, including children. As their services are often needed at night, they have access to night-vision goggles and carry around 550 pounds of fuel with them at all times, allowing 2 hours of flight time, Pilot Chuck West said. Students learned from Flight Paramedic Richard Johnson that “the helicopter carries everything an ambulance does in addition to critical care medicines.” He also stressed the importance of getting a patient stabilized on the ground before takeoff to a trauma center. Nursing student Orlandria Austin stated the visit was “very exciting, interesting and makes me want to do more research on career options.”
College President Lorette Hoover added, “As ATC strives to be the premier, regional center of higher education, learning and teaching, we look for activities such as this to provide services and experiences to our students that enhance student success.” Air Evac Lifeteam Program Director Tony Sumrow shared additional information with the students about the member benefits of the organization. He also spoke of the “Golden Hour” – the time from when a traumatic injury occurs until the time definitive care is reached, which can improve a patient’s outcome. He also shared that Brunswick and Waycross hospitals will soon be intervention centers, making flight times to those definitive care sites shorter for many patients and opening up more advantages to all members.
Special thanks to Air Evac Lifeteam and the City of Jesup Fire Department for making this unique learning opportunity available to our students.
Air Evac Lifeteam is a West Plains, Missouri-based provider of air ambulance services to rural communities across 14 states. Air Evac Lifeteam operates the world’s largest fleet of over 100 medically-equipped Bell 206 LongRanger helicopters and has flown more than 220,000 people who were in critical need of care since its founding in 1985. More on the credentials of each crew member and membership benefits can be found on http://www.lifeteam.net/.
Altamaha Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is an academic institution of higher education that supports the economic empowerment of people, communities, and businesses along the Altamaha River and southern coast through providing technical education programs at the associate degree, diploma, and certificate levels, a variety of workforce development services and adult education programs. For more information about the programs and services provided by Altamaha Technical College, call 800-645-8284end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit http://www.altamahatech.edu/.
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