This 8-hour course, presented by the Center for Disaster Medicine (CDM) at New York Medical College, is designed to refresh and improve the knowledge and skills of emergency department and hospital-based clinicians who would be responsible for the initial triage and care of victims from mass casualty events.
The course:
• Reviews the latest reports and scientific literature on mass casualty events
• Discusses pre-hospital triage and initial treatment
• Explores the interface of pre-hospital care and initial hospital triage/care
• Discusses the approach to hospital triage and initial management based on scarce resources and choke points in the hospital setting, including the emergency department
• Discusses the hospital’s approach to surge capacity including identifying and utilizing pre-designated surge capacity areas to improve response to mass casualty incidents
Through lecture presentations based on the latest evidence and reports, group discussions, integration of the facility’s emergency management plan, and several hands-on exercises and learning stations, participants will learn the most effective and evidence-supported emergency department and hospital triage methods, initial interventions, and patient flow approaches for mass casualty events. Participants will also identify ways to improve the emergency preparedness of their emergency departments and hospitals for these types of incidents. While the primary focus is on mass casualty events, the education provided, and lessons learned will also help to improve participating clinicians’ and facilities’ preparedness for other types of disasters and public health emergencies.
By working extensively with key facility contacts, lecture content and hands-on exercises will be tailored to the existing emergency operations plans of the host institution or system. Additionally, through pre- and post-meetings, individuals critical to a mass casualty response will have the opportunity to collaboratively reflect on and consider changes to institutional response plans. CDM at New York Medical College has accredited this course for continuing medical education for participants. The afternoon hands-on simulations will also enable participating facilities to meet Joint Commission exercise standards and CMS testing requirements.
Course Learning Objectives
1. Understand the methodology for the initial emergency department/hospital triage of victims from a mass casualty incident and the most effective use of scares resources including use of adjunct technologies such as ultrasound.
2. Demonstrate the application of triage techniques including emergency department/hospital triage, and initial procedure and disposition decisions on both conscious and unconscious patients.
3. Describe how patients arriving at a facility, including by EMS and non-EMS transport from a mass casualty event, pose special challenges to hospitals and emergency departments.
4. Compare the most common evidence-based methods of prehospital triage used in disaster and mass casualty incidents.
5. Distinguish the difference between the approach to traditional emergency department triage, and triage during a disaster or mass casualty event.
6. Describe the process of re-triage based on change in clinical status or arrival of patients with higher acuity/priority.
7. Discuss the challenges associated with the determination of “expectant” patients or those who may be beyond saving based on the availability of resources.
8. Describe the problems associated with “role confusion” among physicians who are asked to perform triage, but not treatment on patients.
9. Evaluate ways to update and/or improve current mass casualty incident plans in the hospital and/or emergency department including surge planning and identification of pre-designated surge capacity areas within the hospital.