AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORT BECOMES PART OF THE 2018 CACCN DYNAMICS CONFERENCE
Between September 24 and 26th, hundreds of critical care nurses from across Canada congregated in Calgary to attend the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses Dynamics Conference 2018. The conference represents excellence in critical care nursing and highlights presentations by some of the most distinguished critical care nurses in Canada.
In the spring of 2018, several CAMATA members along with Rob Mazur, a retiring board member of CACCN and experienced flight nurse, suggested that CAMATA should make a presentation at the CACCN conference to promote the practice of flight nursing and to increase awareness of CAMATA amongst a group of health care practitioners who are likely to be attracted to air ambulance operations. Rob Mazur, Catherine Gall and Penny Triggs put together an abstract for submission to the conference planning committee, focusing on the challenges of air medical transport, and waited to hear whether they would be chosen. In the spring of 2018, it was confirmed. “Critical Care in the Air” had been chosen for the Dynamics Conference.
Catherine was unable to participate due to work conflicts, so Penny and Rob worked together to prepare the presentation and materials for Calgary. In addition to a power point presentation, Rob built a cross section model of a Lear 35A cabin, including the patient stretcher station and seats in the aircraft, to provide participants at the presentation with a sense of the environment in which the air medical providers work.
The presentation was delivered on September 24th, and was attended by approximately 50 people. (See attached copy of the presentation) Penny handed out CAMATA Brochures, gave a brief review of what CAMATA is and discussed the CAMATA Air Medical Training Program. The presentation was well received and many questions about air medical programs in Canada were fielded. After the presentation, approximately 20 people stayed to discuss flight nursing with Penny and Rob. Over the three days of the conference both Penny and Rob received many positive comments and requests for ongoing communications.
Dynamics 2018 provided CAMATA with an opportunity to promote the potential of the critical care nurse in air medical operations.