Reservists C-STARS for training

  • Published
  • By Maj. Ted Theopolos
  • 445th Airlift Wing
31 Mar 2006 --  WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio -- Six members from the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron had the opportunity to attend 14 days of medical training at the University Hospital of Cincinnati. Wearing medical scrub with only a name tag and rank pinned on their breast pocket to identify them with the Air Force; medical technicians went from room to room in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit or SICU, and helping hospital staff with patients. 
      Aeromedical members were part of a trial training curriculum at the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills or C-STARS program at the hospital. The course is primarily geared for Critical Care Air Transport Teams or CCATT (pronounced see cat). These are medical doctors, nurses and respiratory technicians who transport critically wounded and sick on aeromedical flights on all types of flying platforms, but primarily on Air Force aircraft.
      The 445 AES has been in partnership with the CCATT program for the over 4 years, currently it is the only program that provides in-flight sustainment training opportunities. The unit identified the program as an excellent opportunity for nurses and medical technicians to obtain hands on critical care Aeromedical training.
      “Not all the C-STAR slots were filled by qualified CCATT members, so we were invited to attend with our other aeromedical personnel,” said Maj. Carlotta Webb, chief nurse for the 445 AES. “We had to submit a credential package on each member who is here.”
Packages were to ensure those attending met the Universities and C-STAR standards and were qualified to work at such medical facilities.
      There are three C-STARS programs in the Air Force. One is in Baltimore, which focuses on first responder trauma training. The second is in St. Louis, which is geared to training active Guard and reserve forces, and the third is in Cincinnati which focuses on aeromedical and CCATT critical care transport. The Air Force Surgeon General developed the program to define skills requirements for all deployable medical personnel. Training is to refresh and reinforce basic training skills prior to the rigors of combat medicine, and before military members deploy to potentially hostile environments.
      Major Webb stated ten is the normal class size and only four active duty CCATT members were scheduled, which left open student slots and gave us the opportunity to be involved. 
      Staff Sgt. Rachel Songer, one of the students, has only been flying for eight months. “I was qualified and deployed in the same month,” said Sergeant Songer.
      The sergeant was deployed to Andrews AFB, Md, and was flying patients stateside. In three and a half months she flew 150 hours. She also flew in support of Hurricane Rita. The sergeant, as well as the rest of the reservists attending, is still activated.
      “This is great training to understand the critical care/medical care patients’ situations,” said Sergeant Songer. The sergeant had a helicopter flight with Care Flight. The helicopter took off on the 10th floor. “As soon as the helicopter went over the ledge, my adrenalin level went up,” said Songer.
      Technical Sgt. Dwain Slusher, a former boom operator, has been a medical technician since 1997 and was also impressed with the training he was receiving. “The idea is your experience is evaluated and the uniqueness of programs is to allows you the opportunity to experience hands on skills in areas that you identify as needing improvements to go to areas inside the hospital where you haven’t been before to see the similar types of injuries you might see in the field,” said Sergeant Slusher. “You get to provide patient care and increase your comfort level.”
      “We’ve had the opportunity to work in areas not offered in other military training, like working in the hospital’s Burn unit. Level I Shock Resuscitation Unit, Neurological Critical Care Unit and in SICU,” said Sergeant Slusher.
      In the SICU military students received outstanding hands on training. There were two members to every one hospital medical staff. This gave the opportunity to work with patients and ask questions on procedures.
      The course is designed to be 50 percent class and lectures and 50 percent hands on training.
      “Lectures are from military medical professionals and university staff members, said Master Sgt. Scott Luff who has been a medical technician for 11 years. “This is great “hands on training” for our young medical technicians prior to deployment.”
      One of the skills labs is designed to simulate the inside of Aeromedical Aircraft complete with patient support pallets, equipment carried on CCATT and AE missions, simulated aircraft lighting, sounds, and stanchions for litter patients.
      “The skills lab is awesome,” said Capt. Barbra Kippins. “They can create a situation that you would find in the environment on an aircraft.”
      The skills lab has approximately $200,000 of equipment to create such an environment. There were two mannequins on litters with life support equipment. The mannequins are hooked up to computers in the room where a technician can control the vital signs on the mannequin. The life-like mannequins are also geared with a speaker where the technician can speak at a terminal and project sounds or a voice from the mannequin. Aeromedical members were put through a whole host of patient scenarios.
“The next class is in April,” said Major Webb. “It’s not known yet as to how many aeromedical technicians can participate.”
      Upon completion of the program, the class is scheduled to fly on an aeromedical training mission the next day at Wright-Patt. Students will take what they learned at the hospital and hone their skills on a C-130.
      The C-STARS Program has been a success in sharpening and refreshing the military caregivers’ skills while increasing their knowledge base and confidence in the field. Allowing unfilled training slots to be filled with aeromedical technicians will no doubt increase the quality of care on aeromedical flights.