Up to 100 people have taken part in a multi-agency exercise designed to put final year University of Cumbria paramedic students through their paces before graduating this summer.
Exercise Green Fledgling has been staged at Halton Training Camp, near Lancaster, challenging 24 third-year undergraduate students in a series of escalating scenarios – simulated examples of what they are likely to encounter upon qualification.
The name of the two-day exercise alludes to the iconic colour of paramedic uniforms and the students’ level of experience.
First-year University of Cumbria paramedic students also took part, having recently returned to campus from their first professional placements with regional ambulance crews.
They performed the roles of patients and bystanders in some of the scenarios before having the opportunity to be a student paramedic alongside their final-year peers, ensuring they could also benefit from the practical learning exercise.
Bringing a number of public uniformed services together, trainee police officers from Cumbria Constabulary travelled from the force’s Penrith headquarters to participate.
Crews from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and North West Ambulance Service were also involved, as were – for the first time – reservists from the specialist 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment.
The army also supported Exercise Green Fledgling by facilitating use of the Halton camp on February 6 and 7.
The camp is located three miles from university’s Bowerham Road campus that is home to its Centre of Excellence in Paramedic Practice, recognised as a primary provider of paramedic education in the UK.
The exercise not only tested clinical and response skills of students but has strengthened team and partnership working among those in attendance.
Exercise Green Fledging was the brainchild of senior lecturer in paramedic practice, Darren Moss.
An ex-soldier and former paramedic himself, Darren said: “This unique exercise challenges our final year BSc (Hons) paramedic science students in a range of clinical medical and trauma skills, through a number of scenarios and a final major incident.
“Each scenario consolidates the training and knowledge within the students’ own practice.
“The aim has been to collectively challenge our soon to be qualified paramedics in their final student paramedic exercise, for them to be able to demonstrate their leadership, clinical, decision making, patient assessment and management skills whilst working with student police officers as well as the fire and ambulance services.
“We are also very fortunate to have this time for the first time Army reservists who serve with the 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment.
“It is only the third time we have hosted this event. It started very small and continues to grow thanks to all involved, including my colleagues within University of Cumbria’s Institute of Health. All of the services that have taken part have been able to use this exercise as a training opportunity which can only be a good thing as we serve the public together.
“We are very grateful for the support from Cumbria Constabulary, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service and the army. Their involvement enhances the authenticity of the two days.”
Cumbria Constabulary sent their latest cohort of trainee police constables. Lancashire Fire and Rescue crews provided a specialist fast-flowing water rescue team.
The exercise involved six scenarios where the third-year paramedic students were tested on progressively complex kinds of resuscitation.
Simulations ranged from an assaulted pregnant patient with a sudden and unexpected birth, to a near drowning and a gunshot wound.
The finale involved the simulation of a five-vehicle road traffic accident with 10 patients displaying traumatic injuries.
Like in a real-life accident, the student police officers attended first, followed by paramedics and the fire service, who aided the extraction of casualties from the vehicles.
The multi-faceted exercise has strengthened ties and understanding between professional services supporting the event.
PC Hayley Johnson, of Cumbria Constabulary’s training team, said: “We’d like to thank the university for organising this event. It has provided our student officers with some excellent experience of what they might encounter carrying out their duties in emergency scenarios.
“Partnership working is often key in the job they will do – so they were able to gain extra insight into how other agencies work.
“The event challenged them in a fast-paced scenario to work effectively as a team and communicate with partners for the good of the public.”
This summer 24 paramedics on the undergraduate course will graduate from the University of Cumbria and will join the paramedic register and bolster the NHS workforce.
The University of Cumbria’s Centre of Excellence in Paramedic Practice is the principal provider of paramedic education in the UK. It has over 3,000 students studying on a mixture of degree and professional qualifications, including the new paramedic apprenticeship scheme which is delivered in partnership with seven English ambulance NHS trusts.
