For rural physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, maintaining clinical competency in emergency medicine can be a challenge.
The Rural Health Professions Action Plan, in partnership with Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), offers rural physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants the opportunity to receive relevant, interactive skills training at their rural location through the General Emergency Medicine Skills (GEMS) for Rural Health Professionals Course.
GEMS is an online, multimedia emergency-skills training experience with a hands-on component provided via a STARS Human Patient Simulation Session that enables rural physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to upgrade emergency medical skills at work or at home.
Through maintaining and acquiring emergency management skills, rural health-care providers achieve better patient outcomes, while maintaining their interest and commitment to rural Alberta.
The GEMS Course meets the accreditation criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and has been certified for Mainpro+ credits. Any rural-based Alberta physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant is eligible to take the GEMS Course.
GEMS Learning Modules include the following:
-Preparation for transport
-C-spine X-ray and CT head
-Shock
-Emergency thoracostomy
-Advanced airway management and rapid sequence intubation
-Injured child
-Central venous access and intraosseous infusion
-Obstetrical emergencies
Upon completion of the modules and exams, GEMS participants contact RhPAP to be registered for a STARS Human Patient Simulation session. Please note that there may be a waiting period to attend a session with STARS.
STARS will notify RhPAP when the Human Patient Simulation session has been completed.