JUMPSTART-Pediatric Triage

[Guest alsfirefighter]

For those of you whom are familiar with and/or using START Triage, you may want to look into introducing your agency/personnel to the JUMPSTART pediatric triage. Finally there is a triage system to address the triage of children and it follow the START Triage system with only 2 minor changes which is due to pediatric considerations. visit www.jumpstarttriage.com for more info and to find free training downloads. If you need any additional info or might need someone to introduce START and/or JUMPSTART email me at alsfirefighter@aol.com and I'll try to accomodate anything you may need/want.

[WAS967 97]

May i say that i was appalled at how few people raised thier hands acknowledging at least a basic knowledge of START Triage at the pediatric conference. My suggestion: everyone go to thier agency and have do an in service on both START and JumpSTART now. When I am in a room full of say, oh 200 EMS providers, I'd expect more than 6 people to say they know the START system. Maybe I'll just pretend that nobody wanted to raise thier hand for fear of being picked on by Jeff. :-<

[Guest alsfirefighter]

The fear of raising your hand is a possible reason. I was also somewhat surprised by how many weren't familiar with it. But you know what, how many people know or knew that the state made START its "officially recognized" triage system? When was anyone taught START in any level of EMS provider course? A couple years ago I took part in an MCI drill in a smaller community which will remain nameless. While I began walking around the "warm zone" due to it was a hazmat scenario, I would notice a patient on the ground with 2 emt's hovering over apparantly triaging also, the first questions I heard was "whats your name?" the second was "Do you have any pain?" The third thing the patient heard was do you have a symptom card with you? The next...."he's a red." The biggest problem facing any type of emergency service is the type and quality of training being given and having people come out. The other problem is unless you know how to conduct a true exercise, which realistically an MCI is an exercise not a drill and yes there is a difference, the agencies get nothing out of it and do not train realistically. How many trains are going to derail in a community with a all volunteer FD and EMS, on a saturday when every piece of FD equipment has a seat filled and every amublance in a 10 mile radius has a full crew plus an attendant?

HMmmm thats a real great assessment of how things will go.

[x635 4,066]

I was taught START and JumpSTART in my Medic class, and had a great instructor. Not only did we focus on "straight adult" scenarios like many classes exclusively do, we also spent time learning the challenges of a pediatric MCI, which can be alot different, especially when some emotions of providers come into play.

Maybe it's just me, but START and JumpSTART algorythms should be one of those things burned into your memory, like how to take out the ambulance stretcher, how to ride a bike, or the locations of the Dunkin Donuts in your first due. Isn't this taught in intial certification classes? Shouldn't this be a skill, you dont forget how to splint, do you?

Do like myself, make the cards into wallet size and laminate, and take them out and look at them every once in awhile. And you don't need to always wait for the next big MCI drill to practice. Try conducting tabletops drills with scenarios written and played out and index card patients every couple of months to keep proficient. Don't always practice perfect, throw a wrench in the session every now and then.

Even can make it a competitive game, split into teams and see who can triage the most correctly and efficently the fastest.

And why would people be afraid of being picked on? Admit you don't know it and learn it, so what if your picked on? I guarentee you probaly won't forget it the next time,lol.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Seth, I can't remember if your an fire and/or ems instructor but I have 5 words for ya. Maslow's heirarchy of adult education. Every fire instructor knows what I'm talking about, lol. Even if you don't want to think about it.

[WAS967 97]

I have to go and look that up. I recall you cringing at the thought of having to review that again at the AHLS instructor class. :-> But in the end it never came up, at least not in name. Maybe in concept.