148128 - Rural and Regional GPs' Emergency Skills Workshop

Ballarat Health Service is an EMET training hub, which allows provision to involve EM specialists (FACEMs) in the training of rural practitioners in the region. At this half day event participants will be go through 6 clinical skills learning stations: 
Ophthalmological emergencies, Anaphylaxis including Airway Management, Musculoskeletal emergencies, Burns, Asthma, BLS

Rural practitioners need to provide emergency care, and in some remote areas they may have to manage critically sick or injured patients for a number of hours before these patients can be transferred. Emergency physicians with rural experience and perspective are probably the most appropriate providers of training in emergency procedures for rural GPs. 

The opportunities to regularly perform and upskill in EM-specific procedures are rare, and its importance should not be underestimated in terms of improved GP confidence when they are called upon to perform emergency procedures. Regular performance of procedural skills makes subsequent performance in emergency situations safer, particularly knowing one’s limitations and when to refer to a larger hospital for further management.