How much public health are you taught and refreshed in?

[mycrofft]

Epidemiology? Contagious diseases? "Public Health" per se? (Beyond the "Universal Precautions" aspects only, that is). The history of public health? Public health in emergency prepardess and disaster response?ANY?:huh:

 

[Oregon]

In basic class, not a bit.
At various conferences, lots and lots. Particularly the pediatric EMS conferences we have at the beach in the springtime. Tons of good public health/diseases/epidemiology/preventative med. stuff.
That answer your question?
Oh, yeah, last spring they had a Statewide series of meetings to form an EMS MCI/public health emergency plan. They kept wondering why in the case of a pandemic flu they couldn't let EMT Basics out here help with the mass vaccinations...the thought being that if we are allowed to do sub q's, there is not a whole lot more training required to teach us how to stick the needle in straight vs a 45 degree angle.
Public health and EMS don't really talk much around here.

 

[Ridryder911]

When I worked developing the State Trauma System it was under the epidemiology division of the State Department of Health, NOT the EMS system.

Don't think your involved in public health, think again. If you have not been involved in NEMSIS, you will. ALL EMS will report to the Fed.'s on certain criteria. hence epidemiology at work...

As well, it is the Public Health division that really gets involved at MCI as well too. Control of bacterial development of decomps to setting up porta potties for rescuers.

R/r 911

 

[BossyCow]

The Infection Control Director from our local hospital does an annual presentation. She's amazing! She'll culture the ambulance, bring in stats on the latest pandemic predictions, lately had some good info on Community Acquired MRSA which is rampant in our area.

She generally calls me before the class and asks me if I want her to just impart information or really 'scare the bejesus out of them'. She works closely with the local public health director and has a better presentation style.

 

[JPINFV]

One of my graduate degree courses was epi. As well I've had biostatistics during my undergrad.

 

[mycrofft]

Methinks I'm hearing the elder forum statespersons.

...but that's encouraging to a degree.

 

[mycrofft]

Has anyone considered infectious disease/public health training..

..as a special case of "Scene Safety"?
Extreme example: Ebola virus outbreaks tend to take out those who handle the patients, such as medical people, family members cleanig the dead before burial, parents tending to sick children, etc.

Who do we think will bear the brunt of a bird flu, SARS, anthrax or Martian Nevergetovers outbreak?
See thread about immunizations/flus shots)

 

[medicdan]

I've been thinking about Public Health a lot recently- particularly in the context of campus EMS-- essentially we are just a large petri dish-- viruses move around campus very quickly. In fact, a few years ago, we had a meningitis case on campus, and more recently an outbreak of both whooping cough and chicken pox-- and have been recently talking about the implications of that for the campus EMS.

To answer the original question, I dont know much about it, but I would love to learn. It should certainly be a part of the Basic program, but there are other modules that should be added first.

 

[mycrofft]

There are microbiology courses offered aimed at health professionals

Why not public health ones? Interweave it into your regular teaching, but a special speaker or inservice provider would be a real kicker to promote it.
PS; have em culture under the litter rails and in the company snack are/galley.