Emergency Care Training in the Caribbean

Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, in short the BES islands of the former Dutch Antilles, each received new high standard ambulances this summer. The new equipment forms the start of the enhancement of the emergency care services on the three islands.

MeduProf-S has been invited to train the nursing staff involved with emergency care and the ambulance drivers. The approach will be integrated since the staff are involved in all parts of the emergency care process, starting with the care in the ambulance to preparing the patient for transfer to a hospital on St. Maarten or Curacao or the mainland of South America. Bonaire is the only island where there is also a special care unit.

From 13th-23rd July MeduProf-S expert in Emergency Care, Erik van Roon and project manager Harmen Grebel prepared and introduced the courses and the train the trainers principle, assessed the needs for training and the competencies of the proposed trainers. Planning and other operational aspects were discussed with the local staff. One of the specific points of attention was the care involved with diving accidents, one of the attractions for the many tourists visiting the three islands.