Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours

Due Date:  Friday January 10, 2014 by 8AM.

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
I am doing my mentorship at Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts Inc. in the Ski Patrol Department
2.   Who is your contact?
David Mix is my contact. He is the manager of the ski patrol department and my mentor. The ski patrol phone number is: (909) 981-9041
3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in 

your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your 

WB)?   
I have done a total of 36 hours. 
4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
Well I have completed more than 10 hours, but I do a lot of the same things each time I go to mentorship. So the 36 hours I have done so far has been with On the Hill Day which is reviewing medical and other skills and going over the hill's protocol as a refresher. I have also put up fencing and rope lines to block of dangerous areas and/or closed areas. I have also done inventory on medical supplies and stocked my vest with necessary medical supplies. I also got to take my friend for a "joy ride" in a toboggan. This was just for practice to learn how to properly handle a toboggan. I also picked up a lot of obstacles such as rocks and pine cones so customers don't get hurt while they ski or snowboard. 

5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone 

number confirming who they should call to verify it.  




*You need 50 hours plus the original 10 in the summer by May.   The 

original 10 from the summer do not count toward the 50.  By the end of the 

year, you will have 60 hours counting that original 10.

Blog 10: Senior Project: The Holiday

Content:

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you over the break with your senior project?
I worked on my mentorship hours over Christmas break. I put in 27 hours over my break. So I now have 36 hours. 

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
I learned a lot from my mentor. He had me do a lot of new things that I have never done before. I did inventory on medical supplies and stocked my vest with medical supplies. I also put up fencing and rope lines by myself for the first time ever. Out of these things, I think the most important thing I learned was putting up rope lines up by myself because I've always just watched people do it, so this was the first time I got to prove myself and show my mentor that I could use the drill and put the PVC pipes in and do my clove hitches to attach the rope to the PVC pipes. 

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers of your EQ, who would you talk to and why?
I would either talk to my mentor because he has been the manager of patrol for a few years now and he has been on patrol for a while. If that doesn't work out, I would talk to a former patroller that is now a nurse and works at a volunteer fire department. I would talk to him because he has been in not only the medical field for a long time but also on patrol and he could give me a lot of insight. 

Mentorship Hours

This month I have been doing a lot of mentorship hours since we actually have snow. My mentorship has been great. I've learned all sorts of new stuff and have gotten to do all sorts of cool stuff. On my first day of mentorship I picked up obstacles and helped put up fencing and rope lines. The next day I went to my mentorship I got to take my friend down in a toboggan. This was just plain awesome! It was really fun because my mentor was egging me on to go faster and my friend was just in the toboggan screaming the entire time. I also refilled my vest with medical supplies. Some of the medical supplies that I included were bandaids, slings, roller gauze, medical tape, and trauma blankets. This made my vest so much fatter and heavier, but that's a good thing. The next day I went up was on Christmas for a couple of hours and I helped put up rope lines and clear off obstacles off the runs. I got to practice my clove hitch knots for this because its the knot we use to put up rope lines. The last day I went up, I trained a new guy. I showed him around and where all the runs were even though they aren't open. I showed him what to do like pick up obstacles, make sure people that are laying down on the runs are okay, make sure all of the fencing and rope lines are up when you go by them, and make sure everything is good to go. I also got to use my own radio for the very first time. This was interesting because it's a really heavy radio and I put it in my radio harness and every time someone would talk over it I got scared because I forgot it was there. I also blocked off the terrain park while they groomed it. At first I blocked it off physically because I was waiting for a drill. Then I put up rope lines and got to use the drill for the very first time. I drilled holes in the snow and then put PVC pipes and bamboo in the holes and then secured rope to the pipes and bamboo by using the clove hitch knot. 

Here's a link to the video of me taking my friend down in the toboggan:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0VxWzGQBDFaVjBzdEN6WUxpNjQ/edit

All the supplies in my vest. There is a trauma blanket, 8 4x4 gauze pads, 4 rolls of gauze, 3 rolls of medical tape, an assortment of bandaids, 3 pairs of gloves, a wet wipe, 6 carabiners, 2 pocket knifes, 1 whistle, and 2 mouth pieces for CPR.  

This is the fencing I helped put up. This is used for making sure customers don't go into areas they aren't supposed to. In this case it's used to block off the gulch that isn't covered in snow.

Blog 9: EQ

Content

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."
Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Takes a stance (Allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ. 

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if it meets the rule of 3 criteria.
• Tell why it does or why it doesn't

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
No this does not meet the rule of 3 criteria because its doesn't give a specific requirement, you would need to give a specific age group. Without the specific age group this question just presents a multiple answer stance. A better question wold be " What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss for adults ages 20-30?" 

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
Yes this meets the rule of 3 criteria. It has great wording. It also leads to a lot of questions to be asked that allows a stance to be taken.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
Yes it meets the rule of 3 criteria because its very specific when it says "satisfies a customer"

 d.  How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
This meets the rule of 3 criteria because its very specific because it uses words that can be defined. There's a lot of room for research and exploration to finding a side. 

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.
What is the best way to treat a patient during the golden hour after a traumatic injury. 

On the Hill Day: November 2, 2013

On Saturday, I spent 9 hours reviewing my skills. There were several stations that I had to rotate through. When I arrived on the mountain, I checked in and paid my associate's due, read and signed the mountain's policies, and took my picture for my season pass. Next, I went on the ski lift to the top of the mountain. When I arrived on top, I waited for the refresher to start.

The first station I went to was CPR(CardioPulmonary Resuscitation). Since I already had my CPR card I just reviewed my skills and listened on to the lecture. The instructor Tom Bates, taught adult, child, and infant CPR. The first thing you want to do for adult CPR is shout and tap the patient so you can check for alertness. For adult CPR, you want to first call for help and an AED(Automated External Defibrillator). Next, you want to do three sets of 30 chest compressions by placing both of your hands on the breastbone and 2 breaths. Until the AED arrives continue your chest compressions and breaths. If someone arrives with an AED immediately take action and use it. Child CPR is the same as adult CPR. For infant CPR, its slightly different. The first thing you want to do for infant CPR is check for alertness by tapping and shouting at the patient. Next, call for help by calling for back up and 9-1-1. Next, turn the infant on its back. Then, you can begin chest compressions by placing two fingers on the breastbone and you give 30 chest compressions. Then you give 2 breaths. You continue this cycle for 3 cycles or until help arrives. We also learned what to do for a choking patient. We learned how to give back blows and how to do the heimlich maneuver.
The next station I went to was IIPP(Injury and Illness Prevention Program), Medical Exposure Records, Infect, Control, Emergency/ Fire, Job Hazards, and PPE(Personal Protective Equipment). This station was to talk about the mountains policies for different emergencies. IIPP is what to do during different types of injuries and illnesses and who to contact. The Medical Exposure Records is for when someone is exposed to chemicals and what to do and who to contact. Emergency/ Fire is the emergency route in case of a fire and what to do when and if there is a fire. Job Hazards includes any chemicals or anything that is a hazard to anyone that works on the mountain. PPE is what equipment to use, when you help a patient to keep your own safety and protect yourself. This equipment includes gloves, safety goggles/glasses, helmets, ear plugs, steel toed boots, and jackets and garbs.
The next station I went to was Incident Investigation Patrol Specific Policies. This station was to talk about Incident Investigations and the different reports you have to fill out for different incidents depending on what happens. They showed us what to do and the instructions to take when you have to do an investigation.
The final station I went to was Ropes and Chair Evacuation. In the ropes station we learned how to tie different knots. The knots we learned how to tie were the Figure Eight knot with the follow through on and off a bite. This knot is used for belaying someone off a chair. The next knot we learned how to tie was a Clove Hitch which is used for doing rope lines for lift lines. The next knot we learned how to do was the Munter Hitch. This knot is similar to the Clove Hitch and it can be used for belaying someone off a chair. We also learned how to tie knots with webbing. We learned how to do a follow through overhand knot with webbing, which is used for making a chest harness or a diaper. Next, we learned how to make a harness using webbing. I thought this would be really hard but it was relatively simple. Finally, we moved on to the Chair Evacuation. Connor( another Junior Patroller) and I went on one of the chairs and Pro Patrollers rescued us off the chair, using standard chair evacuation precautions. It was really cold on the chair but this was the funnest station. Being belayed off of the chair on a t-bar was kind of sketchy but really fun.

This is chest compressions for adult/child CPR.

This is chest compressions for infant CPR. 

This is an AED. An AED is really simple to use you turn on the power button and then follow the directions that the AED tells you. 

These are basic PPE that workers that are exposed to nasty stuff or that are in danger use. 

These are the knots that I learned how to tie during the Ropes station. 

This is a piece of webbing. 

This is the overhand follow through knot I learned how to tie in order to make a chest harness or a diaper.

This is a harness made out of webbing. 

This is Connor being evacuated off the chair using standard chair evacuation precautions. 

Connor sitting on the t-bar, while he is being evacuated off the chair. 

Pro Patrollers lowering Connor down off the chair during the chair evacuation. 

Equipment needed for a chair evacuation. 

The pretty view on the way down from On the Hill Day. 

Pretty view down chair 1.

Best view ever. :) 

Schedule for On the Hill Day 2013.

Sign off sheet before it was all signed.

All the signatures for the different stations for On the Hill Day 2013. 

Adventures in My OEC Class!

This month in my OEC class we did some pretty awesome stuff! One Sunday, I got to go in one of the lift tower maintenance rooms. This was really interesting. We looked around inside and saw how the chair slows down when you get on and off the chair. The chair slows down because as it goes around the bull wheel it actually detaches itself from the wire and once it gets past a certain point, it reattaches itself onto the wire. While we were in the maintenance room, we saw where the control panel was and where everything was. We also got to go out on the ledge of the tower and look out. This was kind of sketchy because the grate was loose, but it was still really awesome. After we got to tour around the lift tower maintenance room we went inside the connex, where Mountain High Ski Patrol stores most of their medical supplies. It was a mess but there were so many supplies, it was interesting to see. We got all the supplies we needed for the day and then we practiced our skills and prepared for the upcoming test by going over multiple choice questions.

Looking out on the grate towards the top of the lift. This was sketchy but fun!

An inside view of the lift tower maintenance room. It looks like an alien ship from the outside.

The ladder to go up and down the lift tower maintenance room. Don't go near the light!

Another view of inside the lift tower maintenance room.

The gauges that tell you what the lift is running low on and when you need to shut down the lift.

The control panel in the lift tower maintenance room.

The last day of my OEC class was test day. It also just happened to be On the Hill Day for Mountain High Ski Patrol as well. There were a lot of patrollers on the mountain, but I thought it was pretty cool. I've always enjoyed On the Hill Days at Baldy, so it was interesting to see how Mountain High does their On the Hill day. When I first arrived we did our 100 multiple choice test, which was easier than I thought it would be, but yet still hard. They gave us 2 hours to complete this, but all of us finished right around the hour and a half mark. After we finished the test, we looked around at different booths that had skis, boots, and snow clothes. We also watched a video on ACL injuries, this was really gnarly! After we finished looking around one of the patrollers said that we should go watch a lift evacuation, so we all hiked up half a mile to watch how to do a lift evacuation. My instructor,  Trevor demonstrated how to do this skill. I've seen and participated as being a patient in a lift evacuation at Baldy, but Mountain High used a different method than Baldy, so this was interesting and cool too see the two different perspectives. After we finished watching the lift evacuation, we hiked back down and they tested us on two different scenarios. The first scenario we got was "someone who hit a box skiing and got an impaled object in their hand and had a difficult time breathing." We took turns being the patroller helping our patient. We had to figure out what was wrong with out patient and help them breathe and stabilize the impaled object. The next scenario we got was "someone who hit their head and was altered and feeling nauseous and had elbow pain." Again, we took turns being the patroller assessing our patient. We had to take standard c-spine precautions and figure out what was wrong with out patient. After we finished the two scenarios, we were tested on five different skills. I was first tested on splinting a humerus fracture. They tested us orally on how we would take standard precautions and the materials that we would use. The next skill I was tested on was administering oxygen. The person testing me tested me on how to administer oxygen using a nasal canula, a non-rebreather mask, and a bag valve mask and how to use a suctioning device. The next skill I was tested on was boot removal. He tested me on how I would take off the boot using a rolling motion and how I would use an additional patroller to hold manual stabilization of the leg. Then I was tested on helmet removal. He tested me on how I would use additional resources to hold manual head stabilization and how I would use a rolling motion to remove the helmet. The last skill I was tested on was a distal femur fracture( the coolest thing ever in my opinion!). During this skill, the person tested me how i would assess the patient and how I would use a Hare traction splint to splint the leg and to pull traction. He made sure I knew the different key factors like having someone pull manual traction on the affected leg and sizing and applying the Hare traction splint. After we ran through all the skills the testers told us if we passed or not. I passed so I am now officially OEC certified and considered an OEC Technician. I am now just waiting for my certification card in the mail. The waiting begins.

A lift evacuation I saw that was demonstrated by my instructor, Trevor Samorajski.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?
My working EQ is: What are the top three things you can do to ensure the best care possible for your patient? 

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.  
The first thing you can do to ensure the best possible care for you patient is when you arrive on scene to the call, go through your primary assessment, which includes making sure your patient has an airway, is breathing adequately, has a good circulation, and has no disabilities. After you assess the ABCD's you want to address any life threatening conditions. Once you notice these treat the life threats. Finally, you want to transport your patient to a better environment. All of this is part of the primary assessment.The next thing you can do to ensure the best possible care of your patient is to do a secondary assessment, which includes getting a head to toe examination of your patient by inspection of any abnormalities and deformities, by touching, and listening for respirations and perfusion. Then you would want to gather your SAMPLE History by asking the patient questions of their symptoms and figuring  out their signs, asking if they have any allergies, if they're on any medications, if they have any past pertinent medical history, when they last ate or drank something, and what they were doing leading up to the accident. All of this is part of your secondary assessment. The last thing you can do to ensure the best possible care for your patient is to hand off your patient to a higher level of care like ALS. You want to do this to ensure that they go to a hospital because we can't diagnose anything, we're only here for immediate response and treatment. 

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 
The most important source I have used to come up with an answer to my working essential question is my Outdoor Emergency Care book. This book was written by Deborah A. Endly, David H. Johe, and Edward C. McNamara. 


4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?
My mentor is David Mix of Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts Inc. He works for patrol and is the manager of the ski patrol at Mt. Baldy. Everything I've been doing has helped me answer my essential question because I've been going on calls and lending a hand for the pro patrollers. While I'm on these calls, I get to see what my fellow patrollers do to respond to a patient in need and that is injured. I just step back and watch and help whenever someone asks me too.