Instructor: Kathy Williams

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Our mission is to provide this enlightening and vital training to all First Responders in the state of Virginia. This includes; firefighters, law enforcement, EMS dispatchers, paramedics, medical and correctional facility/staff. They each have the same thing in common...facing a deaf and hard of hearing person during an emergency situation. The first responders knowledge and understanding of deafness and vocabulary is critical in that moment, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH. Hence the saying, 'a little goes a long way.' We will teach a short list of vocabulary and simple sentences indicative to first responders as well as cultural do's and don'ts during urgent situations that are easily misunderstood. Also, we will provide contact information for First Responders on who to call to get a professional interpreter onsite asap when needed!

We believe one of the ways of being a good and productive citizen, is our duty to make each other feel safe in our community. However, we must first make a connection ensuring that the deaf residents in our communities "voices" are being "heard" like everyone else's. Let’s bridge the gap together! 

Instructor: VCU CTCCE

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

NAEMT’s Breaking Bad News course is an introduction to techniques that can assist EMS clinicians in delivering difficult news to patients’ families and to patients who may be seriously ill or injured. Participants will discuss the impact of breaking bad news, share professional experiences, and role play ways to deliver death notifications to loved ones and caregivers.

Breaking Bad News is offered as a 3-hour classroom course and is appropriate for all levels of EMS practitioners, other medical professionals providing prehospital patient care, and EMS supervisors and administrators, as applicable. Students who successfully complete the course receive a certificate of completion and a provider card good for 4 years. Breaking Bad News is accredited by CAPCE.

Instructor: Heather Davis/Tiffany Almeida

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Educator Workshop

Whether you teach in a classroom, run lab skills, precept in the field, or direct entire education programs, this highly interactive workshop is designed just for you. EMS educators at every level will sharpen the tools that matter most in building competent, confident clinicians.

Participants may attend the entire day or choose either half-day block that best matches their role and interests.

Morning Session – Program Directors & Lead Instructors

This portion of the workshop dives into strategies for building high-performing EMS education programs. Through hands-on activities, participants will learn how to elevate learning environments and design teaching that engages and challenges today’s learners. We will explore active learning methods, including micro-learning and flipped classroom approaches, to strengthen critical thinking and retention while avoiding "death by PowerPoint"..

Afternoon Session – Skills Instructors, Lab Faculty, Preceptors & FTOs

This session focuses on the practical realities of skills development and real-world learner coaching. Attendees will practice structuring hands-on skill sessions based on how adult learners acquire psychomotor skills, and will learn how to run meaningful pre-briefs and debriefs that support deliberate practice and clinical reasoning. Participants will also sharpen their verbal and written feedback skills through practice, feedback, and reflection. 

Instructor: Heather Davis & Tiffany Almeida

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Educator Workshop

Whether you teach in a classroom, run lab skills, precept in the field, or direct entire education programs, this highly interactive workshop is designed just for you. EMS educators at every level will sharpen the tools that matter most in building competent, confident clinicians.

Participants may attend the entire day or choose either half-day block that best matches their role and interests.

Morning Session – Program Directors & Lead Instructors

This portion of the workshop dives into strategies for building high-performing EMS education programs. Through hands-on activities, participants will learn how to elevate learning environments and design teaching that engages and challenges today’s learners. We will explore active learning methods, including micro-learning and flipped classroom approaches, to strengthen critical thinking and retention while avoiding "death by PowerPoint"..

Afternoon Session – Skills Instructors, Lab Faculty, Preceptors & FTOs

This session focuses on the practical realities of skills development and real-world learner coaching. Attendees will practice structuring hands-on skill sessions based on how adult learners acquire psychomotor skills, and will learn how to run meaningful pre-briefs and debriefs that support deliberate practice and clinical reasoning. Participants will also sharpen their verbal and written feedback skills through practice, feedback, and reflection. 

Instructor: Linda Toney

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Who are you mentoring? 

This class instruction will focus on how to support and mentor team members. Discussions will include the MENTOR model and how to implement these strategies into your everyday mindset.

Learning Objectives

? Analyze the difference between supporting, coaching, and mentoring

? Identify the action steps in the MENTOR model

? Prioritize methods to develop mentors and identify mentees

Navigating and Managing Different Generations in the Workplace This class instruction will focus on characteristics of different generations at work and the benefits of a multi-generational workplace. Discussions will include how to develop generational inclusion in your team.

Learning Objectives

? Identify the characteristics of different generations

? Analyze the possible areas of friction between generations at work

? Develop strategies to resolve the differences between generations and foster cooperation at work  

Instructor: VCU CTCCE

ALS/BLS Area 16/11 - 1 hour

ALS/BLS Area 17/12 - 2.5 hours

ALS/BLS Area 18/13 - 0.5 hours

ALS/BLS Area 19/14 - 1 hour

• For healthcare professionals who either direct or participate in the management of cardiac arrest, stroke, or other cardiopulmonary emergencies. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, critical care/intensive care, and surgery such as Physicians, Nurses, and Paramedics, as well as others who need an ACLS course completion card for a job or other requirement.

What does this course teach?

• Systematic approach (assessment)
• High-quality BLS
• Airway management
• Rhythm recognition
• Defibrillation
• Intravenous (IV)/intraosseous (IO) access (information only)
• Use of medications
• Cardioversion
• Transcutaneous pacing
• High-performance teams

Instructor: VCU CTCCE

ALS Area 16/BLS Area 11 - 1.5 hours

ALS Area 17/BLS Area 12 - 1.5 hours

ALS Area 18/BLS Area 13 - 1.5 hour

ALS Area 19/BLS Area 14 - 3.5 hours

NAEMT’s Geriatric Education for EMS course prepares prehospital practitioners to respond to, assess, and care for this fast-growing patient population. This third edition of the course strengthens and enhances practitioners’ ability to provide the best care for older adults in every community.

The GEMS course helps EMS practitioners learn to conduct a comprehensive assessment of geriatric patients. Be­cause the aging process affects all body systems, NAEMT’s course provides an overview of changes that occur as people age and describes how those changes can impact patient pre­sentation. Incorporation of the GEMS Diamond (Geriatric, Environmental, Medical, and Social assessments) can help practitioners formulate a holistic diagnostic and treatment approach.

The third edition of GEMS addresses the following topics:

• Changes with age and assessment of the older patient
• Polypharmacy and Toxicity in Older Patients
• Respiratory Emergencies
• Cardiovascular Emergencies
• Trauma
• Other Medical Disorders
• Neurologic Emergencies
• Elder Maltreatment and Psychosocial Emergencies
• End-of-Life and Palliative Care
• Disaster Triage and Transporting Older Patients
• Left Ventricular Assist Devices
• Skin Disorders
• Ventilators
• Urinary Catheter and Colostomy Bag Care
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

The 8-hour course is appropriate for EMTs, paramedics, emergency medical responders, nurses, physician assistants and physicians. GEMS is accredited by CAPCE and recognized by NREMT.

Instructor: Paul Brasler, LCSW, Chesterfield County

ALS Cat 1 Area 19

BLS Cat 1 Area 14

A lot of misinformation and myths continue to persist about suicide. What are the many risk factors that contribute to suicidal ideation and behaviors? What are the warning signs that a person may act on suicidal thoughts? What can you do when you are concerned that someone may be at risk of suicide? We will answer these questions during this very important course.

Instructor: Heather Davis

ALS Cat 1 Area 19

BLS Cat 1 Area 14

Diabetes emergencies are familiar territory for EMS, but the medications your patients are taking today look very different from those we saw even a few years ago. From oral antihyperglycemics to insulin analogs to the booming class of GLP-1 receptor agonists used for both diabetes and weight loss, these drugs can dramatically influence a patient’s presentation, mask serious illness, or create complications that require rapid EMS intervention.

In this session, we’ll cut through the confusion and unpack the medications you’re most likely to encounter on today’s scenes. You’ll learn how these drugs work, why patients take them, and how to spot the red flags that signal trouble, such as unexpected hypoglycemia, severe GI distress, dehydration, delayed gastric emptying, or the subtle signs of diabetic emergencies made harder to recognize by modern therapies.

Whether you're a new EMT or an experienced paramedic, you’ll leave with practical tools to better understand your patient’s medication list, anticipate complications, and confidently manage diabetes- or weight-management-related emergencies in the field.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the basic mechanisms of action of commonly prescribed at-home diabetes medications and how they influence EMS assessment.
2. Explain how GLP-1 receptor agonists and other weight-management medications work, and how they affect patients’ physiology and emergency presentations.
3. Recognize complications and side effects associated with diabetes and weight-management drugs—especially those that may mimic or mask prehospital emergencies.

Instructor: Dr. Kelley Rumsey

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

This presentation will provide an overview of the Virginia Trauma System and specific pediatric injuries by developmental stages. Case studies will be used to demonstrate common injury types, assessment findings and treatments.  

Learners will understand:

Identify age-specific anatomical, physiological, and developmental differences in pediatric patients and explain how these differences impact injury patterns, assessment, and initial trauma management.

Perform a systematic pediatric trauma assessment using validated approaches (e.g., Pediatric Assessment Triangle, primary and secondary surveys) to rapidly recognize life-threatening injuries and prioritize interventions.

Apply evidence-based principles of pediatric trauma management—including airway management, hemorrhage control, spinal motion restriction, and family-centered communication—to optimize patient outcomes and ensure safe handoff across the continuum of care.

Instructor: Dr. Davis Muron, Orthopedic Surgeon

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

Dr. Muron will review various cases of orthopedic trauma and prehospital treatment of those injuries

Learners will be able to identify:

Recognize common orthopedic injuries associated with trauma—including fractures, dislocations, and compartment syndrome—by correlating mechanism of injury, physical exam findings, and patient presentation.

Perform appropriate initial management of orthopedic trauma using evidence-based practices such as neurovascular assessment, splinting and immobilization, pain management, and injury-specific precautions.

Demonstrate effective interprofessional communication and patient handoff by accurately reporting orthopedic injury findings, interventions performed, and reassessment results to support continuity of care and prevent secondary injury.

Instructor: Will Aiken

ALS Cat 1 Area 16

BLS Cat 1 Area 11

This class will focus on the principles of ventilation. Understanding the fundamentals for effective ventilation, focusing on rate, volume and technique to improve oxygenation and patient outcomes in the prehospital setting

Instructor: Kelly Lewandoski

ALS Cat 1 Area 17

BLS Cat 1 Area 12

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

This class uses real-world stroke case studies to highlight the recognition of large vessel occlusions, prehospital decision-making and the impact of rapid transport on patient outcomes. BE FAST and VAN assessment will be reviewed.

The learner will:

Recognize the signs and symptoms of acute ischemic stroke and Large Vessel Occlusion using validated stroke screening tools (e.g., FAST-ED, LAMS, RACE), and differentiate LVO presentations from other stroke mimics.

Apply prehospital and early hospital assessment findings—including neurological deficits, time of symptom onset, and patient history—to identify patients at high risk for LVO and determine appropriate stroke activation and transport or escalation pathways.

Demonstrate evidence-based communication and coordination between EMS and nursing teams to ensure rapid stroke recognition, accurate handoff, and timely triage to facilities capable of advanced stroke interventions (e.g., thrombectomy-capable centers).

Instructor: Dr. Joanne Lapetina

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

This 2 hour class will focus on 2 parts:

Part 1. Pandemics in history, a look at the playbook.

Part 2. 2026 Germs of concern (and what we can do about them)

Learners will be able to:

Identify high-risk infectious diseases and emerging pathogens of concern during outbreaks and pandemics by recognizing key transmission routes, clinical red flags, and epidemiologic risk factors.

Apply appropriate infection prevention and control measures—including PPE selection, isolation precautions, decontamination, and exposure management—to protect patients, providers, and the community.

Demonstrate effective clinical decision-making and communication during infectious disease events by following current reporting protocols, coordinating with public health agencies, and ensuring accurate handoff and patient education.

Instructor: Jennifer Farmer, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPN, CPST, NRP

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

Little Lives, Big Responsibility: Child restraints in Emergency Vehicles is an educational opportunity for novice and expert EMS providers. Caring for and transporting pediatric patients brings a variety of challenges. Quick fact: In a study published in 2023, greater that 75% of pediatric patients are improperly restrained in emergency vehicles. This session will include an educational presentation and practical car set installation utilizing a stretcher. At the conclusion of the session participants will be able to,

· Verbalize a basic knowledge of car sets and Virginia’s car seat law.

· Describe the distinct features of an ambulance that place children, families, and providers at risk and identify best seating locations.

· Identify various car seat devices available for use in an ambulance and practice installation of these devices on a stretcher.

Instructor: Paul Brasler, LCSW, Chesterfield County

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

From energy shots to synthetic substances, the class prepares EMS providers to recognize and manage patients exposed to so-called Gas Station Drugs in the prehospital setting.

Identify commonly encountered “gas station drugs” (e.g., synthetic cannabinoids, kratom, tianeptine, delta-8/9 products) by recognizing street names, routes of use, and typical clinical presentations.

Assess and manage patients with suspected intoxication or withdrawal from these substances using focused history-taking, toxidrome recognition, supportive care principles, and appropriate escalation of care.

Demonstrate safe clinical decision-making and patient education by addressing complications, understanding legal and regulatory considerations, and effectively communicating risks, treatment, and follow-up during patient handoff.

Instructor: Heather Davis

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

Geriatric trauma patients break all the rules. A “simple fall” can hide catastrophic injuries, “normal” vital signs can mask shock, and medications, from anticoagulants to beta blockers, can quietly shape the whole clinical picture. Older adults don’t present like younger trauma patients, and recognizing those differences early is key to reducing morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population.

Instead of lecturing through lists and physiology charts, this session takes you straight into real-world EMS cases that highlight how quickly “routine” can become life-threatening in older adults. You’ll work through assessments of ground-level falls that reveal hidden spinal fractures, low-speed MVCs with significant chest or abdominal injuries, and anticoagulated patients whose minor head trauma leads to major intracranial bleeding. Each case challenges you to interpret subtle clues, anticipate complications, and tailor your management from airway decisions, bleeding control, spinal precautions, fluid choices, packaging, and transport to the unique vulnerabilities of geriatric trauma patients.

Whether you’re an EMT building confidence or a paramedic ready to refine your approach, this interactive, case-based session will strengthen your skills and sharpen your instincts when it matters most.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1.    Describe how aging physiology affects traumatic injury patterns, compensation, and EMS assessment.

2.    Identify high-risk mechanisms and subtle clinical clues that indicate severe injury in geriatric trauma patients.

3.    Apply evidence-based assessment and management strategies for airway, breathing, circulation, immobilization, and transport in older adults.

4.    Recognize how chronic medications and comorbidities (e.g., anticoagulants, cardiac drugs, osteoporosis) complicate assessment and influence prehospital care decisions.

Instructor: Chris Kroboth

BLS: Cat 1 Area 12

ALS: Cat 1 Area 17

This “pick your path” is focused on exercise and athlete emergencies. The when, the how, and what to do if you run one.

Join us for an education session with a twist on "pick your fate.” This is a progressive and dynamic learning model for patient treatment decision-making and outcomes. We will use case-based simulations to navigate patient care, but there is a catch. We will use the attendees' choice through live polling to decide how to treat each patient. After each treatment, we will review the group decision and outcome. Each session will include two cases that branch exponentially based on you! Are you ready to pick your path?

Learning objectives:

Review and correlate various patient conditions with treatments and how to prioritize their delivery.

Identify athletes prone to sudden cardiac arrest due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Review a case study of Commotio Cordis and long QT syndrome

Instructor: Dr. Kelley Rumsey

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

This course provides EMS professionals with a practical, real-world understanding of how the trauma system functions from the moment of injury through definitive care. Participants will explore the roles and responsibilities of EMS within the trauma system, including field triage, destination decision-making, communication with trauma centers, and interfacility coordination.

Through case-based discussion and system-focused scenarios, the course emphasizes how early recognition, appropriate triage, and timely transport directly impact patient outcomes. Special attention is given to trauma team activation criteria, regional trauma resources, and the EMS provider’s role in ensuring the right patient gets to the right place at the right time.

Instructor: Linda Toney

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 15

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 20

This instruction provides first responders with information to increase their understanding of the necessity for sensitivity and awareness when interacting with the LGBTQ IA+ community.  Each letter/word associated with the acronym LGBTQ IA+ will be explained. In addition, conversations about biases, same sex marriage, and DMV gender markers will occur. The function of an LGBTQ IA+ Liaison, policy/procedure guidance, and recommendations your agency can implement to improve inclusivity, will also be discussed.  

Instructor: Troy Prentice

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

This lecture provides EMS providers with a practical, field-oriented overview of pediatric respiratory distress. Participants will review key anatomical and physiological differences between pediatric and adult patients, common causes of respiratory distress across age groups, and early recognition of respiratory failure. Emphasis is placed on assessment skills, age-appropriate vital signs, and identification of red flags that signal rapid deterioration. The course also covers initial management strategies, including airway positioning, oxygen delivery, ventilation support, and when to escalate care. Through case-based discussion, providers will build confidence in recognizing and managing pediatric respiratory emergencies in the prehospital setting.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe pediatric airway and respiratory anatomy and physiology relevant to EMS care
• Identify common causes and presentations of pediatric respiratory distress
• Perform focused respiratory assessments across pediatric age groups
• Recognize signs of impending respiratory failure
• Apply appropriate initial management and treatment strategies in the field

Instructor: Dr. Kelley Rumsey & Beth Richard

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Trauma is pervasive and exposure to traumatic incidents or series of events have a lasting impact on our patients and teams. Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

In this presentation, we will describe the science of trauma and secondary traumatic stress and offer actionable steps to mitigate their effects. We will apply the concept of Trauma-Informed Care to your approach with patients, families, and coworkers.

Define the principles of trauma-informed care and explain how past trauma can influence patient behavior, communication, and responses to medical assessment and treatment.

Apply trauma-informed communication and assessment strategies—including establishing safety, offering choice, and using respectful language—to reduce re-traumatization during EMS and nursing care.

Demonstrate self-awareness and team-based strategies to recognize provider stress, mitigate secondary traumatic stress, and promote resilience while maintaining compassionate, patient-centered care.

Instructor: Dr. Taylor Wahrenbrock

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

Street Drugs - A review of common drugs of abuse and their prehospital management.

Identify commonly encountered street drugs (e.g., opioids, stimulants, hallucinogens, and depressants) by recognizing street names, routes of administration, and typical signs of intoxication or overdose.

Assess and manage patients with suspected drug-related emergencies using toxidrome recognition, focused history and physical exam findings, and evidence-based supportive and pharmacologic interventions.

Demonstrate safe, compassionate, and effective communication with patients experiencing substance use–related crises, including overdose prevention education, harm-reduction strategies, and accurate interprofessional handoff.

Instructor: Chris Kroboth

BLS: Cat 2

ALS: Cat 1 Area 17

THE HOW, WHY AND WHAT OF POSTERIOR AND RIGHT SIDED EKGS.

J U S T DO IT!

Remember when EMS cornered early STEMI recognition? Remember when we started Cath lab activation early and started saving more and more of the patients heart tissue and function? And we did all of that looking at the less than half the heart. What if we looked at over 2/3 of the heart every time? How many STEMI’s have you missed by not looking at the whole picture? Let this interactive case based class be your change train to doing 15-leads every time!

Explain the purpose and components of the 12-lead ECG and describe when and why additional leads (right-sided and posterior leads) are indicated to create a 15-lead ECG.

Demonstrate correct acquisition of 12-lead and 15-lead ECGs by accurately placing electrodes, minimizing artifact, and identifying common lead placement errors that affect interpretation.

Recognize ischemic and infarction patterns identified by additional leads—including right ventricular and posterior myocardial involvement—and apply findings to clinical decision-making, treatment priorities, and timely communication during patient handoff.

Instructor: Dr. Stephanie Louka/Dr. Dee Watkins & Their Offspring

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

Dealing with kids usually brings about some anxiety with most EMS providers. Come to this workshop and Dr. Louka and Dr. WIllis will work with you during hands-on skills stations with real, live kids! See how pediatric patient interact with you and deal with devices like the pulse ox and more!

Instructor: Linda Toney

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 15

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 20

This instruction provides first responders with information to increase their understanding of the necessity for sensitivity and awareness when interacting with the LGBTQ IA+ community.  Each letter/word associated with the acronym LGBTQ IA+ will be explained. In addition, conversations about biases, same sex marriage, and DMV gender markers will occur. The function of an LGBTQ IA+ Liaison, policy/procedure guidance, and recommendations your agency can implement to improve inclusivity, will also be discussed.  

Instructor: Gabe Justice

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

A review and deeper dive in why we breathe and how we help our patients in respiratory distress.

Instructor: Jennifer Farmer, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPN, CPST, NRP

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

Pediatric calls can be stressful! What happens when the patient also has a tracheostomy, g-tube, home vent, and a VP shunt? The dispatch notes state parents have given compressions to their child twice today. What? They are just now calling 911?!?! More and more medically complex children are being cared for at home and could be your next patient. Come learn more about prehospital care of the medically complex pediatric patient, transport considerations, and put your hands on actual equipment you may see in a patient's home.

Students will learn the following:

Identify common medical technologies used in pediatric patients—such as tracheostomies, ventilators, gastrostomy/jejunostomy tubes, VP shunts, and central lines—and describe their basic function and associated risks.

Perform focused assessment and initial management of high-tech pediatric patients by recognizing device-related complications, prioritizing ABCs, and integrating caregiver knowledge into clinical decision-making.

Demonstrate safe, coordinated care and communication by troubleshooting common device emergencies, adapting interventions to the child’s baseline condition, and providing accurate handoff to receiving teams.

Instructor: Linda Toney, Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Henrico Division of Police

ALS Area 20

BLS Area 15 - 3 hours

It’s critical for all who may need to enter a crime scene to have an awareness and understanding of the key elements of a crime scene.  This class instruction will focus on the role of a first responder at a crime scene and how to reduce crime scene contamination. Discussions also include legal concerns at a crime scene, the impact of the potential destruction of evidence, and how first responders can assist with an investigation

Instructor: Bubby Bish

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Every minute of every day, incident responders put their lives at risk responding to traffic incidents. The 4-hour National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training course teaches every responder community how to safely and quickly clear traffic incidents. Traffic incident responders include emergency medical service (EMS), transportation and public works, fire and rescue, law enforcement, towing and recovery, and other professionals who support traffic incident management.

Efficient incident response requires seamless collaboration and coordination among responders to meet the needs of those injured, ensure the safety of responders and road users, quickly clear the incident, and prevent secondary crashes.

Instructor: Seth Craig

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

Damage to the skin is a common but manageable injury in the wilderness. From blisters to more severe wounds, we will discuss various wilderness-based management principles. Our discussion will include the best way to irrigate the wound to debating primary closure or delayed closure the best treatment in the backcountry.

Learners will be able to identify:

Identify and classify common wilderness-related wounds and injuries—including lacerations, abrasions, punctures, bites, and burns—and recognize environmental factors that increase the risk of infection or complications.

Demonstrate appropriate assessment, cleaning, and stabilization techniques for wounds in austere or resource-limited settings, including improvisation of dressings, hemostasis, and splinting when standard supplies are unavailable.

Apply principles of wound infection prevention, evacuation, and patient monitoring by recognizing signs of infection, deciding when advanced care is necessary, and safely communicating patient status during prolonged transport or delayed access scenarios.

Instructor: Chris Kroboth, LifeLine EMS Training

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

Have you ever had the joy of squishing lemon over a fresh poke bowl or cooked ceviche to get that acidic cooking of your fresh fish? That acid cooks it just right to make it oh so enjoyable. But what if that fish was your organs and that lemon juice was the unregulated hydrogen ion acidosis from your bicarbonate supply tanking. In this interactive case-based course we will go over Sepsis and its stages, pathophysiology and treatments (that seem to change by the minute). We will focus on what EMS’s role is in Sepsis management and also tie in why in the heck is floppy hearts and nitro drips in the title of a sepsis talk. 

• Learning Objectives
• Review and understand the stages and pathophysiology of sepsis with the human body and how to correlate treatment to those signs.
• Understand the what and why to vital sign changes and how to catch progressing sepsis early with subtle changes to things like end-tidal and heart rate.
• Understand the role and early goal directed therapy for EMS in the septic patient and how to be a patient advocate for your patient whether they are early or late in the immune response. 

Instructor: Heather Davis

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

Head injuries can be some of the most high-risk, high-stress encounters in EMS, and no two patients present the same way. Subtle changes in mental status, deceptive vital signs, and hidden intracranial injuries can turn a stable patient unstable in moments. The best clinicians learn to recognize the danger before it becomes obvious.

In this highly interactive, case-driven session, you’ll work through real-world trauma scenarios that mirror what EMS providers face every day, from falls and assaults to MVCs, sports injuries, and anticoagulated elders with “minor” head trauma. With each case, you’ll uncover key assessment findings, decision points, and management choices that influence patient outcomes.

We’ll dig into airway and ventilation strategies, when (and when not) to hyperventilate, how to manage hypotension in suspected TBI, what to do with seizures or posturing, and how medications or intoxication complicate your assessment. Expect practical pearls you can use on your next shift—and a deeper understanding of how your early decisions shape a TBI patient’s survival and neurologic outcome.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1.    Identify key signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury using structured assessment and real-world pattern recognition.

2.    Apply evidence-based management strategies for airway, oxygenation, ventilation, perfusion, and seizure control in head-injured patients.

3.    Analyze case-based scenarios to differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe TBI presentations and determine appropriate interventions and transport decisions.

4.    Recognize complicating factors—such as anticoagulant use, alcohol intoxication, age-related vulnerability, and multi-system trauma—that influence assessment and care.

Instructor: Christina Lack

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 17

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 12

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Posterior circulation strokes are frequently missed, misidentified, or delayed—often because they don’t present like “classic” strokes. This course takes EMS providers behind the scenes of posterior stroke recognition, focusing on the subtle, atypical, and easily overlooked signs that can dramatically affect patient outcomes.

Participants will explore posterior stroke anatomy, pathophysiology, and presentation, with emphasis on symptom patterns such as dizziness, ataxia, visual disturbances, altered mental status, and nausea/vomiting. Through case-based discussion and EMS-focused scenarios, the course highlights common pitfalls in prehospital assessment and offers practical strategies to improve early recognition, communication, and transport decisions.

Designed for both BLS and ALS providers, this course strengthens clinical suspicion and reinforces the critical role EMS plays in reducing delays to definitive stroke care.

Learning Objectives include:

• Differentiate posterior circulation stroke from more common anterior stroke presentations
• Recognize high-risk symptom clusters often mistaken for benign conditions
• Identify limitations of standard stroke screening tools in posterior stroke
• Improve EMS assessment, documentation, and hospital notification for suspected posterior stroke
• Apply case-based lessons to real-world prehospital decision-making

If you’d like, I can:

• Tighten this into a short conference or CE listing
• Adjust tone for state or national CE approval
• Add emphasis on LVO screening, stroke scales, or transport protocols
• Create a matching description for a “Behind the SCenes” course series

Instructor: Lt. Jairus Munson, Henrico Division of Fire

ALS: Cat 2

BLS: Cat 1 Area 11

RSI can be an intense intervention. This class will review the RSI process and show the EMT where he/she can most assist the ALS provider and the patient.

Instructor: Garret Shields

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

1.              Resting on the laurels of traditional tactics for EMS education, both continuing and initial, all too often results in reduced comprehension of content, lack of student engagement, and lower passing rates for NREMT candidates. This session will introduce the flipped classroom model and why it should be utilized for better EMS education. We will explore the many benefits of its use and how to integrate educational theory to create better lesson plans. In addition, we will identify ways to better educate our adjunct educators. The session will conclude by allowing session attendees to engage in a brief flipped lesson activity.

Instructor: Kate Schulz/Dr. Chelsea Hutchinson

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

We’ll discuss the introduction of the Trauma Diamond of Death, and new trends in resuscitation…like, stop using saline for trauma patients! We’ll review the various types of blood products and what’s needed when, and discuss the benefits of whole blood vs products. We’ll talk about strategies like permissive hypotension that require critical thinking from our field medics to help keep a trauma patient alive.

Explain the rationale for using blood products over crystalloids in trauma resuscitation, including the effects on oxygen delivery, hemostasis, and prevention of dilutional coagulopathy.

Demonstrate proper handling, administration, and monitoring of blood products in the prehospital environment, including IV/IO setup, warming, transfusion safety, and recognition of transfusion reactions.

Apply clinical decision-making to identify trauma patients who would benefit from field blood product administration, including assessment of hemodynamic status, injury severity, transport time, and coordination with receiving trauma centers.

Instructor: Seth Craig

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

This is not a fashion lesson on how to look good while hiking! Rather, we will discuss how to care for various common skin problems in the wilderness. From sunburn to poison ivy to jellyfish, we will look at common correct and incorrect treatments in the wilderness. Both the hiking hobbyist and wilderness EMS provider will benefit.

Identify common wilderness-related dermatologic conditions—including insect bites, plant exposures (e.g., poison ivy, oak, sumac), fungal infections, sunburns, and pressure injuries—and recognize signs of severe or systemic involvement.

Demonstrate assessment and initial management strategies for dermatologic conditions in austere environments, including wound care, topical and systemic treatments, and improvisation when standard resources are limited.

Apply preventive strategies and patient education to reduce dermatologic complications in wilderness settings, including insect bite prevention, sun protection, hygiene, and early recognition of infection or allergic reactions.

Instructor: Chris Kroboth

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

This “pick your path” is focused on patients with altered levels of consciousness. The when, the how, and what to do if you run one.

Join us for an education session with a twist on "pick your fate.” This is a progressive and dynamic learning model for patient treatment decision-making and outcomes. We will use case-based simulations to navigate patient care, but there is a catch. We will use the attendees' choice through live polling to decide how to treat each patient. After each treatment, we will review the group decision and outcome. Each session will include two cases that branch exponentially based on you! Are you ready to pick your path?

Recognize and differentiate the potential causes of altered level of consciousness—including metabolic, neurologic, toxicologic, infectious, and traumatic etiologies—through focused history, vital signs, and physical assessment.

Perform a systematic emergency assessment of patients with ALOC using tools such as the Glasgow Coma Scale, airway/breathing/circulation evaluation, and rapid neurologic assessment to identify life-threatening conditions.

Apply evidence-based interventions and escalation strategies for patients with ALOC, including airway management, glucose correction, seizure control, and timely communication and handoff to higher levels of care.

Instructor: Heather Davis

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

Pain is one of the most common reasons people call 9-1-1, and many arrive with a complicated mix of prescribed, over-the-counter, and sometimes misused medications already on board. Opioids, NSAIDs, neuropathic agents, muscle relaxants, and mixed-mechanism pain meds can all dramatically influence your assessment, your treatment choices, and your patient’s risks during transport.

In this practical, clinically focused session, we’ll unpack the pain medications you encounter most often in the field and explore how they work, what they mask, and when they create danger. You’ll learn how home analgesics can point to underlying pathology, worsen respiratory status, complicate your pharmacologic management, or mimic other conditions entirely.

Whether you’re treating chronic pain patients, sorting out medication lists after a fall, or navigating unclear complaints in the middle of the night, this session will give you practical tools to cut through the confusion. Expect real-world examples, clear explanations, and simple mental models you can rely on when every second counts. You’ll walk away better equipped to recognize when pain meds help your patient—and when they’re quietly making things worse.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate common classes of pain medications, including opioids, NSAIDs, acetaminophen-containing combinations, neuropathic agents, and muscle relaxants.
2. Describe how at least three classes of analgesics work, and how they influence EMS assessment and treatment decisions in both trauma and medical calls.
3. Identify high-risk medication interactions and side effects, including those that increase the risk of respiratory depression, GI bleeding, altered mental status, or masking time-sensitive conditions.

Instructor: Ricky Battle

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

Even with solid training, good instincts, and clear protocols, EMS providers know one universal truth: patients, and scenes, don’t always follow the script. Sometimes what you find is stranger, more dangerous, or more confusing than anything you expected. These are the moments when assessment skills matter most.

In this case-driven session, you’ll walk through real medical and trauma calls from a busy metropolitan EMS system where things took surprising turns. Each scenario highlights an unexpected complication, misleading presentation, or atypical set of clues that challenged even experienced crews. Together, we’ll explore what providers saw, what they missed at first glance, how they adapted, and what assessment strategies helped reveal the true problem.

If you enjoy learning from memorable calls, sharpening your clinical reasoning, and preparing for the unpredictable, this session will keep you engaged, thinking, and ready for whatever shows up next.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify assessment pitfalls that arise when patient presentations or scene conditions deviate from expectations.
2. Analyze medical and trauma case scenarios to determine which clues helped (or could have helped) guide correct assessment and decision-making.
3. Apply flexible, evidence-informed assessment strategies to adapt quickly when calls take unexpected or unusual turns.

Instructor: Kate Fletcher

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

Objectives:

• Define Autism as a neurological difference that affects how people think, communicate, move, interact, and perceive the world.
• Describe how Autism can affect each person differently.
• Recognize several common characteristics of Autistic people.
• Challenge some myths and misconceptions about Autism.
• Review de-escalation strategies to use when interacting with Autistic individuals.
•  Identify ways to support an Autistic individual during an emergency.
•  Apply knowledge of de-escalation and support strategies in scenarios.

Instructor: Megan Vaughan, Bon Secours Manager for Cardiovascular Data

ALS: Cat 1 Area 17

BLS: Cat 1 Area 12

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of an early heart attack can save your life. During this in-service, we will discuss reasons to obtain and transmit and EKG within 10 minutes of arrival to patient and the importance of early Cath Lab activation. We will also discuss the care pathway of the STEMI patient along with how improved documentation improves patient care and outcomes. 

Recognize STEMI on a 12-lead ECG and identify high-risk presentations, including anterior, inferior, posterior, and right ventricular involvement, to guide rapid triage and activation of reperfusion protocols.

Apply evidence-based prehospital and early hospital interventions for STEMI patients, including oxygen therapy, aspirin and other antiplatelet administration, pain management, and preparation for reperfusion therapy (PCI or thrombolytics).

Demonstrate effective communication and coordination between EMS and receiving facilities, including accurate handoff, transmission of ECGs, and facilitation of time-sensitive STEMI care pathways to improve patient outcomes.

Instructor: Tiffany Almeida

ALS Cat 2

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Want to feel more confident and prepared when assisting an ALS provider?

This hands-on course is designed to build confidence and competence in supporting advanced airway and respiratory interventions. Participants will gain practical experience assisting with intubation, CPAP, supraglottic airway placement, and capnography. Students will also have the opportunity to practice administering injections in a supervised, skills-based setting.

Instructor: Ken Clark, Metro Flying Squad

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

This class covers on-scene rehab essentials to help firefighters and EMS providers recover, rehydrate, and reset safely during operations. Learn how proper rehab improves performance, prevents injury and gets crews back in service ready to go!

Instructor: Heather Davis

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

Remember all those quirky, high-yield facts you swear you learned once but haven’t thought about since? From pulsus paradoxus and Cushing’s triad to Parkland burn calculations and neuro assessment signs, this session brings them all back in the most entertaining way possible.

Get ready for a fast-paced, competitive, game-show–style review packed with buzzers, team challenges, polls, and scenario twists that test your memory and spark your clinical intuition. You’ll face low-frequency, high-criticality concepts that matter when the stakes are highest, and rediscover why they were important in the first place.

If you enjoy a good clinical throwback, a little friendly competition, and a chance to sharpen skills you didn’t realize had drifted into the shadows, this session will have you laughing, learning, and saying, “Oh yeah… I DO remember that!”

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Define at least three clinical terms or concepts they had previously forgotten or rarely used.
2. Describe at least three low-frequency, high-criticality conditions that require rapid recognition in the field.
3. Explain why ongoing review and continuous learning are essential to maintaining clinical readiness as an EMS professional.

Instructor: Lt. Jairus Munson, Henrico Division of Fire

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

You remember the game show on TV right??! Well come join us to play Win, Lose or Draw - EMS Style!!! It's a great way to review anatomy and more! Come and laugh at our drawings!

Instructor: Garret Shields

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

As EMS providers, we are trained to handle the most critical emergencies, whether it’s a 67-year-old male with chest pain, a 72-year-old female experiencing a stroke, or a 65-year-old in cardiac arrest. We often respond to these calls calmly and continue our shift. However, nothing induces more fear and anxiety than a pediatric call. Initial training often limits pediatric care to just a few chapters in a textbook, and continuing education can sometimes be reduced to a quick merit badge course, leaving significant gaps in pediatric knowledge and decreasing our preparedness to care for children. This results in increased stress, a higher likelihood of mistakes, and the instinct to leave the scene quickly before even arriving.

This session will cover how to approach pediatric calls in the same way we respond to adult calls, helping providers get into the right mindset when dealing with children and shifting how we think. We will discuss some of the most common fears, myths, and misconceptions about pediatric care in EMS so that fear won't be a factor for you!

Identify common behavioral, developmental, and emotional factors that make pediatric patients appear “scary” or difficult to manage, including fear, pain, agitation, and past traumatic experiences.

Apply effective communication and de-escalation strategies—including age-appropriate language, distraction techniques, and family involvement—to reduce stress, gain cooperation, and improve patient assessment and care.

Demonstrate safe and compassionate clinical management by balancing the need for rapid interventions with trauma-informed approaches, minimizing restraint or force, and promoting a positive care experience for both the child and the provider.

Instructor: Ricky Battle

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

The best providers, new or seasoned, share one thing in common: they never lose respect for what’s at stake. A small dose of fear, not panic, but healthy vigilance, keeps us sharp. It’s the awareness that missing a subtle sign, skipping a step, or becoming complacent could put a patient, a partner, or a career at risk. Also, as providers the ability to assess ourselves can be our most effective tool in mitigating our own detrimental behaviors.

In this session, we’ll explore some common causes and behaviors that can develop over time that handicap our ability to do our best work and negatively affect many aspects of our job. Through case examples and candid discussion, we’ll identify a few of the “usual suspects” to better mitigate their impact & influence on ourselves and those we serve.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between healthy vigilance and unproductive anxiety in the EMS work environment.
2. Apply practical strategies to use healthy fear to maintain thoroughness, attention to detail, and situational awareness.
3. Recognize how humility and self-awareness contribute to safer decisions, stronger teamwork, and higher-quality patient care.

Instructor: Kathy Williams

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Our mission is to provide this enlightening and vital training to all First Responders in the state of Virginia. This includes; firefighters, law enforcement, EMS dispatchers, paramedics, medical and correctional facility/staff. They each have the same thing in common...facing a deaf and hard of hearing person during an emergency situation. The first responders knowledge and understanding of deafness and vocabulary is critical in that moment, IT COULD BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH. Hence the saying, 'a little goes a long way.' We will teach a short list of vocabulary and simple sentences indicative to first responders as well as cultural do's and don'ts during urgent situations that are easily misunderstood. Also, we will provide contact information for First Responders on who to call to get a professional interpreter onsite asap when needed!

We believe one of the ways of being a good and productive citizen, is our duty to make each other feel safe in our community. However, we must first make a connection ensuring that the deaf residents in our communities "voices" are being "heard" like everyone else's. Let’s bridge the gap together! 

Instructor: Asst. Chief Mike Garnett

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

ALS Cat 1 Area 20

Ensuring high-quality pediatric emergency care begins with system readiness, provider competence, and strong organizational leadership.

This workshop introduces EMS clinicians to the vital role of the Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC) and outlines

how this position enhances agency preparedness, training, quality improvement, and overall pediatric care delivery.

Participants will explore the responsibilities and qualifications of a PECC, review national guidance and research supporting the position, and examine common gaps in current pediatric EMS systems—including training deficits, equipment challenges, and administrative barriers.

The course emphasizes developing agency priorities, building collaborative partnerships, and implementing evidence-based pediatric protocols

and performance improvement processes.

Participants will also gain practical strategies for pediatric education planning, skills maintenance, medical direction engagement,

safe transport practices, and family-centered care. Key concepts such as mental preparedness, provider confidence, recognition-primed decision making (RPD),

and pediatric-specific competencies are integrated throughout to strengthen clinical decision-making and system performance.

By the end of this workshop, attendees will be equipped to establish, support, or enhance a PECC program within their agency—promoting a culture of pediatric readiness, advocacy, and continuous improvement across the EMS pediatric spectrum.

Instructor: VCU CTCCE

ALS: Cat 1 Area 16

BLS: Cat 1 Area 11

This is a hands-on, guided dissection lab of a pig pluck (heart and lungs). Participants will review lung anatomy and respiratory physiology, with focused discussion on pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, and tension pneumothorax, as well as detailed cardiac anatomy including the chambers, valves, great vessels, and clinical correlation to cardiac tamponade.

Specimens are fresh-frozen and contain no chemical preservatives or fixatives (e.g., formaldehyde).

Instructor: Tiffany Almeida

ALS Cat 2

BLS Cat 1 Area 15

Want to feel more confident and prepared when assisting an ALS provider?

This hands-on course is designed to build confidence and competence in supporting advanced airway and respiratory interventions. Participants will gain practical experience assisting with intubation, CPAP, supraglottic airway placement, and capnography. Students will also have the opportunity to practice administering injections in a supervised, skills-based setting.

Instructor: Heather Davis, EdD, NRP, Director of Student Assessment, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

Shortness of breath is one of the most high-risk, high-frequency complaints in EMS, and the medications your patient uses at home can be the key to understanding what’s happening in front of you. Some inhalers and respiratory meds can help guide your assessment, but others can worsen the situation if used incorrectly, especially during an acute asthma or COPD flare.

In this practical, field-focused session, we will simplify the complex world of respiratory pharmacology into three clear mechanisms you can immediately apply on your next shift. You’ll learn what each medication class actually does in the lungs, how to recognize when a patient is heading toward respiratory failure, and which home meds or combinations should raise your red flags.

Whether you're an EMT building a stronger foundation or a paramedic fine-tuning advanced decision-making, you’ll leave with a sharper understanding of how home respiratory medications shape your assessment and prehospital treatment.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the three most common underlying pathologies responsible for shortness of breath presentations in the prehospital environment.
2. Explain why each major class of respiratory medications is used in EMS care, and compare their mechanisms to support better, more targeted treatment decisions.
3. Differentiate mucolytics, antitussives, and expectorants, and describe how each may impact a patient’s symptoms and EMS management.

Instructor: Ricky Battle

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

EMS can be one of the most rewarding careers in the world, but breaking into it hasn’t always been easy. New providers often struggle to find their footing, volunteers sometimes feel like outsiders, and seasoned staff may unintentionally send signals that discourage engagement and long-term commitment. In an era where recruitment and retention are major challenges, creating a culture of belonging isn’t optional, it’s essential.

In this session, we’ll explore what it really means to “treat people like family” in a professional, mission-driven organization. Through realistic examples and discussion, you’ll learn simple, meaningful ways to welcome new providers, support volunteers, strengthen crew cohesion, and create the kind of environment where people feel valued, respected, and motivated to stay. Small shifts in communication and behavior, on any shift, by any provider, can make the difference between someone feeling like they belong… or feeling like they don’t.

Whether you’re a preceptor, FTO, supervisor, volunteer leader, or simply someone who wants to make your station a better place to work, you’ll walk away with concrete, actionable strategies to build a stronger, more connected EMS workforce.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe how belonging, inclusion, and team culture influence recruitment, engagement, and workforce retention in EMS.
2. Identify behaviors that create welcoming, supportive environments for new members, volunteers, and long-tenured staff.
3. Apply simple, high-impact communication strategies that make colleagues feel valued, respected, and part of the team from day one.

Instructor: Mike Abbott, Chesterfield Fire & EMS

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

CFEMS established its Mobile Integrated Health Program in 2014 and over the last 10 years many people have had a hand in laying the bricks that have paved this road to a successful Fire Department Based MIH program. During this 1 hour talk, Mike will touch on the basics of how an MIH program can benefit your department, the roles and responsibilities of a MIH provider, ALS vs BLS providers in your program, building community partnerships, where to start as it applies to MIH programs, and navigating the world of Addiction/MAT from an MIH standpoint. 

Instructor: Chris Stevenson

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Burn injuries present unique challenges for EMS providers, requiring rapid assessment, sound clinical judgment, and timely intervention. This course uses a case-study–based approach to examine the prehospital management of burn patients across a variety of scenarios, from minor thermal injuries to severe, life-threatening burns.

Through real-world cases, participants will review burn pathophysiology, severity assessment, and initial management priorities, including airway considerations, fluid resuscitation principles, pain management, and transport decisions. Emphasis is placed on recognizing high-risk burn patterns, avoiding common prehospital pitfalls, and understanding how early EMS care impacts patient outcomes.

Designed for both BLS and ALS providers, this course reinforces practical decision-making and integrates current best practices into everyday EMS operations.

Learning Objectives include:

• Classify burn types and estimate burn severity using case-based examples
• Identify critical airway and inhalation injury concerns in burn patients
• Apply appropriate prehospital burn management and pain control strategies
• Recognize indications for burn center transport and early consultation
• Evaluate common mistakes in burn care through real-world EMS scenarios

Instructor: Captain Jerry Pruden, Chesterfield Fire & EMS

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 15

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 20

This presentation is based on the following scientific publication: “Vehicle submersion: A review of the problem, associated risks and survival information.” Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine 2013. The presentation will show the recommended steps that occupants of a submerged vehicle should follow to quickly and safely escape the vehicle. It will also discuss recommended protocols that Emergency Communication Center Operators should follow when they receive a call from the occupant of a submerged vehicle. The presentation will show a tool that all vehicle operators should carry to aid in their escape. Following the steps taught in this class could save your life one day!

Instructor: Heather Davis

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

Your first 60 seconds with a trauma patient can define their entire outcome. The primary survey is more than a checklist, it’s a rapid, life-saving process designed to find and fix the problems that kill patients right now. In this session, you’ll learn how to perform a streamlined, high-yield primary assessment that cuts through chaos and zeroes in on airway compromise, catastrophic bleeding, respiratory failure, and shock before they become irreversible.

Using real-world examples and updated trauma guidelines, we’ll refine your approach to airway decisions, bleeding control, oxygenation, spinal motion restriction, and rapid transport considerations. If you want to feel more confident and decisive when seconds matter, this session will get you there.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Perform an organized, rapid primary survey using modern trauma principles.
2. Identify immediately life-threatening conditions and initiate evidence-based interventions.

Prioritize treatment and transport decisions based on primary assessment findings

Instructor: Bon Secours Heart Failure Team

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 12

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 17

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

This class will review the current state of the art treatment in heart failure management. We will discuss the rationale for medical therapy, treatment outcomes, and provide a detailed overview of device choices. LVAD implantation and successes will be reviewed as well as emergent evaluation of the LVAD patient at home.

Explain the pathophysiology of heart failure and the function of Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs), including indications, components, and how device support alters patient physiology and vital signs.

Perform focused assessment and initial management of patients with LVADs and heart failure by recognizing device alarms, assessing perfusion without relying solely on blood pressure, and identifying complications such as bleeding, infection, or pump thrombosis.

Demonstrate safe clinical decision-making and interprofessional communication by initiating appropriate interventions, coordinating with specialty teams, and providing accurate handoff to receiving facilities.

Instructor: Ricky Battle

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 15

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 20

Every medical call begins long before the patient speaks. The scene itself offers early clues including living conditions, medications, environmental hazards, behaviors, odors, posture, even what’s not present. When combined with subtle patient cues such as tone of voice, breathing patterns, mental status changes, and body language, these details can reveal critical information long before vital signs or diagnostics do.

In this session, you’ll learn how to blend observation with clinical reasoning to build a more accurate working diagnosis for medical patients. Through real-world examples and short case scenarios, we’ll explore how to spot red flags, interpret subtle findings, and connect seemingly unrelated clues into a coherent clinical story. By thinking like a detective, you’ll strengthen your ability to make faster, more accurate decisions and deliver targeted, effective care across a wide range of medical presentations.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key scene and patient cues that provide early insight into underlying medical conditions.
2. Analyze observational findings within context to create a more accurate and informed clinical impression.
3. Apply detective-style thinking to connect environmental clues, patient behavior, and clinical data into a coherent assessment that guides timely and appropriate management.

Instructor: Dusty Page

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

This presentation will assist front line healthcare providers in developing a rapid systematic approach to pediatric assessment. It will also empower the health care providers to make a rapid determination of which primary hands-on assessment is most appropriate for the situation. We will explore the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PATs), ABCs, and CABs as tools in pediatric assessment.

At the completion of this presentation HCP should be able to:

·       Discuss importance of having a systematic approach of assessment to the critically ill pediatric patient

·       Identify the two main components of the pediatric emergency assessment

·       From the doorway assessment, chose which primary hands-on assessment to begin

Instructor: Dr. Jenny Fox & Dr. Joseph Khoury

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

Neonatal resuscitation class focusing on management of neonatal stabilization for first responders and ED providers. This course will review updated American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association recommendations for neonatal resuscitation, followed by hands on resuscitation skills practice for first responders, and practicing team work dynamics with delivery resuscitation and stabilization simulations using out of hospital scenarios based on real NICU transport team experiences.

Instructor: Bob Page

ALS: Cat 1 Area 16

BLS: Cat 1 Area 11

Research shows that often, EMS providers have trouble ventilating patients. In this eye-opening session, Bob reviews the latest data for ventilation in cardiac arrest, and then lays out the incredible findings of his ongoing High-Performance Ventilation workshops. Since 2022, Bob collected data from hundreds of classes, coast to coast, thousands of participants, BLS and ALS Providers. Students performed ventilations on high performance simulators, through the Manual Ventilation Academy while monitoring rate, volume, and pressures. Bob gathered baseline data and then used state-of-the art feedback devices to show ways to improve ventilations and help students develop muscle memory and to use real time feedback during ventilations. After the training, marked skill improvements were recorded in all measured parameters. Bob also did control manikin trials: a real person with a BVM versus mechanical ventilators. The results are very interesting! Come see some sweeping recommendations to put the “P” back in CPR and deliver better ventilation performance in all your patients. Is the answer to better ventilation a new device to make it “safe” or “smart”?. Maybe a new all in one design for BVM? Don’t purchase anything until you hear this talk! From this course Bob has launched the Manual Ventilation Academy dedicated to improving manual ventilation through high performance ventilation workshops. 

Objectives: By the end of the class the participant will be able to 

1.   Describe the two pillars of high-performance ventilation (HPV)

2.   Discuss the effect of rate, volume and pressure have on high performance ventilation

3.   Describe the importance of ventilation feedback devices and continuous feedback in assuring high quality ventilations. 

Outline:

I.                Definition of the problem

a.    Literature review of poor ventilation

b.    Bad habits

II.              Monitor Tidal Volumes

a.    Ventilation feedback devices

b.    Feedback on rates

III.            Tidal Volume frauds (what works and what doesn’t actual student usage)

a.    Small BVM

b.    Flow controls in and out

c.     Vi measurements only

IV.            Success in the literature

a.    Relevant studies

b.    Proof of competency through simulation and feedback 

Instructor: VCU CTCCE

ALS: Cat 1 Area 16

BLS: Cat 1 Area 11

This is a hands-on, guided dissection lab of a pig pluck (heart and lungs). Participants will review lung anatomy and respiratory physiology, with focused discussion on pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, and tension pneumothorax, as well as detailed cardiac anatomy including the chambers, valves, great vessels, and clinical correlation to cardiac tamponade.

Specimens are fresh-frozen and contain no chemical preservatives or fixatives (e.g., formaldehyde).

Instructor: Garret Shields/Michael D'Angelo

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

1. It’s no secret that most EMS providers are uncomfortable handling pediatric calls. Add a child who has communication issues and is sick or injured, and you create a recipe for stressed-out providers and crews. To make it more challenging, the National EMS Education Standards allocate only a small percentage of requirements for pediatric patients and those with special needs. This session will explore the special needs pediatric population, including Autism, Non-verbal, and Deaf patients, and how to better assess and care for them. The session will conclude with a basic sign language instruction that will help attendees communicate more effectively with deaf and non-verbal patients.

Instructor: Heather Davis

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

Once the life threats are addressed, the real detective work begins. The secondary assessment reveals the injuries that aren’t obvious at first glance, the subtle clues, delayed presentations, and hidden dangers that can change everything. This session will sharpen your ability to perform a systematic head-to-toe exam, gather high-value history, interpret mechanism of injury, and identify conditions that require urgent transport or specialty care.

We’ll cover practical strategies for pain assessment, splinting principles, burn grading, neurologic evaluation, rib and pelvic injuries, serial reassessments, and the vital importance of recognizing when your patient is quietly getting worse. You’ll also learn key “trauma axioms” that challenge outdated habits and strengthen your clinical reasoning.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1.    Perform a focused or comprehensive secondary assessment that builds on the primary survey.

2.    Relate detailed exam and history findings to likely injury patterns and evolving pathology.

3.    Apply modern trauma management principles to guide splinting, monitoring, packaging, reassessment, and destination decisions.

Instructor: Madison Bompard

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 19

There are thousands of the substances that are toxic to humans and can present with a variety of signs/symptoms. This class will review the common toxidromes that EMS sees and how to respond to those emergencies.

Review toxic ingestions, both intentional and unintentional.

Discuss immediate resuscitation needs and transport.

Instructor: Ashley Zelenak

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 19

This class uses real-world pediatric case studies to enhance clinical decision-making and critical thinking for EMS providers. Participants will work through a variety of pediatric emergencies, focusing on patient assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment priorities, and communication challenges unique to pediatric patients and their caregivers. Emphasis is placed on recognizing subtle signs of deterioration, avoiding common pitfalls, and applying evidence-based interventions in the prehospital setting. Through guided discussion and scenario analysis, providers will strengthen their confidence and competence when caring for pediatric patients.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply systematic assessment techniques to pediatric patients
• Develop and prioritize differential diagnoses using case-based scenarios
• Identify common challenges and errors in pediatric prehospital care
• Improve clinical decision-making under time-sensitive conditions
• Enhance communication with pediatric patients, families, and receiving facilitie

Instructor: Dr. Leslie Burrell

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 12

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 17

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Aortic Dissection is rare, deadly and often mistaken for more common emergencies. This class equips EMS providers with practical tools to recognize key warning signs, differentiate dissection from other chest pain complaints and prioritize rapid transport to improve patient outcomes.

Identify the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of aortic dissection by correlating patient history, pain characteristics, vital sign abnormalities, and physical exam findings with high-risk presentations.

Perform a rapid, systematic assessment of patients with suspected aortic dissection including bilateral blood pressure and pulse evaluation, neurologic assessment, and recognition of complications such as stroke, cardiac tamponade, or shock.

Apply evidence-based early management and communication strategies to support patient stabilization, blood pressure and heart rate control, pain management, and expedited transport or escalation to definitive care.

Instructor: Dusty Page

BLS: Cat: 1 Area: 14

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 19

When a child presents with poor perfusion, it is imperative to be able to rapidly assess the patient and determine if he is in shock. It is essential to decide if a child is in shock and what type it is prior to treatment. Using current pediatric shock recommendations, we will contrast and compare the four main types of shock in the pediatric patient and the initial treatment of each one.

Objectives:

·       Identify the four major categories of shock.

·       Describe two key defining assessments of each type of shock.

Instructor: Dr. Shraddha Mainali

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

Altered levels of consciousness are common in patients with acute brain injury, yet distinguishing coma from other disorders of consciousness in the prehospital setting can be challenging. This course equips EMS providers with the knowledge and practical tools needed to recognize, assess, and communicate findings related to coma and disorders of consciousness during initial patient contact.

Using case-based discussion and field-relevant scenarios, participants will review the spectrum of consciousness—from coma to minimally conscious states—and how traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries can affect neurologic function. Emphasis is placed on focused neurologic assessment, Glasgow Coma Scale interpretation and limitations, identifying red flags for secondary brain injury, and optimizing early prehospital management to improve outcomes.

Designed for both BLS and ALS providers, this course strengthens clinical recognition, decision-making, and handoff communication for patients with suspected acute brain injury.

Identify common causes of altered level of consciousness related to acute brain injury—including traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, and cerebral edema—using patient history, mechanism of injury, and neurologic findings.

Perform a rapid and systematic neurologic assessment of patients with suspected acute brain injury by utilizing tools such as the Glasgow Coma Scale, pupillary assessment, and focused motor and sensory evaluation to detect deterioration.

Apply evidence-based early management strategies to optimize cerebral perfusion and oxygenation, including airway protection, ventilation control, blood pressure management, and timely communication and transport to appropriate neurologic care facilities.

Instructor: Asst. Chief Mike Garnett

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

Pediatric emergencies are among the most challenging situations EMS providers face. Low call frequency, anatomical and physiological differences,

communication barriers, and heightened emotional stress can make caring for children feel overwhelming. This course will help to build EMS clinicians’ confidence,

competence, and control when managing pediatric patients. This course explores the core challenges of pediatric prehospital care, including assessment barriers,

medication and equipment variations, and special situations unique to children. Using practical strategies, like the 4 C’s of control—Calmness, Confidence, Competence,

and Compassion—providers will develop tools to better prepare for and manage pediatric calls. Emphasis is placed on preplanning, situational awareness, team coordination, and family-centered care.

By the end of this program, EMS providers will be better equipped to manage stress, overcome common barriers, and deliver safe, effective, and reassuring care to their smallest patients

Instructor: Dr. Michael Webb

BLS Cat 1 Area 13

ALS Cat 1 Area 18

This class gives EMS professionals a practical overview of how to recognize and manage dental injuries in the field. Topics include common tooth and mouth injuries, basic pain and bleeding control, and proper handling of knocked-out teeth. The focus is on simple, effective prehospital care that can make a real difference for patients before they reach definitive treatment.

Identify common types of dental and oral trauma—including tooth fractures, avulsions, luxations, and soft tissue injuries—by recognizing injury patterns, patient age considerations, and mechanisms of injury.

Perform appropriate initial assessment and management of dental trauma by controlling bleeding, preserving avulsed teeth, protecting the airway, managing pain, and preventing further oral injury.

Apply timely decision-making and effective communication to determine urgency of care, provide patient and caregiver education, and ensure accurate handoff to emergency or dental specialists.

Instructor: Garret Shields

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

An inconvenient truth: Just because someone is a good field provider does not mean they will be a good teacher. EMS preceptors often limit their role to simply checking boxes, but an effective preceptor should be much more than that. The problem is that many preceptors receive little to no training on how to be effective and even less in adult education. Preceptors should serve as mentors to their students, starting with establishing a trusting relationship. This session will explore strategies for becoming a more effective preceptor, whether you have mentored one or 100 students. We will introduce several concepts of adult education and ways to build upon them. Remember that every student is unique and may be at different stages of learning. It is your duty to guide them into becoming competent providers, with the hope that one day, one of your students will become a mentor to the next generation of EMS providers.

Instructor: Dr. Jeff Ferguson, Medical Director, Henrico Division of Fire

ALS Cat 1 Area 19

BLS Cat 1 Area 14

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Everyone's drug boxes are looking a little different these days. We will examine the range of analgesics available to the prehospital provider, how they work, and which meds are likely best for multiple patient scenarios.

Assess and quantify patient pain using age-appropriate and validated pain scales, while recognizing physiologic, cultural, and situational factors that influence pain perception and expression.

Apply evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management strategies in the prehospital setting, including appropriate medication selection, dosing, contraindications, and adjunctive interventions.

Demonstrate safe and compassionate pain management practices by monitoring for adverse effects, reassessing pain and response to treatment, and communicating interventions and outcomes during patient handoff.

Instructor: Dr. Allen Yee & Dr. Jeff Ferguson

BLS: Cat: 1 Area 13

ALS: Cat: 1 Area 18

A high-yield overview of the NAEMSP Trauma Compendium guidance for EMS clinicians and medical directors, highlighting where prehospital trauma care should be targeted and physiologic (not “one-size-fits-all”), including recommendations on blood transfusions, TXA and vasopressors, and how to optimize outcomes through recognition, lifesaving interventions, special-population modifications, and quality oversight.

1. By the end of this session, learners will be able to:Apply patient-specific resuscitation targets 
2. Describe evidence-informed prehospital hemorrhage resuscitation,
3. Select and execute high-impact trauma interventions 
4. Outline prehospital priorities for traumatic out-of-hospital circulatory arrest and special populations

Instructor: Shannon Daniel & Jessica Goodman

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

This set of tools is used to care for stress reactions in firefighters and EMS personnel. Unlike other acute stress management procedures, Stress First Aid is designed to support firefighters and EMS personnel. The goal is to restore health and readiness after a stress reaction. It emphasizes the importance of continuously monitoring the stress of personnel and to quickly recognize and appropriately help individuals to ensure a return to full-function. Stress First Aid fosters strong leadership and unit cohesion but is individualized to meet the needs of each person in each context; there are no one-size-fits all solution.

Instructor: Damien Coy

ALS: Cat 1 Area 17

BLS: Cat 1 Area 12

 It always comes back to the fundamentals! This hands-on course will include practical evolutions, as well as learning stations on positive pressure ventilation w/ BVM, supraglottic airways and end-tidal CO2 monitoring. Students will learn how chest compression fraction (CCF) is measured and why it is more important than ever to minimize interruptions in compressions during a cardiac arrest. No powerpoints, all hands-on learning with integrated scenarios to stimulate some critical thinking! 

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Instructor: Sara Jennings/Brian Jennings

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

This course provides EMS providers with essential knowledge to recognize, assess, and manage patients who may have experienced strangulation. Participants will review the pathophysiology of strangulation, common and subtle signs and symptoms, high-risk findings, and potential delayed complications. The class emphasizes patient safety, thorough assessment, accurate documentation, and the role of EMS in trauma-informed care and coordination with receiving facilities and law enforcement.

Instructor: Asst. Chief Mike Garnett

ALS: Cat 1 Area 20

BLS: Cat 1 Area 15

Pediatric MCI Triage – An EMS Approach provides EMS responders with essential knowledge and practical strategies for managing pediatric patients during mass-casualty incidents.

The course reviews key challenges, anatomical and developmental differences, and common triage pitfalls while comparing major triage systems such as START and SALT.

Participants will learn planning considerations, zone operations, and best practices for improving accuracy, preparedness, dealing with EMS pediatric surge-capacity and decision-making to ensure the greatest good for the greatest number

Instructor: Hugh Greenbaum

BLS: Cat: 1 Area 15

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 20

Firearms Awareness Session: This session supplies information that EMS providers need to understand and manage firearms injuries. The first part of the session defines firearms, how they operate, and how their design interacts with ammunition design to create injuries. The second part explains the information that EMS providers need to pass-on to trauma teams and how this affects patient care. The last part of the session explains how to safely handle firearms that cannot be left with on-scene law enforcement personnel. We will not discuss how-to employ firearms, nor issues surrounding concealed carrying of firearms. No live firearms or ammunition will be used during this session.

Instructor: Ashley Boersig

ALS: Cat 1 Area 19

BLS: Cat 1 Area 14

Sepsis is a medical emergency that EMS frequently responds to. Severe sepsis usually can be fairly easy to recognize. But what about early onset sepsis. Early identification and aggressive treatment by EMS can literally be the difference between life and death for these patients. Come learn how surviving sepsis begins with YOU!

Recognize early signs and risk factors of sepsis by interpreting patient history, vital signs, mental status changes, and screening tools (e.g., SIRS, qSOFA) to identify patients at risk for clinical deterioration.

Perform timely assessment and initiate early sepsis management including source identification, oxygen therapy, fluid resuscitation, blood glucose assessment, and rapid escalation according to sepsis protocols.

Demonstrate effective communication and coordination of care by activating sepsis alerts, providing accurate handoff, and collaborating with receiving facilities to support timely antibiotic administration and definitive treatment.

Instructor: High Cline

BLS: Cat 1 Area 12

ALS: Cat 1 Area 17

•Epidemiology of congenital heart disease

•Review of fetal development & circulation

•Evaluation of congenital heart disease

•Categories of congenital heart disease

•Acyanotic defects

•Cyanotic defects

Instructor: Asst. Chief Mike Garnett

ALS: Cat 1 Area 18

BLS: Cat 1 Area 13

This course prepares EMS providers to rapidly recognize and control life-threatening hemorrhage in pediatric patients using evidence-based techniques and current TECC-aligned practices. Participants will explore the unique anatomical, physiological, and psychological differences in children that directly impact bleeding severity, shock progression, and treatment priorities.

Through didactic instruction participants will review direct pressure, wound packing, hemostatic agents, pediatric tourniquet application, and the safe administration of Tranexamic Acid (TXA). Emphasis is placed on early recognition of life-threatening bleeding, pediatric blood volume considerations, shock progression, and the lethal triad of trauma (acidosis, hypothermia, coagulopathy).

This course is ideal for EMTs, AEMTs, Paramedics, fire-rescue personnel, tactical medics, and emergency responders seeking advanced pediatric bleeding control education for both routine trauma and high-risk incidents.

Instructor: Hugh Greenbaum

ALS Cat: 1 Area: 16

BLS Cat: 1 Area: 11

This session explains how the body generates and eliminates carbon dioxide, and thus how End-Tidal CO₂ measurements inform the provider of the patient’s ventilatory, perfusion, and metabolic status

Instructor: Ashley Boersig

BLS: Cat: 1 Area 12

ALS: Cat: 1 Area: 17

**Nursing CE Pending Approval with Bon Secours College of Nursing

Stroke doesn’t read the textbook—and neither should your assessment. This class gives EMS providers a fast-paced, practical refresher on spotting strokes in the wild. We’ll cover classic and sneaky presentations, quick and effective stroke screens, and why time is brain. Expect real-world tips, rapid decision-making strategies, and reminders that what you do in the first few minutes can change a patient’s entire outcome.

Recognize the signs and symptoms of acute stroke by performing a rapid neurologic assessment and utilizing validated stroke screening tools to differentiate stroke from common mimics.

Apply evidence-based prehospital stroke management strategies including airway and glucose management, blood pressure considerations, time-of-onset determination, and appropriate transport decisions.

Demonstrate effective communication and coordination of care by activating stroke alerts, delivering concise and accurate handoff reports, and supporting timely evaluation and reperfusion therapy at receiving facilities.

Instructor: Lt. Jairus Munson, Henrico Fire

ALS Cat 1 Area 17

BLS Cat 1 Area 12

Let’s play BINGO! This class will go over anatomy of the cardiovascular and the respiratory systems in a fun game-like environment. We will talk about some of the physiology associated with these organ systems as well. Try your luck and see if you can be our big winner!!!