ALSO Training Brings Medical Professionals to Amarillo
Physicians and nurses from across the region and as far away as Switzerland attended the simulation-based training.
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine in Amarillo hosted the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) training program for the ninth consecutive year Aug. 12-13. The two-day multidisciplinary event attracts physicians and nurses from across the region seeking continuing education hours.
The SiMCentral medical simulation center inside TTUHSC-Amarillo’s Wallace building served as the venue for the ALSO course. The facility’s state-of-the-art patient simulator mannequins made it possible for attendees to train in a controlled clinical scenario before they encounter these situations in their jobs.
Designed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, ALSO is an evidence-based training program that helps maternity care providers better manage obstetric emergencies during pregnancy. The program has sought to improve outcomes for more than 20 years through its unique mix of hands-on simulation training and team-based approach that strives to reduce communication barriers. Physicians can earn 17 hours of Continuing Medical Education. Nurses earn a similar number of Continuing Nursing Education hours.
“Simulation hands-on training in managing obstetrical complications better prepares doctors, nurses and providers to deal more effectively with emergencies in all parts of pregnancy, and to work better as a team,” TTUHSC OB/GYN Medical Director Paul Tullar, M.D., said
Iterations of the ALSO course have previously been sponsored on the TTUHSC campuses in Lubbock and the Permian Basin. Faculty members from multiple campuses collaborate to make the courses possible each year.
Instructors from Dallas-Fort Worth and Lubbock traveled to Amarillo to present at this year’s course, as did medical professionals from several regional hospitals. In addition, Joseph Osterwalder, M.D., head physician at Kantonsspital in St. Gallen, Switzerland, journeyed to Amarillo to participate in this year’s program, giving the local ALSO course its first international attendee.
“We believe our resident doctors and delivery nurses do a better job in caring for pregnant patients, laboring mothers and newborn babies because of our regular practice managing obstetrical emergencies in the ALSO course,” Tullar said.
Related Stories
How Does Your Garden Grow?
As spring approaches, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening. Whether it’s a flower garden they desire or a vegetable garden want to have, they begin planning what they’ll plant and what they need to do to ensure a successful garden.
Adopt a Growth Mindset for a Better Life
A “growth mindset” accepts that our intelligence and talents can develop over time, and a person with that mindset understands that intelligence and talents can improve through effort and learning.
Drug Use, Family History Can Lead to Heart Disease in Younger Adults
Abstaining from drug abuse and an early diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) can help prevent heart disease.
Recent Stories
The TTUHSC Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health Welcomes Ben Carson as Power of the Purse Keynote Speaker
Retired neurosurgeon and former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, M.D., delivered a keynote address at the Power of the Purse luncheon and fundraiser today (April 18).
Filling the Gap: PA Impact on Rural Health Care
Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education Elesea Villegas, MPAS, PA-C, spoke about the challenges rural health care currently faces and how PAs are stepping up to better serve the rural patient population.
School of Pharmacy Remembers Contributions of Key Collaborator
Cynthia Nash, Pharm.D., served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice for the School, and was an instrumental collaborator and key ally in our partnership with the Dallas VA North Texas Health Care System.