The First Line Emergency Care Course (FLECC) is aimed at ensuring high levels of emergency care in rural and remote hospitals without 24 hour on-site medical support.

The RNs who completed the six month intensive course are from 16 towns stretching from Bega, Bombala, Deniliquin, Hillston, Tumut and Young.

In the case of the Bombala Health Service it was Sharyn Massey who completed the course, and Sharyn joins the local hospital’s Linda Martin and Jenny Caldwell who are both also fully qualified in First Line Emergency Care.

“The qualification allows advanced clinical nurses to intervene in emergency situations where time is critical and a doctor is not immediately available,” said Clinical Nurse Consult-ant Emergency/Critical Care for Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts, Audas Grant.

“The delivery of timely emergency care is essential and this course provides RNs with the skills and knowledge to assess patients arriving at the ED and then provide suitable intervention and pain relief until medical care is available,” he said.

FLECC is currently run across all rural health services across NSW and is an integral part of the NSW Rural Critical Care Plan.

Training includes emergency simulations such as cardiac arrest with defibrillation and advanced life saving drugs, advanced airway techniques, emergency venous access and fluid replacement, early trauma care and stroke care.

“This course improves clinical skills in all areas of emergency management and is not for the faint-hearted.

“The graduating RNs should be proud of their commitment and efforts,” Mr Grant said.