King Saud University” Save a Life”
King Saud University” Save a Life”
Based on what the scientific studies have shown, one of the main steps in emergencies is the management of the first responder who is next to the case and provides care until the medical teams arrive. So, the first responder has to be prepared for any medical emergency(God forbid) and this preparedness requires attending short training courses not exceeding a few hours, most likely by Gods willing capable to save the patients, so various international courses on how to respond and deal with emergency situations were adopted.
Therefore, we are pleased to host Professor Dr. Khalid Bin Fouda, the Dean of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS and the idea owner of the project King Saud University “KSU Save a Life”.
Q. Why King Saud University has initiated this project?
A. First. I thank you for your interest and attention to this vital project, and because we are at King Saud University shouldering the responsibility towards the society, an ambitious plan has been prepared in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS aimed at raising the ambulatory skills in the community. Hence, the idea of King Saud University Project “KSU Save a life” has been initiated.
Q. When did the idea of King Saud University “Save a Life “begin?
A. It began more than two years ago when a preparation for an integrated curriculum was started and has been approved by the Council of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS and then presented to our colleagues in the Deanship of Preparatory Year followed by signing an understanding memo and eventually approved by his Excellency the Rector. Later on, the project was discussed in the preparing committee for emergencies at the university, and praise is due to Allah, the Project was approved during this academic year.
Vision: Making KSU the first pioneer in Middle East in life saving training.
Q. What is the objective you seek to achieve with this idea?
A. The objectives of this project can be summarized by training students, faculty and staff of the university on the following:
- Describe the basic principles for providing first aid.
- Describe how the paramedic can protect himself and others.
- Describe the first link in the chain of survival and how to get the medical help.
- Describe the method of assessing the victim whether he is responsive, responsive but lethargic or unresponsive.
All these done through a training program of a six- hour day has been approved for this session, where the students receives accredited lectures, video presentation and hands-on application on manikins and learning how to use the devices in emergency.
Q. What is the target group involved in training during this project?
A. The target groups are - All students of Preparatory Year at KSU. (within five years, all the university students will be qualified and complete this course).
- All faculty members.
- All staff of KSU without exceptions.
Q. What difficulties have you encountered during implementing the idea of the project, “KSU Save a Life”?
A. Among the most challenging difficulties was finding the best methods to introduce this course within the curriculum of the students at the university, and this problem has been overcome and the course was approved to be part of Fitness and Performance Work course for Preparatory Year Students.
Mission: Training and increasing the awareness of all students, faculty members and staff of KSU on life saving techniques.
It is also a pleasure for us to host the Project Director, Dr. Abdulmajeed Mohammed Al Mobrad, the head of Emergency Medical Services in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS.
Q. When will the project launch?
A. The project was launched initially on trial basis at the end of the last academic year 1434-1435 AH by training 200 male and female students and served as a preliminary and indicative study. And by God willing, the general project will be launched this academic year 1435-1436 AH and (if God May Permit) the target group will be increased to 5000 student this academic year.
Q. What areas, which you will cooperate with in the implementation of this project?
A. The project is considered as one of the objectives of the strategic plan for the university to be the first pioneer in serving the community, so this project is sponsored directly by the Rector of the university and full cooperation between the College of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz for EMS and the Deanship of Preparatory Year to implement the first phase, aiming to train the whole university students, after that, the Deanship of Faculty and Personnel Affairs will have a significant role in training the faculty and staff of the university.
Q. How many students are you planning to train annually?
A. The project aims to train all student of the Preparatory Year estimated 11 thousand male and female student per year, and so the whole university students would complete the training within five years.
Q. Where will training of the students take place?
A. In the first phase, after cooperation and coordination with the Deanship of Preparatory year, training will take place on its campus and this training session will be linked with the course of (Fitness and Performance Work) for the Preparatory Year students as a pre requisite to pass this course. Therefore, I have to pay tribute to the Dean of the Preparatory Year Dr. Nami Bin Mufarrej and Dr. Asma Bint Ahmed Fadden, the Vice dean of the Preparatory Year for female students Affairs for their Cooperation, where they have the key role in launching this project.
Q. Who will supervise training of the students and how the instructors will be recruited?
A. Among the positive things in this project is students of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul- Aziz College for EMS will take over training of their colleagues, students of the university. Therefore, the instructor has to be qualified for training and meets the requirements of training through Life Support Unit in Prince Sultan College for EMS under the supervision of the Senior Regional Faculty of American Heart Association. In addition, the instructors have to be supervised throughout the training course to ensure the quality of training that is subject to a number of international standards in methods of conducting the course.
Q. What is your advice for your students about this program?
A. My advice to my brothers the students to attend such courses which aim to develop the skills of the first responder as well as dissemination of the culture of the first aid in the community and to remember the words of God (If someone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind) and ensure its mastery to serve both the citizens and the residents in this country.
We are also pleased to host the academic Technical Project Manager Mr. Ahed Al Najjar, Head of Life Support Unit in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS and AHA Fellow Basic Cardiovascular Sciences and Senior Regional Faculty of the American Heart Association (AHA) for Middle East, Africa and Indonesia and India.
Q. Are there any universal programs follow the same idea?
A. Currently, there is no clear idea of the size of such operation in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia in terms of the level and kind of training as well as its included as part of the college educational curriculum for the Preparatory Year as a mandatory course before graduation to participate actively in the chain of survival. The idea was new in its concept, content, size; similar idea was applied in Dubai directed to the tourism sector from Hotels and recreation facilities set up with defibrillation programs and public places within the city of Abu Dhabi - UAE to provide the appropriate defibrillator coverage with a response time of three (3) minutes from time of incident. In Nigeria 2009, the same idea was applied in collaboration with FIFA on sport activity in terms of stadiums and sport facility. The athletes had specialty doctors nearby trained by EMS personnel. Each event included staff capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation, but overall it was within a narrow range and the number is not exceeding few trainees. So, the project in Saudi Arabia is considered as millstone in the region because it hold three stages which will lead us to continue to the next step in chain of survival.
Q. What is the role of the American Heart Association in the implementation?
A. The American Heart Association has given the authorization and international accreditation for Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS in 2012 as an international training center represented in Life Support Unit to give courses on BLS, ACLS and PALS for adults, children and infants for all medical and Heartsaver courses for non-medical cadres, and the community in general, each according to the type of the training course needed, supported by international courses which approved by scientific evidence based research adopted every 5 years in line with the international scientific research development. Accordingly, the trainee receives a certificate internationally accredited, valid for 2 years eligible him to participate in the first aid and CPR saving life response. The courses of the American Heart Association holding a highly prestige’s credibility in the medical field and worldwide.
Q. Give us a brief explanation about the mechanism of training and the number of training hours?
A. Well. Courses are given on a weekly basis throughout the year estimated 12 sessions daily, 36 weekly, where the trainees are received training according to the standards agreed upon, which is an instructor teach with ratio of 6:1 in the first phases and the number will be increased to 9 trainees with ratio 9:1 taking in consideration the experience of the basic instructor, increasing the number of required equipment and course duration at a time to be determined later. The trainees are given first aid courses, how to deal with medical and trauma injuries, training on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation - CPR for adults and children for Male students and with infant for female students and how to use the Automated external defibrillator (AED) or Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) and thus, the trainee has completed the required hours training according to AHA standard and upon successful completion the course the trainees will receive his AHA card and Prince Sultan College for EMS Wall certificate.
Q. What are the expected skills acquired by the student at the end of completing the training?
A. The student is expected to acquire several skills and sufficient knowledge to deal first with the following cases:-
First Aid Basics
First Aid Basics: Taking Off Gloves Practice
First Aid Basics: Taking Off Gloves Test
First Aid Basics: Finding the Problem
First Aid Basics: Finding the Problem Practice
First Aid Basics: Finding the Problem Test
First Aid Basics: Summary and Review
Medical Emergencies
Breathing Problems
Assembling an inhaler
Choking
Allergic Reaction
Medical Emergencies: Epinephrine Pen Practice
Medical Emergencies: Epinephrine Pen Test
Heart Attack
Fainting
Diabetes
Stroke
Seizures
Shock
Medical Emergencies: Review
Injury Emergencies
Injury Emergencies: Stopping Bleeding Practice
Injury Emergencies: Stopping Bleeding Test
Tourniquets
Wounds
Bleeding you can’t see
Head, neck, and spine injuries
Broken bones and sprains
Splinting
Injury Emergencies: Splinting Practice
Injury Emergencies: Review
Environmental Emergencies
Bites and stings
Heat-related emergencies
Cold-related emergencies
Poison emergencies
Environmental Emergencies Review and First Aid Summary
Adult/ Child CPR and AED
Introduction
Compression
Prepare to Give Breaths
Give Breath
Use a Mask
Compressions and give Breaths with a Mask
Use an AED
Assess and Phone
Put all together
CPR AED Practice
CPR AED Test
Infant CPR (additional for Female)
Introduction
Compressions
Give Breaths
Compressions and give Breaths
Assess and Phone
Put all together
CPR Practice
CPR Test
Choking -
The AHA Heartsaver first aid CPR and AED training courses are independently accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the course is based on the guidelines of the American Heart Association of 2010 for standards of CPR and emergency cardiovascular care.
