International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) Training at FAME

On Monday, December 13, 2021, FAME doctors and nurses sprung into action to treat a motor vehicle accident with several injuries, including  the driver of the vehicle, a 40 year old man, who was unconscious and had shallow respirations. FAME’s medical team also took all the steps to treat a 6 year old boy with a cut on his hand, who was crying loudly. The emergency trauma team gathered and had decisions to make. What should be done first as part of triage and assessment? What should they investigate as part of the primary survey? What potential complications could arise with each patient? 

While this sounds just like another normal day in the emergency room at FAME, today there were no actual patients. This week, 10 nurses and doctors were engaged in a five day, intensive, hands-on International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) training. 

The ITLS training for emergency care providers is an intensive program focused on preventing death and disability from trauma through education and emergency trauma care. This practical, hands-on training covers all skills necessary for rapid assessment, resuscitation, stabilization, and transportation of trauma patients.

The main aim of emergency medicine departments is quick recognition and treatment of injuries which pose a severe threat to patients' life in significant order of priority. In line with our mission to provide quality patient-centered care and improve emergency trauma care in Tanzania, FAME sponsored this training for its medical staff. Led by external trainers, the training  took place over five days at the FAME Karatu campus. 

“Having Basic Life Support (BLS) and International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) training has given me new knowledge and skills in emergency trauma care. Now that I possess these new skills, I have increased confidence in providing the best care for my patients. I am more assured of saving the life of a patient in cardiac arrest or any trauma patient that I encounter. I thank  FAME management for taking the initiative to provide medical staff with continuous medical education opportunities. Knowledge is power.”

-Dr. Ken Karanja, FAME’s Clinical Education Coordinator

FAME is heavily invested in capacity building for its staff by providing continuing medical education opportunities and professional support. From the beginning, we have endeavored to equip our Tanzanian doctors and nurses with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to serve patients with high quality treatment and care.

On top of on-campus multi-day training programs like ITLS, FAME has a volunteer program which offers a collaborative learning experience for both our Tanzanian team and international volunteers, and a scholarship program that provides financial assistance to FAME staff interested in pursuing continued education. So far 13 staff members have benefitted from FAME’s scholarship program.