First Responder EMS Curriculum for Training Centers in Eurasia

An example case scenario is included in each skills lab to illustrate one option for teaching andevaluating the students. Many other case scenarios will work for each session, and the instructoris encouraged to create his or her own scenarios that are appropriate for each group ofparticipants.Here are some helpful hints on creating case scenarios:1. Keep it simple. Do not include complications that may confuse some students. Stick tothe relevant points as much as possible. Use only details that illustrate the teachingpoints of the case or generate interest in the case.2. Keep it short. Participants need to be able to remember the key points, and they have alimited range of memory when presented with multiple facts.3. Repeat yourself as needed. Repeat the key points over and over again to reinforcethem. If they did not hear it the first time, make sure they hear it the second, third, orfourth time.4. Adjust the level of detail as needed. Some participants may be more experienced thanothers. The most important goal is to make sure that everybody understands the basicprinciples. Consequently, the instructor may need to spend the most time with theslowest students. When interacting with more advanced students, however, it’s okay togo more in depth.5. Humor is okay. A little subtle humor actually helps to keep students entertained andinterested, providing it does not distract from the teaching points of the case.6. Stimulate participation. Include everyone. Do not lecture. Ask many questions. Askthose in the group who know the answers to explain it to the others rather than justgiving the answer yourself. This method encourages even more participation andfurther reinforces the points already made.7. These cases should mostly be used as teaching cases and, as students participate more,it should become obvious that they know the material well enough to pass. Someinstructors can judge when students have reached this level without conducting aformal evaluation. It is perfectly acceptable, however, to request each student to runthrough a “test” case scenario and make sure they are able to perform all necessaryitems in the case.xxiv First Responder EMS Curriculum/AIHA, July 2002