Artifact #57 - Critical Thinking Skills

Attached are 3 units in which students are presented with a problem and required to make patient assessments -either in teams or on their own.  During the skill practice, students are required to use critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork to deal with each patient issue.

One involves a patient who is in distress, without obvious signs of injury, student/team must assess the situation and make many decisions in a small window of time while   The second requires the student to evaluate a patient who has a traumatic injury and determine appropriate steps to treat the patient, while preventing the patient from going into shock.  The last scenario involves the student in assessing a patient with breathing problems  and who needs ventilation to clear their airways.  The student must make a series of decisions and then take proper action to potentially save the life of the patient. (attached)

Artifact # 58 - Completed student assignments.

See attached completed skill sheets from the following units:  1) Airway, Oxygen & Ventilation Skills;  2) Patient Assessment/Mgt - Medical; and  3) Patient Assessment/Management - Trauma.

In each instance, students were presented with a set of patient problems which they were required to addresss.  They needed to assess the situation, analyze the patients needs, and take action to solve/improve the patient's problem.  These, like all situations presented to a fire fighter, are excellent skill demonstrations for the student to practice his/her critical thinking skills.

Artifact #59 - Problem-based learning unit

Each year, Fire and Rescue students go out to the Harrisonburg Fire Department training grounds and take part in a 'live-burn' activity.  This takes place in a two story concrete structure on the training grounds.  During this activity, a fire is set inside to represent a burning structure with potentially trapped occupants during multiple evolutions.  We use pallets and straw to create smoke and heat that may reach as much as 800 degrees.  Students don protective clothing to include breathing apparatus and must attack the structure fire. While doing this, the students are expected to solve the myriad of problems which they face along the way, including searching and rescuing victims, accountability, ventilation, and communication to include maintaining contact with their team members.  (See attached)

Artifact #60 – 3 instructional practices resulting from prof. development activities:

1. I recently completed a course on Curriculum Development at James Madison University.  I am now developing a new set of lesson plans based on knowledge gained through this course and through our school’s monthly curriculum meetings.  I currently use the lesson plans sent from IFSTA (International Fire Safety Training Association), but would like to adapt my lesson plans and update my curriculum this year.  
2. I recently completed a Technology course at James Madison University and  I have expanded the use of PowerPoint -both in my lectures and in my student assignments such as when students are required to make presentations.   Also, I have added new technology to the classroom for training purposes such as including the use of a thermal imaging camera.
3. Within the past year, I received Instructor II certification through VA Department of Fire Programs.  This 32 hour course dealt primarily with curriculum development which I have used in my classes.  This will help me to supplement the IFSTA lesson plans.