A cardiac education event recently hosted by St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) attracted more than 100 emergency responders from Orange, Dutchess and Ulster counties. The day-long conference, designed to equip first responders with the information needed to increase positive outcomes for heart attack patients, included a cardiac case review, and discussion on the anatomy and physiology of a heart attack. Other lecture topics included treatment methods such as thrombolysis, cardiac catheterization and emergency angioplasty. Participants – including emergency medical technicians, firefighters, nurses and other first responders – received continuing education credits.
“This was a very informative event,” said Kevin Hayes of Mobile Life. “As emergency responders, we have people’s lives in our hands every day. When you’re dealing with a heart attack, every minute counts. This SLCH program refreshed our skills and enhanced our understanding of the most current evaluation and treatment options.”
Lecturers included cardiologists John F. Tighe, M.D., Nirav D. Shah, M.D. and M. Zubair Jafar, M.D., SLCH Emergency Department Chair Catherine B. Polera, D.O,. and Emergency Department Associate Chairs Jean-Paul Menoscal, M.D. and
Maria Theresa Ho, M.D. The event was organized by SLCH Director of Clinical Practice Margaret Deyo-Allers, R.N., BSN, MSN, ANP, and Clinical Coordinator of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Radiology Eileen Thiesing, R.N.
“SLCH is committed to providing outstanding cardiac care to our community, and emergency responders are our first line of defense,” said Dr. Polera. The better job they do, the better job we can do to increase our patients’ chances of surviving a heart attack. “ |
Dr. John Tighe, Director, SLCH Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and Margaret Deyo-Allers, R.N., Director of Clinical Practice.
L to R: Drs. Nirav Shah and M. Zubair Jafar. |
