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Diploma in Immediate Medical Care
March 2009
There were a large number of candidates for the examination, for the first time they were having problems with the written papers. The following points may be helpful for the future:-
Projected Material
The ECGs as in real life will show a major abnormality requiring immediate attention. In addition there may be other less significant abnormalities which do not require urgent treatment. The marks are collected for the major abnormality and its treatment.
Single Best Answer Questions
This paper should be completed exactly as specified in its title. There is for each question a stem and five alternatives. The alternative which best fits the stem is correct. If there is a numerical question e.g. Estimate the weight of………………? The single best answer may be a rounding up of the calculated weight. If equipment is part of the stem the answer relates to its use exactly as specified not with modifications you wish to make.
Incident Management Exercise
Despite many briefings that this is NOT a triage exercise many candidates still seem confused. There are 3 questions to be answered. One is “How would you manage the scene with the resources available? This answer which carries almost half the marks cannot be answered using solely MIMS mnemonics. You must consider what are the actual safety problems, what are the geographical, secondary and tertiary resources and how would you manage within these parameters.
For the future you are advised to study “The British Thoracic Society – Guidelines for the Emergency use of Oxygen in Adults” published in the autumn of 2008. Ensure your performance of core skills is slick and correct and above all think carefully and quickly how to respond to abnormal situations….just as you would in real life.
Good luck
Dr R J Fairhurst FIMC RCSed,FCEM
Convenor Diploma in Immediate Medical Care
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