Fall 2015 Perspectives

24 • NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ORLANDO Earlier this year, an invitation was extended to Susan Ryan, Ed.D., PA-C, R.N., assistant professor, by the Osceola County Office of Emergency Management to assist in a mass- casualty exercise that would test the county’s emergency response skills. To assist in the endeavor, the Office of Emergency Management asked Ryan if students from the PA program at the NSU Orlando Campus would be willing to participate as mock trauma victims in the experience. Not surprisingly, the program admin- istrators were extremely supportive of the idea. Seizing the opportunity, the PA students were excited to not only to be of assistance to the community, but to immerse themselves in a level of cross training that would prove to be an invaluable experience. As soon as Ryan approached the class of 2016 with this offer, 14 PA stu- dents eagerly agreed to volunteer. Early on the morning of April 7, Ryan accompanied the students and met with the organizers of the disaster drill at Osceola Heritage Park, where they would be representing trauma patients at the scene of a disaster. The students were directed to specific areas and were triaged via color coding by emergency personnel. Derrick Osso, B.A., who serves as one of the assistant directors of program development and recruit- ment at the NSU Orlando Campus, was present at the event and ensured that several graphic scenes from the intense simulated rescue were captured with his camera. According to Osso, the students were “awe- some,” with many of them giving Oscar-worthy performances as they served as mock trauma patients. The mock drill offered an advantage in cross training for health care providers as they worked together and learned from each other. Par- ticipating in a disaster drill allowed Students Assist in Disaster Drill, Serve as Mock Trauma Victims BY IRIS M. REYNOLDS, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT