Handheld ultrasound device (photo courtesy Medicine Hat College)

By Chantal Wagner

learning opportunity

MHC paramedic students use handheld ultrasound device

Nov 2, 2020 | 12:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Second-year paramedic students at Medicine Hat College are among the first post-secondary students in the province to use a handheld ultrasound device.

It’s part of an experiential learning opportunity.

Students tried out the device on a peer volunteer to look for the healthy version of different organs. They then compared their findings to abnormal scenarios on a simulated mannequin.

Paramedic Instructor at Medicine Hat College Duane Delaurier says this handheld device is a game-changer for students and changes the educational landscape.

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He says the device has been in medical schools for a number of years.

But the transition into paramedic programs is relatively new.

Delaurier says due to ultrasound equipment getting smaller and portable, it’s more practical in the field.

The smaller equipment also costs 5-10 thousand dollars compared to the large devices that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars he added.

The portable device scan shows real-time information on the scene of a medical emergency.

Delaurier says a doctor can guide and direct the health care provider or paramedic to where they want to scan the patient.

“We have the capability of sending that image to the physician and the physician can watch the health care provider or paramedic scan that abdomen right inside the patient’s house and then it goes directly to them (hospital). There’s also the capability to save the image where it goes into cloud storage where they can watch it at a later time, they can go into the patient profile as well,” Delaurier said.

Oscar Moreno is a second-year paramedic student at MHC says using equipment like this gives students a big leg-up for employability, confidence in their skills, adding that it’s crucial to have new equipment and technology.

“To actually physically hold a device, know the placement, know what to look for and actually physically see the anatomy of the body it gives a whole level of knowledge and awareness as to what we’re doing when we use these things so it’s a remarkable tool,” Moreno said.

Medicine Hat College first brought ultrasound simulation into the paramedic program three years ago and wants to expand on the teaching by implementing the use of the handheld device into the curriculum permanently.

According to the college, paramedic program coordinator Scott Mullin says MHC is already going through the budget approval process to decide which of three brands of devices will be implemented into the new curriculum, weighing cost versus the best tool for student use.