Hospital nurses take part in 'hot loading' training

Hot Load Training with Life Flight.

Courtesy photos 1967 Hot Loading by BCH Nurses — This is why we train! From the archives Sundance & Trapper Peak Fire emergency airlift to BCH in 1967. Photo from the Bonners Ferry Herald, Sept. 3, 1967.

| August 16, 2018 1:00 AM

Courtesy photos 1967 Hot Loading by BCH Nurses  This is why we train! From the archives Sundance & Trapper Peak Fire emergency airlift to BCH in 1967. Photo from the Bonners Ferry Herald, Sept. 3, 1967.

On July 31, Life Flight Network personnel provided special training to some of the Boundary Community Hospital nursing staff on Hot Loading a critical patient into the helicopter. In the event of a Time Sensitive Emergency, hot loading a patient could shave off critical time to get the patient to more definitive care when every second counts.

Special sheets are placed under the patient to ease in the transfer to the helicopter from the hospital stretcher, as well as special Life Flight-compatible tubing used for essential IV drips and infusions for a quick switch to the helicopter pumps and monitors. The Helicopter is left running to save the time that it takes to stop and restart the helicopter. This type of quick loading would be used on patients experiencing time sensitive emergencies such at heart attacks, stroke, or trauma. In July alone, we had 13 Life Flight transfers. Every second counts and our nursing staff now knows what it feels like to load a patient with rotors whirling overhead. Caring for our Community, Every Day!