posted June 06, 2024

VISALIA, CA, June 6, 2024 – Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical service provider, announced today that American Ambulance of Visalia has selected Air Methods Ascend’s online and in-person programs to provide additional training for its first responders.

Located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, American Ambulance of Visalia proudly serves the greater Visalia area and portions of rural Tulare County and responds to over 25,000 emergency and non-emergency related incidents per year. Centrally located between Los Angeles and Sacramento, American Ambulance of Visalia can also offer high-risk transport for patients needing advanced care.

“American Ambulance of Visalia works hard for the communities it serves by continually placing an emphasis on training and education,” said American Ambulance of Visalia President Paul Main. “Ascend’s online and in-person programs will equip our teams with state-of-the art education to help ensure we are providing the safest and most effective care to patients.”

First responders from American Ambulance of Visalia will receive a three-day Critical Care Readiness course with access to Ascend’s innovative simulation labs and interactive cadaver labs. They will also receive additional training in advanced and difficult airway management and ventilator management, which will be taught by the same world-class instructors that train Air Methods clinicians, who boast a 94% first-time intubation success rate.

Additionally, they will have access to Ascend’s online Critical Care Review courses, which enable clinicians to learn at their own pace while maintaining focus on the subject matter. The courses cover assorted topics in airway management, cardiovascular, trauma, operations including high-risk transport and goes into depth on various neurological, trauma, obstetric and neonatal, and pediatric topics.

“We are excited to partner with American Ambulance of Visalia and offer both our online and in-person training programs to their EMTs and medics,” said Dr. Stephanie Queen, Air Methods’ Senior Vice President of Clinical Services. “Our programs will provide them with the latest clinical techniques and practices to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

Ascend’s in-person and online education programs provide pre-hospital and critical care clinicians with access to world-class educators, state-of-the-art tools, and cutting-edge technologies to help build their knowledge, enabling them to operate at the top of their licensure and fulfill continuing education requirements. Education programs include advanced manikin-based simulation and virtual reality training that mirror real-world patient care scenarios, building life-saving skills and confidence. Courses meet certification requirements for the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), and International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC).

Additionally, Air Methods Ascend is a licensed provider of the SimX virtual reality training platform, with access to the more than 300 clinical scenarios. This offering is available to pre-hospital and in-hospital agencies and their clinicians, as well as students pursuing careers in critical care. Being a licensed provider also enables Ascend to offer virtual reality training remotely to its customers, significantly reducing training costs for the receiving agency.

Learn more about the Ascend education program here.