Clinical Excellence
REACH has demonstrated a superior commitment to patient care since its inception. Our guiding principle is simple: "Always do what is right for the patient."
REACH’s clinical staff consists of flight nurses, flight paramedics, physicians and respiratory therapists. Each of these expert clinicians join REACH with extensive experience within their specialty areas. Upon hire, all REACH clinicians must hold certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), Basic Life Support (BLS), and an approved Trauma Certification course. Additionally, all REACH clinicians must obtain national certification within one year of hire.
During initial orientation each clinician completes a rigorous training process which includes a full month of didactic, psychomotor skill, and scenario-based high fidelity simulation education in our Training Academy. Following initial orientation REACH clinicians must complete a base specific orientation program under the guidance of an experienced REACH preceptor.
REACH flight nurses function under an advanced scope of practice, meaning they can perform some interventions typically reserved for physicians. REACH clinical protocols are developed and maintained by our expert Medical Directors to ensure that our clinicians provide evidence-based, patient centered, high quality care.
REACH has established several areas of clinical specialty services. In addition to critically ill and injured adult patients, REACH’s teams are prepared to care for and transport neonatal, pediatric and high-risk obstetric patients.
Pediatrics
REACH is a model of excellence in the assessment, intervention and safe transport of critically ill or injured children. REACH is recognized as the preferred provider for several major northern California pediatric intensive care units (PICU).
A seminal event occurred in 1993 when Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland (CHRCO) selected REACH to be its primary provider of air ambulance services for critically ill or injured children. CHRCO supports the highest volume PICU in northern California and, in addition, is a pediatric trauma center. The creation of this relationship catalyzed REACH's heavy emphasis on pediatric critical care education and training.
Neonatal Care
The REACH team recognizes that special care and treatment is needed when caring for and transporting high-risk newborn infants. Through extensive collaboration with neonatal specialists, REACH has reduced response and transport times. In caring for neonates (babies 1 - 28 days old), we have developed a successful transport program utilizing a "hybrid" medical team. In partnership with neonatal intensive care units in northern California, our crew chief nurse acts as the transport expert (safety, operations, etc.) and the hospital-based nurse leads the clinical care. The hybrid neonatal program at REACH demonstrates innovation and incorporates our vision of doing what is right for the patient. For more information, read the "Flying High" article that appeared in Advance for Nurses in July, 2008.
High Risk Obstetrics
REACH's clinical team understands the conditions that can affect the health of a mother during pregnancy. We take every precaution available while utilizing the latest technology to provide continuous maternal and fetal monitoring prior to and during transport to ensure a healthy delivery for both the mother and infant.
CAMTS Accreditation
In 1998, REACH was awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) and has held accreditation continuously for the past 11 years. This achievement involves a voluntary evaluation of compliance with accreditation standards by an independent entity. REACH is proud to maintain full accreditation for the care and transport of critical adult, pediatric, obstetric and neonatal patients.
The CAMTS board has consistently and specifically sited areas of “excellence” or “acknowledgment” within REACH’s administrative, clinical, aviation, maintenance, quality and safety, EMS community outreach and human resource programs.
REACH Training Academy - Benefiting Our Employees
Once a REACH crewmember has successfully demonstrated core competency as a flight medical crew member , they enter into a hands-on phase of training. This reinforces what they have learned and further incorporates REACH clinical policies and safety standards into their care skills. The crew also has the opportunity to work in and around their primary transport vehicle (fixed wing or rotor wing), so they may develop core competency with safety and operations pertaining to that aircraft.
REACH’s clinical continuing education process is robust. REACH’s Medical Directors and Clinical leadership team utilize a comprehensive quality management system to identify organizational and clinician specific training needs. REACH’s Clinical leadership team develop complex patient care scenarios which cover pre-hospital, ICU, ED, PICU, NICU and high-risk OB topics. Crew members receive scenario-based ongoing education facilitated by REACH Medical Directors and Clinical Managers using state of the art high-fidelity human patient care simulators (Sim Man and Sim Baby). This educational approach is stimulating for the crew, facilitates critical thinking, builds camaraderie and prepares them to provide quality patient care in complex situations.
Upon hire, all REACH crew must hold certificates in ACLS, PALS, NRP, BLS, BTLS and/or TNATC.
REACH is truly dedicated to education and training.
