The function of medicine in the field of combat, modern technologies supporting military medics and the request to make a fresh military specialty: a tactical lifeguard," said Colonel Anita Podlasin. An officer late became a consultant to the Military wellness Service for Tactical Rescue.
What tasks a consultant faces Military wellness Service Tactical rescue?
Col Anita Podlasin: First of all, I intend to focus on the substantive support of the MON Department of Military wellness Service. I will, among others, issue opinions on projects and changes to be implemented at the level of tactical rescue. In general, my occupation is to support the full Department and its manager with my cognition and experience.
The war in Ukraine has shown that there is simply a lot to do in tactical medicine. What should be improved first?
Tactical medicine faces fresh challengesLike the full NATO. Despite the changes in weaponry, the causes of death on the battlefield stay the same, and lifesaving always depends on how rapidly we supply professional assistance. For an injured soldier, the key is the alleged gold hour, that is to supply him with adequate medical assistance as shortly as possible from the minute of injury to multi-specialized medical care. Until recently, the armed forces put the top emphasis on the fast evacuation of the injured, but as experience from the war in Ukraine shows, it is not always possible. This means that the patient must be provided with medical care utilizing modern technologies and medical means during extended evacuation or erstwhile it is missing.
However, the alleged endurance chain (a scope of activities performed in the event of a life-threatening situation – e.g. ed.) is primarily based on universal training for soldiers in the field of medical self-help and common assistance. First of all, everyone should be able to usage an individual medical package and give first aid to himself or his injured companion. We may have large doctors and specialists in the field hospital, but if the soldiers can't give an injured first aid colleague on the battlefield, there is simply a serious hazard that he won't make it to the evacuation. Therefore, it is so crucial in the military to supply first aid and to usage an individual medical package.
What about the medical staff, is there a request for change?
Doctors, nurses, or paramedics are always there and there will be besides small in relation to needs. Full-scale, multi-domain conflicts show that we request to train alleged tactical rescuers. W Military Center for Medical Education and the Department of Military wellness Service we are working together on a task to establish a fresh military specialty: a tactical lifeguard. Its task is to give first medical assistance inactive on the battlefield, to administer any medications and to supply extended care to the injured until evacuation is possible. It could be said that he would buy time for medical personnel.
Podchoraców in exercises "Military Doctor" in the Training Centre in Jeżew, 2023.
We were already at the largest medical training center of the US Army in San Antonio and we started working with American specialists. We want to start training tactical rescuers in Polish armed forces as shortly as possible. If a paramedic has 2 or 3 specified “combat medics”, he is able to make a good squad and thus increase the chances of surviving wounded soldiers.
You mentioned modern technologies. What is their function in tactical medicine?
Solutions based on modern technologies, specified as telemedicine, artificial intelligence, or drones, are highly crucial as support for man, not his replacement. In medicine, the eventual decision and work for saving lives will always be the work of man.
I support the usage of drones for logistical support, e.g. transportation of medical materials and medicines, especially erstwhile evacuation is impossible. However, the supervision of the patient that the drone is evacuating should be kept in mind. The benefits of modern technologies must be used, but they can inactive only be added to the cognition and qualifications of soldiers, combat rescuers and tactical rescuers.
So what are the major challenges in training medical personnel in tactical rescue?
So far, tactical medicine has been based on TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) guidelines, which are the foundation of the endurance chain. However, the challenge is now to train medical staff and non-medical personnel in advanced life-saving activities in the absence of evacuations, i.e. the Prolonged Casualty Care.
Paramedics are learning to stabilize the patient and transport him before he gets to the hospital. In war conditions, however, they must be prepared for long-term care of him, and this requires nursing skills, specified as nutrition, anti-recolationary prophylaxis or hygiene, and even procedures for surgery, in this case wound sewing, pleural drainage or fasciotomy. These procedures are not part of their regular tasks or their education.
The challenges include not only the training itself, but besides the legal framework for these fresh professions, mainly related to pre-hospital blood. Therefore, the training programme should be based on what The lifeguard must know how. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . We're on the verge of a breakthrough in the organization of tactical medicine, but it takes time and conviction of the environment.
Podchoraców in exercises "Military Doctor" in the Training Centre in Jeżew, 2023.
I would like to stress that it is crucial for unit commanders to realize that medicine is not something separate, which will abruptly appear erstwhile a medical incidental occurs. In the business of buying arms, their plans must not be forgotten erstwhile the first injured individual appears. Ukrainian experience shows that the morale of soldiers is powerfully dependent on medical security. If there's no warrant that individual will save them, the urge to fight is falling. That's why I'm glad so many commanders were in this year's field medicine exercise. ‘Military Doctor’.
And the cooperation between military and civilian services in tactical rescue? How do you coordinate it?
The key is interministerial cooperation. The manager of the Military wellness Service Department is the liaison, and I know that specified talks are ongoing, including at WCKMed. Representatives of the Ministry of wellness and the National wellness Fund were invited to aid make a strategy of vessels connected between the military and civilian wellness services. Joint training is besides necessary. The Ministry of discipline and Higher Education should be included in the preparation of programme changes for medical personnel, so that future physicians already in college learn the basics of tactical medicine.
And what advice would you give to young specialists starting their career in tactical rescue?
To constantly improve their skills, they inactive strive to gain fresh cognition and experience. I know how crucial this is.That's why, despite the fresh function, I'm inactive working in medical rescue teams. I believe that practice is the basis for giving opinions and supporting military structures.
Col Anita Podlasin – Deputy Commandant of the Military Medical Training Centre – he has been active in field medicine for years. She gained experience in medical rescue teams while on call at the SORs and during the mission as a medic in Afghanistan. She besides provided training at the Natovian centre in Mons. This year, she became a consultant to the Military wellness Service for Tactical Rescue.
