SAFFORD —In 2019, MGRMC received $41,950 from the United Way of Graham & Greenlee Counties to implement the Handtevy Pediatric Emergency Standards Program for Graham & Greenlee County EMS agencies as well as Mt. Graham Emergency Department and Gila Health Resources in Morenci.
Handtevy is a training system that allows for faster, safer and more accurate medication dosing for children in life-threatening situations. Across the country, mistakes when treating children in these situations are very common. Handtevy helps to eliminate these dangerous errors.
Since receiving this grant, multiple children and adults in the two counties have benefited from the program. One week after training was complete, paramedics responded to an infant choking call. Upon arrival, paramedics found the infant in cardiac arrest. EMS immediately administered proper medication doses and provided lifesaving interventions in order to obtain a pulse again. Once the infant was stable, paramedics were then able to safely transport the child to the hospital.
Afterward, the paramedic on scene stated that prior to the Handtevy training, they would not have had the confidence in their medication dosing to remain on scene and provide the life-saving interventions when the patient needed them the most. They would have simply loaded the child in the ambulance and hurried to the hospital without any medication administration.
With the help of this United Way grant, many children just like this one will have access to improved healthcare from first responders that will ultimately save lives.
“On behalf of MGRMC and all of the first responders from Graham and Greenlee counties, we say thank you,” said hospital spokesman Ryan Rapier in a prepared release.
