Following a similar format to the ATACC course, the ATACC-MERIT course is also structured to allow for continuous content update. This course, also carried out over a 3 day period and aimed at those responding as major incident/forward aid teams, covers the pre-hospital and trauma training requirements of those participating in MERIT (Medical Emergency Response Incident Teams.)
It parallels the ATACC course but places greater emphasis on major incident and mass casualty clinical management rather than individual circumstances. It also provides clinical teachings on dealing with major terrorist and CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiation Nuclear) incidents. There is a greater emphasis for candidates of the ATACC-MERIT course upon managing mass trauma casualty scenarios and the triage of trauma patients in a major civilian disaster or terrorist attack. This course not only educates candidates on the management, communications and control issues of managing major incidents efficiently, but crucially, also teaches the pertinent clinical issues relevant to practitioners in providing trauma care in such instances. Important issues are also taught relating to the specialist medical and protection implications of Chemical Biological Radiation Nuclear (CBRN) attacks.
The main ethos of the ATACC-MERIT course is to deliver practical hands-on training. Although there are a number of lectures, there are more skills stations and expert demonstrations. However a much greater emphasis is placed on practical exercises/moulages for mass casualty management and trauma care and therefore this comprises the majority of the course timetable. Like the ATACC course, it is one of the few courses that allow medical personnel to get involved in pre-hospital rescue; preparing them to safely work alongside the emergency services at major incident scenes and allowing them to practically experience mass casualty triage and patient clinical management such as major incidents and terrorist attacks. For this reason, the ATACC-MERIT course is designed to encompass a protracted major incident simulation on day 2 of the course with all candidates managing all aspects of mass casualty trauma care and incident management.
Topics covered throughout the course include:-
- Primary Survey
- Kinematics of Trauma
- Airway Trauma
- Cardio-Thoracic Trauma
- Shock & Circulation Preservation (including fluid resuscitation, permissive hypotension & massive transfusion protocol)
- Abdominal Trauma
- Pelvic Trauma
- Neuro Trauma
- Spinal Trauma
- Extremity Trauma
- Burns & Thermal Injury
- Drowning
- Crush Injury & Suspension Trauma
- Paediatric & Obstetric Trauma
- Special Circumstances in Trauma
- Damage Control Surgery
- Emergency/Pre-Hospital Surgery
- Management of Trauma Patients on ITU/Critical Care
- Transfer of the Critically Ill Patient
- Trauma Radiology
- Pre-Hospital Care of the Trauma Patient
- Mass casualty management/major civilian disasters
- Chemical Biological Radiation and Nuclear considerations
- Casualty triage
The ATACC-MERIT course is designed to meet and exceed the trauma training requirements for all medical personnel involved in forward aid major incident medical care.
Due to the team working ethos for which the ATACC-MERIT course was originally designed; the course is especially suited for training of the actual members of MERIT which are, or would be, activated in the event of an incident. However, individuals who are not currently a team member of MERIT may still enroll on an ATACC-MERIT course in order to acquire and develop the skills required for subsequently becoming an effective and desired team member of any MERIT.