The CARE Course is a two-day inter-professional team-oriented learning experience developed by rural healthcare providers for rural physicians, nurses and pre-hospital providers. It enhances healthcare teams’ ability to deliver comprehensive rural emergency care across airway management, trauma care, cardiac care, emergency obstetrics, pediatrics and neonatal care. The CARE Course takes place in local healthcare facilities with local providers.
“I appreciated your team and all the teaching you did for us this weekend so much. It’s all everyone is talking about at work today, how amazing The CARE Course was.”
Explore the Numbers
11 Communities in 2022/23
The CARE Course was delivered in 11 rural communities across British Columbia this year.
4 Residents' Courses in 2022/23
This year, The CARE Course delivered four residents’ courses, specifically for second year rural family practice residents.
150 Total Courses
Since 2010, The CARE Course has now held 150 courses.
3350 Total participants
Across their 150 courses, The CARE Course has connected with ~3350 participants, including more than 1700 rural physicians.
Making a Difference
The CARE Course continues to receive positive feedback from heath care professionals. This speaks not only to the success of the program, but to the dedication from the team in working to foster a supportive and trusting environment in which to learn collaboratively. “The positivity you brought to us was refreshing. I love our team in [community]. Thanks for making us better”, said one participant.
Participants recall how The CARE Course has left a lasting impact on their team, and practice:
“Most of all, providing a better example of what medical culture, and inter-professional teamwork, can look like. The CARE Course provides a model where it's ok to look things up, value each other's feedback, and not be perfect, all in the knowledge that this leads to better patient outcomes. If this were the predominant model, it would be easier to be ‘confident’ (despite not being confident) if that makes sense. It leaves room for an appropriate amount of intellectual humility that's a bit lacking in medical culture right now.”
“First thing this morning, I had a tough case of status epilepticus that we ended up intubating and sending to ICU in [community]. I had two paramedics, two nurses, and a physician that was in the hospital that poked in to support me. We did a 20 sec debrief a couple of times and did a group debrief quickly at the end and we all agreed The CARE Course helped us this morning.”
“Among the residents, I think it's a shared experience that led to improved camaraderie, a better sense of our shared experience (being learners terrified of being imperfect), and increased unity in our hopes for a better future in healthcare teams.”
Plans for the Future
The CARE Course hopes to deliver 16-20 courses again in the upcoming year and continue with faculty development.
