Advanced Damage Control Resuscitation and Prehospital Transfusion (ADaPT) Course

Course Overview

The Advanced Damage Control Resuscitation and Prehospital Transfusion (ADaPT) course is a three-day, in-person training program co-developed by North American Rescue Training and Education (NAR-T) and the Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research Network (THOR) for paramedics, nurses, critical care teams, EMS leaders, and prehospital clinicians who want to build stronger knowledge and skills in Damage Control Resuscitation (DCR), hemorrhagic shock, trauma resuscitation, and prehospital blood administration. Students will learn directly from THOR’s leading experts in Damage Control Resuscitation and prehospital transfusion, connecting current science with real-world practice. ADaPT teaches blood-forward care using whole blood, blood products, field transfusion workflows, safe blood product administration in EMS, and clear transfusion protocols. Through lectures, case-based learning, hands-on skills, and EMS simulation, students will learn what to do, why it matters, and how to apply these concepts during high-risk trauma and critical care situations.

What You'll Learn (3 Days)

• Day 1–2: Shock physiology, hemorrhage control, airway + resuscitation skills, and decision-making for early blood-forward care
• Hands-On Training: Skills stations and EMS simulation training with trauma and non-trauma cases, including pediatric and geriatric considerations with THOR's expert clinicians teaching.
• Day 3 (Systems + Compliance): Program governance, documentation, QA, and key AABB and FDA considerations for safe operations for administering blood products in the field or pre-hospital environment

Who This Course is For

• Medical directors, clinical supervisors, and program administrators overseeing blood product transfusion standards
• Paramedics, RNs, Critical Care/Transport clinicians (ground or air), Flight Paramedics and Flight Nurses, Tactical and Offshore medics, Military corpsmen, DoD/USAR teams, and disaster response providers administering blood products in the field.
• Teams supporting compliance, documentation, QA, and program sustainability

What Problem this Course Solves

• Standardizes prehospital transfusion and field transfusion workflows
• Improves readiness, monitoring, traceability, and reaction response during blood product transfusion
• Bridges evidence-based practice for safety, EMS whole blood and blood product administration and operations

What You'll Walk Away With

• A repeatable operational workflow to build or improve a blood program
• Practical skills and scenario experience you can apply immediately
• Tools for patient selection, timing, monitoring, and documentation
• CAPCE CE documentation

Training Format

• Lecture 75% | Skills 15% | Scenarios 10%
• Small-group coaching from leading experts at THOR, case discussion, and structured debrief
• Realistic workflows for storage, administration, monitoring, and complication management

Logistics (3 Full Days of Training

• Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (full training days)
• Dress Code: Professional, comfortable clothing; closed-toe shoes required. Scenarios will include simulated blood.
• Food/Drinks: Bring your own. Water stations are available. Coffee/tea provided. Fridge + microwave on-site. Food truck available at lunch.
• Materials: No pre-course work required. Bring pen/paper; laptop optional. Materials provided on-site.
• Other: ADA accessible. Parking available. Photo ID is required at check-in. Travel/lodging not included.

Course Objectives

• Apply evidence-based Damage Control Resuscitation (DCR) principles to identify patients in hemorrhagic shock who may benefit from early blood-forward resuscitation during prehospital trauma care and trauma resuscitation.
• Demonstrate safe blood administration EMS workflow steps for prehospital transfusion and field transfusion, including preparation, initiation, monitoring, reassessment, and documentation in accordance with established transfusion protocols.
• Maintain operational readiness and patient safety by verifying blood product handling requirements and applying cold chain and traceability practices relevant to blood product and blood product transfusion, including considerations for low-titer O whole blood (LTOWB).
• Recognize and manage suspected transfusion-related complications by identifying early warning signs, initiating immediate response actions, and documenting events to support quality assurance and medical oversight.
• Describe the program-level elements required to implement and sustain a compliant, high-reliability prehospital blood program, including governance, documentation, quality assurance processes, and key AABB and FDA compliance considerations.