The Institut du Savoir Montfort (ISM) simulation team, led by Dr. Steve Truong, Co-Director of the Montfort Hospital simulation program, took a step away from the immaculate halls of the simulation laboratory to venture into a very different playground: an ice rink.
It was bitterly cold in Gatineau on January 10, as the Olympiques arena came alive, not for a game, but for an equally crucial mission: to practice emergency management on the ice.
When medical expertise skates off the beaten track
It's not every day that simulation instruments leave hospital corridors to find themselves in the middle of an icy ice rink... but the ISM didn't shy away from this logistical challenge - quite the contrary.
“Just because we're used to the simulation room doesn't mean we can't adapt,” says Dr. Truong, a smile on his face as he deploys the medical equipment carefully prepared by the simulation technicians between the blue and red lines of the ice rink. For the ISM team, it was about much more than demonstrating emergency protocols: they had to reproduce real-life conditions, where the shouts of the public drown out the instructions, where the ice complicates every movement, and where the pressure is as intense as that of a playoff final.
Critical situations, precise gestures
The workshop begins. Silence descends as a mannequin convulses on the ice. Fortunately, it's only a simulation. The Olympic medical team rushes in, supervised by ISM experts. Gestures are rapid, almost automatic, but every movement is observed and corrected if necessary.
Each situation is an opportunity to improve reflexes, fine-tune coordination between caregivers and trainers, and ensure that, should the worst happen one day, everyone will know exactly what to do.
Breaking through laboratory walls to touch reality
What makes this simulation so special is its ability to think outside the box. This is only the second time the simulation team has ventured outside the walls of Montfort Hospital, and the first time in a sporting environment.
When people think of medical simulation training, they think of classrooms and mannequins in hospital beds... but emergencies don't choose their location. If we really want to train responders, we have to meet them where the incidents happen: in the field, in arenas, in schools... even on the ice.
Dr Steve Truong
ISM technicians transformed the arena into a training room, adapting equipment and methods to fit the context perfectly. This flexibility is the strength of the simulation program, enabling us to meet the specific needs of each partner.
For participants, this training goes beyond the simple academic framework. It becomes a question of responsibility and safety.
A collaboration that opens up new possibilities
This project could well be the start of a series of collaborations between the Institut du Savoir Montfort and other sports organizations. Experience has shown that ISM can use its expertise to co-create learning objectives with partners for their unique situations.
It's a real source of pride to see our team step out of its comfort zone and respond to the needs of the community.
Dr Steve Truong
This initiative is also in line with one of the five objectives of the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan of Hôpital Montfort, Institut du Savoir Montfort and Santé Montfort: Increasing the impact of teaching and research. By pushing back the traditional boundaries of medical training, ISM is once again demonstrating its commitment to innovation and adaptation to the realities of the field.
Because at the end of the day, whether in a hospital or on the ice, the goal remains the same: to provide quality care and better prepare those who are responsible for it.
