The STOP THE BLEED® (STB) program has found new and exciting ways to continue its goal of informing, educating, and empowering the public to take action in a bleeding emergency. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic initially halted the growth of in-person instruction, but the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) developed avenues to continue growth in this important area. With more than 1.7 million individuals trained worldwide, STB has maintained its offerings and developed new delivery models for education and outreach. Experience a virtual information presentation available through the STB virtual exhibit booth during Clinical Congress 2021.
More than 90,000 instructors worldwide are now able to offer the STB course in-person or in a virtual format. Instructors can deliver a quality didactic presentation to individuals without in-person interaction. The accompanying skills section can be completed in-person in smaller groups or virtually for participants with the necessary technology. This new virtual course option has opened opportunities for instructors to reach out to their communities and educate individuals about STB and bleeding control. The standards for course completion have not changed as each participant must accomplish both the didactic and skills portion of the course to receive a certificate of completion.
The month of May is designated as National STOP THE BLEED Month, and May 20, 2021, was recognized as National STOP THE BLEED Day. The STB program partnered with both organizations to promote STB training throughout communities worldwide. This year’s addition of global programming and outreach signified the increased reach of the program and the need for information and education outside the U.S.
The STB program continues its ongoing collaboration with AmeriCorps in the programming and activities during the 9/11 National Day of Service and the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service. These days are used to further promote international outreach and education on bleeding control, with the ACS COT providing messaging on social media throughout those nationally recognized days. Both of these impact days were well-received, with social media viewing and correlating visits to the www.stopthebleed.org website.
In addition, the ACS COT was able to offer volunteer vaccination assignment opportunities for STB instructors who were medical professionals. This offering was coordinated through contact by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which, as an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, facilitated volunteers to assist in the national vaccination effort.
