Advanced Mechanical Ventilation Training for EMS & Transport Providers
Presented by: Mechanical Ventilation Training Institute
Hosted by: Altus Fire-EMS
The Prehospital Ventilator Life Support (PHVLS) Workshop is a comprehensive, competency-based training program designed to elevate the knowledge, clinical reasoning, and hands-on skills of prehospital and transport clinicians managing mechanically ventilated patients.
Built on the foundation of evidence-based practice and real-world application, this program integrates asynchronous learning with immersive, scenario-driven training to ensure participants develop true mastery—not just familiarity—with mechanical ventilation in the prehospital environment.
Program Overview
Participants begin with the Basic Ventilator Life Support (BVLS) online course, an 8-hour, self-paced learning experience that establishes core principles of mechanical ventilation, including physiology, ventilator modes, waveform interpretation, and patient-ventilator interaction.
This foundational knowledge is then expanded during a 2-day (16-hour) in-person workshop, where learners engage in high-impact, hands-on training focused on application, critical thinking, and performance under realistic clinical conditions.
What Makes This Course Different
Unlike traditional lecture-based education, PHVLS is built on active learning principles and emphasizes:
Deliberate practice with expert feedback
Scenario-based simulation reflecting real prehospital challenges
Integration of cognitive, psychomotor, and clinical decision-making skills
Focus on high-risk, low-frequency events encountered in EMS and transport medicine
Participants will manage complex cases such as:
Complex Non-Invasive Ventilation
Severe obstructive lung disease with dynamic hyperinflation
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Post-intubation hemodynamic instability
Ventilator dyssynchrony and troubleshooting
Program Components
Registration in the PHVLS Workshop includes:
8-hour Online BVLS Course
Self-paced, evidence-based curriculum
Continuing education credits included
2-Day In-Person PHVLS Workshop (16 hours)
Hands-on ventilator management
High-fidelity simulation and case-based learning
Small group instruction with expert faculty
1-Year Access to Monthly Live Continuing Education Series
Ongoing case reviews, emerging evidence, and advanced topics
Designed to reinforce retention and support lifelong learning
Dual 3-Year Certification
BVLS Certification
PHVLS Certification
Continuing Education
Up to 36 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available
Target Audience
Paramedics and Nurses involved in EMS or Transport
Educational Philosophy
PHVLS is grounded in the principle that clinical mastery is achieved through deliberate practice, reflection, and application—not passive exposure. This program is designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, empowering clinicians to deliver safe, effective, and confident mechanical ventilation care in even the most challenging environments.
Outcome
Upon completion, participants will demonstrate the ability to:
Apply evidence-based ventilation strategies across a range of critical illness states
Interpret ventilator waveforms to identify and correct patient-ventilator dyssynchrony
Troubleshoot ventilator issues in dynamic and resource-limited settings
Optimize ventilation to improve patient outcomes while minimizing harm