Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps Selects Air Methods Ascend for Advanced Clinical Education

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Ascend program makes state-of-the-art education available to nurses and paramedics  

FLORAL PARK, NY, March 21, 2023 – Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical service provider, announced today that Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps (VAC) has selected Air Methods Ascend’s critical care in-person program to provide additional training for their volunteer nurses and paramedics. 

Founded in 1973 by a group of community-minded individuals who wanted to ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) were available to their neighbors, Glen Oaks VAC is a not-for-profit corporation that provides volunteer EMS/ambulance services to residents throughout the areas of Bayside, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens, and the North Shore Towers. With over 150 volunteers, Glen Oaks VAC provides both basic life support and advanced life support ambulance service to the communities that it serves. 

“We want to provide our members with the opportunities to excel at their skills and clinical knowledge but also want to provide the New York City EMS community with avenues to advance their careers,” said Glen Oaks VAC Director of Training Dave Meketansky, RN. “We are confident that Air Methods Ascend will help expose New York City paramedics to the career options in critical care. We are excited for the paramedics and nurses enrolled in this amazing course from Air Methods Ascend to not only learn about advancing their clinical practice to benefit their patients, but also the potential career advancements and employment opportunities available in critical care. It was very important to our organization to make this course available to all providers from our region.”  

Glen Oaks VAC volunteers will be participating in Ascend’s Critical Care Readiness in-person program which features a multi-day didactic and simulation-based readiness course incorporating high-fidelity simulation equipment, interactive manikins, virtual reality tools, and cadaver labs. 

“Being a New York City paramedic requires significant upkeep. Here at Glen Oaks VAC we want to show our appreciation, which cannot be expressed enough to those who volunteer and who are instrumental to our operation,” said ALS Coordinator for Glen Oaks VAC Christopher L Benson. “The agency can only improve if we invest in our members’ education. Not only do we want them to succeed here with us but within their own careers.”  

Ascend’s in-person and online education programs provide access to world-class educators, state-of-the-art tools, and cutting-edge technologies to help pre-hospital and critical care clinicians build their knowledge, enabling them to operate at the top of their licensure and fulfill continuing education requirements. Education programs include advanced manikin-based simulation and virtual reality training that mirror real-world patient care scenarios, building life-saving skills and confidence. Courses meet certification requirements for the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), and International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC). 

“Air Methods is thrilled to partner with Glen Oaks VAC to provide their team with our Critical Care Readiness in-person program,” said Dr. Stephanie Queen, Air Methods Senior Vice President of Clinical Services. “The premium access to Air Methods Ascend’s best-in-class education will help equip their team with the knowledge, tools, and skills they need to ensure the best possible outcomes for their patients.” 

Learn more about the Ascend education program here