PhD, PA-C
Forensic Medicine Program Manager
Snoqualmie Valley Health
Snoqualmie, WA
PA Thompson has a strong background at the intersection of healthcare and interpersonal violence. Her work began as a volunteer advocate for sexual assault survivors, where her passion for addressing interpersonal violence was born. She later became a female instructor for Zero Hour Model Mugging Self Defense, a role she continued for nearly 20 years.
After discovering her true passion for medicine, Katherine pursued a career in emergency medical services in the heart of inner-city Los Angeles before transitioning to her current roles as a Physician Assistant in the emergency department and urgent care. Throughout her work in healthcare and interpersonal violence, she has specialized in collaborative leadership, interprofessional team building, and communication between providers and survivors to help create the strongest possible support network.
She is a PhD scholar in violence research and forensic psychology and is currently working on a book about nonfatal strangulation, exploring how and where it presents in society. Her dissertation examined demographic factors associated with nonfatal strangulation perpetrators.
Katherine has been published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA) and the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), appeared on the JAAPA podcast, presented at national conferences, and frequently guest lectures on interpersonal violence and healthcare.
Nonfatal strangulation is an under-recognized and underreported, potentially life-threatening form of intimate partner violence. This lecture will provide EMTs, paramedics, and firefighters with the skills needed to recognize these situations, appropriately interview patients, provide supportive counseling, and make appropriate referrals.
Participants will explore the anatomy and physiology of strangulation, including the mechanisms of injury and the potential short- and long-term medical consequences associated with these events. The session will review trauma-informed approaches to patient interactions, including effective interviewing techniques and communication strategies for individuals who may have experienced strangulation.
Attendees will also examine best practices for counseling and referral of patients who report a recent history of strangulation, with an emphasis on patient safety, appropriate documentation, and connecting individuals with available support resources. This presentation will reinforce the critical role first responders play in recognizing, responding to, and supporting patients affected by this form of violence.
