Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Nov 2024
Prehospital Clinical Decision-Making for Medication Administration for Behavioral Emergencies.
Introduction. Prehospital behavioral emergency protocols provide guidance on when a medication may be necessary; however, the final decision of which medication to administer to a patient is made independently by paramedics. This study sought to describe the clinical decision-making process of prehospital behavioral emergencies when paramedics consider chemical restraints, and determine the factors associated with choosing specific medications to administer. ⋯ Conclusion. This study suggests there are several factors, such as safety and the etiology of the behavioral emergency, that contributed to paramedics' decision-making. The results of this study could help Emergency Medical Services administrators in revising behavioral emergency protocols.