Military medicine
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Comparative Study
Mass casualty triage knowledge of military medical personnel.
During battlefield and mass casualty incidents, triage has been traditionally performed by many different personnel, including medics, nurses, dentists, and physicians. The objective of this study was to determine which military medical providers are most knowledgeable in mass casualty triage. The design was a prospective, written, timed, case-based examination of triage knowledge. ⋯ Statistically significant differences were noted between the highest and lowest scoring groups in each scenario. Our conclusion is that among the subject groups tested, physicians were best at mass casualty triage. Dentists, nurses, and medics scored progressively less well on our examination.
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The purpose of this study was to review whether air ambulance transportation of trauma patients to the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) level I trauma center contributed to maintaining national mortality standards in the trauma care of these patients. Aeromedical transportation is considered a standard-of-care component of regional trauma systems throughout the United States. Pooled trauma database information from 792 consecutive ambulance-transported trauma patients received at BAMC during the fiscal year from October 1, 1995, to September 30, 1996, were reviewed. ⋯ The mortality rates (immediate, early, and late deaths) of both ambulance groups were compared with national mortality standards using the internationally recognized Trauma and Injury Severity Score methodology, based on the Major Trauma Outcome Study in 1986 and validated in 1992. The Z test for independent populations demonstrated no statistically significant difference between BAMC trauma mortality rates for either ambulance group compared with national trauma mortality rates. The results suggest that aeromedical evacuation of the more severely injured patients farthest from the BAMC trauma center resulted in mortality rates that met national standards.