Prehospital and disaster medicine
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2018
What do They Know? Guidelines and Knowledge Translation for Foreign Health Sector Workers Following Natural Disasters.
Introduction The incidence of natural disasters is increasing worldwide, with countries the least well-equipped to mitigate or manage them suffering the greatest losses. Following natural disasters, ill-prepared foreign responders may become a burden to the affected population, or cause harm to those needing help. Problem The study was performed to determine if international guidelines for foreign workers in the health sector exist, and evidence of their implementation.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2018
Observational StudyThe Association between Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Out-of-Hospital Settings and Chest Injuries: A Retrospective Observational Study.
The aim of this study was to assess the risk of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed in out-of-hospital settings for chest injuries in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). ⋯ Long duration of out-of-hospital CPR was an independent risk factor for chest injuries, possibly due to the difficulty of maintaining adequate quality of CPR. Further investigations to assess the efficacy of alternative CPR devices are expected in cases requiring long transportation times. Takayama W , Koguchi H , Endo A , Otomo Y . The association between cardiopulmonary resuscitation in out-of-hospital settings and chest injuries: a retrospective observational study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):171-175.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2018
The Ethics of Real-Time EMS Direction: Suggested Curricular Content.
Ethical dilemmas can create moral distress in even the most experienced emergency physicians (EPs). Following reasonable and justified approaches can help alleviate such distress. The purpose of this article is to guide EPs providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) direction to navigate through common ethical issues confronted in the prehospital delivery of care, including protecting privacy and confidentiality, decision-making capacity and refusal of treatment, withholding of treatment, and termination of resuscitation (TOR). ⋯ Brenner JM , Aswegan AL , Vearrier LE , Basford JB , Iserson KV. The ethics of real-time EMS direction: suggested curricular content. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):201-212.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Feb 2018
Comparative Study Observational StudyPrehospital Identification of Patients with a Final Hospital Diagnosis of Stroke.
Introduction the early phase of stroke, minutes are critical. Since the majority of patients with stroke are transported by the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), the early handling and decision making by the EMS clinician is important. Problem The study aim was to evaluate the frequency of a documented suspicion of stroke by the EMS nurse, and to investigate differences in the clinical signs of stroke and clinical assessment in the prehospital setting among patients with regard to if there was a documented suspicion of stroke on EMS arrival or not, in patients with a final hospital diagnosis of stroke.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Feb 2018
ReviewPolicy, Practice, and Research Agenda for Emergency Medical Services Oversight: A Systematic Review and Environmental Scan.
Introduction In a 2015 report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM; Washington, DC USA), now the National Academy of Medicine (NAM; Washington, DC USA), stated that the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) exhibits signs of fragmentation; an absence of system-wide coordination and planning; and a lack of federal, state, and local accountability. The NAM recommended clarifying what roles the federal government, state governments, and local communities play in the oversight and evaluation of EMS system performance, and how they may better work together to improve care.