Prehospital and disaster medicine
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Jun 2015
Survey of UK Health Care First Responders' Knowledge of Personal Protective Equipment Requirements.
An adequate level of personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary when treating patients with highly infectious diseases or those contaminated with hazardous substances. ⋯ The results of the tested cohort indicate that current knowledge regarding PPE for chemical warfare agents remains very limited.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2015
Survey of preventable disaster death at medical institutions in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake: a retrospective preliminary investigation of medical institutions in Miyagi Prefecture.
The 2011, magnitude (M) 9, Great East Japan Earthquake and massive tsunami caused widespread devastation and left approximately 18,500 people dead or missing. The incidence of preventable disaster death (PDD) during the Great East Japan Earthquake remains to be clarified; the present study investigated PDD at medical institutions in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in order to improve disaster medical systems. ⋯ Preventable disaster death at medical institutions in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred mainly at coastal hospitals. Insufficient resources (at GHs), environmental factors (at coastal hospitals), and delayed medical intervention (at all hospitals) constituted the major potential contributing factors. Further investigation of all medical institutions in Miyagi Prefecture, including those with fewer than 20 patient deaths, is required in order to obtain a complete picture of the details of PDD at medical institutions in the disaster area.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2015
Comparative StudyRocuronium Versus Suxamethonium: A Survey of First-line Muscle Relaxant Use in UK Prehospital Rapid Sequence Induction.
Prehospital anaesthesia in the United Kingdom (UK) is provided by Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS), a road-based service. Muscle relaxation in rapid sequence induction (RSI) has been traditionally undertaken with the use of suxamethonium; however, rocuronium at higher doses has comparable intubating conditions with fewer side effects. ⋯ Use of rocuronium as first-line muscle relaxant in prehospital RSI is increasing. Continued auditing of practice will ascertain which services have adopted change and identify if complications of failed intubation increase as a result.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2015
The Use of Haddon's Matrix to Plan for Injury and Illness Prevention at Outdoor Music Festivals.
Mass-gathering music events, such as outdoor music festivals (OMFs), increase the risk of injuries and illnesses among attendees. This increased risk is associated with access to alcohol and other drugs by young people and an environment that places many people in close contact with each other. ⋯ The use of the Haddon matrix demonstrates that interventions need to be targeted at all stages of the event, particularly both pre-event and during the event. The opportunity to promote health is lost by the time of post event. The matrix provided vital information on what factors may contribute to injury at OMFs; form this information, event planners can strategize possible interventions.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2015
Comparative StudyAnalysis of trauma care education in the South Sudan community health worker training curriculum.
Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Allied health workers are often on the front lines of caring for trauma patients; this is the case in South Sudan, where a system of community health workers (CHWs) and clinical officers (COs) form an essential part of the health care structure. However, curricula for these workers vary, and it is unclear how much these training programs include trauma education. HYPOTHESIS/METHODS: The CHW training curriculum in South Sudan was reviewed to evaluate the degree to which it incorporates trauma education, according to established guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first formal comparison of a CHW curriculum with established WHO trauma guidelines. ⋯ The CHW training curriculum lacks the requisite content to provide adequately a basic level of trauma care and requires amending to ensure that all South Sudan citizens receive appropriate treatment. It is recommended that other LMICs review their existing training curricula in order to improve their ability to provide adequate trauma care and to ensure they meet the basic WHO guidelines.