Air medical journal
-
Air medical journal · Jan 2013
Blood administration in helicopter emergency medical services patients associated with hypothermia.
The infusion of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) in the severely injured patient is not a new practice. It is a potentially lifesaving procedure although it is not without inherent risk. This practice in the helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) has not been examined in the literature. We attempt to determine factors associated with hypothermia (ie, < 35°C), including the transfusion of O negative blood. ⋯ HEMS trauma patients who have received blood are more likely to arrive hypothermic (ie, < 35°C). The clinical impact of giving PRBCs in the HEMS prehospital setting was not determined.
-
Air medical journal · Jan 2013
Making good better: implementing a standardized handoff in pediatric transport.
Failures in communication lead to adverse events in healthcare. Handoffs, defined as the transfer of information, responsibility, and authority from one provider to another, have been identified as a cause of communication failure compromising patient safety. Locally, there was dissatisfaction among caregivers working on the general care and intensive care units regarding the quality of information received from the pediatric transport team for transferred patients. ⋯ This practical, low-cost quality-improvement project may help others improve handoff communication and provide safe, high-quality care.
-
An estimated 500,000 critical care patient transports occur annually in the United States. Little research exists to inform optimal practices, promote safety, or encourage responsible, cost-effective use of this resource. Previous efforts to develop a research agenda have not yielded significant progress in producing much-needed scientific study. ⋯ The content and concepts represented by the cluster map can help direct research planning in the critical care transport industry and prioritize funding decisions.