Air medical journal
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Air medical journal · May 2018
The Effect of Team Configuration on the Incidence of Adverse Events in Pediatric Critical Care Transport.
Specialty pediatric transport teams are widely used for pediatric interfacility transport in the United States, with little industry consensus on optimal team configuration. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of the nurse/paramedic specialty team configuration as indirectly measured by the rate of adverse events in these transports. ⋯ There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse event occurrence in nurse/paramedic team configurations versus nurse/nurse configuration. Using critical care paramedics on pediatric transport teams enables a larger volume of patients to be transported to definitive care without concerns for decrease in quality or safety.
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Air medical journal · May 2018
Comparative StudyComparing the Efficacy of Methods for Immobilizing the Thoracic-Lumbar Spine.
The purpose of this study was to compare the relative efficacy of immobilization systems in limiting thoracic-lumbar movements. ⋯ Under the study conditions, the vacuum mattress was more effective for limiting involuntary movements of the thoracic-lumbar region than the long spine board. Moreover, the increased lateral bend observed with the long spine board under some conditions suggests it may be inadequate for immobilizing this anatomic region as presently designed. Should emergency medical service providers choose to immobilize patients with suspected injuries of the thoracic-lumbar spine, study results support the use of the vacuum mattress.
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The feasibility and potential of using drones for providing flotation devices in cases of drowning have not yet been assessed. We hypothesize that a drone carrying an inflatable life buoy is a faster way to provide flotation compared with traditional methods. The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility and efficiency of using a drone for delivering and providing flotation support to conscious simulated drowning victims. ⋯ Using drones to deliver inflatable life buoys is safe and may be a faster method to provide early flotation devices to conscious drowning victims compared with rescue swimming.