Air medical journal
-
Air medical journal · Sep 2007
Effectiveness of a challenge-and-respond checklist in ensuring safety behavior compliance by medical team members at a rotor-wing air medical program.
Checklists are a frequently recommended strategy for minimizing human error in both the aviation and medical industries, yet checklist noncompliance is sometimes cited as a factor in untoward incidents. We evaluate the use of a challenge-and-respond checklist designed to ensure compliance with basic pre-departure safety preparations by medical personnel at a helicopter air medical program. ⋯ Routine completion of an interactive challenge-and-respond checklist by medical personnel had a low rate of detecting operational safety omissions in the studied helicopter critical care transport program. There was some difference in results by crew tenure.
-
The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology and resources used and to study the potential savings of pediatric reverse transport patients. ⋯ Pediatric patients undergo reverse transports for a variety of reasons, often for end-of-life care. The ability to reverse transport pediatric patients may not save PICU bed days but may offer pediatric tertiary care hospitals a means to provide more intermediate care bed availability.
-
Air medical journal · May 2007
Evaluation of responses of an air medical helicopter program during a comprehensive emergency response drill.
Participation of air medical service programs in emergency response drills can reveal important information regarding preparedness. This article reviews one program's participation in a drill, the evaluation methods used to assess the program's response, and the findings of the drill evaluation. ⋯ The evaluation of LIFE STAR Communications during a drill revealed specific problems that would have gone unrecognized without participation in the emergency preparedness exercise. Air medical services should participate and be evaluated in drills to enhance preparedness through the clarification of responsibilities and the practice of protocol and policy directives.
-
Air medical journal · Jan 2007
Results and recommendations from the helicopter EMS pilot safety survey 2005.
In 2005, the Pilot Safety Study Group (PSSG), consisting of members of the Association of Air Medical Services Research Committee, wrote, distributed, and analyzed a survey of helicopter pilots regarding their knowledge, attitude, and perspectives on safety in the field of air medical transport. ⋯ Although the recommendations from the PSS2005 are lacking in definite evidence for a decrease in HEMS crashes, we consider the direct input from pilots as critical in the absolute elimination of crashes in Helicopter EMS (Vision Zero). Pilots are, after all, the very ones held responsible for HEMS crashes. Based on these findings, the PSSG hopes that the HEMS community will incorporate the following recommendations into their standard practices. We recommend that all HEMS operators have annual and regular CRM training. We recommend that all HEMS pilots have annual and regular training in realistic flight simulators. Finally, we recommend that all HEMS aircraft be in possession of NVGs, and if this is not possible (eg, light pollution from a highly urbanized region or cost-benefit issues), then to have annual and regular mission-oriented nighttime training.