Air medical journal
-
The revised guidelines for advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) from the American Heart Association are anticipated in the fall of 2000. Although dramatic changes in the approach to adult basic and ACLS are not anticipated, several controversies and new drugs on the horizon may radically change our approach to emergent cardiac resuscitation. This article features some of the evolving thinking on the emergent treatment of the adult with ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, the critical rhythms seen in most cases of acute cardiac distress. Approaches to airway therapy drug administration and new agents also are described.
-
Emergency medical care is delivered by highly trained and motivated individuals working in groups. In some cases, these groups function as teams, but their teamwork has been poorly studied and rarely is the result of focused training. Medical outcome traditionally is described using patient parameters and often is related to the economics of care delivery. ⋯ This article outlines issues involved in the analysis of medical errors as they relate to measures of individual and team performance and introduces concepts related to emergency care teamwork and team training. Through analogy with aviation analysis of errors and corrective training medical care similarly is being analyzed and error-reduction efforts studied and implemented. The potential benefit of teamwork training for EMS personnel, including air medical crews, is discussed.
-
Air medical journal · Jan 1999
Efficacy of 24-hour shifts: prepared or impaired? A prospective study.
The effect of duty duration on performances is unknown. In a prospective cohort study model using repeated measures, we evaluated the effect of shift length on a battery of neuropsychologic performance indicators using our flight program as the test site. ⋯ Fifteen subjects completed the testing and evaluation process. Neuropsychologic testing demonstrated that performance was not predicted by shift length, time of shift (day versus night), amount or quality of sleep before or during shift, or fatigue ratings. Age, gender, and education did not mediate shift length/test performance relationships. Uninterrupted sleep, stress ratings, and number of flights per shift modestly reduced some test scores. Predictably, repeated testings resulted in practice effects that reduced analysis power. We found that 24-hour shifts per se do not result in a cognitive decline compared with 12-hour shifts. Inconsistent sleep, number of flights, and the stressfulness of flights may have greater impact.
-
Air medical journal · Jan 1999
Assessment of U.S. helicopter emergency medical services' planning and preparedness for disaster response.
Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) roles in disaster response vary significantly from routine operation, and as reported in the literature, such responses have not been without difficulty. We identified nine criteria (written policy, triage and incident command training disaster drill participation, ground and air communications plan, critical incident stress management, annual review, policy sharing) that may significantly affected an air medical program's disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Of these criteria, a written policy is considered of primary importance. ⋯ Most U.S. HEMS programs have not fully addressed disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. HEMS disaster response guidelines should be established, and these criteria should be incorporated.