Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
-
Inequities have been described in areas of prehospital care ranging from pain medication administration and scene time, to stroke and cardiac arrest management. Though a critical element in understanding inequity, race and ethnicity information are often missing from the prehospital patient care report. This study aimed to characterize and understand demographic trends among records with missing race and ethnicity information. ⋯ When compared to data after the implementation of mandated race and ethnicity fields, missing race and ethnicity data were found to be more common in patients of color, younger patients, males, and those transported non-emergently. Inconsistent completion of race and ethnicity documentation may lead to a poor understanding of equity issues within a system, suggesting a need for mandatory race and ethnicity fields.
-
We report the initial six pediatric patients treated with ketamine for benzodiazepine-resistant status epilepticus in an urban, ground-based emergency medical services (EMS) system. Evidence for ketamine as a second-line agent for both adult and pediatric refractory seizure activity in the hospital setting has increased over the past decade. The availability of an inexpensive and familiar second-line prehospital anti-epileptic drug option is extremely desirable. We believe these initial data demonstrate promising seizure control effects without significant respiratory depression, indicating a potential role for ketamine in the EMS treatment of pediatric benzodiazepine-refractory seizures.
-
Like other public safety professions, paramedicine has historically been a male-dominated occupation. Although women are increasingly choosing paramedicine as a career, participation in leadership roles remains limited. Drawing on data from a comprehensive mental health survey, we describe the proportion of women in leadership in a single, large, urban paramedic service in Ontario, Canada. ⋯ Although paramedicine is witnessing an encouraging shift in the demography of its workforce, our results point to a potential under-representation of women in leadership roles. Future research should focus on identifying and ameliorating barriers to career advancement among women and other historically underrepresented people.
-
The Methods section is the core of any research manuscript, yet writing this section may feel like a daunting task. In this letter, two of our methods and statistics editors provide some guidance on common pitfalls to avoid and pearls for writing the Methods section. From study design to analytic approach, this letter gives a high-level look at keys to success.