Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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We hypothesized that paramedics with more experience would be more successful at treating patients in ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest than those with less experience. We conducted a study examining the relationship between the years of experience of paramedics and survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. ⋯ This study suggests that the amount of experience of the paramedic who performed procedures on cardiac arrest patients was associated with increased rates of survival. However, we did not find an association between survival from VF and the number of years of experience of the paramedic who made treatment decisions.
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Emergency medical services (EMS) providers infrequently encounter seriously ill and injured pediatric patients. Clinical simulations are useful for assessing skill level, especially for low-frequency, high-risk problems. ⋯ Multiple deficiencies in paramedics' performance of pediatric resuscitation skills were objectively identified using three manikin-based simulations. EMS educators and EMS medical directors should target these specific skill deficiencies when developing continuing education in prehospital pediatric patient care.
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Little is known about how effectively information is transferred from emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to clinicians in the emergency department receiving the patient. Information about prehospital events and findings can help ensure expedient and appropriate care. The trauma literature describes 16 prehospital data points that affect outcome and therefore should be included in the EMS report when applicable. ⋯ Even in the controlled setting of a single-patient handover with direct verbal contact between EMS providers and in-hospital clinicians, only 72.9% of the key prehospital data points that were transmitted by the EMS personnel were documented by the receiving hospital staff. Elements such as prehospital hypotension, GCS score, and other prehospital vital signs were often not recorded. Methods of "transmitting" and "receiving" data in trauma as well as all other patients need further scrutiny.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The King LT versus the Combitube: flight crew performance and preference.
Air medical personnel frequently face the challenge of the emergency airway. The Combitube is an airway device commonly used by emergency medical services (EMS) providers as either a primary or rescue airway. ⋯ The King LT was placed significantly faster than the Combitube and was also perceived as easier to place. Ninety-six percent of the participants preferred the King LT. Limitations include using a simulator model rather than a human model.