Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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Comparative Study
A comparison of paramedic didactic training hours and NREMT-P examination performance.
The didactic hours required by paramedic training programs differ tremendously throughout the country. The authors hypothesized that a correlation exists between paramedic didactic training hours and pass/fail performance on the National Registry Examination. ⋯ There is no correlation between paramedic didactic training hours and pass/fail performance on the NREMT-P examination.
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Rates of resuscitation from cardiac arrest are directly tied to time to defibrillation. To maximize results, the first arriving care provider should be equipped and trained to defibrillate. This would include police in those systems where they serve this function; to date, no training program has been examined for effectiveness in this group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a training program designed to train police first responders in the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). ⋯ Police first responders trained in the use of AEDs performed at a level equivalent or superior to that in other reported studies. Future training strategies should stress proper integration of airway and CPR skills.
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To describe the EMS response to a large-scale shooting incident involving military-style weapons. ⋯ Incidents involving military-style weapons pose a unique challenge for prehospital care providers who must care for injured civilians and law enforcement personnel while maintaining their own safety. Use of the Incident Command System, establishment of a liaison with law enforcement, and the provision of protective gear for EMS personnel are vital to effectively and safely manage these types of incidents.
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The safe operation of ambulances using warning lights and siren requires both the public and emergency medical technician (EMT) drivers to understand and obey relevant traffic laws. However, EMTs may be unfamiliar with these laws. The purpose of this study was to evaluate EMTs' knowledge of traffic laws related to the operation of ambulances with warning lights and sirens. ⋯ In this sample, EMT knowledge of basic traffic laws pertaining to ambulance operation is poor. Emergency driver's education courses and increased experience appear to be related to increased knowledge scores. Increased training for EMTs about traffic laws may improve the safe operation of ambulances.
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To evaluate the experience of prehospital care providers with violence. ⋯ By their own report, EMS providers encounter a substantial amount of violence and injury due to assault on the job. Formal training and protocols to provide a standardized safe approach for such encounters are lacking. Although the limitations of survey data are recognized, further research characterizing the level of violence and potential interventions seems warranted.