Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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To determine the accuracy of police, emergency department, and ambulance records in describing motor vehicle crash (MVC) characteristics when compared with a crash investigation report (CIR). ⋯ The accuracy of data sources used to determine crash characteristics varies. Using a CIR as the standard, the PR was the most accurate. Inaccuracies occurred most frequently for RU and TI. Researchers and clinicians need to be aware of these inaccuracies.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of bag-valve-mask, manually triggered ventilator, and automated ventilator devices used while ventilating a nonintubated mannikin model.
To determine whether there were differences in tidal volume (Vt), minute volume (MV), average mask leak per breath (ML), gastric insufflation (GI), and peak airway pressure (PAP) when ventilating a nonintubated mannikin with a bag-valve-mask (BV), manually triggered ventilator (MTV), and automated ventilator (AV). The authors' hypothesis was that there would be no differences among the devices for any of these variables. ⋯ All three devices delivered similar volumes when used by EMTs, but the BV was associated with higher PAP, ML, and GI.
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Emergency medical services (EMS) is frequently considered to be a subspecialty of emergency medicine (EM) despite the unavailability of subspecialty certification. An assessment of future interest in EMS subspecialization and the perceived educational needs of potential EMS physicians was performed in order to provide data to leaders responsible for development of this subspecialty area. ⋯ Many EM residents have an interest in active participation in EMS on either a part-time or a full-time basis. Most respondents think EMS is a unique area requiring focused education beyond an EM residency. Interest in EMS fellowships would greatly increase if subspecialty certification were available.
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Current methods of evaluating the technical competence of Michigan emergency medical technician (EMT) licensure candidates are subjective and potentially unreliable. Evaluators are required to attend a workshop before evaluating practical examination candidates. Despite the workshop, there is too much score variation and not enough observational consistency on the standardized examination. ⋯ Notable variation in scores given by evaluators for a single observed student, combined with low levels of evaluator agreement about skill performance, suggests that evaluators do not reliably rate student performance using the Michigan practical examination instrument.
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The widespread use of orotracheal intubation with rapid-sequence induction has made it difficult for emergency medical services (EMS) professionals to gain experience in nasotracheal intubation (NTI) in a controlled and supervised setting. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a training session on NTI with a breathing manikin can be used to improve the self-assessed skill level and comfort of EMS professionals. ⋯ For EMS professionals, a training session for NTI using a relatively inexpensive and easily assembled breathing manikin model increases both comfort and self-assessed skill level.