Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer to be dispatched as first responders in the event of a medical emergency: A systematic review protocol

Background: Voluntary First Response is an important component of prehospital care for medical emergencies, particularly cardiac arrest, in many countries. This intervention entails the mobilisation of volunteers, known as Community First Responders (CFRs), by the Emergency Medical Services to respond to medical emergencies in their locality. They include lay responders and/or professional responders (e.g. police officers, fire fighters, and general practitioners). A wide variety of factors are thought to motivate CFRs to join and remain engaged in Voluntary First Response schemes, such as the availability of learning opportunities, recognition, counselling, and leadership. The aim of this review is to develop an in-depth understanding of CFR motivation, including the factors that influence the initial decision to volunteer as a CFR and the factors that sustain involvement in Voluntary First Response over time. Any factors relevant to CFR de-motivation and turnover will also be examined. Methods: This is a protocol for a qualitative systematic review of the factors that influence the motivation of individuals to participate in Voluntary First Response. A systematic search will be carried out on seven electronic databases. Qualitative studies, mixed-methods studies, and any other studies producing data relating to the review question will be eligible for inclusion. Title and abstract screening, as well as full text screening, will be completed independently by two authors. A narrative synthesis, which is an established qualitative synthesis methodology, will be performed. The quality of each of the included studies will be critically appraised. Discussion: The findings of this review will be used to optimise the intervention of Voluntary First Response. Specifically, the results will inform the design and organisation of Voluntary First Response schemes, including their recruitment, training, and psychological support processes. This could benefit a range of stakeholders, including CFRs, paramedics, emergency physicians, patients, and the public.

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Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer to be dispatched as first responders in the event of a medical emergency: A systematic review protocol

HRB Open Research ◽

10.12688/hrbopenres.12969.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 34 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Eithne Heffernan ◽

Iris Oving ◽

Tomás Barry ◽

Viet-Hai Phung ◽

Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Police Officers ◽

Prehospital Care ◽

First Responders ◽

Medical Emergency ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

First Response ◽

Medical Emergencies ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Synthesis Methodology

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Effectiveness of Physiotherapy to Promote Motor Recovery in Individuals with Stroke: A Systematic Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1169559/v1 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Shehong Zhang ◽

Hongyu Xie ◽

Chuanjie Wang ◽

Fengfeng Wu ◽

Xin Wang

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Motor Function ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Evaluation System ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Primary Data ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Systematic Review Protocol ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

Review Protocol

Abstract Introduction: Motor function is essential in our daily lives, one of the most common impairments caused by stroke is loss of functional movement. Over 70% of stroke survivors have motor or other neurological functional disabilities. However, rehabilitation of motor function suffered from a stroke can be rather difficult due to the complexity of organs and systems related to motor function, as well as the neural system that supported motor function. In particularly, previous evidence for the effectiveness of physiotherapy, a commonly prescribed intervention method for people with stroke, that recover motor function in people following a stroke is varied and limited in the chronic rehabilitation phase and therefore has never been reviewed systematically. With the progress of study in neurology and the development of novel tools for rehabilitation, results from more and more clinical trials are now available, thus here justifying conducting a systematic review. Methods and analysis: This systematic review protocol is developed in accordance with the methodology recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols, as well as the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Relevant studies will be identified by searching the databases. We will perform searches for relevant studies in databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Cochrane Library databases. The reference lists of included articles and reviews will be searched manually. The date range parameters used in searching all databases will be restricted between January 2001 and January 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published will be included. The language used in the articles included was restricted to English. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions) approach will be used to systematically appraise the quality of methodology. We will assess the risk of bias of the RCTs included using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool and provide a qualitative synthesis. After that, we will consider conducting a meta-analysis if the final data across outcomes shows sufficient homogeneity. Ethics and dissemination: No ethical approval is needed as the proposed study does not involve the collection of primary data, and the results of this review will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number: CRD42021267069.

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Contributing factors that influence medication errors in the prehospital paramedic environment: a mixed-method systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034094 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. e034094

Author(s):

Dennis Walker ◽

Clint Moloney ◽

Brendan SueSee ◽

Renee Sharples

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Medication Errors ◽

Medication Safety ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Prehospital Care ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Care Providers ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Multiple Sources ◽

Qualitative Synthesis

IntroductionThere is limited reliable research available on medication errors in relation to paramedic practice, with most evidence-based medication safety guidelines based on research in nursing, operating theatre and pharmacy settings. While similarities exist, evidence suggests that the prehospital environment is distinctly different in many aspects. The prevention of errors requires attention to factors from the organisational and regulatory level down to specific tasks and patient characteristics. The evidence available suggests errors may occur in up to 12.76% of medication administrations in some prehospital settings. With multiple sources stating that the errors are under-reported, this represents significant potential for patient harm. This review will seek to identify the factors influencing the occurrence of medication errors by paramedics in the prehospital environment.Methods and analysisThe review will include qualitative and quantitative studies involving interventions or phenomena regarding medication errors or medication safety relating to paramedics (including emergency medical technicians and other prehospital care providers) within the prehospital environment. A search will be conducted using MEDLINE (Ovid), EBSCOhost Megafile Search, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors trial registry, Google Scholar and the OpenGrey database to identify studies meeting this inclusion criteria, with initial searches commencing 30 September 2019. Studies selected will undergo assessment of methodological quality, with data to be extracted from all studies irrespective of quality. Each stage of study selection, appraisal and data extraction will be conducted by two reviewers, with a third reviewer deciding any unresolved conflicts. The review will follow a convergent integrated approach, conducting a single qualitative synthesis of qualitative and ‘qualitised’ quantitative data.Ethics and disseminationNo ethical approval was required for this review. Findings from this systematic review will be disseminated via publications, reports and conference presentations.

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First Responders and Prehospital Care for Road Traffic Injuries in Malawi

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x16001175 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 14-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Linda Chokotho ◽

Wakisa Mulwafu ◽

Isaac Singini ◽

Yasin Njalale ◽

Limbika Maliwichi-Senganimalunje ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Communication Systems ◽

Road Traffic ◽

Prehospital Care ◽

First Responders ◽

First Aid ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Key Informants ◽

Road Traffic Injuries ◽

First Response ◽

First Aid Training

AbstractIntroductionRoad traffic collisions are a common cause of injuries and injury-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Basic prehospital care can be the difference between life and death for injured drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.ProblemThis study examined the challenges associated with current first response practices in Malawi.MethodsIn April 2014, focus groups were conducted in two areas of Malawi: Karonga (in the Northern Region) and Blantyre (in the Southern Region; both are along the M1 highway), and a qualitative synthesis approach was used to identify themes. All governmental and nongovernmental first response organizations identified by key informants were contacted, and a checklist was used to identify the services they offer.ResultsAccess to professional prehospital care in Malawi is almost nonexistent, aside from a few city fire departments and private ambulance services. Rapid transportation to a hospital is usually the primary goal of roadside care because of limited first aid knowledge and a lack of access to basic safety equipment. The key informants recommended: expanding community-based first aid training; emphasizing umunthu (shared humanity) to inspire bystander involvement in roadside care; empowering local leaders to coordinate on-site responses; improving emergency communication systems; equipping traffic police with road safety gear; and expanding access to ambulance services.ConclusionPrehospital care in Malawi would be improved by the creation of a formal network of community leaders, police, commercial drivers, and other lay volunteers who are trained in basic first aid and are equipped to respond to crash sites to provide roadside care to trauma patients and prepare them for safe transport to hospitals.ChokothoL, MulwafuW, SinginiI, NjalaleY, Maliwichi-SenganimalunjeL, JacobsenKH. First responders and prehospital care for road traffic injuries in Malawi. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):14–19.

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Acoustic, Myoelectric, and Aerodynamic Parameters of Euphonic and Dysphonic Voices: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11178191 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (17) ◽

pp. 8191

Author(s):

Clara Puig-Herreros ◽

José Luis Sanz ◽

Luz Barona ◽

Vicent Rosell-Clari

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Clinical Studies ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Research Question ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Aerodynamic Parameters ◽

The Voice

Background: At present, there is no clinical consensus on the concept of normal and dysphonic voices. For many years, the establishment of a consensus on the terminology related to normal and pathological voices has been studied, in order to facilitate the communication between professionals in the field of the voice. Aim: systematically review the literature to compare and learn more precisely the measurable and objective characteristics of the acoustic, aerodynamic and surface electromyographic parameters of the normal and dysphonic voices. Methods: The PRISMA 2020 methodology was used as a review protocol together with the PICO procedure to answer the research question through six databases. Results: In total, 467 articles were found. After duplicate records were removed from the selection, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and 19 articles were eligible. A qualitative synthesis of the included studies is presented in terms of their methodology and results. Conclusions: Studying the acoustic, aerodynamic, and electromyographic parameters with more precision, in both normal and dysphonic voices, will allow health professionals working in the field of voice (speech therapy, otorhinolaryngology, phoniatrics, etc.) to establish a diagnostic and detailed consensus of the vocal pathology, enhancing the communication and generalization of results worldwide.

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Incidence and Outcomes after Out-of-Hospital Medical Emergencies in Gambia: A Case for the Integration of Prehospital Care and Emergency Medical Services in Primary Health Care

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x1800105x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 650-657

Author(s):

Sunkaru Touray ◽

Baboucarr Sanyang ◽

Gregory Zandrow ◽

Isatou Touray

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Emergency Medical Services ◽

Emergency Care ◽

Prehospital Care ◽

The Gambia ◽

Medical Emergency ◽

Medical Services ◽

Primary Health ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

Medical Emergencies

AbstractBackgroundThe Gambia is going through a rapid epidemiologic transition with a dual disease burden of infections and non-communicable diseases occurring at the same time. Acute, time-sensitive, medical emergencies such as trauma, obstetric emergencies, respiratory failure, and stroke are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among adults in the country.ProblemData on medical emergency care and outcomes are lacking in The Gambia. Data on self-reported medical emergencies among adults in a selection of Gambian communities are presented in this report.MethodsA total of 320 individuals were surveyed from 34 communities in the greater Banjul area of The Gambia using a survey instrument estimating the incidence of acute medical emergencies in an adult population. Self-reported travel time to a health facility during medical emergencies and patterns of health-seeking behavior with regard to type of facility visited and barriers to accessing emergency care, including cost and medical insurance coverage, are presented in this report.ResultsOf the 320 individuals surveyed, 262 agreed to participate resulting in a response rate of 82%. Fifty-two percent of respondents reported an acute medical emergency in the preceding year that required urgent evaluation at a health facility. The most common facility visited during such emergencies was a health center. Eighty-seven percent of respondents reported a travel time of less than one hour during medical emergencies. Out-of-pocket cost of medications accounted for the highest expenditure during emergencies. There was a low awareness and willingness to subscribe to health insurance among individuals surveyed.Conclusion: There is a high incidence of acute medical emergencies among adults in The Gambia which are associated with adverse outcomes due to a combination of poor health literacy, high out-of-pocket expenditures on medications, and poor access to timely prehospital emergency care. There is an urgent need to develop prehospital acute care and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the primary health sector as part of a strategy to reduce mortality and morbidity in the country.TourayS, SanyangB, ZandrowG, TourayI. Incidence and outcomes after out-of-hospital medical emergencies in Gambia: a case for the integration of prehospital care and Emergency Medical Services in primary health care. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(6):650–657.

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Evaluation of Emergency First Response’s Competency in Undergraduate College Students: Enhancing Sustainable Medical Education in the Community for Work Occupational Safety

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157814 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7814

Author(s):

Graciano Dieck-Assad ◽

Omar Israel González Peña ◽

José Manuel Rodríguez-Delgado

Keyword(s):

Occupational Safety ◽

Joint Venture ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Academic Departments ◽

Medical Emergency ◽

Project Proposal ◽

Skill Levels ◽

First Response ◽

Medical Emergencies ◽

Sanitary Conditions

Worldwide, people’s quality of health has been decreasing due to bad eating habits that have generated an increase in diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, overweight, as well as an increase in hours of the daily workday and stress. This situation can generate sudden illness and work accidents where the need to have knowledge in emergency first response (EFR) is necessary for all. Unfortunately, workshops and courses to certify EFR individuals are usually taught only to healthcare professionals. Therefore, to address this need a EFR project has been developed at the Tecnológico de Monterrey (TEC) which consists of a multidisciplinary challenge to train, certify, and evaluate students’ competency as “emergency first responders” in medical emergencies and healthcare awareness. This EFR project has been performed for one week, every year since 2015, and constitutes a joint venture among academic departments, faculty, and industrial/government institutions, which work together in multidisciplinary projects, providing a source of innovative proposals. The EFR project at TEC has provided instruction and certification for 966 students between 2015 to 2019 and this study has analyzed results considering a sample size of 197 participants. The combination of exam evaluation, medical emergency skills verification, and project proposal results indicate that most students reach skill levels between 2 and 3 in EFR competency after successfully completing the program, regardless of their year of study or the undergraduate program they are enrolled on. This evaluation emphasizes the compromise of the institution and its students in preparation for new living under sanitary conditions for pandemic conditions such as COVID-19.

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Sleep and cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review protocol.

10.31234/osf.io/cbxud ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sean Carruthers ◽

Gemma Brunetti ◽

Susan Rossell

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Systematic Review Protocol ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Sleep And Cognition ◽

The Relationship

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are chronic and debilitating mental illnesses characterised by both cognitive impairments and sleep deficits. In this systematic review protocol, we outline an approach to examine the available literature investigating the relationship between sleep and cognition in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.

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