Prehospital Care for Victims of Submersion

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-626
Author(s):  
MARTHA BUSHORE

In this issue of Pediatrics is a study1 that represents a milestone in the growth and development of Emergency Medical Services for Children systems. Linda Quan and co-workers provide us with a study of victims of submersion who were less than 20 years of age and who received care during a 10-years interval in an Emergency Medical Services unit and required hospitalization or died. Because the majority of these submersions occurred in the urban setting of King Country with the rapid response of Emergency Medical Services units and reliable recording of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) data, the study results are impressively complete.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shir Lynn Lim ◽  
Karen Smith ◽  
Kylie Dyson ◽  
Siew Pang Chan ◽  
Arul Earnest ◽  
...  

Background Incidence and outcomes of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) vary between communities. We aimed to examine differences in patient characteristics, prehospital care, and outcomes in Singapore and Victoria. Methods and Results Using the prospective Singapore Pan‐Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study and Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry, we identified 11 061 and 32 003 emergency medical services‐attended adult OHCAs between 2011 and 2016 respectively. Incidence and survival rates were directly age adjusted using the World Health Organization population. Survival was analyzed with logistic regression, with model selection via backward elimination. Of the 11 061 and 14 834 emergency medical services‐treated OHCAs (overall mean age±SD 65.5±17.2; 67.4% males) in Singapore and Victoria respectively, 11 054 (99.9%) and 5595 (37.7%) were transported, and 440 (4.0%) and 2009 (13.6%) survived. Compared with Victoria, people with OHCA in Singapore were older (66.7±16.5 versus 64.6±17.7), had less shockable rhythms (17.7% versus 30.3%), and received less bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (45.7% versus 58.5%) and defibrillation (1.3% versus 2.5%) (all P <0.001). Age‐adjusted OHCA incidence and survival rates increased in Singapore between 2011 and 2016 ( P <0.01 for trend), but remained stable, though higher, in Victoria. Likelihood of survival increased significantly ( P <0.001) with arrest in public locations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.81), witnessed arrest (aOR 2.14), bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (aOR 1.72), initial shockable rhythm (aOR 9.82), and bystander defibrillation (aOR 2.04) but decreased with increasing age (aOR 0.98) and emergency medical services response time (aOR 0.91). Conclusions Singapore reported increasing OHCA incidence and survival rates between 2011 and 2016, compared with stable, albeit higher, rates in Victoria. Survival differences might be related to different emergency medical services practices including patient selection for resuscitation and transport.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 636-641
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Sinclair ◽  
M. Douglas Baker

One hundred fourteen emergency medical services agencies and 76 police chiefs throughout the United States were prospectively surveyed to ascertain the current utilization of police personnel within the prehospital care system. More than three fourths (77%) of the surveys mailed were completed. Respondents indicated the following: (1) a majority (92%) of police personnel were trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid, (2) only half (57%) of police were trained in moving or transporting patients, and (3) few (36%) police were provided ongoing training in emergency pediatric medical skills. In spite of this, police were reportedly present at calls activating emergency medical services systems between 24% and 69% of the time, and the majority of these were trauma related. Police chiefs surveyed indicated that their officers played a large role in medical management prior to arrival of emergency medical services personnel; 87% would initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 93% would begin basic first aid. Sixty-one percent of police chiefs indicated that officers would occasionally "scoop and run" with a critically ill child rather than await emergency medical services arrival. The data indicate that, right or wrong, police personnel are actively involved in their prehospital care system at present. In many instances, their help may be needed. Further thought should be given toward defining an exact emergency medical services role for police personnel and toward providing adequate initial and ongoing basic medical training for these individuals.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e039215
Author(s):  
Carl Eriksson ◽  
Amanda Schoonover ◽  
Tabria Harrod ◽  
Garth Meckler ◽  
Matt Hansen ◽  
...  

IntroductionEfforts to improve the quality of emergency medical services (EMS) care for adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have led to improved survival over time. Similar improvements have not been observed for children with OHCA, who may be at increased risk for preventable adverse safety events during prehospital care. The purpose of this study is to identify patient and organisational factors that are associated with adverse safety events during the EMS care of paediatric OHCA.Methods and analysisThis is a large multisite EMS study in the USA consisting of chart reviews and agency surveys to measure, characterise and evaluate predictors of our primary outcome severe adverse safety events in paediatric OHCA. Using the previously validated Paediatric prehospital adverse Event Detection System tool, we will review EMS charts for 1500 children with OHCA from 2013 to 2019 to collect details of each case and identify severe adverse safety events (ASEs). Cases will be drawn from over 40 EMS agencies in at least five states in geographically diverse areas of the USA. EMS agencies providing charts will also be invited to complete an agency survey to capture organisational characteristics. We will describe the frequency and proportion of severe ASEs in paediatric OHCA across geographic regions and clinical domains, and identify patient and EMS organisational characteristics associated with severe ASEs using logistic regression.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Oregon Health & Science University Institutional Review Board (IRB Approval# 00018748). Study results will be disseminated through scientific publications and presentations, and to EMS leaders and staff through local EMS medical directors, quality and training officers and community engagement activities.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Seidel ◽  
Deborah Parkman Henderson ◽  
Patrick Ward ◽  
Barbara Wray Wayland ◽  
Beverly Ness

There are limited data concerning pediatric prehospital care, although pediatric prehospital calls constitute 10% of emergency medical services activity. Data from 10 493 prehospital care reports in 11 counties of California (four emergency medical services systems in rural and urban areas) were collected and analyzed. Comparison of urban and rural data found few significant differences in parameters analyzed. Use of the emergency medical services system by pediatric patients increased with age, but 12.5% of all calls were for children younger than 2 years. Calls for medical problems were most common for patients younger than 5 years of age; trauma was a more common complaint in rural areas (64%, P = .0001). Frequency of vital sign assessment differed by region, as did hospital contact (P &lt; .0001). Complete assessment of young pediatric patients, with a full set of vital signs and neurologic assessment, was rarely performed. Advanced life support providers were often on the scene, but advanced life support treatments and procedures were infrequently used. This study suggests the need for additional data on which to base emergency medical services system design and some directions for education of prehospital care providers.


Author(s):  
Mahshid Abir ◽  
Jane Forman ◽  
Rekar K. Taymour ◽  
Christina Brent ◽  
Brahmajee K. Nallamothu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify modifiers of emergency medical services (EMS) oversight quality, including facilitators and barriers, and inform best practices and policy related to EMS oversight and system performance. Methods: We used a qualitative design, including 4 focus groups and 10 in-depth, 1-on-1 interviews. Primary data were collected from EMS stakeholders in Michigan from June to July 2016. Qualitative data were analyzed using the rapid assessment technique. Results: Emergent themes included organizational structure, oversight and stakeholder leadership, interorganizational communication and relationships, competition or collaboration among MCA stakeholders, quality improvement practices, resources, and needs specific to rural communities. Conclusions: EMS is a critical component of disaster response. This study revealed salient themes and modifiers, including facilitators and barriers, of EMS oversight quality. These findings were evaluated in the context of current evidence and informed state policy to improve the quality of EMS oversight and prehospital care for both routine and disaster settings. Some were particular to geographic regions and communities, whereas others were generalizable.


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth A. Brown ◽  
Theresa C. Hayden ◽  
Kimberly A. Randell ◽  
Lara Rappaport ◽  
Michelle D. Stevenson ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesPrevious studies have illustrated pediatric knowledge deficits among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. The purpose of this study was to identify perspectives of a diverse group of EMS providers regarding pediatric prehospital care educational deficits and proposed methods of training improvements.MethodsPurposive sampling was used to recruit EMS providers in diverse settings for study participation. Two separate focus groups of EMS providers (administrative and non-administrative personnel) were held in three locations (urban, suburban, and rural). A professional moderator facilitated focus group discussion using a guide developed by the study team. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data.ResultsForty-two participants provided data. Four major themes were identified: (1) suboptimal previous pediatric training and training gaps in continuing pediatric education; (2) opportunities for improved interactions with emergency department (ED) staff, including case-based feedback on patient care; (3) barriers to optimal pediatric prehospital care; and (4) proposed pediatric training improvements.ConclusionFocus groups identified four themes surrounding preparation of EMS personnel for providing care to pediatric patients. These themes can guide future educational interventions for EMS to improve pediatric prehospital care.BrownSA, HaydenTC, RandellKA, RappaportL, StevensonMD, KimIK. Improving pediatric education for Emergency Medical Services providers: a qualitative study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):20–26.


EP Europace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Goto ◽  
A Funada ◽  
T Maeda ◽  
F Okada ◽  
Y Goto

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKENHI Grant No. 18K09999) Background Recent clinical evidence has suggested that the pathophysiology of ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest may consist of three time-sensitive phases, namely electrical, circulatory, and metabolic. According to this model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the optimal treatment of cardiac arrest is phase-specific. The potential survival benefit of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) depends in part on ischemic time (i.e., the collapse-to-shock interval), with the greatest benefit occurring during the circulatory (second) phase. However, the time boundaries between phases are not precisely defined in the current literature. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to determine the time boundaries of the three-phase time-sensitive model for VF cardiac arrest. Methods We reviewed 20,741 adult patients with initial VF after witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from a presumed cardiac origin who were included in the All-Japan Utstein-style registry from 2013 to 2017. We excluded patients who underwent bystander defibrillation prior to arrival of emergency medical services personnel. The study end point was 1-month neurologically intact survival (Cerebral Performance Category scale 1 or 2). Collapse-to-shock interval was defined as the time from collapse to first shock delivery by emergency medical services personnel. Patients were divided into two groups, BCPR (n = 11,606, 56.0%) and non-BCPR (n = 9135, 44.0%), according to whether they had received BCPR or not. Results The rate of 1-month neurologically intact survival in the BCPR group was significantly higher than that in the non-BCPR group (27.9% [3237/11,606] vs 17.9% [1632/9135], P &lt; 0.0001; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.75–2.07; P &lt; 0.0001). Overall, increased collapse-to-shock interval was associated with significantly decreased adjusted odds of 1-month neurologically intact survival (adjusted OR for each 1-minute increase, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.93–0.95; P &lt; 0.0001). In the BCPR group, the ranges of collapse-to-shock interval that were associated with increased adjusted 1-month neurologically intact survival were from 7 minutes (adjusted OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.44–2.63; P &lt; 0.0001) to 17 minutes (adjusted OR, 2.82; 95% CI, 1.62–4.91; P = 0.0002) as compared with those in the non-BCPR group. However, the increase in neurologically intact survival of the BCPR group became statistically insignificant as compared with that of the non-BCPR group when the collapse-to-shock interval was outside these ranges. Conclusions The above-mentioned findings suggest that the time boundaries of the three-phase time-sensitive model for VF cardiac arrest may be as follows: electrical phase, from collapse to &lt;7 minutes; circulatory phase, from 7 to 17 minutes; and metabolic phase, &gt;17 minutes onward from collapse.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. S82-S89
Author(s):  
Michael Poppe ◽  
Mario Krammel ◽  
Christian Clodi ◽  
Christoph Schriefl ◽  
Alexandra-Maria Warenits ◽  
...  

Objective Most western emergency medical services provide advanced life support in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest aiming for a return of spontaneous circulation at the scene. Little attention is given to prehospital time management in the case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with regard to early coronary angiography or to the start of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment within 60 minutes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest onset. We investigated the emergency medical services on-scene time, defined as emergency medical services arrival at the scene until departure to the hospital, and its association with 30-day survival with favourable neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods All patients of over 18 years of age with non-traumatic, non-emergency medical services witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between July 2013 and August 2015 from the Vienna Cardiac Arrest Registry were included in this retrospective observational study. Results Out of 2149 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, a total of 1687 (79%) patients were eligible for analyses. These patients were stratified into groups according to the on-scene time (<35 minutes, 35–45 minutes, 45–60 minutes, >60 minutes). Within short on-scene time groups, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurred more often in public and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation was more common (both P<0.001). Patients who did not achieve return of spontaneous circulation at the scene showed higher rates of 30-day survival with favourable neurological outcome with an on-scene time of less than 35 minutes (adjusted odds ratio 5.00, 95% confidence interval 1.39–17.96). Conclusion An emergency medical services on-scene time of less than 35 minutes was associated with higher rates of survival and favourable outcomes. It seems to be reasonable to develop time optimised advance life support protocols to minimise the on-scene time in view of further treatments such as early coronary angiography as part of post-resuscitation care or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document