scholarly journals BALANCING AMBULANCE CREW WORKLOADS VIA A TIERED DISPATCH POLICY

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-419
Author(s):  
Xun Li ◽  
◽  
Cem Saydam
Keyword(s):  
Ambulance Crew ◽  
Dispatch Policy

A Human Factors Analysis of an EMS Crew's Exposure to Carbon Monoxide

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-298
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Levy ◽  
Kevin G. Seaman ◽  
J. Lee Levy
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Safety Data ◽  
Error Reduction ◽  
Factors Analysis ◽  
Safety Incident ◽  
Prehospital Emergency ◽  
Ambulance Crew ◽  
Incident Analysis ◽  
Human Factors Analysis

AbstractThe safety of personnel and resources is considered to be a cornerstone of prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operations and practice. However, barriers exist that limit the comprehensive reporting of EMS safety data. To overcome these barriers, many high risk industries utilize a technique called Human Factors Analysis (HFA) as a means of error reduction. The goal of this approach is to analyze processes for the purposes of making an environment safer for patients and providers. This report describes an application of this approach to safety incident analysis following a situation during which a paramedic ambulance crew was exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide.Levy MJ, Seaman KG, Levy JL. A human factors analysis of an EMS crew's exposure to carbon monoxide. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(3):1-2.

Does Ambulance Crew Size Affect On-Scene Time or Number of Prehospital Interventions?

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence H. Brown ◽  
Charles F. Owens ◽  
Juan A. March ◽  
Elizabeth A. Archino
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Chest Pain ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Advanced Life Support ◽  
Fire Department ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Ambulance Crew

AbstractIntroduction:While large cities typically staff ambulances with two emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, some EMS agencies use three people for ambulance crews. The Greenville, North Carolina, EMS agency converted from three-person to two-person EMS crews in July 1993. There are no published reports investigating the best crew size for out-of-hospital emergency care.Hypothesis:Two-person EMS crews perform the same number and types of interventions as three-person EMS crews. Two-person EMS crews do not have longer on-scene times than do three-person EMS crews.Methods:Data for the two most common advanced life support calls in this system—seizures and chest pains—were collected for the months of June and August 1993. Three-person EMS crews responded to both types of calls in June. In August, two-person EMS crews responded to seizure calls; two-person EMS crews accompanied by a fire department engine (pumper) with additional manpower responded to chest pain calk. The frequency of specific interventions, number of total interventions, and scene times for the August calls were compared to their historical control groups, the June calls.Results:One hundred twenty-six patient contacts were included in the study. There were no significant differences in total number or types of procedures performed for the two patient groups. Mean on-scene time for patients with seizures was 11.0±4.2 minutes for three-person crews and 19.4±8.3 minutes for two-person crews (p <0.001). Mean on-scene time for patients with chest pain was 13.6±4.9 minutes for three-person crews, and 15.4±3.2 minutes for two-person crews assisted by fire department personnel (p >0.05).Conclusion:Two-person EMS crews perform the same number of procedures as do three-person EMS crews. However, without the assistance of additional responders, two-person EMS crews may have statistically significantly longer onscene times than three-person EMS crews.

Accessible communication in the transport of non-urgent people with communication impairments

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
EM Soares ◽  
T Granjo ◽  
S Monteiro ◽  
S Bemposta ◽  
A Salvador
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Clinical Condition ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Clinical Level ◽  
Communicative Strategies ◽  
Communicative Process ◽  
Communication Impairments ◽  
Ambulance Crew

Abstract Introduction Paramedics may find innumerous circumstances that require careful consideration of the patient’s clinical condition. Because of that, communication between paramedics and patients in a critical condition must be as clear and effective as possible. Objectives This study aims to identify the communicative needs of ambulance’s crew members when transporting non-urgent people with communicative impairments and to create a tool that facilitates the communicative process. Methodology A brainstorming was held at Associação de São Jorge to gather information regarding the needs and difficulties experienced by the ambulance’s crew members. An audio record of this meeting was collected and a qualitative analysis was carried out. Additionally, a questionnaire was fulfilled. Based on these results, a first version of the communicative tool was developed. A pluridisciplinary focus group was held to discuss it, regarding content, form and utility. After this focus group, the second version of the communicative tool was elaborated to be tested by the crew members of this association. As so, a dynamic of three hours was implemented to empower these professionals to use this tool and other communicative strategies. Results The qualitative analysis of the first meeting collected data recognize as crew member’s needs: communicating basic and immediate needs at clinical level and at colloquial discourse. This data allowed to establish parameters for the construction of the first version of the communicative tool. The referred focus group identified the need to improve it, considering: format, content and also the need to complement this tool with other communicative facilitators (e.g. braille; gestures). Conclusion This study shows the need of facilitating the communication in non-urgent transportation. Despite the modifications that have to be done, the communicative tool that was developed already shows a positive impact in the ambulance crew and in the community.

scholarly journals Strengthening Links in the “Chain of Survival”: A Singapore Perspective

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ra Charles ◽  
F Lateef ◽  
V Anantharaman
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Advanced Cardiac Life Support ◽  
Basic Cardiac Life Support ◽  
Chain Of Survival ◽  
Bystander Cpr ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Ambulance Crew

Introduction The concept of the chain of survival is widely accepted. The four links viz. early access, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early defibrillation and early Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) are related to survival after pre-hospital cardiac arrest. Owing to the dismal survival-to-discharge figures locally, we conducted this study to identify any weaknesses in the chain, looking in particular at bystander CPR rates and times to Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and ACLS. Methods and materials A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Emergency Department of an urban tertiary 1500-bed hospital. Over a 12-month period, all cases of non-trauma out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were evaluated. Results A total of 142 cases of non-trauma out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were identified; the majority being Chinese (103/142, 72.5%) and male (71.8%) with a mean age of 64.3±7.8 years (range 23–89 yrs). Most patients (111/142, 78.2%) did not receive any form of life support until arrival of the ambulance crew. Mean time from collapse to arrival of the ambulance crew and initiation of BCLS and defibrillation was 9.2±3.5 minutes. Mean time from collapse to arrival in the Emergency Department (and thus ACLS) was 16.8±7.1 minutes. Three patients (2.11%) survived to discharge. Conclusion There is a need to (i) facilitate layperson training in bystander CPR, and (ii) enhance paramedic training to include ACLS, in order to improve the current dismal survival outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Singapore.

Impact of Ambulance Crew Configuration on Simulated Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Bayley ◽  
Matthew Weinger ◽  
Stephen Meador ◽  
Corey Slovis
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Ambulance Crew

scholarly journals Paramedic-delivered teleconsultations: A scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Armour ◽  
Jennie Helmer
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Hospital Care ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Emergency Medical Technicians ◽  
Emergency Ambulance ◽  
Advanced Paramedics ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ambulance Crew

Introduction Progression in the field of paramedicine has resulted in the development of novel roles within the profession, including the role of advanced paramedics providing teleconsultations for frontline paramedics. Little is known about the experience of paramedics providing or receiving teleconsultations. This scoping review aimed to investigate paramedic perceptions of physician and paramedic-delivered teleconsultations. Methods A scoping review of MEDLINE, CINAHL and EBM Reviews as well as paramedic-specific journals and the grey literature was conducted. Articles were included if they examined advanced paramedics, paramedics, emergency ambulance crew or emergency medical technicians receiving teleconsultations, or physicians and advanced paramedics providing teleconsultations. Results A total of 7461 unique citations were identified. Two citations were ultimately included in the review. One study examined the delivery of teleconsultations by advanced paramedics and one by physicians, both from the perspective of paramedics. Paramedics delivering teleconsultations generally considered the experience to be positive, while those receiving paramedic-delivered teleconsultations felt the level of advice was appropriate and assisted in expanding their own knowledge base. Paramedics receiving physician-delivered teleconsultations reported variable understanding of the unique challenges of out-of-hospital care and tension in the relationship between paramedics and physicians. Conclusion Little literature was identified examining the perceptions of paramedics delivering or receiving physician-delivered or paramedic-delivered teleconsultations. Given the continuing expansion of teleconsultation programs for out-of-hospital staff, this represents a significantly understudied area.

“AND THAT’S MAGIC!”—MAKING PUBLIC BODIES LIABLE FOR FAILURE TO CONFER BENEFITS

2000 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-471
Author(s):  
Tom Hickman
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
High Probability ◽  
Respiratory Arrest ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Reasonable Explanation ◽  
Asthma Attack ◽  
Ambulance Crew ◽  
Public Bodies

THE facts of Kent v. Giffiths [2000] W.L.R. 1158 were that the claimant had suffered an asthma attack and was attended by a doctor at her home. At 4.25 p.m. the doctor called an ambulance, gave the patient’s name, address, age and condition, and requested that she be transferred immediately to casualty where she was expected. Ambulance control replied “Okay doctor”. At 4.35 p.m. the claimant’s husband was assured, on making a second call, that the ambulance was on its way. He was told to hang on for another seven or eight minutes. A similar response was given to a third call made sixteen minutes later. The ambulance finally arrived forty minutes after the initial call was made. The claimant suffered respiratory arrest resulting in brain damage and a miscarriage. At trial Turner J. held that the London Ambulance Service (LAS) was liable for breach of a duty of care. He found not only that there was no reasonable explanation for the delay, but also that the ambulance crew had falsified their records ([1999] Lloyds Rep. Med. 424). Had the ambulance arrived when it should, there was a high probability that the respiratory arrest would have been averted.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document