Construction and validation of checklist for disinfecting ambulances to transport Covid-19 patients / Construcción y validación de checklist para la desinfección de ambulancias para el transporte de pacientes Covid-19 / Construção e validação de checklist para desinfecção de ambulâncias para transporte de pacientes Covid-19

ABSTRACT Objective To build and validate a checklist for disinfecting ambulances transporting patients with Covid-19. Method Methodological study composed by the construction of a checklist and validation by 42 professionals, of which 35 professionals had expertise in patient transport/transfer and seven in hospital infection control. The item with a minimum agreement of 80% was considered valid, based on the Content Validation Index and binomial test. Results The checklist had the steps performed for terminal disinfection of ambulances. It had 54 items, which included the personal protective equipment and used materials, disinfection of the driver's cabin, equipment, and the patient care cabin. The minimum agreement obtained was 85% and the mean of the Content Validation Index was 0.96. Conclusion The checklist was considered valid in terms of content and can be used to disinfect ambulances transporting patients with Covid-19.

RESUMEN Objetivo Construir y validar checklist para desinfectar ambulancias que transportan pacientes con Covid-19. Método Un estudio metodológico compuesto por la construcción de un checklist y validación por 42 profesionales, de los cuales 35 profesionales tenían experiencia en transporte/transferencia de pacientes y siete en control de infecciones hospitalarias. El ítem con un acuerdo mínimo del 80% se consideró válido, según el índice de validación de contenido y la prueba binomial. Resultados El checklist tenía los pasos a seguir para la desinfección terminal de ambulancias. Tenía 54 artículos, que incluían el equipo de protección individual y los materiales utilizados, la desinfección de la cabina del conductor, el equipo y la cabina de atención al paciente. El acuerdo mínimo obtenido fue del 85% y el promedio del Índice de Validación de Contenido fue de 0,96. Conclusión El checklist se consideró válido en términos de contenido y puede usarse para desinfectar ambulancias que transportan pacientes con Covid-19.

RESUMO Objetivo Construir e validar checklist para desinfecção de ambulâncias que transportam pacientes com Covid-19. Método Estudo metodológico composto pela construção de checklist e validação por 42 profissionais, dos quais 35 profissionais possuíam expertise em transporte/transferência de pacientes e sete em controle de infecção hospitalar. Foi considerado válido o item com concordância mínima de 80%, a partir do Índice de Validação de Conteúdo e teste binomial. Resultados O checklist possuiu as etapas que devem ser realizadas para desinfecção terminal das ambulâncias. Possuiu 54 itens, que contemplaram os equipamentos de proteção individual e materiais utilizados, desinfecção da cabine do condutor, dos equipamentos e da cabine de atendimento ao paciente. A concordância mínima obtida foi de 85% e a média do Índice de Validação de Conteúdo foi de 0,96. Conclusão O checklist foi considerado válido quanto ao conteúdo e pode ser utilizado para desinfecção das ambulâncias que transportam pacientes com Covid-19.

The effect of emergency medical system transport time on in route clinical decline in a rural system.

BACKGROUND: The emergency medical system (EMS) Field Triage Decision Scheme (FTDS) exists to direct certain injured patients to high-level care facilities. In rural states, this may require long transport durations, with uncertainty about the effects on clinical decline. We investigate adherence to the FTDS and the effect of transport duration on clinical decline in helicopter emergency medical system (HEMS) and ground emergency medical system (GEMS) transport in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. METHODS: This institutional review board-approved study retrospectively analyzed deidentified data from the 2017 National EMS Information System for Kentucky. Patients were classified using step 1 FTDS criteria (respiratory rate [RR], <10 or >29 breaths per minute; systolic blood pressure (SBP), <90 mm Hg; or Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score, <14 points), by mode of transport (HEMS or GEMS), and by arrival at an appropriate center (levels I-III trauma center). Clinical decline was defined in both groups as an in route decrease in GCS of 2 points or greater, a SBP decrease of 1 SD or greater into or within the low range, an RR increase of 1 SD or greater into or within the high range, or an RR decrease of 1 SD or greater into or within the low range. RESULTS: Almost half (46.3%) of step 1 patients were transported to an inappropriate center; the most common reason recorded was "closest facility" (57.8%). The percent of step 1 patients who declined in route increased with prehospital time in both HEMS and GEMS (p < 0.001). Overall, 12.2% of step 1 patients declined during transport, most commonly because of decreasing GCS (median change, -5 points; interquartile range, -3 to -9, in GCS declining patients). Helicopter EMS patients were more likely to meet step 1 criteria at the scene (29.9% vs. 5.8% GEMS, p < 0.001) and to decline (27.8% vs. 6.1% GEMS, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that, in a rural state, injured patients meeting FTDS step 1 criteria reach levels I to III trauma centers only about half the time. The FTDS step 1 criteria identified patients at higher risk of further prehospital clinical decline. Rather than decline after 1 hour, these data show that an increasing proportion of patients experience clinical decline throughout prehospital transport. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Level IV.

Limpieza y desinfección de ambulancias luego de transportar un paciente confirmado con COVID-19 / Cleaning and disinfection of ambulances after transporting a confirmed patient with COVID-19

INTRODUCCIÓN: La ambulancia es un transporte sanitario esencial para proporcionar asistencia médica de emergencia o de soporte vital básico en situaciones de atención primario como interhospitalario. Este medio a su vez está equipada de materiales sanitarios y del personal sanitario abordo quienes prestan asistencia de acuerdo a las necesidades de atención en situaciones de emergencia. Asimismo, es importante señalar que muchos hospitales cuentan con un servicio propio para el traslado de los pacientes, por lo tanto, se requiere de la disponibilidad del manejo de los procedimientos de desinfección y limpieza de la ambulancia, principalmente para evitar la propagación del COVID-19. Los profesionales de la salud están capacitados para prestar la atención médica a los pacientes en casos sospechosos y confirmados, de esta manera es muy importante que el personal esté capacitado y entrenado para desinfectar y limpiar la ambulancia, para garantizar la seguridad de los pacientes y su equipo de profesionales a bordo. Estudios recientes han permitido evidenciar que las superficies de las ambulancias están frecuentemente contaminadas con microorganismos. (2,24) Por ello, la desinfección es una parte importante de cualquier procedimiento de control y prevención de infecciones. Ante la crisis de COVID-19 a nivel mundial, el seguir procedimientos de limpieza y desinfección de ambulancias es vital para reducir la carga biológica del SARS-CoV-2 y evitar más infectados (3) una vez que un paciente con sospecha de COVID-19 ha sido transportado. El SARS-CoV-2 tiene una envoltura lipídica, por lo que una amplia gama de desinfectantes resulta muy efectiva, para asegurar una completa y adecuada desinfección de todas las superficies expuestas, equipos y áreas de contacto, antes de volver a las tareas operativas normales. En la actualidad existen diversos protocolos efectivos de limpieza y desinfección para este entorno de atención primaria de emergencia. En varios países, se ha estado trabajando en la elaboración de protocolos y guías con procedimientos precisos para desinfectar y limpiar la ambulancia. A partir de estos instrumentos, señalamos las pautas generales seguidas por dichos países como medida de prevención y control, en relación a los procedimientos seguidos para la desinfección de ambulancias. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una revisión narrativa de las principales bases de datos de investigación, documentos, artículos y guías relacionadas a los procedimientos de limpieza y desinfección de ambulancias durante y después del transporte de algún caso sospechoso o confirmado de COVID-19. En este documento se incluyó principalmente información científica actualizada de los departamentos gubernamentales de los países del reino unido como GOB.UK, la guía de prevención y control de infecciones en entornos sanitarios, como también, la guía de fideicomisos de ambulancias y recomendaciones de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Sobre los procedimientos de limpieza y desinfección de las ambulancias después del transporte de un paciente con COVID-19, se revisaron las recomendaciones más actuales del Centro para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades de los Estados Unidos (CDC), también se incluyeron textos de la guía de prevención y control de infecciones para COVID-19 enlos entornos sanitarios del Centro Europeo de Prevención y Control de Enfermedades (ECDC), y el manual de bioseguridad para prestadores de servicios de salud que brinden atención en salud ante la eventual introducción del nuevo coronavirus (ncov-2019) a Colombia. Esta revisión incluye, además, información técnica respecto a la atención primaria ante el nuevo coronavirus y algunas recomendaciones de limpieza y desinfección de vehículos de transporte del equipo de EMS como la guía recientemente actualizada por el equipo de trabajo sobre coronavirus de la asociación Internacional de Jebes de Bomberos (International Association of Fire Chiefs - IAFC). RESULTADOS: Existe la urgencia internacional para contener el virus y prevenir su propagación. Es factible que el personal de salud de primera línea, como los que conforman el equipo de ambulancias para el traslado de pacientes sospechosos o confirmados por SARS-Cov-2, estén potencialmente expuestos al contagio. (12) Por ello, es necesario que cada entidad sanitaria mantenga un estándar de bioseguridad para el procedimiento de limpieza y desinfección de ambulancias, manteniendo un protocolo que ayude a prevenir los riesgos de infección para el personal de salud de esta área. Actualmente conocemos que, la transmisión de SARS-Cov-2, se da por medio de las gotitas respiratorias (14) y que al ser liberadas alcanzan hasta un metro de distancia pueden depositarse en diferentes superficies y aun permanecer activas Para ello, una amplia gama de productos biocidas están disponibles para desinfectar superficies en diferentes ámbitos sanitarios y en las ambulancias. (5,15). Kampf y col. han observado que otros coronavirus, por ejemplo, SARS y MERS, pueden persistir en superficies inanimadas como metal, vidrio o plástico por hasta 9 días, pero pueden ser desactivados eficientemente por procedimientos de desinfección con etanol al 62­71%, peróxido de hidrógeno al 0.5%, o hipoclorito de sodio al 0.1% dentro de 1 min. Otros agentes biocidas como el cloruro de benzalconio al 0.05% a 0.2% o digluconato de clorhexidina al 0.02% fueron menos eficaces. (16,17) Duan y col. encontraron que la irradiación con luz ultra violeta (LUV) durante 60 minutos en varios coronavirus en medio cultivo dio como resultado niveles indetectables de infectividad viral. Un estudio cuasi-experimental Iraní, realizó toma de muestras antes y después de la desinfección en la cabina delantera, equipo médico y parte trasera de ambulancias para determinar contaminaciones microbianas, para ello utilizó la solución "Cloruro de didecildimetilamonio, alquil dimetil bencil amonio, una base de compuestos de amonio cuaternario de quinta generación y biguanidas"; demostrando su acción bactericida hasta en un 100% luego de la desinfección, por lo que el producto resultó ser eficaz en la eliminación de bacterias. El mismo estudio revela la limitación de no haber podido probar tal eficacia en virus, hongos o esporas. No existen estudios específicos referidos a la efectividad y seguridad de diversos desinfectantes para la descontaminación de las ambulancias y sus equipos biomédicos por SARS-CoV-2. Las medidas adoptadas por diferentes países se basan en las recomendaciones de la OMS, CDC y de países de alta vigilancia epidemiológica. Es importante mencionar que, estas recomendaciones tienen como fuente de información las experiencias referidas al SARS-CoV y MERS-CoV y los diferentes estudios que encontraron que en superficies inanimadas los agentes biocidas comúnmente utilizados como desinfectantes, obtuvieron alta eficacia contra estos vírus. La OMS/OPS recomienda el uso de desinfectantes como el hipoclorito de sodio, amonio cuaternario, peróxido de hidrogeno, etanol y clorhexidina; en el área intrahospitalaria (incluyendo las ambulancias); pero dependiendo de las áreas específicas del entorno, estas podrán variar de concentración y dilución. Estos desinfectantes presentan actividad frente a la mayoría de los virus, incluyendo coronavirus y SARS, siempre que sean preparados de acuerdo con las instrucciones del fabricante (los virus con envoltura como el coronavirus son más susceptibles a los detergentes que los virus no envueltos). El adecuado uso de antisépticos y desinfectantes, es una herramienta esencial para evitar la diseminación de agentes infecciosos y el control de infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud. Por ello, es imprescindible seguir las recomendaciones de entidades de alta vigilancia epidemiológica y valorar la evidencia científica. CONCLUSIONES: Este documento proporciona información para la limpieza y desinfección de ambulancias, brindada por entidades de alta vigilancia epidemiológica contra infecciones emergentes, basados en evidencia científica, para los servicios de emergencia sanitaria que dispongan de ambulancias destinadas para el transporte de casos sospechosos y confirmados de COVID-19. No existen estudios específicos referidos a la efectividad y seguridad de diversos desinfectantes para la descontaminación de las ambulancias y sus equipos biomédicos por SARS-Cov-2, la información referida se ha realizado en base a las recomendaciones de la OMS, CDC y de países de alta vigilancia epidemiológica, basados en la contención del SARS-CoV y MERS-CoV emergentes en el pasado. Estudios científicos revelaron que los coronavirus humanos, SARS-CoV y MERS-CoV pueden persistir en superficies inanimadas, pero se pueden inactivar eficientemente mediante desinfección con hipoclorito de sodio al 0,1%, etanol al 62-71% (pequeñas superficies), peróxido de hidrógeno al 0,5% en 1 minuto. Sin embargo, biocidas como el cloruro de benzalconio al 0,05­0,2% o el digluconato de clorhexidina al 0,02% son menos efectivos.

Admission delays' magnitude of traumatized patients in the emergency department of a hospital in Egypt: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Injury is an escalating public health problem, representing about 9% of global mortality, which disproportionately impacts lower- and middle-income countries. There are approximately 12,000 annual fatalities from road traffic injuries in Egypt, but a little information about delays in seeking emergent care is available. OBJECTIVES: To measure the time interval between sustaining an injury and presentation to the emergency department of Ain Shams University Surgery Hospital and to identify possible causes of these delays. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, facilitated survey of a convenience sample of trauma patients presenting to the emergency department of Ain Shams University Surgery Hospital from 1 February to 31 May 2014. Data obtained included: demographic information, trauma incident details, and injury assessment. RESULTS: The average reported transport time for patients from injury to hospital arrival was 3.8 h, while the mean ambulance response time was 45 min. Referral from other hospitals was revealed to be a significant cause of delay (P = 0.004), while ignorance of the local ambulance phone number could not be confirmed as a cause (P = 0.2). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that trauma patients at our hospital experience more than 3 h of delay until they reach the ED. It also identified the possible causes accounting for that delay. However, additional nationwide research is needed to establish the clear causation or association of these causes with the delay intervals.

Safety Events in High Risk Prehospital Neonatal Calls.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to quantify and characterize patient safety events during high-risk neonatal transports in the prehospital setting. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all "lights and sirens" ambulance transports of neonates ≤30 days old over a four-year period in a metropolitan area. Each case was independently reviewed for potential patient safety events that may have occurred in clinical assessment and decision making, resuscitation, airway management, fluid or medication administration, procedures performed, and/or equipment used. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients ≤30 days old were transported by ambulance using lights and sirens during the four-year study period. Overall, safety events occurred in 19 patients and severe safety events (potentially causing permanent injury or harm, including death) occurred in ten. The incidence of safety events related to medication administrations was 90% (70% severe), resuscitation 64.7% (47.1% severe), procedures 64.7% (35.3% severe), fluid administration 50% (25% severe), clinical assessment and decision making 50% (30.8% severe), airway management 47.6% (28.6% severe), equipment use 25.5% (10.0% severe), and systems processes 19.2% (7.7% severe). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk neonatal calls are infrequent and prone to a high incidence of serious patient safety events.

[Implementation of the Mobile Emergency Medical Service in Brazil: action strategies and structural dimension]. / O processo de implantação do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência no Brasil: estratégias de ação e dimensões estruturais.

The Mobile Emergency Medical Service (SAMU) was the first component of the National Policy for Emergency Care implemented in Brazil in the early 2000. The article analyzed the implementation of mobile pre-hospital emergency care in Brazil. The methods included document analysis, interviews with state emergency care coordinators, and an expert panel. The theoretical reference was the strategic conduct analysis from Giddens' Structuration Theory. The results showed uneven implementation of the SAMU between states and regions of Brazil, identifying six patterns of implementation, considering the states' capacity to expand the population coverage and regionalize the service. Structural difficulties included physician retention, poorly equipped dispatch centers, and shortage of ambulances. The North and Northeast were the country's most heavily affected regions. SAMU is formatted as a structuring strategy in the emergency care network, but its performance suffered the impact of limited participation by primary care in the emergency network and especially the lack of hospital beds.

O processo de implantação do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência no Brasil: estratégias de ação e dimensões estruturais / Implementation of the Mobile Emergency Medical Service in Brazil: action strategies and structural dimension / El proceso de implantación del Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia en Brasil: estrategias de acción y dimensiones estructurales

O Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU) foi o primeiro componente da Política Nacional de Atenção às Urgências implantado no país no começo dos anos 2000. O artigo analisou o processo de implantação da urgência pré-hospitalar móvel no Brasil. Os métodos incluíram análise documental, entrevistas com coordenadores estaduais de urgência e um painel de especialistas. Utilizou-se o referencial teórico da análise da conduta estratégica da Teoria da Estruturação de Giddens. Os resultados evidenciaram uma implantação do SAMU desigual entre estados e regiões, identificando seis padrões de implantação considerando-se a capacidade dos estados de expandir a cobertura populacional e de regionalizar. As dificuldades estruturais incluíram a fixação de médicos, centrais de regulação mal equipadas e escassez de ambulâncias. Norte e Nordeste foram as regiões mais atingidas. O SAMU está configurado como estratégia estruturante da rede de urgências, mas seu desempenho sofreu o impacto da pouca participação da atenção primária na rede de urgências e principalmente da falta de leitos hospitalares.

The Mobile Emergency Medical Service (SAMU) was the first component of the National Policy for Emergency Care implemented in Brazil in the early 2000. The article analyzed the implementation of mobile pre-hospital emergency care in Brazil. The methods included document analysis, interviews with state emergency care coordinators, and an expert panel. The theoretical reference was the strategic conduct analysis from Giddens' Structuration Theory. The results showed uneven implementation of the SAMU between states and regions of Brazil, identifying six patterns of implementation, considering the states' capacity to expand the population coverage and regionalize the service. Structural difficulties included physician retention, poorly equipped dispatch centers, and shortage of ambulances. The North and Northeast were the country's most heavily affected regions. SAMU is formatted as a structuring strategy in the emergency care network, but its performance suffered the impact of limited participation by primary care in the emergency network and especially the lack of hospital beds.

El Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia (SAMU) fue el primer componente de la Política Nacional de Atención a las Urgencias, implantado en Brasil a inicio del año 2000. El artículo analizó el proceso de implantación de la urgencia pre-hospitalaria móvil en Brasil. Los métodos incluyeron un análisis documental, entrevistas con coordinadores estatales de urgencia y un panel de especialistas. Se utilizó el marco referencial teórico del análisis de la conducta estratégica de la Teoría de la Estructuración de Giddens. Los resultados evidenciaron una implantación del SAMU desigual entre estados y regiones, identificando seis patrones de implantación, considerándose la capacidad de los estados de expandir la cobertura poblacional y de regionalizar. Las dificultades estructurales incluyeron la fijación de médicos, centrales de mal equipadas y escasez de ambulancias. Norte y Nordeste fueron las regiones más afectadas. El SAMU está configurado como estrategia estructurante de la red de urgencias, pero su desempeño sufrió el impacto de la poca participación de la atención primaria en la red de urgencias y, principalmente, de la falta de camas en hospitales.

Avaliação do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência em Santa Catarina, Brasil / Evaluation of the Mobile Emergency Care Service in Santa Catarina State, Brazil / Evaluación del Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia en Santa Catarina, Brasil

Resumo: Estudo de caso para a avaliação do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU) em Santa Catarina, Brasil, período de 2013/2014. O modelo teórico lógico e a matriz avaliativa de julgamento foram validados em oficinas de consenso com especialistas. Foram propostas duas dimensões: gestão da urgência e atenção à urgência, analisadas por meio de 22 indicadores. Para coletar os dados, utilizaram-se entrevistas, observação direta nas oito centrais regionais de regulação do SAMU e questionário enviado aos coordenadores do SAMU municipal. A análise e a emissão de juízo de valor, segundo dimensão, subdimensão e indicadores separadamente, possibilitaram a identificação de potencialidades e fragilidades passíveis de intervenção. Nenhuma regional teve bom desempenho nas duas dimensões; todas foram classificadas como "regular" na atenção e metade, como "ruim" na gestão da urgência. Como potencialidade, destaque para comunicação ágil com o solicitante, padronização e suporte externo do atendimento. Os mecanismos de articulação e comunicação interna e externa necessitam de efetivação. É preocupante a qualidade das unidades de suporte avançado.

Abstract: This case study evaluated the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU) in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, in 2013/2014. The theoretical log frame and evaluation matrix were validated by expert consensus workshops. Two dimensions were proposed: emergency care management and emergency care, analyzed with 22 indicators. Data collection used interviews, direct observation in the eight regional SAMU dispatches, and a questionnaire sent to the coordinators of the municipal SAMU. The analysis and value judgment according to separate dimensions, sub-dimensions, and indicators allowed identifying strengths and weaknesses amenable to intervention. No regional dispatch performed well in both dimensions; all were classified as "fair" in emergency care and "bad" in emergency management. An important strength was agile communication with callers for help, standardization, and external support for care. The mechanisms for internal and external linkage and communication need to be effectively implemented. The quality of advanced support units requires improvement.

Resumen: Estudio de caso para la evaluación del Servicio de Atención Móvil de Urgencia (SAMU) Santa Catarina, Brasil, durante el período de 2013/2014. El modelo teórico lógico y la matriz evaluativa de juicio fueron validados en oficinas de consenso con especialistas. Se propusieron dos dimensiones: gestión y atención de urgencia, analizadas a través de 22 indicadores. Para recoger los datos fueron utilizados: entrevistas, observación directa en las ocho centrales regionales de regulación del SAMU y un cuestionario enviado a los coordinadores del SAMU municipal. El análisis y la emisión de juicio de valor según dimensión, subdimensión e indicadores separadamente posibilitaron la identificación de potencialidades y fragilidad pasibles de intervención. Ninguna regional tuvo un buen desempeño, todas fueron clasificadas como regular en la atención y la mitad como mala en la gestión de urgencias. Como potencialidad se destacan: comunicación ágil con el solicitante, estandarización y apoyo externo de la atención. Necesita una puesta efectiva de los mecanismos de articulación y comunicación interna y externa. Es preocupante la calidad de las unidades de apoyo avanzado.

What causes adverse events in prehospital care? A human-factors approach.

BACKGROUND: The last decade has seen a vast amount of work directed at the investigation of patient harm events. Unfortunately, little of it has pertained to prehospital care and as such, risk remains unquantified and poorly understood in this setting. We hypothesised that adverse patient events occurring during the prehospital phase may fall into discernible patterns, and that an understanding of these patterns would be valuable in the development of mitigation strategies. METHODS: A survey tool was developed with reference to the human factors literature. Paramedics in a large Australian ambulance service were asked to recall an adverse event and to nominate factors that may have contributed to its occurrence. Responses were analysed using principal components analysis in order to identify contributory factors that could be statistically grouped together in meaningful patterns. RESULTS: The survey yielded 370 responses. Eight key single contributors and 14 groups of contributory factors were identified. Of the groups, only two were strongly associated with serious patient outcomes, such as reported significant deterioration or death. CONCLUSIONS: The deteriorating patient was identified as the leading single contributor to prehospital adverse events, and two perfect storm patient harm scenarios were found to contribute materially to adverse outcomes. This approach to identifying both single factors contributing to an incident and factors which could be grouped together in a pattern, appears useful in delineating risk in the acute prehospital setting, and warrants further exploration in this and other areas of patient safety.

[First aid to persons with explosion trauma].

Modern organization providing medical aid to victims of explosion trauma in peace time, the success of which largely depends on the timely and professional interaction among the structures involeved into emergency relief operation is represented in the article. Content and sequence of events providing emergency medical and first medical aid to victims of the explosions, and the appropriateness of allocation affected groups, based on the predicted effectiveness of medical care is analyzed. The algorithm, currently used by ambulance crews, of assistance to victims with explosion and order evacuations is analyzed. The content of therapeutic measures in receipt of the wounded on the steps of skilled and specialized surgical care in accordance with the idea of a separation surgery on three stages (damage control). The content of the main levels of damage control orthopedics is introduced.

Identification of adverse events in ground transport emergency medical services.

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to define and rate the severity of adverse events (AEs) in emergency medical services (EMS) safety research. They used a modified Delphi technique to develop a consensus definition of an AE. The consensus definition was as follows: "An adverse event in EMS is a harmful or potentially harmful event occurring during the continuum of EMS care that is potentially preventable and thus independent of the progression of the patient's condition." Physicians reviewed 250 charts from 3 EMS agencies for AEs. The authors examined physician agreement using κ, Fleiss's κ, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Overall physician agreement on presence of an AE per chart was fair (κ = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.29). These findings should serve as a basis for refining and implementing an AE evaluation instrument.

Manejo de casos sospechosos de la nueva gripe AH1N1 por los servicios de emergencias móviles / Management of suspicious cases of the new flu AH1N1 for the emergency mobile services

Los servicios de emergencias móviles son un eslabón clave en la clasificación, y manejo de casos sospechosos de nueva gripe AH1N1. Los mismos garantizan una racional asistencia dependiendo de la necesidad de la atención que requiera cada caso. Nuestro objetivo es mostrar la organización creada para la asistencia de estos pacientes. Se realizó una revisión de los protocolos propuestos por la organización mundial de la salud, el Centro de Control de Enfermedades de Atlanta y otras bibliografías nacionales sobre el manejo de pacientes ante epidemias. Se trataron los casos a partir de los hallazgos clínicos, complementarios y factores de riesgos, mejorando la clasificación en los servicios de urgencias y su traslado a centros adecuados para su atención. La clasificación adecuada de casos, elimina el margen de error en la coordinación, y garantiza una asistencia adecuada y traslado al centro con condiciones para el tratamiento de sus posibles complicaciones.

The emergency services mobile are a key link in the classification, and Management of suspicious cases of new flu A H1N1. The same ones guarantee a rational attendance depending on the necessity of the attention that requires each case. Our objective is to show the organization created for the attendance of these patients. Was carried out a revision of the protocols proposed by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Atlanta and other national bibliographies on the Management of patient before epidemics. The cases were managed starting from the clinical, complementary discoveries and factors of risks, improving the classification in the urgencies services and their transfer to appropriate centers for their attention. The appropriate classification of cases, eliminates the error margin in the coordination, guaranteeing an appropriate attendance and transfer to the center with conditions for the treatment of its possible complications.

O pré-hospitalar e os times de ressuscitação no Brasil e no mundo / Pre-hospital care and resucitation teams in Brazil and worldwide

As primeiras referências ao atendimento pré-hospitalar são do final do século XVIII. No Brasil, a partir de 2003 estruturou-se o atendimento pré-hospitalar com a criação do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU), obrigatíorio para cidades com mais de 100 mil habitantes. Os elementos ordenadores e orientadores do sistema são as centrais de regulação, que avaliam, quantificam e hierarquizam o fluxo dos pacientes após receber pedidos de socorro pela populaçao pelo telefone 192. A regulação médica deverá ser exercida por médico, que decide o recurso específico a ser mobilizado para cada caso, indicando o tipo de ambulância e de tripulação necessário (suporte básico ou avançado, com ou sem médico) e o destino (hospitalar ou ambulatorial). As etapas do atendimento pré-hospitalar são divididas em: acionamento, regulação (médico regulador recebe a ligação e inicia o atendimento pelo telefone, presumindo a gravidade ou não), despacho dos recursos necessãrios, atendimento local, regulação do hospital de referência (o médico regulador, após interpretação dos dados passados pela equipe que atendeu a vítima, verifica o melhor recurso e determina o serviço a ser encaminhado, comunicando as condições da vítima com tempo estimado da chegada ao hospital) e entrega (equipe do atendimento pré-hospitalar passa o caso para a equipe da emergência).

The first references to pre-hospital care date from the late 18th Century. In Brazil, pre-hospital care was established in 2003 with the creation of the Emergency Mobile Care Service (SAMU). The organizational and structuring elements of this system are the regulation centers, which evaluate, qualify and organize the flow of patients after receiving emergency calls through the 192 telephone line. Physicians decide the specific resources to be used for each case, indicating the type of ambulance and staff required (basic or advanced support, with or without a physician) and the destination (hospital or outpatient ward). The different stages of pre-hospital care are divided into: telephone call, instructions (the physician in charge receives the call and initiates patient care by phone assessing the severity of the case), the required resources for local medical care are forwarded, the referral hospital is chosen (physician in charge after analysis of the data informed by the team providing medical care, decides what the best resource is and to what service the patient should be referred, informing the patient's condition with an estimated time of arrival at the hospital) and delivery (pre-hospital care team transfers the case to the emergency team).

Redes de conversação e coordenação de ações de saúde: estudo em um serviço móvel regional de atenção às urgências / Networks for dialogue and coordination of health activities: a study on a regional mobile emergency care service

A coordenação de redes de serviços é um dos principais desafios dos sistemas de saúde e exige uma intrincada trama de interações entre os atores envolvidos na prestação de serviços. Neste trabalho assume-se um modelo que coloca as redes de conversações como componente central da coordenação e analisam-se as redes de conversações no Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência (SAMU) da Região Metropolitana II do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Em particular, busca-se analisar como as interações verbais influenciam neste processo. Utiliza-se a observação direta e a gravação de reuniões como técnicas de coleta de dados e a análise de conversação como estratégia metodológica de análise. Entre os resultados destaca-se a identificação de duas redes principais de conversações como mecanismo de coordenação de ações. Advoga-se a importância do conceito de coordenação dialógica como ferramenta para a análise e para a melhoria da coordenação em sistemas de serviços de saúde.

Coordination of health services networks is one of the main challenges for health systems and requires an intricate web of interactions between service providers. This study assumes a model that uses communications networks as a central component of coordination and analyzes such networks in the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU) in Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro State Area II, Brazil. The study specifically seeks to analyze how verbal interactions influence this process. The research used direct observation and taping of meetings with data collection and analysis of conversation as the methodological strategy. The findings feature the identification of two main conversation networks as the mechanism for coordinating actions. The article highlights the importance of the concept of dialogical coordination as a tool for the analysis and improvement of coordination in health services systems.

Results of streamlined regional ambulance transport and subsequent treatment of acute abdominal aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the triage of patients operated for non-ruptured and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) before the endovascular era. DESIGN: Retrospective single-centre cohort study. METHODS: All patients treated for an acute AAA between 1998 and 2001 and admitted to our hospital were evaluated in the emergency department for urgent AAA surgery. All time intervals, from the telephone call from the patient to the ambulance department, to the arrival of the patient in the operating theatre, were analysed. Intraoperative, hospital and 1-year survival were determined. RESULTS: 160 patients with an acute AAA were transported to our hospital. Mean (SD) age was 71 (8) years, and 138 (86%) were men. 34 (21%) of these patients had symptomatic, non-ruptured AAA (sAAA) and 126 patients had ruptured AAA (rAAA). All patients with sAAA and 98% of patients with rAAA were operated upon. For the patients with rAAA, median time from telephone call to arrival at the hospital was 43 min (interquartile range 33-53 min) and median time from arrival at the hospital to arrival at the operating room was 25 min (interquartile range 11-50 min). Intraoperative mortality was 0% for sAAA and 11% for rAAA (p = 0.042), and hospital mortality was 12% and 33%, respectively (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary unified strategy resulted in a rapid throughput of patients with acute AAA. Rapid transport, diagnosis and surgery resulted in favourable hospital mortality. Despite the fact that nearly all the patients were operated upon, survival was favourable compared with published data.

Ambulance alerting to hospital: the need for clearer guidance.

BACKGROUND: The decision by paramedics to alert a receiving hospital to the imminent arrival of a critically ill patient is currently based on the crew's clinical judgement. AIMS: To evaluate the efficiency of current alerting practice and to assess the need for objective guidelines. METHODS: Data were collected in the Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK, over 1 week in February 2005. All alerted patients and all critically ill patients brought to the emergency department over this time period were identified. These two groups were studied to find those patients who were alerted but not critically ill, those who were critically ill but not alerted, and those who were both alerted and critically ill. The presenting conditions were identified and compared between groups. RESULTS: 454 patients were brought by ambulance to the emergency department during the study week. Of the 27 alerted patients, 23 were critically ill, leaving four patients alerted inappropriately. 29 of the 52 critically ill patients had not been alerted by ambulance crews. Most (n = 22) of these patients were adults with medical conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulance crews do not alert hospitals to critically ill patients adequately. The Modified Early Warning Score should be considered to be the basis of a prehospital tool to aid their decision.