ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Aeromedical evacuation missions to transport highly infectious critical COVID-19 patients involve multiple factors, therefore planning is essential in their preparation. The management of specialist nurses is cross-cutting, as they participate in the planning, organisation and implementation of aero-evacuation protocols, delivery of care and operational safety procedures throughout the operation, with an integrated aeromedical crew working as a team alongside the air crew. OBJECTIVE: To study the management of nurses specialised in the aero-evacuation of highly infectious critical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Through a systematic search of the biomedical literature, this study was conducted according to the standards of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and PRISMA. The literature search included articles published from 2019 to August 2020 and meta-search engines, yielding a total of 142 articles, and a triangulation of information was performed. A total of 11 articles were eventually included in the review, and the validity of each article was determined according to the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute level of evidence. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The systematic review identified 11 studies that use different methodological considerations for conducting an aeromedical evacuation and covering key aspects for a successful operation. CONCLUSION: The management of specialist nurses has a direct impact on the aeromedical evacuation of the critical patient. It covers planning, organisation, and operational safety, applied in the instruction, training, execution and strict monitoring of the work of the aeromedical crew as a solid team. This contributes to the success of the aero-evacuation mission and the infectious patient's high likelihood of survival during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
Air Ambulances , COVID-19 , Communicable Diseases , Nurses , Humans , PandemicsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aeromedical evacuation in the Chilean Air Force has had an important development in the last 15 years. The coronavirus disease declared as a global pandemic by the WHO has generated the challenge of transferring highly infectious patients to centers of greater complexity. The objective of this article is to report our experience in the transfer of COVID 19 patients in constant attention and medical monitoring. CLINICAL CASE REPORTS: The aeromedical evacuation of 2 COVID-19 patients was performed from the Hanga Roa Hospital, Rapa Nui, to the National Thorax Institute, Metropolitan Region, in a Lockheed Hercules C-130, which corresponds to a pressurized fixed-wing airplane. The transfer was carried out with the corresponding personal protection elements and in individual isolation capsules with advanced negative pressure life support (ISO POD), in order to reduce the level of contagion to the aero sanitary crew and minimize the impact on the flight material used. DISCUSSION: The transfer was carried out achieving all the objectives set out under a strict security protocol and the two COVID-19 patients were transferred successfully. The negative pressure isolation capsule system was safe and reliable, since no crew member presented symptoms or was infected by COVID -19, and also allowed the transfer of highly contagious patients during an 8-hour flight operation.
INTRODUCCIÓN: La evacuación aeromédica en la Fuerza Aérea de Chile ha tenido un importante desarrollo en los últimos 15 años. La enfermedad por coronavirus declarada como pandemia mundial por la OMS ha generado el desafío de trasladar pacientes altamente infecciosos a centros de mayor complejidad. El objetivo de este artículo es reportar nuestra experiencia en el traslado de pacientes COVID 19 en constante atención y monitorización médica. REPORTE DE CASOS CLÍNICOS: Se realizó la evacuación aeromédica de 2 pacientes COVID 19 desde el Hospital de Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, hacía el Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Región Metropolitana, en un Lockheed Hércules C-130, que corresponde a un avión de ala fija presurizado. El traslado se realizó con los elementos de protección personal correspondientes y en capsulas de aislamiento individual con soporte vital avanzado a presión negativa (ISO POD), con la finalidad de reducir el nivel de contagio a la tripulación aero sanitaria y minimizar el impacto en el material de vuelo utilizado. DISCUSIÓN: El traslado se desarrolló logrando todos los objetivos planteados bajo un estricto protocolo de seguridad y los dos enfermos COVID-19 fueron trasladados de manera exitosa. El sistema de cápsulas de aislamiento a presión negativa fue seguro y confiable, ya que ningún miembro de la tripulación presento sintomatología o resultó contagiado por COVID -19, y además permitió trasladar pacientes altamente contagiosos durante una operación de vuelo de 8 horas.