Executive summary: developing objectives, content, and competencies for the training of emergency medical technicians, emergency physicians, and emergency nurses to care for casualties resulting from nuclear, biological, or chemical incidents.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The task force assessed the needs, demands, feasibility, and content of training for US civilian emergency medical responders (paramedics, nurses, and physicians) for nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) terrorism. METHODS: A task force representing key professional organizations, stakeholders, and disciplines involved in emergency medical response conducted an iterated instructional-design analysis on the feasibility and content of such training with input from educational professionals. We then analyzed 6 previously developed training courses for their congruence with our recommendations. RESULTS: The task force produced descriptions of learning groups, content and learning objectives, and barriers and challenges to NBC education. Access to training and sustainment of learning (retention of knowledge) represent the significant barriers. The courses analyzed by the task force did not meet all objectives and challenges addressed. CONCLUSION: The task force recommends training programs and materials need to be developed to overcome the identified barriers and challenges to learning for these audiences. Furthermore, the task force recommends incorporating NBC training into standard training programs for emergency medical professionals.

Wound botulism associated with black tar heroin and lower extremity cellulitis.

Wound botulism is a rare and potentially fatal disease. The use of black tar heroin has spawned an increase in the incidence of the disease, with the majority of cases occurring in California. The use of botulism antitoxin and surgical debridement are recommended to decrease hospital stay. For this to be effective, the diagnosis of wound botulism first must be considered, followed by an aggressive search for any area of infection that may be debrided. This case report demonstrates several factors to consider in patients presenting with symptoms of botulism poisoning: occurrence away from the Mexico border, no obvious abscess, and the need for prolonged ventilatory support. This case report documents a prolonged hospital stay, possibly caused by delay in administration of antitoxin in a patient with cellulitis that was not considered appropriate for debridement.

Malpractice occurrence in emergency medicine: does residency training make a difference?

We evaluated the effects of Emergency Medicine (EM) residency training, EM board certification, and physician experience on the occurrence of malpractice claims and indemnity payments. This was a retrospective review of closed malpractice claims from a single insurer. Outcome measures included the occurrence of claims resulting in indemnity, indemnity amounts, and defense costs. Differences in the outcome measures were compared based on: EM residency training, EM board certification, EM residency training versus other residency training, and physician experience using both univariate and multivariate analyses. There were 428 closed EM claims with indemnity paid in 81 (18.9%). Indemnity was paid in 22. 4% of closed claims against non-EM residency-trained physicians, and in only 13.3% against EM residency-trained physicians (p = 0.04). The total indemnity was $6,214,475. Non-EM trained physicians accounted for $4,440,951 (71.5%), EM residency-trained physicians accounted for $1,773,524 (28.5%). The average indemnity was $76,721 and the average defense cost was $17,775. There were no significant differences in the mean indemnity paid per closed claim or the mean cost to defend a closed claim when comparing EM-trained and non-EM residency-trained physicians. The total cost (indemnity + defense costs) per physician-year of malpractice coverage was $4,905 for non-EM residency-trained physicians and $2,212 for EM residency-trained physicians. EM residency-trained physicians account for significantly less malpractice indemnity than non-EM residency-trained physicians. This difference is not due to differences in the average indemnity but is due to significantly fewer closed claims against EM residency-trained physicians with indemnity paid. This results in a cost per physician-year of malpractice coverage for non-EM residency-trained physicians that is over twice that of EM residency-trained physicians.

Emergency department documentation in cases of intentional assault.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Emergency department records are an important source of injury surveillance data. However, documentation regarding intentional assault has not been studied and may be suboptimal. The purpose of this study was to analyze physician documentation of assailant, site, and object used in intentional assault. METHODS: The ED log of an urban Level I trauma center was retrospectively reviewed to identify eligible patients presenting consecutively in November 1996. All acutely injured patients not involved in a motorized vehicle crash were identified. RESULTS: From the ED log, 1, 483 patients were identified as possible study subjects; 1,457 (98%) charts were located and reviewed and 971 (67%) met inclusion criteria. Of these, 288 (30%) cases resulted from intentional assault. In 67% of patients, there was no documentation of the identity of the assailant. For 13% of cases, there was no documentation regarding the object or force used in the assault. In 79% of cases there was no documentation regarding the site of assault. For 24 cases (8%), the assailant was documented as an intimate partner or ex-partner. Police involvement in these cases was documented 54% of the time, despite the fact that this state mandates police reports for cases of acute partner violence. Social service involvement and shelter referrals were documented in less than one fourth of domestic violence cases. CONCLUSION: Although the ED commonly treats patients who have been assaulted, basic surveillance data are often omitted from the chart. Structured charting may provide more complete data collection.

Adult versus pediatric prehospital trauma care: is there a difference?

BACKGROUND: Management of the injured child in the prehospital setting continues to be debated. Issues raised in the literature include time spent on scene, skill maintenance and performance, and reported poorer outcomes compared with adults. METHODS: Retrospective 2-year review of all pediatric (n = 232) and adult (n = 3,375) patients treated by a single emergency medical services agency and transported and admitted to a Level I trauma center. Patients were divided into two groups, pediatric (age 0 to 12 years) and adult (age >12 years) and further stratified into three Injury Severity Score subgroups; 1 to 15, 16 to 25, and more than 25. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in scene time for any of the groups. The percentage of patients with intravenous access or endotracheal intubation in the field and the mean Injury Severity Score were not different for the moderate or severely injured groups, although in the minor trauma group fewer pediatric patients had intravenous access or intubation performed. There were no differences in outcome for any of the groups. CONCLUSION: Paramedics are able to provide pediatric trauma patients a level of care comparable to that provided adult patients with similar outcome.

The efficacy of intravenous droperidol in the prehospital setting.

Droperidol is used for sedating combative patients in the emergency department (ED). We performed a randomized, prospective, double-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of droperidol in the management of combative patients in the prehospital setting. Forty-six patients intravenously received the contents of 2-cc vials of saline or droperidol (5 mg). Paramedics used a 5-point scale to quantify agitation levels prior to and 5 and 10 min after administration of the vials. Twenty-three patients received droperidol and 23 received saline. At 5 min, patients in the droperidol group were significantly less agitated than were patients in the saline group. At 10 min, this difference was highly significant. Eleven patients in the saline group (48%) required more sedation after arrival in the ED versus 3 patients (13%) in the droperidol group. We conclude that droperidol is effective in sedating combative patients in the prehospital setting.

The efficacy and comfort of full-body vacuum splints for cervical-spine immobilization.

We performed a prospective crossover study to determine the cervical spine immobilization and comfort level of healthy subjects on a full-body vacuum splint in comparison with a standard backboard, with and without cervical spine collars. Twenty-six healthy volunteers were immobilized on a backboard (BB) and a full-body vacuum splint (VS), both with and without a cervical collar (CC). Pre- and post-immobilization cervical spine range-of-motion measurements were made using an electronic digital inclinometer and a standard handheld goniometer. Subjects were also asked to subjectively grade their immobilization and discomfort both overall and in seven specific body regions. No statistically significant difference was found between the VS+CC and the BB+CC for flexion and rotation, although the VS+CC combination provided significantly superior immobilization to the BB+CC for extension and lateral bending. The VS alone, in all cases except extension, provided superior immobilization to the BB alone. A statistically significant difference in subjective perception of immobilization was noted, with the BB being less effective than the other three alternatives and the VS+CC providing the best immobilization. A significant difference in overall comfort and occipital region comfort, favoring the vacuum splint, was found. In conclusion, the vacuum splint is an effective and more comfortable alternative to the background for cervical spine immobilization.

Paramedic diagnostic accuracy for patients complaining of chest pain or shortness of breath.

INTRODUCTION: A multitude of life-threatening and nonlife-threatening processes cause chest pain and shortness of breath. Prehospital therapy for these patients may be lifesaving and includes pharmacologic interventions, as well as invasive procedures. Appropriate therapy depends on the diagnostic skills of the paramedic. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of the paramedic diagnosis in patients transported with a chief complaint of pain or shortness of breath. SETTING: Multihospital, one large municipal hospital, one community hospital. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Paramedics evaluated the patient and then completed a standard form indicating the diagnosis. The paramedic's and final emergency physician's diagnoses were compared to assess the accuracy of the paramedic diagnosis. POPULATION: All patients who complained of chest pain or shortness of breath, transported to the study centers by the city of Denver paramedics, were eligible for the study. Ninety-nine of the 102 patients enrolled had complete records for analysis and were entered into the study. RESULTS: Diagnostic concordance data were analyzed by organ system (e.g., cardiac, pulmonary, etc.) and for specific diagnoses using the kappa statistic and McNemar's chi-square analysis for discordant pairs. Using the kappa statistic, there was statistically significant concordance between the paramedic and emergency-physician diagnosis for cardiac (p = 0.0001; kappa value = 0.54) and pulmonary organ systems (p = 0.0001; kappa value = 0.61). Overall, for organ system diagnosis, the paramedics had an 82% accuracy (p = 0.05) rating. For specific cardiac and pulmonary diagnosis, paramedics had good concordance with emergency physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, paramedics have excellent diagnostic agreement with emergency-physician diagnosis by organ system. They retained good agreement on specific cardiac diagnoses and pulmonary diagnosis.

Epidemiology of trauma deaths: a reassessment.

OBJECTIVE: Recognizing the impact of the 1977 San Francisco study of trauma deaths in trauma care, our purpose was to reassess those findings in a contemporary trauma system. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All trauma deaths occurring in Denver City and County during 1992 were reviewed; data were obtained by cross-referencing four databases: paramedic trip reports, trauma registries, coroner autopsy reports and police reports. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 289 postinjury fatalities; mean age was 36.8 +/- 1.2 years and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 35.7 +/- 1.2. Predominant injury mechanisms were gunshot wounds in 121 (42%), motorvehicle accidents in 75 (38%) and falls in 23 (8%) cases. Seven (2%) individuals sustained lethal burns. Ninety eight (34%) deaths occurred in the pre-hospital setting. The remaining 191 (66%) patients were transported to the hospital. Of these, 154 (81%) died in the first 48 hours (acute), 11 (6%) within three to seven days (early) and 26 (14%) after seven days (late). Central nervous system injuries were the most frequent cause of death (42%), followed by exsanguination (39%) and organ failure (7%). While acute and early deaths were mostly due to the first two causes, organ failure was the most common cause of late death (61%). CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with the previous report, we observed similar injury mechanisms, demographics and causes of death. However, in our experience, there was an improved access to the medical system, greater proportion of late deaths due to brain injury and lack of the classic trimodal distribution.

Prehospital considerations in the pregnant patient.

The prehospital care of the pregnant patient is aimed at expeditious transport of the patient to an appropriate facility combined with rapid intervention to stabilize the mother, including oxygen administration and fluid resuscitation. Optimal care of the fetus is dependent on appropriate management of the mother.

Technical note--trauma team activation: the sequential light panel.

A progressive color-coded light activation panel is described that enhances in-hospital activation of the trauma team. This communication system creates a network among the resuscitation suite of the emergency department, the operating room, the anesthesiology department, and the surgery department.

The emergency medicine resident as paramedic: a prehospital in-field rotation.

Prehospital care has undergone a significant evolution during the past two decades and has been transformed from a transportation service into an advanced life support (ALS) delivery system. Crucial to the quality of such a program is physician knowledge and medical control. We describe a formal, one-month prehospital rotation for emergency medicine residents. The resident physician is exposed to a number of varying emergency medical services (EMS) systems, administrative experiences, and most uniquely, functions as a paramedic within our own ALS EMS system. In this manner, we believe the resident best obtains an understanding of the environment, attitudes, and behavior of prehospital personnel.

Prehospital advanced trauma life support for penetrating cardiac wounds.

Prehospital advanced trauma life support (ATLS) is controversial because the risks, benefits, and time required to accomplish it remain unknown. We studied 70 consecutive patients with penetrating cardiac injuries to determine the relationships among prehospital procedures, time consumed in the field, and ultimate patient outcome. Thirty-one patients sustained gunshot wounds, and 39 had stab wounds. The mean Revised Trauma Score was 2.8 +/- 0.5. Paramedics spent an average of 10.7 +/- 0.5 minutes at the scene. Seventy-one percent of the patients underwent endotracheal intubation; 93% had at least one IV line inserted; and 57% had two IV lines inserted. Twenty-one (30%) survived. There was no correlation between on-scene time and either the total number of procedures performed (r = .17, P = .17) or IV lines established (r = .06, P = .6). On-scene times did not differ regardless of whether endotracheal intubation or pneumatic antishock garment applications occurred. We conclude that well-trained urban paramedics can perform multiple life-support procedures with very short on-scene times and a high rate of patient survival and that prehospital trauma systems require a minimum obligatory on-scene time to locate patients and prepare them for transport.

Esophageal obturator airway.

The esophageal obturator airway has been in use for the past 20 years. It is promoted as being easy to use and can be rapidly inserted blindly; however, numerous complications have been noted. The device is reviewed in this article and compared to endotracheal intubation.

Nitrous oxide analgesia.

Great strides have been made in the prehospital and Emergency Department management of patients, yet the relief of pain and suffering is something that is often forgotten or, if not overlooked, provided in a suboptimal fashion. It is too easy not to feel the pain the patient has or that is is produced while one is seeking to help. The optimal analgesic should have rapid onset, short duration, few side effects, and no major adverse reactions. Nitrous oxide, known since 1776, is perhaps the drug that comes closest to meeting that ideal.

Prehospital care at a major international airport.

Medical emergencies at a major metropolitan airport have a significant impact on prehospital care capabilities for the rest of the community in which the airport is located. Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado, is a facility that in 1985 had 14.4 million passengers and a static employee population of 12,000 to 15,000. In 1981, there were 1,182 ambulance trips to the airport, 40.4% of which did not result in the transport of a patient. The expense of sending an ambulance and fire engine out on such calls was great, and paramedics were out of service for approximately 300 hours on these nontransport cases. In order to improve prehospital services to the airport and the city, a paramedic has been stationed in the concourse at the airport 16 hours a day since 1982. The records for airport paramedic services for the 12 months ending September 1985 were reviewed. Paramedic services were requested for 1,952 patients. Of these, 696 (35.7%) were transported to hospital by ambulance; 115 (5.9%) went by private car; 284 (14.6%) refused any paramedic care or transport; and 857 (43.9%) were released, after base station contact, with instructions to seek definitive care at the final destination. Presenting complaints were classified into 55 categories and the frequencies and dispositions are described. The most common presentations resulting in transport were chest pain, 110 (5.6%); syncope, 60 (3.1%); psychiatric, 57 (2.9%); abdominal pain, 49 (2.5%); seizure, 36 (1.8%); fracture, 31 (1.6%); and cardiac arrest, 29 (1.5%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prehospital venous access in an urban paramedic system--a prospective on-scene analysis.

Prehospital intravenous access has been central to the debate of paramedic intervention during management of trauma in the field. Some have suggested that excessive time requirements for IV access are detrimental to patient salvage. This prospective study objectively quantified the time required to place a peripheral IV line in our urban paramedic system. A third-party observer, nonparamedic, timed the procedure on scene with a stopwatch. Total intravenous time, including obtaining a 30-cc blood sample, was defined as the period from removal of the catheter cover until the catheter was taped. The study group included 125 patients (51 trauma and 74 nontrauma). The average total time to obtain IV access and sample blood was 2.20 +/- 0.20 and 2.71 +/- 0.18 minutes in trauma and nontrauma patients, respectively. In a subset of 63 patients in whom blood sampling time was determined separately, subtracting that from total IV time provided a net of 0.58 +/- 0.09 minutes to obtain access. Fourteen patients had a second IV line started (without blood sampling), requiring 1.25 +/- 0.38 and 0.70 +/- 0.24 minutes, respectively, for trauma and nontrauma patients. Paramedics were successful on their first IV attempt in 90% of trauma and 84% of nontrauma patients; ultimate success was 100%. This on scene study documents the time required for prehospital IV access, performed by a well-trained paramedic in an E.M.S. system with strong medical control, is less than 90 seconds.

The role of a regional trauma system in the management of a mass disaster: an analysis of the Keystone, Colorado, chairlift accident.

On December 14, 1985, the Teller chairlift at the Keystone, Colorado, ski area collapsed, throwing 60 of the 372 people aboard to the ground from heights up to 50 feet. Initial triage and management of the victims was carried out by the local ski patrol, the on-duty physician at the area's Snake River Health Services Clinic, and by volunteer physicians and nurses present at the scene. Thirty-three people required immediate evacuation to hospitals, most of them being transported 75 miles by helicopter air ambulance to level I and II trauma centers in the Denver metropolitan area. Eighteen of these air-evacuated patients were in serious or critical condition. Less seriously injured victims were treated at local medical facilities. The scene evacuation was carried out by helicopter and ground vehicles in accordance with an existing disaster plan coordinated by the Colorado Trauma Institute (CTI). The unique problems posed by a mass casualty incident in a remote mountain location are emphasized by this tragedy. Patient salvage due to the efficacy of a regionally organized trauma system is clearly demonstrated.