EMS agencies with high rates of field termination of resuscitation and longer scene times also have high rates of survival.

AIM: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) management dichotomizes strategies to (1) "scoop-and-run" to a higher level of care or (2) "treat on the X" with the goal of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before transport, with field termination of resuscitation (FTOR) of unsuccessful resuscitations. We hypothesized that EMS agencies with greater average time on-scene and higher rates of field termination of resuscitation would have more favorable outcomes. METHODS: The Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) was used to identify OOHCA cases from 2013 to 2018. Agencies in the top and bottom quartiles of on-scene time were categorized as high (HiOST) and low (LoOST); in the top and bottom quartiles of field termination rate were categorized as high (HiTOR) and low (LoTOR). Generalized estimating equation models compared top and bottom quartiles. RESULTS: We classified 95 agencies as HiOST (average > 25.1 min) or LoOST (average < 19.3 min). We classified 95 agencies as HiTOR (average > 46.5% FTOR) or LoTOR (average < 23.5% FTOR). Controlling for agency characteristics, HiOST had a higher survival to discharge for transported patients (28.1% vs 23.1%, OR = 2.8, 95 %CI 2.1-3.6, p < 0.001), ROSC on emergency department arrival, and favorable neurologic outcome than LoOST. HiTOR had a higher survival to discharge for transported patients (25.6% vs 19.3%, OR = 3.3, 95 %CI 2.5-4.4, p < 0.001), ROSC on emergency department arrival, and favorable neurologic outcome than LoTOR. CONCLUSION: EMS agencies with higher rates of FTOR and longer on-scene times for patients with OOHCA have higher overall patient survival, ROSC, and favorable neurologic function.

An investigation of clinical decisionmaking: identifying important factors in treatment planning for suicidal patients in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the influence of several well-documented, readily available risk factors that may influence a psychiatric consultant's decision to admit an emergency department (ED) patient reporting suicidal ideation for psychiatric hospitalization. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients presenting to six affiliated EDs within Pennsylvania from January 2015 to June 2017. We identified 533 patients reporting current active suicidal ideation and receiving a complete psychiatric consultation. Socio-demographic characteristics, psychiatric presentation and history, and disposition were collected. Decision tree analysis was conducted with disposition as the outcome. RESULTS: Four of 27 variables emerged as most influential to decisionmaking, including psychiatric consultant determination of current suicide risk, patient age, current depressive disorder diagnosis, and patient history of physical violence. Likelihood of admission versus discharge ranged from 97% to 58%, depending on the variables considered. Post hoc analysis indicated that current suicide plan, access to means, lack of social support, and suicide attempt history were significantly associated with psychiatric consultant determination of moderate-to-high suicide risk, with small-to-medium effect sizes emerging. CONCLUSIONS: Only a handful of variables drive disposition decisions for ED patients reporting current active suicidal ideation, with both high and low fidelity decisions made. Patient suicide risk, determined by considering empirically supported risk factors for suicide attempt and death, contributes the greatest influence on a psychiatric consultant's decision to admit. In line with American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) recommendations, this study accentuates the importance of using clinical judgment and adjunct measures to determine patient disposition within this population.

Predicting status along the continuum of suicidal thoughts and behavior among those with a history of nonsuicidal self-injury.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts and behavior often co-occur, representing a growing public health concern. Despite extensive research examining suicidal thoughts and behavior among those who engage in NSSI, there is a lack of research investigating factors that, when considered together, can differentiate individuals along the continuum of suicidal thoughts and behavior (no history, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempt). This study sought to address this question using a sample of 1178 college students with NSSI history (68.70% female). Discriminant function analysis was conducted including the following predictors: NSSI characteristics, negative affect difficulties, and behavioral and demographic risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behavior. Results suggest that self-disclosure of suicidal ideation, number of lifetime NSSI methods, NSSI frequency, depressive symptoms, and age most parsimoniously differentiate study groups. Those who use a greater number of NSSI methods and acts, paired with higher depressive symptoms and repeated self-disclosure of suicidal ideation are most likely to have a suicide attempt history; decreases in these variables suggest membership within less severe groups. Furthermore, older age may be related to greater suicidality. Findings suggest that the evaluation and co-occurrence of these variables may contribute to a more accurate suicide risk assessment.

Seat belt use in the ambulance patient compartment by emergency medical services professionals is low regardless of patient presence, seating position, or patient acuity.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent use of seat belts in an ambulance may increase the risk of injury for emergency medical services (EMS) professionals and their patients. Our objectives were to: (1) describe the prevalence of seat belt usage based on patient acuity and seat location, and (2) assess the association between EMS-related characteristics and consistent use of a seat belt. METHODS: We administered a cross-sectional electronic questionnaire to a random sample of 20,000 nationally-certified EMS professionals, measuring seat belt use in each seating location of an ambulance during transport of stable, critical, or no patients. We included practicing, non-military, emergency medical technicians or higher who reported working in ambulances. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the odds of consistent (≥50% of the time) use of seat belts for the rear-facing jump seat and right-sided crew bench during transport of stable and critical patients. RESULTS: A total of 1431 respondents were included in the analysis. Patient compartment seat belt use varied with the highest use in forward-facing seats when no patient was being transported (59.8%) and lowest use in the left-side "CPR" seat with a critical patient (9.4%). Only 40.2% of respondents reported an agency policy regarding seat belt use while riding in the patient compartment. In all multivariable logistic regression models, advanced life support level certification and fewer years of experience were associated with decreased odds of consistent seat belt use. An agency seat belt policy was strongly associated with increased odds of seat belt use in the patient compartment. CONCLUSIONS: Seat belt use was low and varied by seating location and patient acuity in the patient compartment of an ambulance. Practical Applications: EMS organizations should consider primary prevention approaches of provider education, improved ambulance designs, enactment and enforcement of policies to improve seat belt compliance and provider safety.

Measuring Acquired Capability for Suicide within an Ideation-to-Action Framework.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the large literature on risk factors for suicide-related outcomes, few studies have examined risk for acting on suicidal thoughts among suicide ideators. The current study aimed to fill this gap by examining the role of acquired capability, as well as its hypothesized facilitator, painful and provocative events (PPEs), as motivators for behavior among individuals along the suicide continuum. METHOD: Undergraduates reporting suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide attempts without intent to die, or suicide attempts with intent to die (N=546) completed a measure of acquired capability for suicide, as well as assessments of exposure to PPEs. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrated that acquired capability for suicide did not distinguish between individuals falling along the ideation-to-action spectrum. Among the several PPEs assessed, the frequency of non-suicidal self-injury, and the presence of childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect each significantly differentiated between groups, with individuals having a history of a suicide attempt with the intent to die reporting the highest levels. CONCLUSIONS: These findings implicate the PPEs that may be most important to assess in determining suicide risk, and, further, call into question the utility of acquired capability in differentiating between individuals along the suicide continuum.

The Interactive Effect of Major Depression and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on Current Suicide Risk and Lifetime Suicide Attempts.

UNLABELLED: This study examined the main and interactive effects of MDD and lifetime nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) on current suicide risk and past suicide attempts. We predicted that individuals with a history of NSSI and current MDD would be at greater suicide risk than those with either risk factor alone. An interaction between lifetime MDD and NSSI was hypothesized for past suicide attempts. 204 substance dependent inpatients completed self-report measures and a diagnostic interview. Patients with both a history of NSSI and current MDD, relative to all other groups, had the greatest suicide risk. No support was found for the lifetime MDD by NSSI interaction. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest the relevance of both NSSI and MDD in suicide risk.

The importance of high distress tolerance in the relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide potential.

Research has indicated that nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behavior are strongly related to one another, with a sizable portion of individuals with a history of NSSI also reporting a history of nonlethal suicide attempts. Nonetheless, little research has examined possible moderators of this relationship. One potentially important construct is distress tolerance (DT), which has been shown to be negatively associated with NSSI and positively associated with the acquired capability for suicide. In this study, 93 adult inpatients (54.8% male) receiving treatment for substance use disorders completed a structured interview assessing prior suicidal behavior and questionnaires assessing DT, NSSI, and psychopathology. Results indicated that DT moderates the relationship between NSSI frequency (but not number of NSSI methods) and suicide potential (a continuum ranging from no prior suicidal behavior to suicidal behavior with minimal bodily harm to highly lethal suicidal behavior), ΔR(2) = .04; p < .023; f(2) = .06, with this relation increasing in strength at higher levels of DT. These results are consistent with an emerging line of research indicating that high levels of DT facilitate suicidal behavior in at-risk populations and suggest that the capacity to tolerate aversive physiological and affective arousal might be vital to engagement in serious or lethal suicidal behavior.