This study, titled “Comparative Effectiveness of ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Regionalization Strategies,” was published online on July 27 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.1 It evaluated the comparative effectiveness of STEMI regionalization strategies to increase the use of PCI versus standard emergency transport and care. The authors found that, “An emergency medical services-based strategy of transporting […]
This British Medical Journal study, published May 11, evaluated whether services to prevent falls in the community could reduce the fall rate among older (aged 60+) people who call an ambulance when they fall but are not taken to the hospital. The study, titled “Community falls prevention for people who call an emergency ambulance after […]
Released in August, the “Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study” seeks to expand efforts to improve roadway safety for emergency responders. (FEMA: “Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity.” FA-323/August 2009.) The report was produced in partnership between the U.S. Fire Administration and the International Fire Service Training Association with support from the U.S. Department of Justice, […]
In this study, researchers compared the adjusted neurologically intact survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients receiving initial passive ventilation to those receiving initial bag-valve-mask ventilation. (Bobrow BJ, et al: “Passive Oxygen Insufflation Is Superior to Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation for Witnessed Ventricular Fibrillation Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.” Annals of Emergency Medicine. Published online Aug. 7, 2009.) The statewide […]
Stretcher-related injuries to patients, ambulance crews and others are not uncommon, according to a new study published in Quality and Safety in Health Care. The authors used the FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience Database to analyze adverse events involving ambulance stretchers during 1996–2005. (Wang HE, et al: “Ambulance Stretcher Adverse Events.” Quality and […]
A study presented at the 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy is the first randomized controlled clinical trial to compare surgical masks to fit-tested and non-fit-tested N95 masks in at-risk health-care workers. The trial involved nearly 2,000 hospital workers in Beijing and found that surgical masks “had no efficacy for any outcome. N95 […]
In this study published by Academic Emergency Medicine in August, the authors assessed the relationship of EMT-B exam scores and the length of EMT-B certification to success on the national paramedic certification examination using data from the National Registry of EMTs. (Fernandez AR, Studnek JR, Cone DC: “The Association Between Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) Exam […]
This prospective observation cohort study of adults from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium cardiac arrest registry found that an increased chest compression fraction predicts better survival in patients with out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation. (Christenson J, Andrusiek D, et al: “Chest Compression Fraction Determines Survival in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Ventricular Fibrillation.” Circulation. Published online before print Sept. 14, […]
In the Anesthesia & Analgesia study “Prehospital Intubations and Mortality: A Level 1 Trauma Center Perspective,” the authors sought to determine the incidence of failed prehospital intubations (PHI), their correlation with mortality and the possible risk factors associated with PHI. (Cobas, et al: “Prehospital Intubations and Mortality: A Level 1 Trauma Center Perspective.” Anesthesia & […]
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