Medical Emergency Team Research Articles

Helicopter inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective 12-year analysis of a service system

BackgroundPatients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are critically ill and show high mortality. Inter-hospital transfer of these patients has to be safe, with high survival rates during transport without potentially serious and life-threatening adverse events. The Swiss Air-Rescue provides 24-h/7-days per week inter-hospital helicopter transfers that include on-site ECMO cannulation if needed. This retrospective observational study describes adverse events of patients on ECMO transported by helicopter, and their associated survival.MethodsAll patients on ECMO with inter-hospital transfer by helicopter from start of service in February 2009 until May 2021 were included. Patients not transported by helicopter or with missing medical records were excluded. Patient demographics (age, sex) and medical history (type of and reason for ECMO), mission details (flight distance, times, primary or secondary transport), adverse events during the inter-hospital transfer, and survival of transferred patients were recorded. The primary endpoint was patient survival during transfer. Secondary endpoints were adverse events during transfer and 28-day survival.ResultsWe screened 214 ECMO-related missions and included 191 in this analysis. Median age was 54.6 [IQR 46.1–62.0] years, 70.7% were male, and most patients had veno-arterial ECMO (56.5%). The main reasons for ECMO were pulmonary (46.1%) or cardiac (44.0%) failure. Most were daytime (69.8%) and primary missions (n = 100), median total mission time was 182.0 [143.0–254.0] min, and median transfer distance was 52.7 [33.2–71.1] km. All patients survived the transfer. Forty-four adverse events were recorded during 37 missions (19.4%), where 31 (70.5%) were medical and none resulted in patient harm. Adverse events occurred more frequently during night-time missions (59.9%, p = 0.047). Data for 28-day survival were available for 157 patients, of which 86 (54.8%) were alive.ConclusionAll patients under ECMO survived the helicopter transport. Adverse events were observed for about 20% of the flight missions, with a tendency during the night-time flights, none harmed the patients. Inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing ECMO provided by 24-h/7-d per week helicopter emergency medical service teams can be considered as feasible and safe. The majority of the patients (54.8%) were still alive after 28 days.

The role of emergency medical teams in Eswatini during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper documents experiences and lesson learned in responding to COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini with the support of the Emergency Medical Teams. WHO databases, operation reports and hospitalization records were reviewed. The WHO Emergency Medical Teams built the capacity of the local response teams in Eswatini. The conclusion is that following the intervention of the WHO Emergency Medical Teams, Eswatini is better prepared to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks.

DOISNORE50: a perioperative sleep questionnaire predictive of obstructive sleep apnea and postoperative medical emergency team activation. A learning health system approach to sleep questionnaire development and screening.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a disproportionate increase in postoperative complications and medical emergency team activation (META). We previously introduced DOISNORE50 (Diseases, Observed apnea, Insomnia, Snoring, Neck circumference > 18 inches, Obesity with BMI > 32, R = are you male, Excessive daytime sleepiness, 50 = age ≥ 50) from sleep questionnaire ISNORED using features associated with increased odds of META in perioperative patients. Performance of DOISNORE50 (DOISNORE) had yet to be tested. The performance of DOISNORE was tested along with questionnaire ISNORED and STOP-BANG questionnaires among 300 out of 392 participants without known OSA referred to the sleep lab. In study 2, the performance of DOISNORE was tested among 64,949 lives screened in perioperative assessment clinic from 2016 to 2020. Receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that best performance was achieved with responses, with area under curve of 0.801. DOISNORE's predictability of OSA risk remained stable from 2018 to 2020 with area under curve of 0.78 and a Cronbach alpha of 0.65. Patients at high risk for OSA (DOISNORE ≥ 6) were associated with an increase of META (odds ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.45). Higher relative risk was noted among patients with congestive heart failure and hypercapnia. DOISNORE is predictive of OSA and postoperative META. Perioperative strategies against META should consider DOISNORE questionnaire and focused screening among patients with heart failure and hypercapnia. Namen AM, Forest D, Saha AK, etal. DOISNORE50: a perioperative sleep questionnaire predictive of obstructive sleep apnea and postoperative medical emergency team activation. A learning health system approach to sleep questionnaire development and screening. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(8):1909-1919.

Reduction in medical emergency team activation among postoperative surgical patients at risk for undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an under-recognized condition that results in morbidity and mortality. Postoperative complications, including medical emergency team activation (META), are disproportionally increased among surgical patients at risk for OSA. A systematic approach is needed to improve provider recognition and treatment, but protocols that demonstrate improvement in META are lacking. As part of a multidisciplinary quality improvement project, DOISNORE50 (DIS), a sleep apnea questionnaire and proactive safety measure, was algorithmically applied to all perioperative patients. Consecutive sleep screening was conducted among perioperative patients. Of the 49,567 surgical navigation center patients, 11,932 had previous diagnosis of OSA. Of the 37,572 (96%) patients screened with DIS, 25,171 (66.9%) were Low Risk (DIS < 4), 9,211 (24.5%) were At Risk (DIS ≥ 4), and 3,190 (8.5%) were High Risk (DIS ≥ 6) for OSA, respectively. High Risk patients received same-day sleep consultation. On the day of surgery, patients with Known OSA, At Risk, and High Risk for OSA received an "OSA Precaution Band." An electronic chart reminder alerted admission providers to order postoperative continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and sleep consult for patients High Risk for OSA. Implementation of a comprehensive program was associated with increased sleep consultation, sleep testing, and inpatient CPAP use (P < .001). For every 1,000 surgical patients screened, 30 fewer META, including rapid responses, reintubation, code blues, and code strokes, were observed. However, inpatient sleep consultation and inpatient CPAP use were not independently associated with reduced META. In the subgroup of patients hospitalized longer than 3 days, inpatient CPAP use was independently associated with reduced META. In this single-center, institution-wide, multidisciplinary-approach, quality improvement project, a comprehensive OSA screening process and treatment algorithm with appropriate postoperative inpatient CPAP therapy and inpatient sleep consultations was associated with increased CPAP use and reduced META. Further prospective studies are needed to assess cost, feasibility, and generalizability of these findings. Namen AM, Forest D, Saha AK, etal. Reduction in medical emergency team activation among postoperative surgical patients at risk for undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(8):1953-1965.

Impact of the Proactive Rounding Team on Rapid Response System During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study From an Italian Medical Center.

Objective: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic a proactive rounding (PR) team was introduced in our clinical practice in order to recognize the clinical deterioration of the patient as soon as possible. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the PR team on the rapid response system (RRS) workload with particular regard to the activity carried out, the mode of intervention, and the outcome of patients.Methods: In this retrospective study, the first period before the activation of the PR team (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020) and the second period after its activation (March 1, 2020, to March 1, 2021) were compared.Results: A total of 406 inpatient RRS activations were collected. The medical emergency team (MET) dose was 13 and 12.2 activations/1000 admitted patients per year while the incidence of unexpected cardiac arrests was 3.8 and 2.6 events/1000 admitted patients per year (p=0.10). MET response time was longer in the second period (3.5±1.6 minutes vs 4.5±2.6 minutes p<0.01). We recorded more RRS activations for medical patients than surgical ones; MET was activated more frequently by physicians than nurses and for less severe criteria. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit had lower Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) scores.Conclusions: The PR team introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic did not increase the RRS workload. In addition, it allowed an earlier activation of the MET, especially by physicians.

Impact of Selected Sociodemographic and Clinical Parameters on Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Paramedics in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the outbreak of the pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO, World Health Organization) on 11 March 2020, has resulted in the introduction of many restrictions worldwide to contain the rapidly spreading pathogen. A particularly vulnerable professional group are paramedics working in Emergency Medical Teams. Aim: The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of selected sociodemographic and clinical parameters on anxiety and depression symptoms in paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: The study involved 387 paramedics working in Medical Rescue Teams in Poland. The majority of respondents were male (72.35%). In order to achieve the aim of the study, an online diagnostic survey was conducted using a questionnaire of the author’s own design and standardized questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and General Anxiety Disorders (GAD-7). Results: Significantly higher values were observed for all analysed scales in females compared to males. The main factors influencing the occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms were gender, seniority at work, family relations, use of sleeping pills. Alcohol consumption increased in this professional group during the pandemic. Conclusions: Females and users of sleep medication who work in the emergency department during a pandemic are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. A longer length of service and satisfying relationships with family are factors in reducing these symptoms. Paramedics who are in informal relationships and single manifest more emotional problems compared to those who are married. Increased alcohol consumption can be considered as a way of coping with stress. However, further studies in this professional group are needed to assess the further impact of the pandemic on psychiatric symptoms among emergency medical workers.

Clinical outcomes of patients triggering medical emergency team calls for sinus tachycardia.

Medical emergency team (MET) calls allow unstable patients to be identified earlier and enables clinicians to institute timely management to ameliorate physiological stress. Sinus tachycardia is a common cause for triggering MET calls. In this study, outcome measures relating to patients who have a MET call for sinus tachycardia were analysed. Two hundred and ninety-three consecutive patients who had MET calls as a result of sinus tachycardia were included in the study. Outcome measures assessed included inpatient mortality, duration of hospital stay, change in disposition of patient care, change in goals of care, and underlying aetiology. Comparison between medical and procedural patients was also performed. There were 154 patients in the medical group compared to 139 patients in the procedural group. Inpatient mortality was 13% and 6% respectively (p-value= 0.065). The duration of hospital stay was longer in the medical group (11 vs. 8 days, p-value= 0.295). Sepsis accounted for about 50% of MET call diagnoses in both groups. Around 20% of patients in both groups did not have a clear cause identified for the sinus tachycardia. About one-fifth of the patients in both groups were transferred to intensive care following the MET call (17% vs. 16%; p-value= 0.823). Sinus tachycardia triggering MET call is not a benign condition. It not infrequently requires escalation of care and is associated with significant inpatient mortality. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for sepsis as the underlying cause. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Pre-hospital treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Recommendations for medical emergency teams. Expert position update 2022

Pre-hospital treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Recommendations for medical emergency teams. Expert position update 2022

Alternative ways to introduce resuscitation at the prehospital stage in emergency conditions

Annotation. Objective – carrying out a comparative assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of intravenous (IV) and intraosseous (IO) resuscitation, which are used by emergency and emergency teams in the Vinnytsia region. The work used statistical data of the Vinnytsia Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine for the period 2019-2021, carry through content analysis of domestic and foreign scientific sources, applied biblio-semantic, analytical, and statistical methods for studying the use of intraosseous and intravenous methods in emergency cases. According to the Vinnytsia Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine for the three years 2019-2021. we observe a low percentage of use of intraosseous access 0,2% - 0,1%, respectively. In the event of an accident in the patient's condition “without changes” a total of 786 injections were carried out both intravenously and intraosseously. In 2019, out of the total number, non-infusion therapy was performed in 71,0% of male patients and 11,1% of female patients, and 11,2% intraosseously only in male patients. Compared to 2020, only 0,3% intraosseously (2 female patients) and in 2021, no intraosseous resuscitation was performed at all. In a state of “deterioration” during an accident (road accident, etc.) for 2019, 87,5% of men and 12,5% of women were injected with drugs intravenously; for 2020, 50% for both males and 50% for females were infused intravenously; for 2021, 87,5% of men and 12,5% of women underwent intravenous resuscitation, intraosseous resuscitation was never performed, provided that the condition of patients worsened. And “death in the presence” occurred during resuscitation for 2019 88,8% (of which 77,7% for men and 11,1% for women) by intravenous access and 11.2 VC (males); for 2020 88,9% intravenously (of which 72,2% for men and 16,7% for women) and 11,1% intraosseously (of which 1 male and 1 female article); in 2021, 65,0% of intravenous access was performed for men and 25,0% for women, while no patient received intraosseous access. In case of a sudden illness, the percentage of intraosseous resuscitation in the state of “deterioration” was as follows: for the period 2019-2021. no intraosseous access was performed. In the state of “death in the presence” for 2019, intraosseous infusion was 3,4%; 2020 – 3,8%; 2021 – 1,9%. Thus, the intraosseous method has several undeniable advantages compared to the intravenous one, but in Ukraine, it is little used in the practice of mobile emergency medical teams with a syringe gun (connector – BLG), both considering the age characteristics: for adults (blue) and children (red color) and prescribed in the fundamental algorithms of clinical/modern protocols for the treatment of circulatory arrest due to insufficient practical and theoretical skills of medical personnel of emergency teams. The analysis of the use of intraosseous methods in emergency medical care gave impetus to conducting theoretical and practical classes for future doctors to master skills and reduce prehospital and early hospital mortality in patients with complement fixation reactions.

Challenges of Emergency Medical Teams and Deploying a Field Hospital in the Aftermath of the Beirut Blast: A Qualitative Study

The huge explosion that occurred at Beirut Port led to a high number of casualties. Consequently, 7 field hospitals (FHs) were deployed in Lebanon. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges that emergency medical teams (EMTs) faced and explain the gaps at the national level related to deploying a FH. A qualitative study was conducted. To collect the data, semi-structured interviews were done with 8 key informants (5 from the FHs, 2 from Lebanese Army Forces, and 1 from Ministry of Public Health). In this study, purposive sampling was used and data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke (2006) thematic analysis and MAXQDA software. Three major themes (logistical challenges, staff challenges, and coronavirus disease [COVID-19] pandemic) and 10 subthemes emerged for the challenges that EMTs faced. The gaps at the national level were categorized into 2 themes (absence of needs-based response and limited effective coordination between the host country and donor countries) and 5 sub-themes. Lebanon focuses on response rather than preparedness for disasters. EMTs that arrived didn't meet the medical needs. Hence, there is a need to strengthen the national capacities and to ensure better communication and coordination between the disaster-affected country and the EMTs.

Recognizing and responding to clinical deterioration in adult patients in isolation precautions for infection control: a retrospective cohort study.

Patient isolation is widely used as a strategy for prevention and control of infection but may have unintended consequences for patients. Early recognition and response to acute deterioration is an essential component of safe, quality patient care and has not been explored for patients in isolation. The primary aims of this study were to (i) describe the timing, frequency and nature of clinical deterioration during hospital admission for patients with isolation precautions for infection control and (ii) compare the characteristics of patients who did and did not deteriorate during their initial period of isolation precautions for infection control. This retrospective cohort study was conducted across three sites of a large Australian health service. The study sample were adult patients (≥18 years) admitted into isolation precautions within 24 h of admission from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2019. There were 634 patients who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. One in eight patients experienced at least one episode of clinical deterioration during their time in isolation with most episodes of deterioration occurring within the first 2 days of admission. Timely Medical Emergency Team calls occurred in almost half the episodes of deterioration; however, the same proportion (47.2%) of deterioration episodes resulted in no Medical Emergency Team activation (afferent limb failure). In the 24 h preceding each episode of clinical deterioration (n = 180), 81.6% (n = 147) of episodes were preceded by vital signs fulfilling pre-Medical Emergency Team criteria. Patients who deteriorated during isolation for infection control were older (median age 74.0 vs 71.0 years, P = 0.042); more likely to live in a residential care facility (21.0% vs 7.2%, P = 0.006); had a longer initial period of isolation (4.0 vs 2.9 days, P = < 000.1) and hospital length-of-stay (median 4.9 vs 3.2 days, P = < 0.001) and were more likely to die in hospital (12.3% vs 4.3%, P < 0.001). Patients in isolation precautions experienced high Medical Emergency Team afferent limb failure and most fulfilled pre-Medical Emergency Team criteria in the 24 h preceding episodes of deterioration. Timely recognition and response to clinical deterioration continue to be essential in providing safe, quality patient care regardless of the hospital-care environment.

Management Decisions: The Effectiveness and Size of the Emergency Medical Team.

In Poland, often for economic reasons, the staffing of medical rescue teams is limited to the legally required minimum. This gives rise to problems related to the effectiveness and efficiency of medical rescue teams. A literature review did not find any sources addressing the issue of the verification of the effectiveness of paramedic teams depending on the personnel composition of units. The aim of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of resuscitation depending on the size of the medical rescue team, comparing the work of two- and three-person teams. In total, 100 two-person teams and an analogous number of three-person units were studied. Statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 24 package. The results showed that the assessment of the condition of the victim as well as the ability to assess the heart rhythm and monitor the condition during advanced measures were more effective in three-person teams; three-person teams also used oxygen more frequently during advanced life support (ALS). Most of the elements influenced the quality of resuscitation and it can be unequivocally stated that the work of three rescuers is more efficient and definitely more effective.

Predictors of Repeat Medical Emergency Team Activation in Deteriorating Ward Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Recurrent clinical deterioration and repeat medical emergency team (MET) activation are common and associated with high in-hospital mortality. This study assessed the predictors for repeat MET activation in deteriorating patients admitted to a general ward. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 5512 consecutive deteriorating hospitalized adult patients who required MET activation in the general ward. The patients were divided into two groups according to repeat MET activation. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictors for repeat MET activation. Hematological malignancies (odds ratio, 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.54–2.79) and chronic lung disease (1.49; 1.07–2.06) were associated with a high risk of repeat MET activation. Among the causes for MET activation, respiratory distress (1.76; 1.19–2.60) increased the risk of repeat MET activation. A low oxygen saturation-to-fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (0.97; 0.95–0.98), high-flow nasal cannula oxygenation (4.52; 3.56–5.74), airway suctioning (4.63; 3.59–5.98), noninvasive mechanical ventilation (1.52; 1.07–2.68), and vasopressor support (1.76; 1.22–2.54) at first MET activation increased the risk of repeat MET activation. The risk factors identified in this study may be useful to identify patients at risk of repeat MET activation at the first MET activation. This would allow the classification of high-risk patients and the application of aggressive interventions to improve outcomes.

Relationship between Time of Day of Medical Emergency Team Activations and Outcomes of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

AbstractThis study was conducted to investigate whether outcomes of medical emergency team (MET) activations differ by time of day of in-hospitalized pediatric patients. This is a retrospective cohort study. Data were extracted from the charts of 846 patients (with one or more MET activations) over a 5-year period. It was conducted at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, a tertiary pediatric hospital in Ottawa, Canada, affiliated with University of Ottawa. Patients included children &lt;18 years, admitted to a pediatric ward, who experienced a MET activation between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020. We excluded patients reviewed by the MET during a routine follow-up, planned pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions from the ward, and MET activation in out-patient settings, post-anesthesia care unit, and neonatal intensive care unit. There was no intervention. A total of 1,230 MET encounters were included as part of the final analysis. Daytime (08:00–15:59) MET activation was associated with increased PICU admission (25.3%, p = 0.04). There was some evidence of a higher proportion of critical deterioration events (CDEs) during daytime MET activation; however, this did not reach statistical significance (24%, p = 0.09). The highest MET dosage occurred during the evening hours, 16:00 to 23:59 (15/1,000 admissions), and it was lowest overnight, 00:00 to 07:59 (8.8/1,000 admissions, p &lt; 0.001). This period of lowest MET dosage immediately preceded the highest likelihood of PICU admission (08:00, 37.5%) and CDE (09:00, 30.2%). Following the period of lowest MET activity overnight, MET activations during early daytime hours were associated with the highest likelihood of unplanned PICU admission and CDEs. This work identifies potential high-risk periods for undetected critical deterioration and targets for future quality improvement.

Coordinating Mechanisms Are More Important Than Team Processes for Geographically Dispersed Emergency Dispatch and Paramedic Teams.

In recent decades there has been an increased emphasis on non-technical skills in medical teams. One promising approach that relates teamwork to medical efficiency is the theory of Shared Mental Models (SMM). The aim of the present study was to investigate the suitability of the Shared Mental Model approach for teamwork between operators in emergency medical communication centers and the first line ambulance personnel in real-life settings. These teams collaborate while working from geographically dispersed positions, which makes them distinct from the kinds of teams examined in most previous research on team effectiveness. A pressing issue is therefore whether current models on co-located teams are valid for medical distributed teams. A total of 240 participants from 80 emergency medical teams participated in the study. A team effectiveness model was proposed based on identified team coordinating mechanisms and the “Big five” team processes. Path analyses showed that SMM was positively associated with team effectiveness (i.e., performance satisfaction and situational awareness) and negatively related to mission complexity. Furthermore, the coordinating mechanisms of SMM and Closed Loop Communication was positively related to “Big five” team scores. However, no effects were found for the “Big five” team processes on effectiveness, which could indicate that the model needs to be adjusted for application to geographically dispersed teams. Possible implications for team training of distributed emergency response teams are discussed.

Emergency and rapid response systems: a bibliometric analysis.

BackgroundThe emergency rapid response system (RRS) can reduce the mortality of hospitalized patients, and its core is the activation criteria and the rapid response team (RRT). This study adopted a bibliometric method to analyze the research status of RRSs for hospitalized patients.MethodsThe Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) database was searched using the keywords “emergency” and “rapid response system”, and the search results were analyzed using CiteSpace software. The retrieved data included the annual distribution of studies and literature citations; the source country of the literature; the distribution of institutions and authors of the literature; the cooperation between countries, institutions, and authors; the distribution of journals that published the literature, and the use of keywords in the literature.ResultsA total of 1,320 research papers were found, with a total of 29,920 citations. The number of papers and their citations increased yearly. The top 5 countries in terms of number of publications were the United States, Australia, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The top 5 countries in terms of centrality were the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. The research institutions were mainly located in developed countries, such as the United States and Australia. There was relatively little collaboration between researchers. The journals that published the literature mainly specialized in critical care medicine and emergency medicine. The keyword analysis revealed that most studies focused on medical emergency teams (METs) and mortality.ConclusionsThere were few studies related to the emergency RRS for hospitalized patients. The majority of studies were from developed countries and mainly focused on the impact of team building and the effect of the RRS on mortality.

Who Can Be the Standardized Patient in Disaster Medical Full-Scale Exercise, Freshman, or Professional?

Disasters cannot be predicted, so being well-prepared is important before a disaster strike. Good preparation needs constant practice and improvement, and full-scale exercise can provide both. The standardized patients (SPs) in a full-scale exercise to simulate patients are vital because they can provide realistic effects to exercise participants. However, there was no literature about who is capable of being an SP. We investigated the relationship between the SPs' current occupation and previous experience with their fidelity and participants' performance. Three identically designed full-scale exercises were conducted for three different emergency medical teams (EMTs) with the scenario of post-earthquake mass casualty incidents. Forty SPs were used in each exercise. Exercise objective and detail scenario were told to the SPs before exercise, and mock wound makeup was applied to the SPs. Each SP's occupation and previous experience were recorded before exercise. The SP's previous experience was defined as previous exercise experience and previous disaster medicine education. The SPs' fidelity (SPF) was rated using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = poor and 5 = excellent). The participants' performance (PP) was also rated using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = poor and 5 = excellent) according to the accuracy of each SP's triage result and management. The SPF and the PP were evaluated by clinicians with disaster medicine specialties using the same standard. The relationship between the SPs' occupation and the SPF along with occupation, and the PP were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The data of the SPF and the PP in the SP groups divided by previous experience were analyzed by the Student's t -test. The SPs' occupations were medical student, nurse, physician, and members of EMT. There was no significant difference in the SPF and the PP between occupations ( p = 0.382 and 0.416, respectively). Both the experienced and the inexperienced SP groups show no significant difference in the SPF ( p = 0.339). Significantly better PP was noted in the inexperienced SP group ( p < 0.001). The SPs' background does not influence the performance of either SPs or exercise participants. We proposed that the success of using freshmen as SPs in full-scale exercise depends on the pre-exercise design and the SP instruction and training.

Emergency Medical Teams' Responses during the West Japan Heavy Rain 2018: J-SPEED Data Analysis.

Rainfall-induced floods and landslides accounted for 20.7% of all disaster events in Japan from 1985 through 2018 and caused a variety of health problems, both directly and indirectly, including injuries, infectious diseases, exacerbation of pre-existing medical conditions, and psychological issues. More evidence of health problems caused by floods or heavy rain is needed to improve preparedness and preventive measures; however, collecting health data surrounding disaster events is a major challenge due to environmental hazards, logistical constraints, political and economic issues, difficulties in communication among stakeholders, and cultural barriers. In response to the West Japan Heavy Rain in July 2018, Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) used Japan - Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (J-SPEED) as a daily reporting template, collecting data on the number and type of patients they treated and sending it to an EMT coordination cell (EMTCC) during the response. The aim of the study was to conduct a descriptive epidemiology study using J-SPEED data to better understand the health problems during floods and heavy rain disasters. The number and types of health problems treated by EMTs in accordance with the J-SPEED (Ver 1.0) form were reported daily by 85 EMTs to an EMTCC, where data were compiled during the West Japan Heavy Rain from July 8 through September 11, 2018. Reported items in the J-SPEED form were analyzed by age, gender, area (prefecture), and time period. The analysis of J-SPEED data from the West Japan Heavy Rain 2018 revealed the characteristics of a total of 3,617 consultations with the highest number of consultations (2,579; 71.3%) occurring between Day 5 and Day 12 of the 65-day EMT response. During the response period, skin disease was the most frequently reported health event (17.3%), followed by wounds (14.3%), disaster stress-related symptoms (10.0%), conjunctivitis (6.3%), and acute respiratory infections (ARI; 5.4%). During the response period, skin disease was the most frequently reported health event, followed by wounds, stress, conjunctivitis, and ARIs. The health impacts of a natural disaster are determined by a variety of factors, and the current study's findings are highly context dependent; however, it is expected that as more data are gathered, the consistency of finding will increase.

Клінічні аспекти гострої кропив’янки в дітей у практиці лікаря первинного та вторинного рівня надання медичної допомоги

Purpose - to study the existing approaches of doctors to the diagnosis and treatment of acute urticaria in children at different stages of medical care. Materials and methods. Generalized experience of acute urticaria was presented in 89 children: retrospective analysis of medical records of 74 inpatients (group I) and 15 outpatients (group II). The data of anamnesis, complaints, objective examination of patients, results of laboratory research methods, composition of emergency therapy, treatment measures, monitoring of the dynamics of clinical symptoms were studied in detail. Results. The age structure of hospitalized patients is represented mainly by children of the first three years of life (43.24%), among whom infants of the first year of life predominated - 46.87%. Instead, among outpatients were mostly preschoolers and schoolchildren. The causes of urticaria were dominated by infectious factors (group I - 45.95%, group II - 40.0%), idiopathic variants were in 21.62% and 26.67% of cases, respectively. 36 patients (48.64%) of group I were taken to the clinic by the emergency medical team; parents of 13 children (17.57%) sought help on their own, the other were referred by a district doctor. However, 44.22% of patients were not diagnosed with urticaria at the initial examination. Combinations of urticaria with angioedema in both groups were not numerous (25.67% and 13.33%, respectively). It was found that parenteral taking of corticosteroids (80.55%) and first-generation of antihistamines (37.93%) was often used in children of group I at the prehospital stage. A similar situation occurred in patients with urticaria, which arose during hospital treatment for acute respiratory infections. In patients of group II, the appointment of second-generation antihistamines dominated (80.0%). Complete regression of urticaria in the first two days was observed in 56.8% of children of group I and 86.67% - group II. Conclusions. The generalization of the experience of managing children with acute urticaria demonstrates difficulties in making a differential diagnosis, in determining the indications for hospitalization, the choice of emergency medication by primary care physicians and emergency medicine. The high commitment of primary and secondary care physicians to the choice of parenteral route of appointment of emergency care (corticosteroids, first-generation antihistamines) is alarming. Provisions of international guidelines based on evidence-based medicine regarding the appointment of second-generation antihistamines as a first-line emergency, which have a good clinical effect and have no serious side effects, should be actively implemented. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local ethics committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests were declared by the authors. Key words: acute urticaria, children, emergency care, diagnosis.

Pediatrics of disasters in the structure of professional training of pediatricians of the city children’s polyclinic to work in emergencies and terrorist acts: View from Russia

Introduction: Modern pediatrics of disasters is built on 5 basic principles: integrity, structure, causality, dynamism, and hierarchy. Material and methods: Methodological approaches were used: systemic, complex, integration, functional, dynamic, process, normative, quantitative, administrative, and situational, and methods: historical, analytical, and comparison. Techniques were used: grouping, absolute and relative values, detailing, and generalization. Results: The algorithms of actions of the doctor of the children’s clinic in the event of a fire, the receipt of a call about the laying of explosives and the threat of explosion were considered, the scope of the provision of first qualified aid to the pediatric nursing team was clarified. The issues of the organization of the first qualified and specialized medical care, taking into account the anatomical and physiological characteristics of children and adolescents, as well as medical tactics for small-medium, and large disasters in rural areas and cities are discussed. Conclusion: Pediatrics of disasters is an independent section of organizational and medical work in emergencies and terrorist acts, providing specialized medical care for at least 25% of victims, who are children and adolescents. The training of doctors of a specialized children’s polyclinic is regulated by regulatory documents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Komi, Orders of the Ministry of Health of the region, a municipal formation, and a medical institution in the field of civil defense and emergency situations. In case of minor emergencies and disasters within the city boundaries with the occurrence of a single or a small number of group losses, medical support repeats that in road traffic accidents, with the exception of the organization and conduct of medical triage. In rural areas, it is required to attract additional medical and nursing teams (emergency medical aid teams), created on the basis of medical institutions of the victim and neighboring areas. At the same time, a forced maneuver by the forces and means of territorial health care is necessary for the medical evacuation of a significant part of the affected children to specialized institutions (departments) located in cities. The provision of psychological and psychiatric assistance to children and adolescents in emergencies is carried out on the basis of its basic modules (departments and offices of psychological and psychiatric assistance, and advisory mobile team of psychological and psychiatric assistance, anonymous psychological and psychiatric assistance by telephone).