Prehospital Communication Research Articles

An evaluation of pre-hospital communication between ambulances and an accident and emergency department.

We studied pre-hospital notification and the quality of data received from ambulance crews transporting seriously ill or injured patients to an accident and emergency department. During a two-month study period, pre-hospital notification was received for 54 patients. However, the department was notified about only 25 of 62 patients (40%) who, on arrival by ambulance, were triaged as emergencies. Despite developing a data protocol for emergency pre-hospital communication and being equipped to receive emergency ambulance calls directly, many such patients still arrived either unannounced or described in insufficient detail to allow appropriate preparations to be made for them.

Barrier precautions in trauma resuscitation: Real-time analysis utilizing videotape review

Blood-borne pathogens threaten all individuals involved in emergency health care. Despite recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Emergency Physicians, documented compliance with universal precautions in trauma resuscitation has been poor. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that predispose to noncompliance with barrier precautions at a level I trauma center. Videotapes of trauma resuscitations performed during 1 month (n = 66) were reviewed. Full compliance with barrier precautions was documented in 89.1% of health care workers. Of the noncompliant health care workers, 50.7% were emergency department personnel and 47.8% were first responders to the trauma resuscitation area. Barrier precaution compliance improved from 62.5% to 91.8% with prenotification of patient arrival. Immediate access to barrier equipment is essential for all potential in-hospital first responders. Prehospital communication systems should be optimized to ensure prenotification.

Pre-hospital communication lines

Pre-hospital communication lines

A one-year series of pediatric prehospital care: I. Ambulance runs; II. Prehospital communication; III. Interhospital transport services

During a 12-month period ending on November 30, 1988, all ambulance arrivals at a pediatric emergency department (ED), all prehospital communications with this ED, all first-responder ambulance runs on Oahu and the state of Hawaii, and all neonatal/pediatric interhospital transports were examined to evaluate pediatric prehospital care. Handicapped patients were more likely to use an ambulance, and their care was more likely to be perceived as a weakness on the part of ambulance personnel. Poorer communication clarity was associated with longer duration of communication. Common pediatric diagnoses were trauma, respiratory problems, seizures, near drownings, and poisonings. Mean transport times were shorter on Oahu than on the outer islands. Premature newborns and handicapped children commonly required interhospital transport. The care of children can be improved by addressing some of the identified problem areas, eg, improving prehospital communication and improving the training of prehospital personnel in the care of infants and handicapped children.