Transport Team Research Articles

Feasibility and Safety of Targeted Temperature Management During Interhospital Transport of Post-Cardiac Arrest Patients

Objectives Early initiation of targeted temperature management (TTM) is crucial for post-resuscitation care. Although TTM is initiated prior to transport and continued during interhospital transport (IHT), its feasibility and safety during IHT for cardiac arrest patients have not been thoroughly assessed. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of interhospital TTM for post-resuscitation patients. Methods A retrospective analysis of post-cardiac arrest patients transported by a dedicated critical care transport team between January 2016 and April 2023 was conducted. Adult patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest without mental recovery were enrolled. The study population was divided into those who received TTM during IHT (IHT-TTM group) and those who did not (non-IHT-TTM group). The primary outcome was body temperature drop during transport, with hypotension, or desaturation during transport considered as secondary outcomes. Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was performed after frequency matching. Results Among 593 post-cardiac arrest patients, 332 were included in the analysis after exclusions. Of these, 44 (13.3%) received TTM during IHT. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed significantly higher likelihood for a drop in body temperature during IHT for the IHT-TTM group, with an odds ratio (OR) of 12.91 (95%CI: 5.28–31.53). No significant association was found for hypotension (OR (95%CI): 0.72 (0.13–3.97)), or desaturation during IHT (0.65 (0.15–2.82)). Conclusions Administration of TTM during IHT for post-cardiac arrest patients appears to be feasible and safe. These findings support the implementation of dedicated critical care transport systems capable of providing TTM during IHT for post-cardiac arrest patients.

Feasibility Assessment of Rapid Response EEG in the Identification of Nonconvulsive Seizures During Military Medical Air Transport.

Traumatic brain injury often requires neurologic care and specialized equipment, not often found downrange. Nonconvulsive seizures (NCSs) and nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) occur in up to 30% of patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury and is associated with a 39% morbidity and an 18% mortality. It remains difficult to identify at bedside because of the heterogeneous clinical manifestations. The primary diagnostic tool is an electroencephalogram (EEG) which is large, requires an external power source, and requires a specialized technician and neurologist to collect and interpret the data. Rapid response EEG (rr-EEG) is an FDA-approved device that is pocket sized and battery powered and uses a disposable 10-electrode headset. Prior studies have demonstrated the noninferiority of rr-EEG in the identification of NCSE and NCS as compared to conventional EEG in hospitals. An unanswered question is whether rr-EEG could be used in the identification of NCSE and NCS by medics. In conjunction with the Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) team, a simulation was created and implemented on a CCAT training mission. The simulation team included a neurology resident, who oversaw the simulation, a pulmonary critical care fellow, an intensive care unit nurse, and a respiratory therapy. A survey was provided before and after the simulation. The team was expected to review the rr-EEG to make clinical decisions during ground transport, takeoff, and landing. The neurology resident monitored and recorded the team's ability to distinguish between NCS and a normal EEG. In between, the neurology resident monitored the quality of the EEG for potential interference and loss of quality. The CCAT team was able to efficiently set up the rr-EEG on a patient manikin, correctly identify visual EEG wave forms of a patient in NCS, and utilize the proprietary audio program of a simulated patient in NCS. The team reported that the device was easily set up in the environment, and the data were interpretable despite vibration, aircraft auditory and electrical noise, and the ergonomics of the aircraft medical section. This pilot study has validated a potentially revolutionary technology in medical transport. The rr-EEG technology is measurably user-friendly and will improve patient outcomes. This device and simulation can reduce time to an EEG by hours to days allowing for immediate treatment and intervention, which can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.

Quality Improvement Initiative: Identifying Barriers to Reducing Time to First Feed With Human Milk in Low Birth Weight Infants.

Early exposure to human milk and time to first trophic feed in low birth weight (LBW) infants (<2 kg) is associated with a decreased risk of mortality, sepsis, and length of hospital stay. This project, focused on infants born at less than 2 kg, aimed to identify the mean time to first feed after birth, identify barriers to initiation of the first feed, and meet the target of having 90% of infants receive their first feed within the first 6 hours of life. This quality improvement (QI) project occurred in a thirty-bed level III NICU over 29 months using two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. A first-feed audit tool and a multifaceted educational plan were at the forefront of this initiative. Interventions were multidisciplinary, targeted, and extended to all healthcare team members caring for LBW infants, including staff of Labor and Delivery, the NICU, and the Child Health Transport Team. At the end of the QI project, 91.3% of inborn infants and 27.5% of outborn infants were being fed by 6 hours of age, compared with 78.8% and 12.5%, respectively, prior to the project. The mean time to first feed for inborn infants after the PDSA cycles was reduced to 4.4 hours, having a decrease of 80 minutes. A multidisciplinary approach was a key factor in the success of this QI initiative. Increasing staff education and improving clinical practice guidelines regarding the importance of early exposure to human milk are associated with reducing first feed times after birth.

Assessing the Risk of Interfacility Transport in Pregnant Patients Due to Progression of Labor: Lessons From a Specialized Maternal-Fetal Transport Program.

Background Pregnant laboring patients sometimes require interfacility transfer to a higher level of care. There is a paucity of evidence to inform when it is safe to transfer a laboring patient and when delivery may be too imminent to transfer. Methods This is a retrospective study of pregnant patients undergoing interfacility transfer with a specialized obstetric transport team deployed from a large Midwest regional healthcare system. The primary outcome was delivery prior to or within one hour of arrival at the receiving institution due to progression of labor. Data collected included basic demographics, vital signs, gravidity, parity, gestational age, contraction frequency if contractions were present, and cervical dilation. We sought to define the association between these variables and the primary outcome to inform risk assessment for precipitous delivery among patients being considered for interfacility transfer. Results Of the 370 pregnant patients for whom the specialized transfer team was requested, 11 (3%) met the primary outcome. Those with more advanced cervical dilation and those who did not receive regular prenatal care were more likely to meet the criteria for the primary outcome. For every centimeter of cervical dilation, the odds of meeting the primary outcome increased 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.5-3.4). Conclusions We identified risk factors for early delivery among pregnant patients for whom an interfacility transfer was requested and described patients who were high-risk for obstetric interfacility transport due to the progression of labor. Our results can help inform risk assessments for transferring potentially high-risk laboring patients.

Divide and Save: A Critical Care Air Transport Team Case With Prolonged Field Care

ABSTRACT Critical care air transport teams (CCATTs) specialize in providing intensive medical and postoperative resuscitative care during air evacuations. In a 2014 mission, a seasoned CCATT was urgently deployed to evacuate 6 American service members with gunshot wounds. Despite only having 2 hours of premission preparation and no further injury or treatment details, CCATT secured additional equipment, medications, and blood supply. Upon arrival to a foreign nonmilitary hospital, they discovered that American ground commanders had lost trust in local medical capabilities. One patient experienced prolonged extremity tourniquet time and surgical delay. This led to acute renal failure, preventing immediate evacuation without continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Deviating from the standard procedure, the CCATT obtained permission to split their team. The CCATT nurse attended 5 stabilized patients during unregulated critical care air transport with plans to swiftly return with CRRT equipment for the critical sixth patient. The physician and respiratory therapist remained at the foreign hospital for 2 days to provide prolonged field care. This case demonstrates the evolving mission scope of CCATT, which may encompass ground triage, prolonged field care, unregulated movement, and atypical CCATT equipment such as CRRT, occasionally necessitating a split team construct. To adapt to these evolving needs, updated policies and training now incorporate these diverse CCATT concepts, emphasizing the importance of flexibility in en route critical care missions.

Hemodynamic Collapse After Intubation in Critical Care Transport

Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of and modifiable risk factors for post intubation hemodynamic collapse in prehospital and interfacility critical care transport. Methods Single center retrospective chart review of adult patients (≥18 years) intubated by a critical care transport team between January 2017 and May 2023. The primary outcome was incidence of hemodynamic collapse (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg for greater than 30 min, new vasopressor requirement, vasopressor dose increase, fluid bolus of >15 mL/kg, systolic blood pressure <65 mmHg at least once, or cardiac arrest). Secondary outcomes included post intubation hypoxia, as well as association of hemodynamic collapse with potentially modifiable risk factors including pre intubation shock index, pre intubation heart rate, pre intubation systolic blood pressure, and induction agent. Results Three hundred and thirty-three patients were included. Ninety-seven (29.1%) patients experienced hemodynamic collapse and 36 (10.8%) of patients experienced life threatening hemodynamic collapse. Pre intubation shock index >1 (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.15–8.74) was associated with post intubation hemodynamic collapse. Choice of induction agent, fluid bolus prior to intubation, location of intubation, presence of traumatic injury, and age were not correlated with risk of hemodynamic collapse. The number of intubation attempts and methods of intubation were similar between groups. Conclusions Hemodynamic collapse and life-threatening hemodynamic collapse after intubation occurred frequently in this critical care transport cohort. Shock index greater than one was associated with significantly higher risk of hemodynamic collapse and life-threatening hemodynamic collapse.

Relation between the time of the transport team in reaching the bedside of children and the 30-day mortality rate after admission.

China's medical system has not yet issued quality control indicators related to the transfer of critically ill children, and when transport teams receive a transfer request for these children, due to various reasons, the time to arrive at the bedside varies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the time taken by the pediatric intensive care transport team to reach the bedside of children after receiving a transport request on the prognosis of these children. Clinical data of 298 critically ill children admitted to Anhui Children's Hospital through long-distance transport from March 2020 to February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Pediatric patients were divided into three groups according to the time taken by the transport team to reach the bedside after receipt of a transport request: the ≤60, >60 to ≤180, and >180 min groups. The 30-day mortality of children after admission (0= no, 1= yes) was used as the dependent variable for multivariate logistic regression analysis, with the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) indicating the relation between the time taken by the transport team to reach the bedside and the 30-day mortality rate after admission. P<0.05 indicated a statistically significant difference. During the study period, there were 298 children for whom transports were requested, 50 (16.8%) of whom died within 30 days after admission. The limited evidence revealed that the time taken by the transport team to reach the bedside of children was not significantly related to the 30-day mortality rate after admission in Anhui Children's Hospital (P>0.05). The time taken by the transport team to reach the bedside of children is not associated with the 30-day mortality rate after admission into the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Experience from transport teams on interhospital transfer of patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: A qualitative study.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be a life-saving treatment for patients requiring advanced cardiopulmonary support. Several ECMO centres offer interhospital transport (ECMO IHT) services that involve establishing ECMO teams to initiate ECMO at referring hospitals and then transfer patients to ECMO centres. ECMO IHT is often high risk and complex. Understanding the experience of transport team members is crucial to ensure patient safety and promote quality improvement. To explore the experiences of transport teams performing ECMO IHT. A descriptive qualitative methodology was adopted. Thirteen health care professionals who have performed ECMO IHT at a general hospital in China agreed to be interviewed and enrolled in this study. Two investigators conducted face-to-face individual interviews in September-November 2022. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Three main themes and nine sub-themes were developed: (1) practicing with good organizational management (conducting training programs, cultivating the spirit of good teamwork and developing a standardized transport procedure), (2) dedicated to ensuring patient safety (adequate preparation and regular checking to reduce risk, accurate evaluation to avoid futility and maintaining communication to increase safety) and (3) having confidence despite being uneasy (feeling stressed is common, facing insecurity in transport settings and gaining confidence through practice). Health care professionals must adequately prepare and assess ECMO IHT to ensure patient safety. Supportive measures should be taken to ensure team members' health and improve patient safety. Good communication and teamwork could improve this challenging task. Further research is required for training programs and establishing standardized transport procedures. This study presents multi-professional perspectives on the experience of performing ECMO IHT to help management identify what needs to be further developed. With the increasing number of ECMO IHT, promoting its standardization is warranted.

Outcomes and risk factors of transported patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: An ECMO center experience

BackgroundExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been proven to be a support method and technology for patients with cardiopulmonary failure. However, the transport of patients under ECMO support is challenging given the high-risk technical maneuvers and patient-care concerns involved. Herein, we examined the safety of ECMO during the transport of critically ill patients and its impact on mortality rates, to provide more secure and effective transport strategies in clinical practice. MethodTo assess the safety of ECMO patient transport, this study conducted a retrospective analysis on critically ill adults who required ECMO support and transport at the intensive care unit (ICU) center between 2017 and 2023. The study utilized standard ECMO transport protocols and conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of the collected clinical data and transport processes. The 28-day survival rate for ECMO patients was determined using Kaplan–Meier analysis, while logistic regression identified prognostic factors. ResultOut of 303 patients supported with ECMO, 111 (36.6%) were transported. 69.4% of the transport group were male, mean age was (42.0±17.0) years, mean body mass index was (24.4±4.6) kg/m2, and veno-arterial-ECMO accounted for 52.5%. The median transportation distance was 190 (interquartile range [IQR]: 70–260) km, and the longest distance was 8100 km. The median transit time was 180 (IQR: 100–260) min, and the maximum duration was 1720 min. No severe adverse events including death or mechanical failure occurred during transportation. The 28-day survival was 64.7% (n=196) and ICU survival was 56.1% (n=170) for the entire cohort; whereas, the 28-day survival was 72.1% (n=80) and ICU survival was 66.7% (n=74) in the transport group. A non-significant difference in survival (P=0.56) was observed between the two groups after propensity score matching. Additionally, we found that acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score (odds ratio [OR]=1.06, P <0.01), lactate levels (>5 mmol/L, OR=2.80, P=0.01), and renal replacement therapy initiation (OR=3.03, P <0.01) were associated with increased mortality risk. ConclusionTransporting patients on ECMO between medical facilities is a safe procedure that does not increase patient mortality rates, provided it is orchestrated and executed by proficient transport teams. The prognostic outcome for these patients is predominantly influenced by their pre-existing medical conditions or by complications that may develop during the course of ECMO therapy. These results form the basis for the creation of specialized ECMO network hubs within healthcare regions.

Can critical care transport be safely reduced in children intubated during emergency management of status epilepticus in the United Kingdom: a national audit with case–control analysis

ObjectiveThis study describes the baseline clinical characteristics, predictors of successful extubation at referring hospitals and short-term outcomes of children intubated for status epilepticus and referred to United Kingdom (UK) paediatric...

Impact of Rank, Provider Specialty, and Unit Sustainment Training Frequency on Military Critical Care Air Transport Team Readiness.

The Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) Advanced Course utilizes fully immersive high-fidelity simulations to assess personnel readiness for deployment. This study aims to determine whether simple well-defined demographic identifiers can be used to predict CCAT students' performance at CCAT Advanced. CCAT Advanced student survey data and course status (pass/fail) between March 2006 and April 2020 were analyzed. The data included students' Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC), military status (active duty and reserve/guard), CCAT deployment experience (yes/no), prior CCAT Advanced training (yes/no), medical specialty, rank, and unit sustainment training frequency (never, frequency less often than monthly, and frequency at least monthly). Following descriptive analysis and comparative tests, multivariable regression was used to identify the predictors of passing the CCAT Advanced course for each provider type. A total of 2,576 student surveys were analyzed: 694 (27%) physicians (MDs), 1,051 (40%) registered nurses (RNs), and 842 (33%) respiratory therapists (RTs). The overall passing rates were 92.2%, 90.3%, and 85.4% for the MDs, RNs, and RTs, respectively. The students were composed of 579 (22.5%) reserve/guard personnel, 636 (24.7%) with CCAT deployment experience, and 616 (23.9%) with prior CCAT Advanced training. Regression analysis identified groups with lower odds of passing; these included (1) RNs who promoted from Captain to Major (post-hoc analysis, P = .03), (2) RTs with rank Senior Airman, as compared to Master Sergeants (post-hoc analysis, P = .04), and (3) MDs with a nontraditional AFSC (P = .0004). Predictors of passing included MDs and RNs with CCAT deployment experience, odds ratio 2.97 (P = .02) and 2.65 (P = .002), respectively; and RTs who engaged in unit CCAT sustainment at least monthly (P = .02). The identifiers prior CCAT Advanced training or reserve/guard military status did not confer a passing advantage. Our main result is that simple readily available metrics available to unit commanders can identify those members at risk for poor performance at CCAT Advanced readiness training; these include RNs with rank Major or above, RTs with rank Senior Airman, and RTs who engage in unit sustainment training less often than monthly. Finally, MD specialties which are nontraditional for CCAT have significantly lower CCAT Advanced passing rates, reserve/guard students did not outperform active duty students, there was no difference in the performance between different RN specialties, and for MD and RN students' previous deployment experience was a strong predictor of passing.

Efficacy of a Single Day Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Training Course for Critical Care Air Transport Team Eligible Personnel.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced medical technology that is used to treat respiratory and heart failure. The U.S. military has used ECMO in the care of combat casualties during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as in the treatment of patients during the recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic. However, few Military Health System personnel have training and experience in the use of ECMO therapy. To address this dearth of expertise, we developed and evaluated an accelerated ECMO course for military medical personnel. To compare the efficacy of an accelerated ECMO course for Military Health System critical care teams. Seventeen teams, each consisting of a physician and nurse, underwent a 5-h accelerated ECMO course. Similar to our previous live-tissue ECMO training program (phases I and II), each team watched prerecorded ECMO training lectures. Subjects then practiced priming the ECMO circuit, cannulating ECMO, initiating ECMO, and correcting common complications on an ECMO simulation model. An added component to this phase III project included transportation and telemedicine consultation availability. Training success was evaluated via knowledge and confidence assessments, and observation of each team attempting to initiate ECMO on a Yorkshire swine patient model, transport the patient model, and troubleshoot complications with the support of telemedicine consultation when desired. Seventeen teams successfully completed the course. All seventeen teams (100%) successfully placed the swine on veno-arterial ECMO. Of those, 15 teams successfully transitioned to veno-arterial-venous ECMO. The knowledge assessments of physicians and nurses increased by 12.2% from pretest (mean of 62.1%, SD 10.4%) to posttest (mean of 74.4%, SD 8.2%), P < .0001; their confidence assessments increased by 41.1% from pretest (mean of 20.1%, SD 11.8%) to posttest (mean of 61.2%, SD 18.6%). An abbreviated 1-day lecture and hands-on task-trainer-based ECMO course resulted in a high rate of successful skill demonstration and improvement of physicians' and nurses' knowledge assessments and confidence levels, similar to our previous live-tissue training program. When compared to our previous studies, the addition of telemedicine and patient transportation to this study did not affect the duration or performance of procedures.

Assessing Clinical Profile and Short-term Outcomes of Neonates Retrieved by Neonatal Transport Service and Their Co-relation with Neonatal Severity Illness Scores: An Observational Study

Introduction: Newborn transport is a key component of neonatal perinatal care, and its delay is attributed highly to neonatal mortality. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the clinical profile and short-term outcomes (&lt;48 hours of admission) and to apply the severity illness scores to know the impact on outcomes of retrieved neonates. We used Transport Risk Index of Physiological Stability (TRIPS II) score to correlate with short-term morbidities and Score of Neonatal Physiology Perinatal Extension (SNAPPE II) to correlate with overall outcomes of retrieved neonates. Materials and Methods: It was an observational study done on 160 out-born neonatal retrievals over 13 months by a dedicated transport team at a level III NICU in Bengaluru, India. A validated TRIPS II score was recorded pre-transport, at Admission and at 12 and 24 hours of admission, and the SNAPPE II score was recorded at admission. An ROC curve was used to predict the utility of these scores. Results: Among 141 eligible neonates, the common indication for transport was respiratory distress syndrome 57 (40.4%). Extreme pre-terms (&lt;28 weeks; p = .001) and ELBW (&lt;1000 g; p = .001) are associated with an increased mortality rate. The area under the curve (AUC) for TRIPS II in predicting pulmonary bleed (AUC of ROC 0.866, 0.833, 0.823, 0.836), IVH (0.776, 0.79, 0.78, 0.77), worsening of respiratory settings (0.786, 0.814, 0.78, 0.79), and increase in ionotropic support (0.882, 0.904, 0.904, 0.902) at pre-transport, at admission, at 12 hours, and at 24 hours, respectively, was good. The AUC for SNAPPE II was 0.895, which is good in predicting mortality. Conclusion: A dedicated neonatal transport service can reduce the mortality rate significantly to 7.8%. TRIPS II and SNAPPE II scores were good in predicting the morbidities and mortality in retrieved neonates.

Impact of transport outcomes of outborn newborns with critical congenital heart disease on surgery time and mortality rates

Purpose: Transport of neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) necessitates professional and experienced staff and, well-equipped facilities for both the procedure and post-operative care. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of transport on operation time and survival in neonates with CCHD and determine the relationship between transport characteristics and clinical status.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional cohort study was conducted on all infants with CCHD who were transported to a university hospital between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019. Transport characteristics such as transport distance, accompanying healthcare provider, vital signs, oxygen saturation levels, prostaglandin E1 (PGE) use, and respiratory support were recorded. The effects of transport characteristics on surgery time, complications, and mortality were analyzed. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) Score was used to analyze mortality-related risks for congenital heart disease. They were compared with inborn newborns with CCHD. &#x0D; Results: A total of 55 patients with CCHD were evaluated. Thirty-one newborns (56.4%) were inborn (Inborn group), and 24 newborns (43.6%) were transferred from another center (Outborn group). There was no difference between the groups in terms of gender, gestational age, birth weight, pre-operative time, and hospital stay. Although the Outborn group had fewer STAT Score categories, there was no difference in the 30-day survival or mortality rates. In the Outborn group, five patients (20.8%) with duct-dependent CCHD were transported without PGE treatment and six duct-dependent (25%) patients received oxygen during transport inappropriately.&#x0D; Conclusion: The administration of PGE and oxygen therapies to specific transported infants was inappropriate. Therefore, referral or transport team members should be familiar infants with CCHD. The impact of transport on surgical timing did not yield a significant effect. However, similar mortality rates were observed in both groups, despite the Outborn group demonstrating lower STAT scores. This may indicate the significance of referring intrauterine transportation to experienced cardiovascular centers.

SEDATION DEPTH DURING CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT AND HOSPITALIZATION

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in attained levels of sedation both within intensive care units and collectively regarding overall outcomes when patients were transported outside a hospital either pre-hospital or while being inter-facility transfer by different critical care agencies, having been exposed to light versus deep quality of anaesthesia. After the ethical approval from the institutional review board, this cross-sectional study was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital from 01/06/22 to 31/12/22. The primary outcome measure was the relation of starting deep sedation during transport to deep sedation in the first 48 hours after admission (defined as RASS -3 and less). Secondary outcomes included mechanical ventilation duration, inpatient mortality, total hospital stay length of ICU, and delirium within 48 h; coma may also be observed. Final transport RASS in both the study groups was-4.43±0.49 and-1.5±0.5 (p &lt;0.0001). Mean Hospital duration in both study groups was 13.01±4.8 and 35±5.9 days (p&lt;0.0001). A high percentage of inpatient mortality, delirium, and coma cases was seen in the deep sedation group (p&lt;0.0001). The transfer of patient care from the transport team to the hospital team presents a chance to potentially interrupt the progress of treatment and reassess decisions regarding sedation.

An automated content-based measure of closed loop communication among critical care air transport teams.

Successful teamwork is essential to ensure critical care air transport (CCAT) patients receive effective care. Despite the importance of team performance, current training methods rely on subjective performance assessments and do not evaluate performance at the team level. Researchers have developed the Team Dynamics Measurement System (TDMS) to provide real-time, objective measures of team coordination to assist trainers in providing CCAT aircrew with feedback to improve performance. The first iteration of TDMS relied exclusively on communication flow patterns (i.e., who was speaking and when) to identify instances of various communication types such as closed loop communication (CLC). The research presented in this paper significantly advances the TDMS project by incorporating natural language processing (NLP) to identify CLC. The addition of NLP to the existing TDMS resulted in greater accuracy and fewer false alarms in identifying instances of CLC compared to the previous flow-based implementation. We discuss ways in which these improvements will facilitate instructor feedback and support further refinement of the TDMS.

The Case for Neonatal Specialist Transport Teams

The Case for Neonatal Specialist Transport Teams

Unintended Events in Long-Distance Neonatal Interhospital Transport in Western Australia: A Comparison of Neonatal Specialist and Non-Neonatal Specialist Transport Teams

ObjectiveTo compare unintended events in transfers performed by neonatal specialist (NS) and non-neonatal specialist (NNS) teams in Western Australia (WA). Study designRetrospective comparison of neonatal transfers from the Kimberley and Pilbara regions (WA) to tertiary services, King Edward Memorial (perinatal) and Perth Children’s Hospital NICU, in Perth (state capital, distance up to 2200km) between January 2018 - June 2021. NS teams travelled from the tertiary to the referring center and back. NNS travelled from the referring to the tertiary center. Transport time, team composition, total unintended clinical and endotracheal tube (ETT) events were compared. Categorial data are expressed as numbers (%) and compared by chi-squared test; continuous data are expressed as median (interquartile range) and compared by Mann-Whitney U test. ResultsDuring the study period, 3,709 infants were transported in WA to tertiary services for escalation of care: 119/3709 (3.2%) from the Kimberley and Pilbara, 49 with NS and 70 with NNS teams. NNS had shorter transport times than NS teams (508(433 – 610) vs 675(610 – 735) min; p<0.0001). Neonatal nurses were on NS more than NNS teams (36/49(73.5%) vs 6/70(8.6%); RR 5.08 95% CI (3.13 to 8.56), p<0.001). Total unintended clinical and ETT events were less in NS vs. NSS teams (28/49(57%) vs. 54/70(77%); RR 0.66 95%CI (0.40 to 0.92), p=0.03) and (0/26(0%) vs. 7/23(30%); p=0.004). ConclusionAlthough NS teams had longer transport times there were fewer unintended clinical and ETT events. NS teams should be considered as the first choice to undertake neonatal transport.

Perceptions of Interprofessional Practitioners Regarding Pediatric Palliative Transports.

Pediatric palliative transport (PPT) is the practice of offering critically and terminally ill children requiring life-sustaining measures the opportunity to be discharged from the hospital to home or a hospice facility for end-of-life care. Although studies have shown PPT to favorably affect both children and their families, limited research exists on the perspectives of health care practitioners. To understand the experience of interprofessional practitioners who have cared for a critically or terminally ill child during a PPT and their perception of PPT as a care option. This study is a qualitative descriptive inquiry conducted using 8 focus groups. Participants included interprofessional staff from 4 specialty intensive care units, the pediatric advanced care team, and the critical care transport team at a quaternary, freestanding children's hospital. Content analysis was used to summarize themes and recommendations. Five overarching themes were identified: PPT as a care pathway, education, communication, support, and closure. Use of PPT was perceived as aligned with the hospital's mission of family-centered care and as providing a way for the health care team to support a family's choice. Participants recommended further development of information to guide communication and processes of care that would enhance the experience for families and staff and support PPT as a care pathway. Pediatric palliative transport is considered a feasible, valuable, and critical end-of-life intervention. The value that PPT has brought to participating families warrants continued investment in the intervention's standardization and enhancement.

When a Critically Ill Child is Oceans Away From a PICU: A Military Pediatric CCAT Mission.

A 4-year-old former 26-week premature male presented to the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam emergency department in respiratory failure secondary to human metapneumovirus requiring urgent intubation. His condition was complicated by a bradycardic arrest requiring 15 minutes of resuscitation before the return of circulation. He was admitted to the adult intensive care unit and was managed via pediatric telecritical care from San Diego. He developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, hypotension requiring multiple pressors, and fluid overload necessitating bilateral chest tubes and two peritoneal drains. A pediatric critical care air transport team departed San Antonio within 36 hours of activation and transported the patient via C-17 to Hawaii, performing a tail swap to a KC-135. Before takeoff, mechanical delays caused prolonged ground time and lack of temperature control resulted in patient's hyperthermia to reach 104.2°F despite the ice packing. The ambient temperature caused equipment malfunction (suction, handheld blood analyzer, and ventilator), necessitating manual bagging. Despite initial temperature challenges, the team removed 700 mL of peritoneal fluid and substantially reduced the patient's ventilator settings. After 22 hours of care, the team arrived with the patient to a civilian pediatric intensive care unit in CA, USA. Over several weeks, the patient made a full recovery. This pediatric critical care air transport mission highlights the complications intrinsic to air transport. Missions of this severity and length benefit from utilization of pediatric specialists to minimize morbidity and mortality. Highlighting the challenges related to preparation, air frame, and equipment malfunction should help others prepare for future pediatric air transports.