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Höglund E, Magnusson C, Lederman J, Spangler D, Vloet L, Ebben R. Ambulance quality and outcome measures for general non-conveyed populations (AQUA): A scoping review. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306341. [PMID: 39163307 PMCID: PMC11335110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of patients receive ambulance care without being conveyed to a definitive care provider. This process has been described as complex, challenging, and lacking in guideline support by EMS clinicians. The use of quality- and outcome measures among non-conveyed patients is an understudied phenomenon. AIM To identify current quality- and outcome measures for the general population of non-conveyed patients in order to describe major trends and knowledge gaps. METHODS A scoping review of peer-reviewed original articles was conducted to identify quality- and outcome measures for non-conveyance within emergency medical services. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews statement (PRISMA-ScR) was followed. The PROSPERO and OSF database were checked for pending reviews or protocols. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library database were searched for relevant articles. Searches were performed in November 2023. RESULTS Thirty-six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Mortality was the most used outcome measure, reported in 24 (67%) of the articles. Emergency department attendance and hospital admission were the following most used outcome measures. Follow-up durations varied substantially between both measures and studies. Mortality rates were found to have the longest follow-up times, with a median follow-up duration a little bit over one week. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review shows that studies report a wide range of quality and outcome measures in the ambulance setting to measure non-conveyance. Reported quality and outcome measures were also heterogeneous with regard to their follow-up timeframe. The variety of approaches to evaluate non-conveyance poses challenges for future research and quality improvement. A more uniform approach to reporting and measuring non-conveyance is needed to enable comparisons between contexts and formal meta-analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Höglund
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University Health Care Research Center, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Carl Magnusson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jakob Lederman
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Douglas Spangler
- Department of Surgical Sciences—Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Uppsala Center for Prehospital Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lilian Vloet
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Research Department of Emergency and Critical Care, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Remco Ebben
- Research Department of Emergency and Critical Care, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Emergency Medical Service, Veiligheids- en Gezondheidsregio Gelderland-Midden, Arnhem, The Netherlands
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Uemura S, Nakayama R, Koyama M, Taguchi Y, Bunya N, Sawamoto K, Ohnishi H, Narimatsu E. Prediction of the future number of fall-related emergency medical services calls in older individuals. Int J Emerg Med 2024; 17:72. [PMID: 38862902 PMCID: PMC11165859 DOI: 10.1186/s12245-024-00654-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Falls among older individuals contribute significantly to the rise in ambulance transport use. To recognize the importance of future countermeasures, we estimated the projected number and percentage of fall-related emergency medical service (EMS) calls. METHODS We examined the sex, age group, and location of falls among patients aged ≥ 65 years who contacted emergency services in Sapporo City from 2013 to 2021. Annual fall-related calls per population subgroup were calculated, and trends were analyzed. Four models were used to estimate the future number of fall-related calls from the 2025-2060 projected population: (1) based on the 2022 data, estimates from the 2013-2022 data using (2) Poisson progression, (3) neural network, (4) estimates from the 2013-2019 data using neural network. The number of all EMS calls was also determined using the same method to obtain the ratio of all EMS calls. RESULTS During 2013-2022, 70,262 fall-related calls were made for those aged ≥ 65 years. The rate was higher indoors among females and outdoor among males in most age groups and generally increased with age. After adjusting for age, the rate increased by year. Future estimates of the number of fall calls are approximately double the number in 2022 in 2040 and three times in 2060, with falls accounting for approximately 11% and 13% of all EMS calls in 2040 and 2060, respectively. CONCLUSION The number of fall-related EMS calls among older people is expected to increase in the future, and the percentage of EMS calls will also increase; therefore, countermeasures are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Uemura
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan.
| | - Ryuichi Nakayama
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan
| | - Masayuki Koyama
- Department of Public Health, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
| | - Yukiko Taguchi
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Sapporo Medical University, S S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8556, Japan
| | - Naofumi Bunya
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
| | - Keigo Sawamoto
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Ohnishi
- Department of Public Health, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
| | - Eichi Narimatsu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-854356, Japan
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Suokonautio B, Kouvonen A, Nordquist H. Role identities of emergency medical services personnel and their associations with intention to leave the profession. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:96. [PMID: 38840088 PMCID: PMC11155154 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-01008-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The scope of emergency medical services (EMS) has expanded from the urgent care of emergency patients to on-call healthcare services provided in the field with a holistic view of the patient's wellbeing. This challenges EMS to find solutions to cover all demands, while simultaneously setting high skill requirements for EMS personnel. Understanding personnel is a critical element in developing functional and resistant EMS. The aim of this study was to investigate how Finnish EMS personnel emphasize the Emergency Medical Services Role Identity Scale aspects of caregiving, thrill-seeking, duty, and capacity; and if these role identities are associated with intention to leave the profession. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey (N = 616, 52% women, mean age 32.9 years). Data were collected through social media platforms and analyzed with means, standard deviations, Mann-Whitney U-tests, Kruskal-Wallis H-tests, and binary logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Our results indicate that capacity is the most emphasized aspect among EMS personnel, and at the same time, it increases intention to leave EMS. Capacity was followed by caregiving, with no association with intention to leave. Duty and thrill-seeking were the least emphasized and were negatively associated with intention to leave. Additionally, there were also other factors that were associated with emphasizing EMS-RIS aspect and intention to leave. CONCLUSION Capacity stands out most strongly in analysis being at the core of the role identity of EMS personnel and was associated with a higher likelihood of leaving intentions. Several other factors were also associated with the intention to leave. Future studies should examine the exact dimensions of capacity that are considered important among EMS personnel and why factors such as work experience are associated with intentions to leave.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beeda Suokonautio
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland.
| | - Anne Kouvonen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland
| | - Hilla Nordquist
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
- South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Kotka, 48220, Finland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
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Granlund L, Brännström I, Lindström V. Factors influencing non-conveyance care encounters in the ambulance service, registered nurses experiences - a qualitative study. BMC Nurs 2024; 23:271. [PMID: 38658953 PMCID: PMC11044363 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-024-01899-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a notable variation in the percentage of non-conveyed patients within the ambulance service. Discharging patients at the scene includes a risk of adverse events, and both patients and ambulance clinicians experience the complexity of non-conveyance. Therefore, this study aimed to describe factors influencing the care encounter when care in the ambulance service concludes with non-conveyance. METHOD A qualitative study design employing the critical incident technique for data collection through individual interviews, and a qualitative analysis based on Fridlund et al. descriptions was utilized. The study conforms to the COREQ checklist for reporting qualitative research. RESULTS Fourteen Registered Nurses (RN) described 30 incidents and various factors were identified as influencing the care encounter. The factors included communication, sharing information, maintaining a secure and confident approach, organizational aspects, applying person-centered care in collaboration with the patient, relatives, and other caregivers, and an overall understanding of the patient's entire situation. These factors were integrated into the RNs' decision-making process for non-conveyance. CONCLUSION The decision-making process for non-conveyance by RNs is a multifaceted approach that incorporates several factors. Communication, sharing of information, maintaining a secure and confident approach, organizational aspects, applying person-centered care in collaboration with the patient, relatives, and other caregivers, and a comprehensive understanding of the patient's entire situation. These findings have the potential to contribute to the development of guidelines supporting the RNs working in the ambulance service in their decisions regarding non-conveyance. Further research is needed on the patient's and relatives' perspective on non-conveyance otherwise, patient participation and partnership in person-centered care are not possible to achieve.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Granlund
- Department of Ambulance Service, Region Västerbotten, Umeå, Sweden
| | - I Brännström
- Department of Ambulance Service, Region Västerbotten, Umeå, Sweden
| | - V Lindström
- Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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Carnicelli A, Williams AMM, Edwards DG. Paramedic Education and Training for the Management of Patients Presenting with Low-Acuity Clinical Conditions: A Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:176. [PMID: 38255066 PMCID: PMC10815047 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Ambulance services around the world are increasingly attending to calls for non-emergency conditions. These lower-acuity conditions do not always require patients to be transported to the emergency department. Consequently, over the past two decades, ambulance services have implemented strategies to support paramedics in diverting non-urgent patients to alternative care pathways. However, assessing and managing low-acuity conditions can be challenging for paramedics, especially when education and training has traditionally focussed on emergency care. This scoping review explores the education and training provided to paramedics on low-acuity clinical conditions and the use of alternative care pathways. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was applied. The databases searched included Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, Emcare, and MEDLINE (PubMed). The search identified one-hundred sixty-six records, with a total of nine articles reviewed after the removal of duplicates and the screening process. The articles were diverse, with education and training ranging from university degrees for extended care practitioners to short in-service-based training for a suite of protocols or assessment tools. However, the literature addressing education and training on low-acuity conditions and alternative care pathways is limited, with the type and length of education programs appearing to influence practice. There is a need for further research to establish a low acuity education model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Carnicelli
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia; (A.-M.M.W.); (D.G.E.)
| | - Anne-Marie M. Williams
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia; (A.-M.M.W.); (D.G.E.)
| | - Dale G. Edwards
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia; (A.-M.M.W.); (D.G.E.)
- Clinical Services, Ambulance Tasmania, Cambridge, TAS 7170, Australia
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Heinonen K, Kuisma M, Salmi H, Puolakka T. Prehospital COVID-19 patients discharged at the scene - an observational study. BMC Emerg Med 2023; 23:145. [PMID: 38057712 PMCID: PMC10701921 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-023-00915-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency medical services (EMS) were the first point of contact for many COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the non-conveyance decision of a COVID-19 patient was more frequently associated with a new EMS call than direct ambulance transport to the hospital. METHODS All confirmed COVID-19 patients with an EMS call within 14 days of symptom onset were included in the study. Patients were compared based on their prehospital transport decision (transport vs. non-conveyance). The primary endpoint was a new EMS call within 10 days leading to ambulance transport. RESULTS A total of 1 286 patients met the study criteria; of these, 605 (47.0%) were male with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 50.5 (SD 19.3) years. The most common dispatch codes were dyspnea in 656 (51.0%) and malaise in 364 (28.3%) calls. High-priority dispatch was used in 220 (17.1%) cases. After prehospital evaluation, 586 (45.6%) patients were discharged at the scene. Oxygen was given to 159 (12.4%) patients, of whom all but one were transported. A new EMS call leading to ambulance transport was observed in 133 (10.3%) cases; of these, 40 (30.1%) were in the group primarily transported and 93 (69.9%) were among the patients who were primarily discharged at the scene (p<.001). There were no significant differences in past medical history, presence of abnormal vital signs, or total NEWS score. Supplemental oxygen was given to 33 (24.8%) patients; 3 (2.3%) patients received other medications. CONCLUSION Nearly half of all prehospital COVID-19 patients could be discharged at the scene. Approximately every sixth of these had a new EMS call and ambulance transport within the following 10 days. No significant deterioration was seen among patients primarily discharged at the scene. EMS was able to safely adjust its performance during the first pandemic wave to avoid ED overcrowding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Heinonen
- Department of Emergency Medicine & Services, Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 347, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Markku Kuisma
- Department of Emergency Medicine & Services, Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 347, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heli Salmi
- Department of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuukka Puolakka
- Department of Emergency Medicine & Services, Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 347, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
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Kasvi A, Iirola T, Nordquist H. Rethinking non-urgent EMS conveyance to ED during night-time - a pilot study in Southwest Finland. BMC Emerg Med 2023; 23:95. [PMID: 37612650 PMCID: PMC10464134 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-023-00872-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amount of emergency medical service missions has increased internationally in recent years, and emergency departments are overcrowded globally. Previous evidence has shown that patients arriving at the emergency department during nighttime (20 - 08) have to wait longer, are more likely to leave without being seen, and often have non-urgent conditions compared to patients arriving during the day. The objective of this pilot study was to examine what kind of patient groups are conveyed as non-urgent to the hospital by emergency medical service during nighttime and what kind of diagnostic tests and medical interventions those patients receive before morning to identify patient groups that could be non-conveyed or directed to alternative points of care. METHODS This was a retrospective register study where the information of patients conveyed to university hospital during nighttime (20 - 08) were analyzed. Frequencies of the dispatch codes presenting complaints, medical treatments, and diagnostic tests were calculated. Age significance (under/over 70 years) was also tested. RESULTS 73.5% of the patients received neither medical treatment nor had diagnostic tests taken before morning. Most of these were patients with mental disorder(s), hip pain/complaint, or laceration/cut. Almost half of the patients with abdominal pain or fever had laboratory tests taken. Patients over 70 years old received more medications and had more diagnostic tests taken than younger patients. CONCLUSIONS Some of the low-acuity patients could be non-conveyed or referred to alternative pathways of care to avoid impolitic use of emergency medical service and to reduce the workload of emergency departments. Further research is needed to ensure patient safety for patients who are not conveyed at night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksi Kasvi
- Emergency Medical Services, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, PO Box 52, Turku, 20521, Finland
| | - Timo Iirola
- Emergency Medical Services, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, PO Box 52, Turku, 20521, Finland
| | - Hilla Nordquist
- Department of Healthcare and Emergency Care, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Pääskysentie 1, Kotka, 48220, Finland.
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Farhat H, Abid C, El Aifa K, Gangaram P, Jones A, Khenissi MC, Khadhraoui M, Gargouri I, Al-Shaikh L, Laughton J, Alinier G. Epidemiological Determinants of Patient Non-Conveyance to the Hospital in an Emergency Medical Service Environment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6404. [PMID: 37510636 PMCID: PMC10379159 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increasing prevalence of comorbidities worldwide has spurred the need for time-effective pre-hospital emergency medical services (EMS). Some pre-hospital emergency calls requesting EMS result in patient non-conveyance. Decisions for non-conveyance are sometimes driven by the patient or the clinician, which may jeopardize the patients' healthcare outcomes. This study aimed to explore the distribution and determinants of patient non-conveyance to hospitals in a Middle Eastern national Ambulance Service that promotes the transportation of all emergency call patients and does not adopt clinician-based non-conveyance decision. METHODS Using R Language, descriptive, bivariate, and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted for 334,392 multi-national patient non-conveyance emergency calls from June 2018 to July 2022, from a total of 1,030,228 calls to which a response unit was dispatched. RESULTS After data pre-processing, 237,862 cases of patient non-conveyance to hospital were retained, with a monthly average of 41.96% (n = 8799) of the emergency service demands and a standard deviation of 5.49% (n = 2040.63). They predominantly involved South Asians (29.36%, n = 69,849); 64.50% (n = 153,427) were of the age category from 14 to 44 years; 61.22% (n = 145,610) were male; 74.59% (n = 177,424) from the urban setting; and 71.28% (n = 169,552) had received on-scene treatment. Binary logistic regression with full variables and backward methods identified the final models of the determinants of patient non-conveyance decisions with an Akaike information criterion prediction estimator, respectively, of (250,200) and (250,169), indicating no significant difference between both models (Chi-square test; p-value = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS Despite exercising a cautious protocol by encouraging patient transportation to hospital, patient non-conveyance seems to be a problem in the healthcare system that strains the pre-hospital medical response teams' resources. Policies and regulations should be adopted to encourage individuals to access other primary care centers when required rather than draining emergency services for non-emergency situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Farhat
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax P.O. Box 3000, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine "Ibn El Jazzar", University of Sousse, Sousse P.O. Box 4000, Tunisia
| | - Cyrine Abid
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax P.O. Box 3000, Tunisia
| | - Kawther El Aifa
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
| | - Padarath Gangaram
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Andre Jones
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
| | | | - Moncef Khadhraoui
- Higher Institute of Biotechnology, University of Sfax, Sfax P.O. Box 3038, Tunisia
| | - Imed Gargouri
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax P.O. Box 3000, Tunisia
| | - Loua Al-Shaikh
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
| | - James Laughton
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Guillaume Alinier
- Ambulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
- School of Health and Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
- Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha P.O. Box 24144, Qatar
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
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Carnicelli A, Edwards DG, Williams AM. Paramedic Education to Support the Use of Low-Acuity Care Pathways: A Scoping Review Protocol. NURSING REPORTS 2023; 13:265-272. [PMID: 36810276 PMCID: PMC9944786 DOI: 10.3390/nursrep13010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ambulance services worldwide have transformed over time into health care services that not only attend to life-threatening emergencies, but are also increasingly being utilised for patients with low-acuity or non-urgent illness and injury. As a result, there has been a need to adapt and include mechanisms to assist paramedics in the assessment and management of such patients, including alternative pathways of care. However, it has been identified that education and training for paramedics in the care of low-acuity patients is limited. This study aims to identify potential gaps in the literature and inform further research, paramedic education and training, patient care guidelines, and policy. A scoping review will be conducted utilising the Joanna Briggs Institutes methodology. A range of relevant electronic databases will be searched along with the grey literature, using search terms related to paramedic education for low-acuity patient care pathways. The search results will be screened by two authors and presented in the PRISMA-ScR format, with articles presented in tabular format and analysed thematically. The results of this scoping review will inform further research exploring paramedic education, clinical guidelines, policy and experiences in the management of low-acuity patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Carnicelli
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Dale G. Edwards
- School of Paramedicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Anne-Marie Williams
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
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