Biomedical subjects

S A Stohler

Publications and source records attributed to S A Stohler.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

High performance team interaction in an air medical program.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the elements of a high performance team interaction on an air medical transport mission. METHODS: The phenomenologic method as described by Giorgi was used to guide data collection and analysis. Six flight nurses from around the United States were interviewed and audiotaped as they described their subjective perception of a high performance team experience. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: collaboration, mutual respect and trust, fitness standards, and synergy. CONCLUSION: Implications for flight crews involved in this high performance environment may require attention to the identified themes to promote team performance.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Quality assurance in the Connecticut Helicopter Emergency Medical Service.

Quality Assurance (QA) is a vital aspect of the Connecticut Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). The program has three components: 1. scene flight audit, 2. random chart audit, and 3. biweekly patient care QA conferences. The scene flight audit identifies patients who, in retrospect, may not have required helicopter transportation. These patients are identified by the following criteria: trauma score greater than 12 and injury severity score less than 16, emergency department deaths, discharged within 24 hours, medical patients. Patient care QA involves review of all flights. A random chart audit is a method of peer review of the written flight record for completeness. The scene flight audit was from 6/85 to 12/87, with 17/107 (16%) in group one, 0/137 (0%) in group two, 5/29 (17%) in group three, and 8/54 (15%) in group four not justified. There were four audit review periods, each with a feedback mechanism to share results with providers. Each audit resulted in a decrease in the number of non-justified flights. There were 57 patient care QA conferences with 231 cases presented. Technical errors and policy issues decreased over time. Random review of five charts/month were reported quarterly. Omitted elements of standard documentation decreased over time. QA can be accomplished in HEMS. Monitored areas should include appropriateness of flights, proper documentation, and patient care review. A QA program improves appropriateness of flights, medical record keeping, and care given.

Aircraft↗

PubMed1991

Roles of a helicopter emergency medical service in mass casualty incidents.

The Connecticut helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) has responded to 12 mass casualty incidents (MCI) in two years. Eight were drills and four were actual events. An MCI response plan was instituted prior to the onset of the HEMS program. All MCIs were reviewed to determine actual victims, knowledge of MCI prior to lift-off, and roles of the HEMS. The actual roles were compared with the pre-established roles. The four actual MCIs (building explosion, hotel fire, bus rollover and plane crash) were reviewed. Sixty-seven victims were involved. Prenotification occurred in one MCI. The roles of the HEMS in each MCI were: triage (n = 4), medical treatment (n = 4), transport (n = 3), augmented response (n = 1), and air surveillance (n = 0). The roles of HEMS response to MCI should be well-defined prior to an event. Air medical benefits include response within a large geographic area, highest level of prehospital medical care, identification of trauma receiving hospitals, and facilitation of transport.

Aircraft↗

PubMed1989

Airway intubation in injured patients at the scene of an accident.

Trauma patients requiring intubation at the scene of the accident were entered into a study from June 1985 to June 1987 to determine: 1) the success rate of intubation by flight crews and 2) factors important in managing the difficult airway at the scene. One hundred thirty-six patients were reviewed. The success rate of trauma patients intubated in the field was 92.6%. The success rate of each procedure was, orotracheal 87%, and nasotracheal 77.6%. Six out of the 10 patients unsuccessfully intubated had vomiting or blood in the oropharynx which was cited as the reason for failure of intubation. All 24 patients requiring medications (paralytics and sedatives) for intubation were successfully intubated. Trismus and combativeness were the indications for medication usage. An aeromedical crew (MD, RN, RT) can successfully intubate trauma patients at the scene of the accident. Severe facial injuries with vomiting and blood in the oropharynx are factors in intubation failure. The use of muscle relaxants and sedatives facilitates difficult intubations.

Accidents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High performance team interaction in an air medical program.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the elements of a high performance team interaction on an air medical transport mission. METHODS: The phenomenologic method as described by Giorgi was used to guide data collection and analysis. Six flight nurses from around the United States were interviewed and audiotaped as they described their subjective perception of a high performance team experience. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: collaboration, mutual respect and trust, fitness standards, and synergy. CONCLUSION: Implications for flight crews involved in this high performance environment may require attention to the identified themes to promote team performance.

Air Ambulances↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The integration of a helicopter emergency medical service in a mass casualty response system.

Since 1985, the state of Connecticut has been served by a hospital-based, advanced life support (ALS) helicopter air medical service. The service is stationed at a 1,000-bed, Level 1, trauma center that is responsible for its operation. Connecticut statute requires the hospital to file operations reports with the Office of Emergency Medical Services, which reports to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Operations include response to requests for transportation of severely ill or injured patients from the scene of an incident, and patient transport from one hospital to a higher level, definitive-care hospital. This service also was charged to develop a disaster response plan to be integrated into the overall state plan for disaster responses. The helicopter disaster response involves all six New England states and three hospital-based emergency medical helicopter programs that operate in the New England states. This approach has allowed for joint planning and multi-agency, simulated drills. The helicopter emergency medical service has responded to 15 simulated emergencies (drills) and seven actual mass casualty incidents from May, 1985 to June, 1989. In Connecticut, the planning process conducted by the Department of Public Health and the Office of State EMS produced a coordinated, multi-jurisdictional, mass-casualty response plan.

Aircraft↗