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5/26/2017
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VENT™ User’s Guide
Page 22
Steven J. Weiss, Todd Filbrun, Chad Augustin, Ray Jones and Amy Ernst. UC Davis Medical Center: Sacramento,
CA, Sacramento City Fire/EMS: Sacramento, CA. ABSTRACT: An Automatic Transport Ventilator (ATV) vs. Bag
Valve Mask (BVM) for Ventilation during EMS Transport. Academic Emergency Medicine Volume 11, Number 5 592,
May 2004.
ABSTRACT:
OBJECTIVES
: The hypothesis of this study was that paramedics (EMTPs) perceived that use of automatic transport
ventilator (ATV) was better than BVM for managing ventilation during patient transport.
METHODS
: ATVs and BVMs were randomized on 5 City Fire Department Paramedic Units. At the conclusion of each
patient transport, using a 5-point Likert scale, EMTPs rated the modality used (ATV vs. BVM) on ease of use, time of
setup, expedition of transport, additional tasks completed, documentation, overall patient care, and patient comfort. Pulse,
oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and end tidal CO2 were collected every 5 seconds. Statistical analysis was performed on
results of the Likert scale using a Mann-Whitney U rank sum test. Results were significant if p < 0.05. The power of the
study was 80 percent to show a difference of 1.0 on the Likert scale.
RESULTS
: 28 patients were entered into the study, 14 BVM and 14 ATV. The reason for device use was assisted ventilation
in 7/28 (25%) cases and CPR in 21/28 (75%) cases. There were no significant differences in the EMS perceptions of ease of
use (p = 0.08), time of setup (p = 0.14), expedition of transport (p = 0.27), or overall patient care (p = 0.59). There were
significant differences in favor of the ATV in ability to accomplish additional tasks (p = 0.01), ability to document (p = 0.04),
and ability to provide patient care (p = 0.03). The data collector stored ongoing physiologic data on 15/28 (54%) patients
during EMS transport.
CONCLUSIONS
: EMTPs perceived that they were able to accomplish more tasks, document more completely, and
provide better patient care with the use of the ATV. The data collector time marked data and stored the data for subsequent
retrieval in a majority of cases.
Nates, Joseph L. MD, FCCM, Combined external and internal hospital disaster: Impact and response in a Houston
trauma center intensive care unit*. Critical Care Medicine. 32(3):686-690, March 2004.
ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:
To increase awareness of specific risks to healthcare systems during a natural or civil disaster.
We describe the catastrophic disruption of essential services and the point-by-point response to the crisis in a major medical
center.
DESIGN:
Case report, review of the literature, and discussion.
SETTING:
A 28-bed intensive care unit in a level I trauma center in the largest medical center in the world.
CASE:
In June 2001, tropical storm Allison caused >3 feet of rainfall and catastrophic flooding in Houston, TX. Memorial
Hermann Hospital, one of only two level I trauma centers in the community, lost electrical power, communications systems,
running water, and internal transportation. All essential hospital services were rendered nonfunctional. Life-saving equipment
such as ventilators, infusion pumps, and monitors became useless. Patients were triaged to other medical facilities based on
acuity using ground and air ambulances. No patients died as result of the internal disaster.
CONCLUSION:
Adequate training, teamwork, communication, coordination with other healthcare professionals, and strong
leadership are essential during a crisis. Electricity is vital when delivering care in today’s healthcare system, which depends on
advanced technology. It is imperative that hospitals take the necessary measures to preserve electrical power at all times.
Hospitals should have battery-operated internal and external communication systems readily available in the event of a
widespread disaster and communication outage. Critical services such as pharmacy, laboratories, blood bank, and central
supply rooms should be located at sites more secure than the ground floors, and these services should be prepared for more
extensive performances. Contingency plans to maintain protected water supplies and available emergency kits with batteries,
flashlights, two-way radios, and a nonelectronic emergency system for patient identification are also very important. Rapid
adaptation to unexpected adverse conditions is critical to the successful implementation of any disaster plan.
