Performance of Basic Life Support by Lifeboat Crewmembers While Wearing a Survival Suit and Life Vest: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Crewmembers of the "Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution" (KNRM) lifeboats must wear heavy survival suits with integrated lifejackets. This and the challenging environment onboard (boat movements, limited space) might influence Basic Life Support (BLS) performance. The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of the protective gear on single-rescuer BLS-quality.

Effects of acidosis, alkalosis, hyperthermia and hypothermia on haemostasis: results of point-of-care testing with the thromboelastography analyser.

In this study we assessed the effects of changes in pH, temperature, and their combination in whole blood on thromboelastographic variables. Blood was collected from six healthy volunteers. Thromboelastograph (TEG series 5000; Haemoscope Corporation, Illinois, USA) channels were set at temperatures of 32, 37, and 39 degrees C and each was filled with artificially acidified, alkalified, and neutral blood, respectively.