Disaster preparedness and response improvement: comparison of the 2010 Haiti earthquake-related diagnoses with baseline medical data.

Objectives: Disaster medicine research generally lacks control groups. This study aims to describe categories of diagnoses encountered by the Belgian First Aid and Support Team after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and extract earthquake-related changes from comparison with comparable baseline data. The hypothesis is that besides earthquake-related trauma, medical problems emerge soon, questioning an appropriate composition of Foreign Medical Teams and Interagency Emergency Health Kits.

Development of a nursing practice based competency model for the Flemish master of nursing and obstetrics degree.

The aim was to identify a set of competences for the Flemish academic Master of Nursing and Obstetrics degree that answer perceived needs in health care. The competency model was to demonstrate a degree of consensus among key nurses. The study was conducted in all Flemish hospitals registered to have 400 beds or more.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and deep venous thrombosis in children: a clinical and experimental analysis.

Background: Five children with catheter-related deep venous thrombosis were encountered in our PICU. Three types of polyvinyl chloride tubing for the administration of intravenous solutions were in use (Terumo, Codan, and Perfusend). All were di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate plasticized.

Tsunami: response to a disaster.

On December 26, 2004, a devastating earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean very near to Sumatra's coast. The Belgian Association for Pediatrics assembled a medical team of 30 volunteers from 4 hospitals to assist with disaster relief. They traveled to Indonesia, set up a rudimentary care facility, and worked with teams from many countries.