Ability of Layperson Callers to Apply a Tourniquet Following Protocol-Based Instructions From an Emergency Medical Dispatcher.

: One of the greatest casualty-care improvements resulting from US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the reduction of preventable death from massive extremity hemorrhage - largely due to the widespread use of limb tourniquets. More recently, tourniquet use in civilian, prehospital settings has shown promise in reducing deaths in cases of catastrophic arterial limb hemorrhage. Telephone instructions by trained emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) on applying an available tourniquet may help achieve such a benefit.

Availability and Use of an Automated External Defibrillator at Emergency Medical Dispatch.

: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of automatic external defibrillator (AED) retrieval and placement by bystander callers when prompted by an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). : This retrospective descriptive study utilized a convenience sample of emergency dispatch data collected from 23 Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) spanning 14 states across the United States (U.S.

Can a Software-Based Metronome Tool Enhance Compression Rate in a Realistic 911 Call Scenario Without Adversely Impacting Compression Depth for Dispatcher-Assisted CPR?

Unlabelled: IntroductionImplementation of high-quality, dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DA-CPR) is critical to improving survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, despite some studies demonstrating the use of a metronome in a stand-alone setting, no research has yet demonstrated the effectiveness of a metronome tool in improving DA-CPR in the context of a realistic 911 call or using instructions that have been tested in real-world emergency calls.HypothesisUse of the metronome tool will increase the proportion of callers able to perform CPR within the target rate without affecting depth.

Hospital-Confirmed Acute Myocardial Infarction: Prehospital Identification Using the Medical Priority Dispatch System.

Unlabelled: Introduction Early recognition of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can increase the patient's likelihood of survival. As the first point of contact for patients accessing medical care through emergency services, emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) represent the earliest potential identification point for AMIs. The objective of the study was to determine how AMI cases were coded and prioritized at the dispatch point, and also to describe the distribution of these cases by patient age and gender.

9-1-1 Triage of Non-Traumatic Chest Pain: Association with Hospital Diagnosis.

Objective: Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people seek emergency care-and one of the most critical. In the United States, chest pain is the second most common reason for emergency department (ED) visits. A patient's primary complaint of "chest pain" may reflect a broad range of underlying causes; therefore, it is important that emergency medical service (EMS) agencies gain a thorough understanding of these cases, beginning with the initial management of chest pain in the 9-1-1 center.