Military medicine
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U. S. Army flight medics performed a process improvement initiative of 15 blood product transfusions on select Category A (Urgent) helicopter evacuation casualties meeting approved clinical indications for transfusion. ⋯ All casualties within a 10-minute flight time who met clinical indications were transfused. Utilization of a standard operating procedure with strict handling and administration parameters, a rigorous training and qualification program, an elaborate cold chain system, and redundant documentation of blood product units ensured that flight medic initiated transfusions were safe and effective. Research study is needed to refine the indications for prehospital blood transfusion and to determine the effect on outcomes in severely injured trauma patients.
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Military health care providers experience considerable stressors related to their exposure to death and traumatic injuries in others. This study used survey data from 799 active duty U. S. ⋯ S. Army Combat Medics, the majority of whom were involved in combat operations in Afghanistan or Iraq. Our findings indicate that comprehensive assessment of the military experiences and combat exposures is needed to appreciate their potential influence on military health care providers.