Resuscitation
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Assessment of Advanced Life Support competence when combining different test methods--reliability and validity.
Robust assessment of Advanced Life Support (ALS) competence is paramount to the credibility of ALS-provider certification and for estimating the learning outcome and retention of ALS competence following the courses. The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) provides two sets of MCQs and four Cardiac Arrest Simulation Test (CASTest) scenarios for the assessments according to guidelines 2005. ⋯ ERC sub-tests of ALS competence possess sufficient reliability and validity. A combined ALS score with equal weighting of one MCQ and one CASTest can be used as a single measurement of ALS competence.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
The voice advisory manikin (VAM): an innovative approach to pediatric lay provider basic life support skill education.
To determine the efficacy of immediate, standardized, corrective audio feedback training as supplied by the voice advisory manikin (VAM) compared to high quality standardized instructor feedback training for the initial acquisition of 1-rescuer lay provider pediatric BLS skills. ⋯ Immediate, standardized, corrective audio feedback training as supplied by the voice advisory manikin (VAM) can improve initial pediatric basic life support skill acquisition for lay providers even when compared to one-on-one, standardized instructor-led training.
-
Clinical Trial
Feasibility and efficacy of a new non-invasive surface cooling device in post-resuscitation intensive care medicine.
There is sufficient evidence that therapeutic hypothermia after non-traumatic cardiac arrest improves neurological outcome and reduces mortality. Many different invasive and non-invasive cooling devices are currently available. Our purpose was to show the efficacy, safety and feasibility using a non-invasive cooling device to control patient temperature within a range of 33-37 degrees C. ⋯ Using the Arctic Sun System in post-resuscitation care medicine for cooling cardiac arrest survivors is feasible and has proven to be highly effective in lowering patients' temperature rapidly without inducing skin irritations.
-
The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term survival after OHCA. ⋯ Long-term survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a physician-staffed emergency system was comparable to survival after myocardial infarction with 46% being alive after ten years.
-
Motor vehicular accidents (MVA) are the leading cause of death among people under 40 years of age. Despite improvement in car safety and driver awareness of the use of safety devices, fatalities and severe injuries continue to occur. ⋯ According to our data significant association between technical crash data and injury pattern and injury severity can be assumed. In case of high speed MVA in rural areas the trauma mechanism and the circumstances (i.e., impact direction, automobile deformation) should be considered to identify patients at high risk of severe blunt trauma and multiple injuries.