Articles: emergency-services.
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Comparative Study
Major incident planning in South East Thames Region: a survey of medical staff awareness and training.
In order to assess awareness and training of medical staff in major incident planning and disaster medicine, a telephone survey was conducted throughout South East Thames Region. Duty consultants and trainees in anaesthesia, general surgery and orthopaedic surgery from a total of 17 hospitals in the region were included. Accident and emergency (A&E) consultants were also interviewed in order to assess administrative aspects of major incident planning. ⋯ We conclude that major incident plans are in place and are updated in all the hospitals surveyed. However, all staff lack training in clinical and administrative aspects of major incident planning and disaster medicine. Recommendations to improve this situation are made.
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To compare record keeping and decision making in accident and emergency departments before and after distribution of guidelines on head injury management as indices of implementation. ⋯ Recording practice and decision making were variable and had not consistently improved after dissemination of the guidelines. Strategies are required to ensure effective implementation of guidelines.
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The ED care of the patient with trauma can be facilitated by the establishment of protocols to ensure prompt access to lifesaving and limb-saving procedures and care. Specific protocols for patients with trauma support assessment and treatment in both the emergency and long-term phases of care.