Research

Can paramedics treat sepsis?

The Pre-hospital Piperacillin/Tazobactam (PrePip) project tested the concept that UK paramedics could accurately recognise sepsis, aseptically take blood cultures, and safely and rapidly treat septic...

A pilot study exploring the accuracy of pre-hospital sepsis recognition in the North East Ambulance Service

It is estimated there are at least 100 000 cases of severe sepsis each year in the UK, although the true prevalence of sepsis may be higher due to under recognition (Cronshaw et al, 2011). Mortality...

A brief guide to borderline personality disorder for pre-hospital clinicians in an emergency setting

Borderline personality disorder is termed a ‘serious psychiatric disorder’ (Perseius et al, 2007) and is associated with a high rate of suicide. It is associated with transient mood shifts,...

Length of professional education of paramedics and nurses at community colleges in the Northeast United States

Paramedics have provided advanced pre-hospital emergency medical care in the US since the early 1970s (National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA), 2007; Edgerly, 2013). According to the...

Musculoskeletal injury risks for ambulance workers

As part of their job, ambulance workers perform many tasks that expose them to musculoskeletal risks, including adopting awkward postures (Doormaal et al, 1995; Ferreira and Hignett, 2005); moving...

Airway management in UK ambulance services: results of the National Ambulance Service Airway Management Audit

An internet-based survey entitled the National Ambulance Service Airway Management Audit was created using the Bristol University Online Survey Tool (University of Bristol; www.survey.bris.ac.uk). The...

A critical analysis and appraisal of the management of croup in the UK out-of-hospital environment

Croup is a common respiratory infection with an incidence of around 3% of the paediatric population per year, most commonly affecting children between 6–36 months and more commonly males than females...

Should the Kendrick Extrication Device have a place in pre-hospital care?

Essentially the KED is a flexible mini back board that, when in position on the casualty, extends from their lower back to above their head. It also extends laterally to encompass the flanks and head,...

Challenges of postpartum haemorrhage: a case study in the aeromedical retrieval environment

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the main cause of nearly 25% of maternal deaths worldwide (World Health Organization, 2012). The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) categorise PPH...

Spotlight on Research

Although over recent years there has been an increased volume of research relating to out-of-hospital emergency and unscheduled care, Lerner et al (2015) suggest the evidence base remains limited,...

The postgraduate paramedic: meeting the demands of an evolving profession

‘It is essential that the profession is led by paramedics, for the benefit of those who are the recipients of paramedic-delivered care: the public’ .