Performance of resuscitation skills by paramedic personnel in chemical protective suits.
OBJECTIVE
Determine whether wearing a chemical protective suit increases time to successful completion of four resuscitation skills.


METHODS
This prospective experimental study examined the ability of civilian paramedic personnel to complete four resuscitative skills (electrical defibrillation, administration of epinephrine subcutaneously, intravenous cannulation, and tracheal intubation) carried out using standard methods on mannequins under two test conditions (wearing the protective suit and not wearing the suit). Primary outcome was time to successful completion of each skill.


RESULTS
Sixteen paramedics were enrolled and completed each skill under two test conditions. Paramedics took longer to complete administration of epinephrine (87 vs. 60 seconds; p < 0.01) and intravenous cannulation (220 vs. 158 seconds; p < 0.01) tasks when wearing a protective suit. Wearing the suit did not impair electrical defibrillation (57 vs. 46 seconds) or tracheal intubation (79 vs 69 seconds).


CONCLUSIONS
Chemical protective suit use increased time to successful completion of resuscitation skills where fine motor skills are required, namely administration of epinephrine subcutaneously and intravenous cannulation, but did not increase time to successful completion of resuscitation skills requiring gross motor skills, namely electrical defibrillation and tracheal intubation.
Ontario Air Ambulance, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rmacdonald@basehospital.on.ca
Russell D
RD
MacDonald
Vicki
V
LeBlanc
Brad
B
McArthur
Adam
A
Dubrowski
D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011481:Protective Clothing; D012151:Resuscitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
D015386:Hazardous Substances