title: Emergency medical support units to critical care transport teams in Iraq.
abstract: Early in the author's deployment in the United States Air Force to southern Iraq, his unit was exposed to the first of many mass casualties sent to his Expeditionary Medical Support System unit. Within minutes of the injured military members' arrival, the four-bed evaluation station was transformed into an open bay trauma room where patients were treated and supported until they could be evacuated to more definitive care. Patients were transitioned with awe-inspiring speed and professionalism to Critical Care Air Transport teams for care during aeromedical evacuation. The lessons learned from the frequency of these events are valuable to any similar transport case with critically ill and injured patients.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA. sean.collins2@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Sean T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000552:Ambulances / Q000458:organization & administration; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006775:Hospitals, Packaged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008888:Military Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000628:therapy; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014194:Traumatology / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000628:therapy