A comparison of ambulance responses to incidents of Medical Emergency Teams led by nurses and paramedics--A retrospective single-center study.
BACKGROUND
In Poland there are currently two main types of Medical Emergency Team: basic, run by nurses or paramedics, and specialist, led by physicians. They differ not only in professional qualifications but also in their terms of reference.


OBJECTIVE
We compared the responses to incidents of Medical Emergency Teams led by nurses and paramedics, in terms of the frequency of pharmacotherapy use and medical rescue activities.


METHODS
Ambulance call reports.


METHODS
Medical Emergency Teams in Eastern Poland.


METHODS
Medical Emergency Teams led by nurses or paramedics. Exclusion criteria were cancelation of calls by the dispatcher, calls with no patient on the scene, and neonatal and interhospital transportation.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of ambulance call reports. A comparison of actions of nurses and paramedics taken in the field, and decisions concerning transportation of the patient to a hospital or leaving the home were collected.


RESULTS
Of 1115 Medical Emergency Teams calls, those led by paramedics (60.5%) were more common. Paramedics, more often than nurses, provided aid solely in the field-27.5% and 16.0%, respectively-and less frequently transported patients to the hospital-38.5% and 50.7%, respectively. Significant differences in administration of oxygen therapy and analgesics were identified; paramedics used them more often than nurses. Paramedics used cervical collars, 3.6% and 1.1% (p=0.01), respectively, and performed 12-lead electrocardiograms, 4.7% and 1.4% (p=0.002), respectively, significantly more frequently than did nurses.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the comparable competency of paramedics and emergency nurses in Poland, Medical Emergency Teams' activities varied depending on whether a nurse or a paramedic was the team leader. It is recommended that further in-depth research is conducted in this area.
Department of Nursing Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
Anna
A
Aftyka
Department of Expert Medical Assistance, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
Ewa
E
Rudnicka-Drożak
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Children's University Hospital of Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: brybojad@wp.pl.
Beata
B
Rybojad
D000552:Ambulances; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D009740:Nursing Staff; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Ambulance call reports; Medical Emergency Teams; Nurse; Paramedic