@article{ref1,
title="Crew and patient safety in ambulances: results of a personnel survey and experimental side impact crash test",
journal="Prehospital and disaster medicine",
year="2013",
author="Fournier, Marc and Chenaitia, Hichem and Masson, Catherine and Michelet, Pierre and Behr, Michel and Auffray, Jean-Pierre",
volume="28",
number="4",
pages="370-375",
abstract="Introduction Ambulance drivers often travel under stressful conditions at high speed while using vehicles with poor high-speed maneuverability. The occupant safety of ambulance vehicles has not yet been addressed by the automotive safety paradigm; particularly for the rear patient compartment. This study had two objectives: (1) to assess by survey the French Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to determine the layout of the vehicle most often used and the EMS personnel's behavior during transport; and (2) to conduct a crash test to analyze the injuries which may affect EMS personnel and patients in the rear patient compartment. Method Firstly, a survey was distributed to the 50 largest metropolitan French EMS programs. Secondly, a crash test was performed with a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) in conditions closest to reality. RESULTS: Forty-nine of the 50 biggest metropolitan French EMS programs responded to the survey. This represents 108 French MICUs. During the last three years, 12 of 49 EMS programs (24%) identified at least one accident with an MICU, and six of these 12 (50%) suffered at least one death in those accidents. A crash test using a typical French EMS MICU showed that after impact of a collision, the ambulance was moved more than five meters with major consequences for all passengers. A study-approved human cadaver placed in the position of a potential patient was partially thrown from the stretcher with a head impact. The accelerometric reaction of the anthropomorphic manikin head was measured at 48G. CONCLUSION: The crash test demonstrated a lack of safety for EMS personnel and patients in the rear compartment. It would be preferable if each piece of medical equipment were provided with a quick release system resistant to three-dimensional 10G forces. The kinetic changes undergone by the &quot;patient&quot; substitute on the stretcher would probably have an effect of causing injury pathology. This study highlights the need for more research and development in this area. Fournier M , Chenaitia H , Masson C , Michelet P , Behr M , Auffray JP . Crew and patient safety in ambulances: results of a personnel survey and experimental side impact crash test. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(4):1-6 .<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1049-023X",
doi="10.1017/S1049023X13003543",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X13003543"
}