A survey of usar healthcare practitioners' requirements in order to operate effectively in the collapsed structure environment
Date
2016-10-17
Authors
Glass, Trevor Brian
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Abstract
Background: An Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Healthcare Practitioner (UHP)
is a medical professional (doctor, nurse or paramedic) that works as part of a USAR
team. UHPs are essential for effective USAR operations and are required to function
as an integral component of the USAR team. The purpose of a UHP is to 1) provide
for the medical requirements of their team; 2) the team’s search dogs and 3) provide
emergency medical care to victims entrapped in collapsed structures. The
International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Guidelines require that
a USAR team have a medical component, however, there is currently no
international consensus or standardisation regarding the requirements of UHP’s.
This research set out to survey members of the UHP community to gain insight into
the demographics and experience of current UHP’s and to determine their opinions
regarding UHP selection processes and USAR specific training for UHP’s.
Methods: This study was a prospective, descriptive, transverse study comprised of
closed and open-ended questions conducted using an online questionnaire.
Requests for participation, which included a link to the online questionnaire, were
emailed to the researcher’s personal contacts in twenty countries. These UHP’s
were requested to send the request for participation in the study to their respective
UHP networks. This resulted in a total of 136 study respondents from nineteen
countries.
Results: Of the UHP’s that participated in this survey, 82% were 36 years or older,
with the largest group (44%) being older than 44. Males accounted for 83.7% of the
respondents. Paramedics make up the majority (43.2%) of the UHP community that
participated in the survey. The largest number of respondents (35%) have been
v
medically qualified as a doctor, nurse or paramedic for > 20 years. The majority of
respondents (30%) have been involved in USAR for 3-5 years. The experience of
respondents in responding to actual USAR incidents is low, 47% had never
responded internationally and a further 42% had deployed on 1-3 international USAR
responses. The vast majority of survey respondents (94.3%) are of the opinion that
there is a need for a selection process for prospective UHP’s and 93% are of the
opinion there is a need for UHP’s to undergo a USAR-specific training program after
being selected as a UHP. There was unanimous agreement to the need for an ongoing
USAR training program that includes the practical aspects of USAR medical
care, USAR rescue techniques and USAR simulation exercises at some point
between 6 months and two years.
Conclusion: Participants completing the online survey questionnaire supported the
need for a UHP selection process to become part of a UHP team and the need to
undergo a USAR-specific training course prior to becoming an operational member
of the team. They also supported the requirement to undergo continuous
professional development training, which includes practical aspects of USAR
medical care, USAR rescue techniques and USAR simulation exercises.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in Medicine in
Emergency Medicine
Cape Town, May 2016