What does NICE say about head injuries?
NICE guidelines are great, but they're annoying sometimes. They're lengthy, and it can be hard to find only the content that is directly relevant to frontline ambulance clinicians. Here is a summary of their head injury guidelines, showing only the points and quotes that are relevant to us. Article 999: Simplifying, Presenting, Refreshing.
Cheat Sheets: Scene Overview
You may find varying suggestions for what to consider in what is usually referred to as your 'scene assessment' (Harris, 2016: 1; Pilbery & Lethbridge, 2016: 126) or 'end of bed [...] assessment' (Spurr, 2014). This is a cheat sheet to assist you in identifying these important factors.
Ventilators: How?
This is a shorter version of the Ventilator: Why, What, How, When? video, featuring the how-to only.
How do I get the ventilator off the racks?
If you've ever felt the frustration of being a student on Day 1 and having to retrieve the ventilator for your crewmate, you might enjoy this GIPHY.
I-Gel: When, How?
This video shows only the when and how of I-Gels. To view a longer video, which contains the why, what, when and how, click here. This version has been created […]
I-Gel: Why, What, When, How?
An Article 999 video produced by paramedics for operational staff, explaining the why, what and when of I-Gels and demonstrating how to insert them. This video has been referenced accordingly and will be peer reviewed. A shorter version of the video will be uploaded soon. This video has not been endorsed by any organisation, author or ambulance trust. You must refer to local guidelines and read Article 999's full disclaimer, available at www.article999.co.uk/about/ (disclaimer tab), before putting into place anything you see or read here.
The NEWS Score
According to Shaw et al's study (2017), patients whose conditions were deemed more serious in hospital had arrived with higher NEWS scores. The score for each patient was created from prehospital observations & so could be used to predict patient risk.
Be wary of the quiet child
Remember that the quiet child is often the child who is unwell.
What red flags need to be looked out for in a child?
According to Bruga et al (2013), the red flags to look out for range from those which directly concern a child's vital signs to states such as 'seizures', rashes and 'haemorrhage' (Bruga et al, 2013: 12). For the full list, please see the image below.