Evidence-Based Pre-Hospital Care

The treatment a patient receives prior to hospital admission is of critical importance, both at the scene of an accident or medical emergency, and when in transit to the hospital. However, the doctor or paramedic faces many different challenges to those faced within the hospital, including time constraints, environmental factors, and the limitation of the available equipment. This requires a whole range of additional command, assessment, and communication skills to be learned. This book is an evidence-based guide to pre-hospital care. Included are chapters providing practical advice on training, scene assessment and management, mass gatherings, major incident management, and other information valuable to those working in Accident and Emergency departments, paramedics, nurses, and GPs. Throughout, the book highlights the controversies in the provision of pre-hospital care, the effectiveness of certain treatment strategies, and the research evidence to back these up.