Do ambulance crews triage trauma patients?

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether ambulance crew triage trauma patients appropriately.

Design: A retrospective descriptive study.

Settings: Cornwall County Ambulance Service.

Variables studied: On-scene times, injury severity, establishment of intravenous infusion and time from scene to A&E department.

Subjects: Patients with compound fracture of the lower limb taken to Truro Accident and Emergency department.

Outcome measures: Ambulance service on-scene times and mission times.

Results: Ambulance crew do not appear to be triaging patients appropriately. Excessive time is being spent on pre-hospital stabilization. Delivery of patients to a casualty department is delayed.

Conclusion: At present the activities of paramedics are poorly supervised, and pre-hospital management by paramedics may be jeopardizing patient care.