HealtH Matters 41
AmbulAnce ServiceS
of a needle/tube in the chest to relieve six new intern paraMedics for
pressure due to a collapsed lung. the west
Midlands division • I.V. and I.M. medications; I.V. (intravenous) six new intern paramedics, are to be
recognised as a centre is drugs or fluids introduced directly into a deployed across the western region, it
of excellence vein. I.M. refers to drugs injected into was announced in October. they will be
the National ambulance service a muscle. deployed to frontline emergency cover.
(Midland Division) has successfully • Stabilisation of cardiac dysrythmias; drugs the new interns join seven others who
been accredited as an emergency may be administered to regulate the started Internships with the Western region
medical dispatch centre of excellence patient’s heart rate when required. ambulance service in september.
by the International academy of the interns have completed a nine month
emergency Dispatch (IaeD). they also have the ability to decide paramedic training course in the National
the Midland Division is the only on which is the most appropriate patient ambulance training Campus in Ballinasloe
Hse ambulance Control Centre to be pathway to follow i.e. to take patient to which included a theoretical component,
awarded such status to date. hospital for further intervention or refer on to placements on emergency ambulances in
this recognition follows the another appropriate service if required. they various locations across the country and
comprehensive implementation may also liaise from the emergency scene placements at hospital sites.
and compliance with the Medical with a rapid response doctor if the urgent the interns are now commencing
Priority Dispatch system (MPDs) and help of a doctor is required. a clinical practice Internship of one
associated “20 points of excellence”. In advance of taking up duty, the year which will include professional
the MPDs is the world’s most advanced paramedics visited schools and development modules and continued
widely used 999 pre-arrival made presentations at public meetings competence assessments.
instruction and dispatch system. and to community groups in their areas the ambulance service responds to
With scripted telephone instructions to explain their role and to show the fully over 36,000 calls a year in an area of
for CPr, airway obstruction relief, equipped RRVs. The response to these approximately 14,000 square kilometres in
haemorrhage control, and childbirth visits was generally positive. counties Galway, roscommon and Mayo.
assistance, the MPDs has been
credited with helping to save
thousands of lives.
In addition to achieving the “20
points of excellence”, accreditation
also demands a comprehensive self
study document, MPDs compliance
and certification for all emergency
Medical Controllers. the self-
assessment study incorporates
policy, protocol and scoring
standards documentation, in addition
to details of Dispatch steering
Committee meetings and emergency
Medical Controller (eMC) training
and development. the self study
also required detailed case studies
of eMC work, for example their role
in taking cardiac arrest, choking and
childbirth calls. such case studies
required a full evaluation including
performance reviews.
this accomplishment demonstrates
that the National ambulance service
(Midland Division) is compliant
with all in ternational best practice
standards for emergency Medical
Dispatch (eMD).
health matters is 4.indd 41 27/11/2009 20:42:44
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