Title: Shared ambitions; global connections; big outcomes
Delivered by Professor Brett Williams, Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
The aim of this keynote presentation was to explore the shared ambitions; global connections; big outcomes of Monash University and the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). This partnership between institutions and their respective paramedic departments has produced significant outcomes in research and scholarship, and demonstrates what clear and measurable aims can achieve through formal partnerships. The presentation outlined the outcomes achieved in the past 2 years, and provided a blueprint for future students and academics. We also heard from two of our current JUST PhD scholars from Melbourne Australia on their experiences at Monash University.
Title: Research and its Links to Paramedic Professionalism
Delivered by Associate Professor, Ian Patrick, Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Monash University; and Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne; Victoria, Australia.
In this presentation, Ian provided an insight into the background and operating environment and workload demands of Ambulance Victoria. He covered the make-up of their Paramedic workforce their qualifications and clinical focus, getting the right patient to the right care at the right time.
The commitment of the organisation can be seen in their strategy. Ian noted that research is an important component of partnerships that makes a difference, with 74 current research projects and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
Ian outlined the benefits of research and the reasons why he feels Ambulance Victoria is a good research partner. They have a dedicated research unit—made up of researchers and paramedics—linking the unit to operational research and planning, strong university links and electronic records for every case. They also directly feed into and have access to the state-wide cardiac arrest and trauma registries.
Ian emphasised that evidence drives their practice, informs their investments to improve the service and the care they provide. He pointed out the importance and benefit of conference attendees researching within their own environments and having the workforce capability to make sure that the results seen in other jurisdictions are relevant to their practice and setting. Developing our own body of knowledge is our professional responsibility, he said.
Title: Incidence, Characteristics, and Survival Trend of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Following In-hospital Compared to Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest in Northern Jordan
Liqaa A. Raffee, Shaher M. Samrah; both at the Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology; Hani Najih Al Yousef, Paramedic at Ministry of Health, Jerash Governmental Hospital, Jordan; Mahmoud Abu Abeeleh, Department of Surgery, Division of Cardio Thoracic Surgery, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; Khaled Z. Alawneh, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid; Jordan.
Background:
Cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the cornerstone intervention to optimise the survival rates.
Objectives:
The main aim of this study was to determine and compare the incidence, characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of CPR in a referral university hospital following in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in Northern Jordan.
Patients and Methods:
Retrospective observational study of adults referred to King Abdulla University Hospital who received CPR between January 2014 and January 2015. Data were obtained from the medical recorded of included patients. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with survival to discharge.
Results:
A total of 79 OHCA and 257 IHCA were included in the study. The overall survival rate for OHCA was 2.97%. The survival rate increased to 4.3% if CPR performed before arriving the hospital. Only 22% of the OHCA cases had CPR performed mainly owing to the lack of knowledge and skills of bystanders. The survival rate for IHCA was 14.88%. Patient survival was not associated with age, smoking habit, diabetes mellitus, cancer status, hypertension, or heart failure.
Conclusion:
This is the first study to describe the incidence and outcome of adult IHCA and OHCA in Jordan. The findings will serve as a benchmark to evaluate the future impact of changes in service delivery, organisation, and treatment for OHCA and IHCA. Furthermore, findings will urge the regulatory bodies to establish a well-structured Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system. Educational programmes at the national level to improve public awareness of CPR intervention are crucial to improve survival rates.
Title: Reporting for Duty During Disease Outbreaks: The Views of EMS Providers
Dr Mahmoud Alwidyan, Paramedic Program, Department of Allied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Irbid, Jordan.
Dr Mahmoud Alwidyan from JUST noted in his presentation the global effects of pandemics over the last century. Among people who became ill or lost their lives during recent disease outbreaks were a disproportionate number of healthcare providers, he said. The emergency medical services (EMS) make up an essential component of the healthcare system that is expected to be on the frontlines during public health emergencies. However, Dr Alwidyan notes that this system is exceptionally understudied in terms of working during disasters and public health emergencies.
This study presented, therefore, assesses the views of EMS providers regarding working during events such as disease outbreaks. It explores the factors that may influence their willingness to continue working during such situations.
This study uses a mixed-methods approach, implemented in two phases. In the first phase, interviews were conducted to assess EMS providers' views towards working during disease outbreaks, and the factors that may influence their decision-making related to whether to report to work. In the second phase, an online survey was developed and disseminated to assess the extent to which EMS providers are willing to work during disease outbreaks. The survey is also used to assess how the factors that were explored in the first phase could influence the decision-making process on reporting for duty.
According to the interviews, participants are ‘excited’ to work during natural disasters—however they are a little concerned about working during disease outbreaks. Yet, their concerns may not prevent them from fulfilling their work obligations. Family safety, training, resources, and confidence in their employer are among the most important factors viewed to influence the decision to come to work during disease outbreaks. It seems though that the influencing factors have less potential effects than expected and reported in prior research studies. The survey supported the interview findings in some ways, but contradicted them in others.
Title: Unintentional Injuries and Violence among Adults in Northern Jordan: a Hospital-Based Retrospective Study
Dr Manal Alzghoul; Dr Nihaya Al-sheyab; Dr. Mohammad Shakhatreh; all at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Irbid, Jordan.
Injuries (unintentional and intentional) are the main cause of death and disability worldwide, including in Jordan. The main purpose of this hospital-based retrospective study was to identify characteristics, causes and risk factors of all different types of injuries among adult patients who approached the accidents and emergency (A&E) department because of injury in Northern Jordan.
Data were collected retrospectively from four major hospitals from January 2008–January 2013. A total of 2425 Jordanian individuals who accessed and were treated by the four hospitals were included in this study.
Findings show that the majority of patients who approached the A&E departments in the four hospitals were males (n=2044, 87.16%) vs. females (n=301, 12.8%). Violence was the most common reason for injury (70.66%) followed by road traffic collisions (23.21%). The most common anatomical locations of reported injuries were head (38.74%) followed by abdomen/pelvic and lower back among males and females (9.93%). Violence had a high significant effect on the site of injuries. Patients who had been injured to the head because of stab wounds or fighting were 3.88 and 7.51 times higher than those who had been injured to the head because of a gunshot wound, respectively. Even patients who had been injured to the head because of assault show much higher involvement injury risk than non-assault patients (OR=8.46).
The results highlight the need for a larger national study to confirm findings. They also draw attention to the importance of public awareness and to special injury prevention programmes to limit the number and reduce the social and economic burden of injury among Jordanian adults