TABLE 1.
Emergency Medical Service Survey Provider Characteristics
| EMS location region (n = 25) | Shock evaluation | ||
| Asia/Pacific North America |
5 (20.0%) 20 (80.0%) |
Does your service have guidelines relating to hemodynamic parameters at which vasoactive infusions should be commenced? (n = 22) | |
| Yes No |
17 (77.3%) 5 (22.7%) |
||
| How many EMS providers are employed by your service? (n = 25) | In addition to hypotension, which other parameters would prompt EMS providers to commence a vasoactive infusion based on your service’s guidelines? (n = 25) | ||
| 0–100 100–1000 1000–5000 > 5000 |
3 (12.0%) 7 (28.0%) 11 (44.0%) 4 (16.0%) |
Cool peripheries | 2 (8.0%) |
| Abnormal mentation | 5 (20.0%) | ||
| Anaphylaxis | 1 (4.0%) | ||
| Tachycardia | 3 (12.0%) | ||
| Stroke | 2 (8.0%) | ||
| Bradycardia | 1 (4.0%) | ||
| No additional parameters | 18 (72.0%) | ||
| Does you service employ critical care/intensive care paramedics? (n = 25) | |||
| Yes | 11 (44.0%) | ||
| No | 14 (56.0%) | ||
| Can your EMS providers administer vasoactive medication infusions? (n = 25) | Before initiating a vasoactive infusion is a trial of fluid administration required? (n = 22) | ||
| Yes No |
22 (88.0%) 3 (12.0%) |
Yes No |
13 (59.1%) 9 (40.9%) |
| Which EMS providers are accredited to administer these agents in your service? (n = 22) | |||
| Medical doctor | 11 (50.0%) | ||
| Critical care paramedics | 9 (40.9%) | ||
| Advanced life support paramedics | 16 (72.7%) | ||
| Basic life support paramedic | 1 (4.5%) | ||
EMS = emergency medical service.