• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.19-31
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate disaster preparedness competence and disaster response competence of paramedics working in emergency medical centers operating a disaster medical assistance teams. Methods: Data of 174 emergency medical technician(EMT)-paramedics were collected from July 15 to August 14, 2018 at regional and local emergency medical centers that operate disaster medical assistant team. Analysis of the data was carried out with IBM SPSS statistics 24.0 software (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The mean disaster preparedness competence score was $3.57{\pm}0.63$ (out of five). Participants' disaster preparedness competence significantly differed according to type of emergency medical center (p<.000), disaster education experience (p<.000), and education frequency (p=.001). The mean disaster response competence score was $4.09{\pm}0.57$ (out of five). Participants' disaster response competence significantly differed according to disaster education experience (p<.000) and medical assistance experience (p=.045). Conclusion: Emergency medical technician-paramedics without disaster training should first be provided with this training. Further, it is important for EMT-paramedics to know their disaster preparedness and response capacities and strengthen their shortcomings. It is also important to develop education and training programs that properly equip EMT-paramedics with practical competencies.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.51-65
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate experiences of violence with patients or family members by paramedics working at emergency rooms. Methods: A questionnaire was administered from June 1 to 31, 2017 to 225 paramedics working at 27 emergency medical centers. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS statistics ver 24.0 program. Results: Within the past year, 208(92.9%) of 224 participants experienced violence among whom 202(90.2%) experienced verbal abuse, 193(86.2%) experienced physical threat, 89(39.7%) experienced physical violence, and 52(23.2%) experienced sexual violence. The level of violence response depending on the overlapping experience of violence type showed significant difference from emotional response (p= .001), social response (p= .001), physical response (p= .004), and overall violence response (p= .001). Conclusion: In conclusion, paramedics are frequently exposed to violence in the emergency rooms, of which they mostly experience verbal abuse. In addition, because the reporting system in the event of violence and the coping process are not well-informed, paramedics are unable to sufficiently utilize the reporting system and programs established within the institution. Therefore, the support of the legal system is needed to create a safe working environment for the medical staff who work in the emergency medical centers.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.21-36
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• 2022

Purpose: This descriptive research study aimed to investigate the knowledge and perception of the natural disaster medical system by relevant disaster medical response teams in Jeonnam region, and provide baseline data for a disaster education program based on analysis of priorities of educational demand. Methods: Online questionnaires were distributed to 200 research participants including paramedics from five fire stations in J province, 22 public health centers, two disaster base hospitals, ERU (Emergency Response Units), and DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team). The questionnaires elicited basic information about respondents, their knowledge and perception on disaster preparation and response, cooperation system, and educational and training needs. Results: The top priority items selected were: other disasters for paramedics, first aid for the rapid response team, and command system for DMAT. Conclusion: Customized education and training programs must be developed to suit each organizational need. Detailed operational guidelines must be established and with them a unified educational curriculum should be put into practice.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-56
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify and present suitable recognition types of policy alternative for before and after response, according to the recognition types of problems in response to violence. Methods: This study investigated 36 EMT's of 17 cities and provinces nationwide. The study was approved by the Kongju National University Institute Review Board (KNU_IRB_2021-17). Data were collected from May 1, 2021 to August 30, 2021 and analyzed by Q factor analysis using the PC-QUNAL program. Results: Recognition types of the problem in 119 EMT's response to violence were described as "I type; lack of professional manpower," "II type; inadequate policy on violence," and "III type; lack of awareness on the emergency field." Recognition types of policy alternative on response to violence by 119 EMT's were described as "Itype; training and public relations oriented," "II type; work environment improvement," "III type; violence handling specialization demand," and "IV type; recovery support seeker." Conclusion: This study provides the foundation required to develop and implement the policies regarding the response to violence; therefore, contributing to EMT's provision.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.55-66
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the disaster response competencies of 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: The subjects of this study were 226 119 EMT's at the fire station located in G province. The questionnaire consisted of 5 sub-factors and 29 items for measuring disaster response competencies and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS program. Results: Disaster response competency comprising immediate response, patient triage, patient treatment, patient transport, and collaboration support were 3.48, 3.64, 3.52, 3.64, and 3.16, respectively. Advanced EMTs scored significantly higher in patient triage (p<.001), treatment (p<.001), and transport (p=.022) competency than basic EMTs. Conclusion: In order to improve disaster response competency, it is necessary not only to enhance individual ability but also to continue disaster management training with related organizations.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.73-85
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand currently active Korean paramedics' disaster response abilities, including immediate response, severity classification, patient treatment, and patient transfer, in a disaster situation with multiple casualties. Methods: A structured questionnaire consisting of a total of 25 questions was used, including 5 questions on the subject's general characteristics and 20 questions on disaster-related emergency response abilities. Results: Among the disaster response abilities of the participants, the patient transport ability scores were high and the cooperative support ability scores were low. In terms of general characteristics, there was a significant difference in age, and it was high in the 40s, and there was a significant positive correlation between each competency. Conclusion: These results suggest that there is an urgent need to develop a systematic and specialized educational system with components inside and outside fire departments related to multiple casualty disasters to improve overall abilities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2016

The disasters in Korea, such as the Sewol Ferry Ship sinking disaster has had problems related to the medical response system, with the problems of emergency medical support team in the site, the cooperation between medical staff and fire department officer at disaster site, field medical support and hospital acceptance of the wounded in trouble, the lack of specific systematic medical response manual. Therefore, from May 2014, when the disaster emergency information center in Central Emergency Medical Center starts, collection, modification and education of scattered preexisting disaster emergency medical manual had appeared as important issues. So, it was necessary to develop the early medical response system to disaster. The correction planning of disaster emergency medical response system by Central Emergency Medical Center included quick response system with the fast medical team operation, but the practical application was not enough. So the researcher and his team developed the first Korean disaster emergency medical response manual and the process of development was documented and arranged with the application by education and training.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.111-117
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was a convergence study to find a way to shorten pre-hospital emergency medical response time in vehicle accident. This study analyzed the factors of hospital emergency response time by utilizing weather, road type, accident type, and rescue response to 353 vehicle passengers who visited the three emergency medical centers from January 1, 2011 to July 30, 2016 in Korea In-Depth Accident Study. The results of the study showed that the highway used the most time to prehospital emergency medical response time and was a factor affecting the overall time (${\beta}=.543$, p<.001). In order to shorten the emergency medical response time in highway, the operation of emergency services on the highway, the active use of emergency turn road and the automatic emergency rescue service with individual devices were proposed.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.47-54
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present evidence for quality management based on analysis of patient transportation and response intervals among emergency medical squads. Methods: The chi-square test was used to determine whether mental status and patient assessment affected direct medical control and hospital destination. One way analysis of variance was used to compare response intervals depending on mental status and patient assessment using data drawn from 1172 prehospital care reports. Results: There was a statistically significant relationship between mental status and direct medical control (p<.001); there was a statistically significant relationship between patient assessment and hospital destination (p=.011). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between mental status and hospital destination. The interval from arrival at the patient's side to departure from the scene showed a statistically significant difference (p<.001, p<.001), however, it took the longest time (16.8 minutes) in unresponsive patients. It showed a statistically significant difference (p<.001) in the interval from arrival at patient's side to departure from the scene depending on patient assessment; however, it took the longest time (9.6 minutes) in emergency patients. Conclusion: There was call for direct medical control based on patient assessment; however, patient transportation and response intervals were not appropriate.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.17-32
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• 2023

Purpose: We aimed to identify disaster preparedness, disaster response competency, and willingness to participate in disaster response among university students. Methods: Data were collected from the paramedic students after consent to this study through online. The period of data collection was from June 13 to August 3, 2023 and 207 questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 program. Results: The subject's disaster preparedness was 7.67±3.10 out of 15, disaster response competency was 2.79±0.69 out of 5, and willingness to participate in disaster response was 6.06±4.59 out of 15. There was a significant difference in disaster preparedness depending on the disaster education experience (p<.001), in disaster response competency depending on the number of courses completed (p<.05), in willingness to participate in disaster response in cases of disaster experience (p<.05) and number of times disaster education was completed (F=3.146, p=.047). In particular, if the number of disaster training courses completed was three or more, disaster response competency and willingness to participate in disaster response were significantly high. There was a significant positive correlation between the subjects' disaster preparedness and disaster response competency (r=.655, p<.001). Conclusion: Three or more sessions of continuous disaster education is important, it will be necessary to develop educational content that matches the characteristics of the target subjects or college.