• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.65-80
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• 2003

Various disasters have been continuously occurred in Korea from 1990s to now. However, there is no substantial improvement against damages as compared with the past due to various reasons such as lack of fundamental recognition, ineffective response systems and widespread insensitivity to safety. More worse, new types of disasters have been frequently generated due to rapid changes in social structures and industrial development, unusual changes in weather and changes of international situations. These disasters request comprehensive countermeasures. In particular, while material damages by disasters can be recovered, the losses of precious lives cannot be recuperated in any ways. Thus, it is critical to set effective disaster medical plans. The first way to minimize damages by disasters is the prevention and the next is to set the disaster medical plans focusing on preliminarily activating the emergency medical system to rapidly rescue and take appropriate emergency medical services for casualties in the early stage when any disaster occurs. Nevertheless, no sufficient researches or references do not exist up to now. Even worse, effective emergency medical systems that play critical roles in increasing survival rates of casualties in actual disaster areas is not deployed. For the United States, the consistent countermeasure system is established in FEMA through a close cooperative system with relevant organizations for serious accidents including terrorists' attacks or natural disasters. For the emergency medical services in disasters, the disaster medical plan is set to cope with any disasters in perfect order by special area as operating the National Disaster Medical SystemESF#8 Role by FEMA. Accordingly, we need to set the extensive and integrated disaster prevention system for rapid and flexible operation against various kinds of serious accidents. This study identified overall problems in disaster control plans in Korea and suggested how to improve the emergency medical service system in disaster areas. Furthermore, it aims to prepare the basic data to set the effective emergency medical service plans when substantial casualties break out and more reasonable and systematic disaster control plans to cope with the future occurrence of serious disasters.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.51-66
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether, in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to the mode of arrival affect the emergency medical process. Methods: The participants of this study were 118 adult patients (46 patients admitted by emergency medical services (EMS), 48 walk-in patients, and 24 transferred from other hospitals) admitted to the emergency departments at one regional-level medical center who underwent coronary angiography between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017. To compare treatment courses, the median values of the following variables were compared among groups: symptom to door time; door to triage time; and door to ECG time. All data were analyzed using SPSS program. Results: Based on the initial assessment at triage, there was a significantly greater proportion of Korean Triage and Acuity Stage (KTAS) Level 1 or 2 among patients admitted by EMS than among walk-in patients. All three analyzed variables were lower in patients admitted by EMS than in the other two groups. Conclusion: Our results show that ACS patients who accessed EMS reached the emergency center faster after symptom onset, received initial triage assessment at earlier stages, and underwent sooner important examinations (i.e., the 12-lead ECG).

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to suggest the qualification criteria for the instructors of first aid education for teachers in the School Health Act. Methods: We compared and analyzed the approval provisions for qualifying as first aid educators under the School Health Act, the Emergency Medical Services Act, and prior studies of first aid education. Results: The comparison of the studies demonstrated some key points. First, the first aid education of teachers could be improved through the knowledge of professional instructors. Second, the doctors, emergency nurse practitioners, and emergency medical technicians (EMT) were suitable as specialized first aid instructors. Third, for qualifying as first aid instructor, only the EMTs required more than five years of career. Conclusion: We suggest that all emergency medical service providers qualify to become first aid educators. Additionally, the requirement of EMTs to have more than 5 years of career to qualify as an instructor should be eliminated.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for developing strategic programs based on 119 emergency medical technicians leadership perception types. Methods: The subjects were thirty six 119 emergency medical technicians working for out-of hospital in Jeollanam-Do, Korea. Data were collected from July 20, 2017 to October 30, 2017. Q sample of 40 statements and P sample of 36 persons using PC QUANL software. Results: Three types of leadership styles were identified from the explanation (71.5% of the variables). The relationship oriented progressive type (the most common), the performance and value oriented type (the second most common), and the experience oriented filed participation type (the third most common). Conclusion: The fire department will need to develop and implemented leadership improvement programs based on the leadership types in order to meet the organization's goals.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.51-68
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• 2015

Purpose: This study validated the influential relations between the effects of emergency care quality, credibility of 119 emergency medical technicians (119 EMTs), and perceived usefulness and attitude of emergency care, focusing on the moderating effect of protectors' characteristics (education, experience, age, and recognition of patient severity). Methods: This study was based on elaboration likelihood and technology acceptance models. In total, 172 protectors with experience in utilizing prehospital service were surveyed from April 1 to July 31, 2011. Results: The results showed that the emergency care quality and the credibility of 119 EMTs were the main determinants of the perceived usefulness and attitude of emergency care, irrespective of the protector's characteristics (p <.001). In addition, the findings showed that the protector's intention of emergency care had a moderating role. The impact of the quality of emergency care on its perceived usefulness was greater for high-level protectors (p <.001). By contrast, the impact of the credibility of 119 EMTs on the perceived usefulness of emergency care was greater for low-level protectors (p <.001). Conclusion: The protectors' characteristics have different influences on the relations between the effects of emergency care quality, the 119 EMT credibility, and the perceived usefulness and attitude of emergency care.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2007

In Korea, Crowds, as well as more complex and larger structures, have been caused more victims in the event of fire. In that situation, EMSS should have done triage the patients according to their severity in the field, treat with standard guidelines as like advanced burn life support and transfer to appropriate facility. But in many cases, they didn't practice like that. The purpose of this study is to give basic data for proper emergency medical services by analysing EMSS of large scaled fire in Korea and suggesting some improvement methods. The improvment methods are like this ; First, developing of protocols about burn patient is needed for EMT and dispatcher. Second, Legal approval for advanced treatment is needed for EMT. Third, Fire-helicoptors are needed in Daejeon and Jeju. And Emergency Medical Helicoptors are needed in EMSS. Forth, more advanced emergency medical centers of burn must be established. Sixth, more pocket-mask and burn sheet are needed for 119 rescuer. Finally, building owners must change inflammable materials as non-inflammable materials and educate fire-prevention and first-aid to employees.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.399-408
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the regional characteristics on the accessibility of emergency care and the impact of emergency medical accessibility on the patients' prognosis and the emergency medical expenditure. Methods: This study used the 13th beta version 1.6 annual data of Korea Health Panel and the statistics from the Korean Statistical Information Service. The sample included 8,119 patients who visited the emergency centers between year 2013 and 2017. The arrival time, which indicated medical access, was used as dependent variable for multi-level analysis. For ordinal logistic regression and multiple regression, the arrival time was used as independent variable while patients' prognosis and emergency medical expenditure were used as dependent variables. Results: The results for the multi-level analysis in both the individual and regional variables showed that as the number of emergency medical institutions per 100 km² area increased, the time required to reach emergency centers significantly decreased. Ordinal logistic regression and multiple regression results showed that as the arrival time increased, the patients' prognosis significantly worsened and the emergency medical expenses significantly increased. Conclusion: In conclusion, the access to emergency care was affected by regional characteristics and affected patient outcomes and emergency medical expenditure.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.179-187
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• 2004

The purpose of the study was to injury types in Daegu subway fire accident, Sampung department store collapse, Mokpo airport civil aircraft accident, and Buan sunken ship disaster. The conclusion obtained from these analyses are as following. 1. The total of victims were Sampung department store collapse(l440 people). Buan sunken ship disaster(355 people), Daegu subway fire accident(340 people), and Mokpo airport civil aircraft accident(110 people). 2. The total of dead people were Sampung department store collapse(502 people), Buan sunken ship disaster(287 people), Daegu subway fire accident(192 people), and Mokpa airport civil aircraft accident(66 people). 3. The total of injured people were Sampung department store collapse(938 people), Daegu subway fire accident(148 people), Mokpo airport civil aircraft accident(84 people), and Buan sunken ship disaster(67 people). 4. The major types of victims presented smoke inhalation such as coughing, dyspnea, and sore throat in Daegu subway fire accident. 5. The major types of victims presented crushing(multiple fractures), vertebral, and soft tissues injuries in Sampung department store collapse. 6. The major types of victims presented multiple fractures. In addition to, a lot of people showed vertebral injuries and shock symptoms in Mokpo airport civil aircraft accident. 7. The major types of victims presented drowning as well lots of hypothermia patients in Buan sunken ship disaster. There were a wide variety of types in human disaster. Therefore, the most important disaster training program need to each disaster aspect in the local emergency medical services system. Moreover, the emergency medical services personnel should be understand and training for injury types of each human disaster.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-39
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• 2006

In Korea, There are many disasters, like the collapse of Sampung department store, the strike of severe typhoon 'Rusa' and the subway tragedy in Taegu, because of global warming, urbanization, high-density and high-rise of buildings. So, the government made 'The Framework Act' on the safe and management of disaster and 'The National Emergency Management Agency' was established. But emergency medical service systems in Korea is not growing so much. The purpose of this research is to give basic data for the development of emergency medical service systems in Disaster by comparing of disaster management systems and emergency medical systems among the nations of the world, analysing emergency medical systems in disaster in Korea and suggesting some improvement methods. The improvment methods are like this ; First, establishing the National Disaster Medical System in Korea, making the good triage by EMT, expansion of EMT's working area, developing protocols and framing of medical director increasing the working force of EMT, broad inner cavity of ambulance for treatment of patientent, supplement of professional equipments, active using of helicopters are needed in prehospital are. Second, equal establishment of emergency medical center and increase of working force of emergency medical team are needed in hospital area. Finally, enforcement of the dispatcher's qualification, smooth communication among EMSS systems and actualization of medical direction through screen are needed in the Telecommunication system.