• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.73-94
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aims to provide suggestions for improving the liberal arts curriculum for the 3-year emergency medical technology course by conducting a comparative research on the liberal arts curricula across 10 colleges. Methods: Various aspects of liberal arts subjects, such as basic directions set out by the curriculum, credit scores, and distribution, were studied. Results: Of the 10 colleges, 9 did not stated purpose of liberal arts education. All 10 offered courses including foreign language, computer, and self-management, however each subjects did not have reflections of course visions. Findings revealed the credit score ratio of liberal arts subjects to be relatively lower than the major subjects. Students had limited opportunity to choose liberal arts subjects, with only a small proportion of the course available for elective subjects. Most liberal arts subjects were completed in the first year. Subjects' experience was not expanded and deepened gradually. Subject choices often overlapped, with limited variety of available subjects. Conclusion: For competent emergency medical technicians, the 3-year emergency medical technology course should improve the quality of its liberal arts offerings. The study of liberal arts provides the opportunity to develop broad perspectives and mature attitudes.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.177-191
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to combine the satisfaction survey results and suggestion for continuing education of the emergency medical technicians through a systematic review of continuing education of the emergency medical technicians. Methods: This review focused on previous studies published until 2020 that were associated with the continuing education of emergency medical technicians. We followed the guidelines set for each phase of the study and selected the 26 studies that met the selection criteria for the analysis. Results: The level of satisfaction with continuing education for emergency medical technicians was low. The most frequently suggested method for continuing education was patient case presentation. The answers to the desired training subjects of the continuing education program varied. Finally, studies on continuing education have not been published continuously. Conclusion: To enhance the satisfaction and competence of continuing education, we need to provide various programs that reflect the needs of emergency medical technicians attending maintenance training. In addition, various methods should be considered to improve the attendance rate for continuing education, and further investigations and research should be actively conducted on continuing education in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2024

Purpose: To analyze trends related to demography and EMS and to provide supporting data for the appropriate deployment of EMS providers. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data on patients transported by 119 EMS, demographics, and EMS factors were collected using the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) and the National Fire Agency annual report from 2017 to 2021. Results: During the study period, the total number of patients and those with severe disorders transported via 119 EMS showed an increasing trend. The total fertility rate and population during the same period tended to decrease, and the population density and number of households increased; however, there was a disparity between regions. The main demographic factors affecting the number of patients transported were population density and total fertility rate, while the main EMS factors were the number of ambulances and provision of emergency medical information services(hospital guidance, pharmacy information, and first aid guidance). Conclusion: From the perspective of EMS providers' force deployment, it is necessary to consider population density, population, number of households, total fertility rate, and number of emergency medical institutions and to strengthen the role of diverting the use of 119 EMS by minor patients by providing emergency medical information.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2006

Purpose: This study aims to examine characteristics and actual conditions of patients using emergency room at farming and fishing villages, solve overcrowding of emergency room at the tertiary hospital and activate local emergency clinics. Methods: It examines department of diagnosis and treatment, vehicles used, sex, age, residential area, visit hour, length of stay, presence or absence of trauma, measures after first aid and degree of severity based on medical records of 6,740 patients using emergency room at farming and fishing villages from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2005. Conclusion : 1. Sex distribution of patients of emergency room was male 54.9% and female 45.1% and age distribution between over 40 and below 50 was most as 15.9%. 2. Transport means to emergency room were 91.4 of private car and others (public transport and going on foot), 7.5 of 119, 129 and police car and 1.0% of ambulance. 3. According to distribution of residential areas of emergency patients, 38.9% were Eup area, 42.1% Myeon area, 11.4% distant area and 7.5% adjacent area. 4. According to distribution of emergency patients by department of diagnosis and treatment, internal medicine was most as 35.8% and 55% of patients visited emergency room from 3:31 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.. 5. According to total hours of diagnosis and treatment of subjects, 51.2% were within 30min. and cases of non-trauma disease were 68.2%. 6. According to degree of emergency of emergency patients, non-emergency cases were 65.3%, urgent cases 27.7% and emergency cases 7.0% and 74.2% of patients returned home after first aid and 20.6% of them hospitalized. In conclusion, characteristics and diversification of patients should be examined and efforts by government and local medical institutions which must organize emergency system and facility and personnel levels suitable to regional conditions are needed in order to prevent overcrowding of emergency center of the tertiary hospital and activate local emergency center.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2021

Purpose: Despite the fact that emergency medical centers (ED) are used by emergency patients, more than 50% of non-emergency patients have been reported to be admitted in EDs, of which more than 10% of them used the 119 ambulance. Therefore, this study investigated whether there was a change in the severity of patients visiting EDs during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who visited the ED through the 119 ambulance in 2019 (13,735) and 2020 (11,015). Patient data were analyzed using the medical information system. Results: There was an increase in non-emergency patients at the emergency departments (KTAS levels 4-5) in 2020 with a rate of 58.0% (6,393), as compared to the 2019 data with a rate of 44.9% (6,169). However, the 2020 median length of stay in the emergency department was 188 minutes (IQR: 0-5,909minutes) (p=.000), which was decreased as compared to the 2019 median length of stay of 231 minutes (IQR: 5-6,211minutes) (p=.003). Conclusion: Providing emergency ambulance guidelines for selecting proper hospitals and educating patients to refrain from using the ED for non-emergency patients should be taken into consideration to prevent overcrowding and construct a more effective emergency medical system (EMS).

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.65-80
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• 2010

Objective : The objective of this study was to survey the job satisfaction and turnover intention of 119 emergency medical technicians who are fire fighters and, at the same time, provide emergency patients with first aid, to examine the correlation between their job satisfaction and turnover intention, and to provide basic materials for the human resource management of 119 emergency medical technicians. Method : The survey was conducted with 152 119 emergency medical technicians working at fire stations in an area of Gyeonggi-do during the period from July 15 to September 14, 2009. Job satisfaction was measured with a tool developed by Kim Sun-sim and Kwon Hye-ran (2002) based on the Index of Work Satisfaction, and turnover intention with the tool developed by Becker (2002) and translated and used by Cho Yeong-sook (2002). The questionnaire was composed of 11 questions on general characteristics, 35 on job satisfaction, and 4 on turnover intention, so a total of 50 questions. The reliability of the questionnaire was Cronbach's ${\alpha}=0.922$ for job satisfaction and Cronbach's ${\alpha}=0.854$ for turnover intention. Using SPSS 14.0, we obtained frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, and performed independent two-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis, and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Results : 1) The mean score of the 119 emergency medical technicians' job satisfaction was 2.71, and that of their turnover intention was 2.64. By area of job satisfaction, the mean score was 3.44 for the area of job itself, 2.92 for the interaction area, 2.67 for the organizational demand area, 2.64 for the autonomy area, 2.14 for the wage area, and 1.91 for the working condition area, showing that emergency medical technicians were generally satisfied with their job itself but not with their working condition. 2) As to difference according to the 119 emergency medical technicians' general characteristics, statistically significant difference was observed in job satisfaction according to license type (F = 4.729, p < .010), and in turnover intention according to position (F = 3.768, p < .025). 3) The 119 emergency medical technicians' job satisfaction and turnover intention was in a negative correlation with each other (r = -.44, p < .000) in general, and by the sub-areas of job satisfaction, the correlation with turnover intention was high in order of the autonomy area (r = -.42, p = .000), interaction area (r = -.42, p = .000), job itself (r = -.35, p < .000), organizational demand area (r = -.30, p = .000), wage area (r = -.23, p = .000), and working condition area (r = -.21, p = .008). Conclusion : The 119 emergency medical technicians' job satisfaction showed a negative correlation with their turnover intention. This suggests that turnover intention can be reduced by improving job satisfaction. Furthermore, 119 emergency medical technicians' job satisfaction was high with the job itself, showing their high pride in their job, but was low with working condition and wage. Thus, it is necessary to enhance their job satisfaction by improving the 24-hour work system through supplementing manpower, compensating for overtime works, adjusting work hours per week, etc. These results are expected to be useful in making human resource management plans to lower turnover intention by enhancing 119 emergency medical technicians' job satisfaction.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of prevention practices against infection exposure among emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in emergency rooms. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by 100 EMTs in emergency rooms from June 1 to August 31, 2017. The questionnaire consisted of items concerning the defensive environment for the prevention of infection exposure, perception of preventive behavior, and degree of performance of preventive actions against infection based on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and linear regression. Results: The defensive environment for the prevention of infection exposure was 4.12. The perception of preventive action was 4.71, and the degree of performance of preventive actions against infection was 4.54. There was a significant relationship between the degree of performance of preventive actions against infectious exposures and the degree of perception of preventive behavior(r=.506, p=.01) and prevention of infectious exposure(r=.506, p=.01). The protective environment(B=.360, t=3.236, p=.002) and perceived level (B=.904, t=4.662, p=.000) were influenced by the degree of prevention of infection exposure. Conclusion: It is important to manage the protection environment for infection exposure prevention and to enhance the awareness of infection prevention actions against infection exposure among the EMTs in emergency rooms.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2012

Purpose : We try to disclose how much the keywords of the papers from the Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services with Medical Subject Headings(MeSH) terminologies and to understand the major subjects of the recent emergency medical technology research in Korea from keywords. Methods : We analyzed keywords from 524 articles of the Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services that were published between 2005 and 2011. We investigated frequently used keywords and what percentages of keywords agree with MeSH terms using the MeSH browser. Results : There were on average 3.2 keywords per article. The most frequent key words were AED, Attitude, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, CPR, EMT, EMT students, External Defibrillator, Job satisfaction, Knowledge, 119 EMT in order. The number of terms in precise agreement with MeSH headings was 101(19.3%); 327 terms(62.4%) were not found in the MeSH browser and 96 terms(18.3%) partially matched MeSH terms. Conclusion : Many keywords used in the Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services did not agree with MeSH terms. We conclude that contribution rules should be using MeSH terms and authors should be educated in the proper use of MeSH terms in their research and subsequent publication.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the rationality for and countermeasures against the use of prehospital patient restraint (PPR) techniques in efforts to limit violent behavior toward 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: Previous countermeasures to limit violent behavior toward 119 EMTs and medical personnel were focused on strict reactive and passive proactive responses. However, those in support of the countermeasures do not believe that violent and criminal behavior can be limited or extinguished by strengthening the punishment unconditionally. Results: When it comes to the far-reaching effects of stigmatization on people who engage in violent and criminal behavior, it is possible that unconditional punishment leads to more crime, increases the costs of imprisonment, and consequently, adds to the financial burden of the government. Conclusion: Thus, we are faced with an urgent need to prepare legal grounds for the use of PPR techniques by 119 EMTs for agitated or combative patients only, with direct medical oversight. Moreover, the legal foundation for the use of PPR techniques also needs to be established for emergency medical personnel. The use of PPR techniques not only ensures the safety of emergency medical services personnel, but also protects patients from injuring themselves and others.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.161-169
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to identify changes in patients' transport time and chief complaints visiting the emergency room via emergency medical services from the "pre-COVID-19 period" compared to the "COVID-19 early-stage period". Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed the emergency medical services reports at two time periods defined by the COVID-19 virus outbreak in Korea. The study was conducted in Busan, the Republic of Korea, from January 19 through May 6, 2019. Results: The transfer time of patients transported during the "COVID-19 early-stage period" was significantly delayed compared to the "pre-COVID-19 period" (p<.05). We found a significant increase in transport time for patients complaining of respiratory infections compared to patients without symptoms (p<.05). During the "COVID-19 early-stage period", there was a significant increase in the number of patients with respiratory infections and patients complaining of general symptoms compared to the "COVID-19early-stage period" (p<.05). Conclusion: The spread of the COVID-19 virus infection delayed patient transport and increased the number of patients reporting respiratory infection symptoms. Emergency medical services will need administrative and economic support to transport the increased number of patients requiring services.