• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2012

Objectives: An ambulance can be a potential source of contagious or droplet infection of a community. We estimated the prevalence of positive carriage of tuberculosis (TB), methicillin-resistant $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$ (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant $Enterococci$ (VRE) in patients transported by ambulance. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. We enrolled all patients who visited a tertiary teaching hospital emergency department (ED). Blood, sputum, urine, body fluid, and rectal swab samples were taken from patients when they were suspected of TB, MRSA, or VRE in the ED. The patients were categorized into three groups: pre-hospital ambulance (PA) group; inter-facility ambulance (IA) group; and non-ambulance (NA) group. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression model for the prevalence of each infection. Results: The total number of patients was 89206. Of these, 9378 (10.5%) and 4799 (5.4%) were in the PA and IA group, respectively. The prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE infection were 0.3%, 1.1%, and 0.3%, respectively. In the PA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.3%, 1.8%, and 0.4%. In the IA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.7%, 4.6%, and 1.5%, respectively. The adjusted ORs (95% CI) of the PA and IA compared to the NA group were 1.02 (0.69 to 1.53) and 1.83 (1.24 to 2.71) for TB, 2.24 (1.87 to 2.69) and 5.47 (4.63 to 6.46) for MRSA, 2.59 (1.78 to 3.77) and 8.90 (6.52 to 12.14) for VRE, respectively. Conclusions: A high prevalence of positive carriage of TB, MRSA, and VRE in patients transported by metropolitan ambulances was found.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.159-165
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• 2012

Purpose: For trauma patients, an early-transport and an organized process which are not delayed in hospital stage are necessary. Our hospital developed a procedure, the trauma Critical Pathway (CP), through which a traumatic patient has the priority over other patients, which makes the diagnostic and the therapeutic processes faster than they are for other patients. Methods: The records of patients to whom Trauma CP were applied from January 1, 2011 through April 15. 2012. were reviewed. We checked several time intervals from ER visiting to decision of admission-department, to performing first CT, to applying angio-embolization, to starting emergency operation and to discharging from ER. In addition, outcomes such as duration of ICU stay, hospital stay and mortality were checked and analyzed. Results: The trauma CP was applied to a total of 143 patients, of whom, 48 patients were excluded due to pre-hospital death, ER death, transferring to other hospital and not severe injury. Thus 95 patients (male 64, 67.3%) were enrolled in this study. Fifty-nine patients(62.1%) were injured by the traffic accident. The mortality rate was 10.5% and the mean Revised Trauma Score (RTS) of the patients was $6.4{\pm}2.0$. After visiting ER, decision making for admission was completed, on average, in 3 hours 10 seconds. The mean time intervals for the first CT, angio-embolization, surgery and discharge were 1 hour 20 minutes, 5 hours 16 minutes, 7 hours 26 minutes and 6 hours 13 minutes, respectively. Conclusion: The trauma CP did not show the improvement of time interval outcome, as well as mortality rate. However, this test did show that the trauma CP might be able to reduce delays in procedures for managing trauma patients at the university-based hospitals. To find out the benefit of CP protocol, a large scaled data is required.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.248-255
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• 2015

Purpose: study of the mutual influence of the individual anatomical regions damage in patients associated with falls from heights. Methods: 561 medical reports of patients associated with falls from heights admitted to Republican Research Center of Emergency Medicine (RRCEM), in period of 2010-2013 yy, were analyzed retrospectively. Patient's age range was from 15 to 89. Treatment of these patients held in three stages: period of acute disorders of vital functions; relative stabilization period; stabilization of vital functions. The scope and content of medical diagnostic procedures performed on pre-hospital and intensive care stages. The severity of each injury was scored according to the AIS scale, the total severity of lesions was scored by points due to ISS. Digital material is treated by methods of mathematical statistics. Results: Falls from heights leads to associated injuries for 4 times more than isolated trauma, and increases according to height of fall and falling surface. Patients with TBI+chest trauma, are most serious contingent that has highest mortality and complications (36.8%). TBI+musculoskeletal system trauma are characterized by high blood loss, traumatic shock and fat embolism, forming a vicious circle. Conclusion: in patients associated with falls from heights clinical manifestations of injuries mutual aggravation syndrome will be seen. TBI leads to complication of chest trauma, delayed diagnostics of abdominal and chest trauma, aggravation of coma condition. Developing of high blood loss and fat embolism in musculoskeletal system trauma leads to shock and pulmonary embolism, which increases probability of death in the presence of abdominal or chest trauma, but abdominal trauma or chest trauma has no significant effect on the severity of the musculoskeletal system trauma.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2010

Objective : This study compares Video laryngoscope and Direct laryngoscope in tracheal Intubation on rapidity and accuracy by paramedic and aims to improve efficiency of airway management and survival rate in pre-hospital treatment for the patients with severe trauma, cardiac arrest or dyspnea caused by acute diseases. Methods : 60 paramedics were recruited from 13 fire stations located in C province. With the consent of the paramedics, likelihood ratio test was carried out and they were divided into two different groups; DL group (30) and GVL group (30). Regarding intubation conditions, difficult airway grade I, grade II and grade III as well as sniffing position and neutral position were examined. This study also compared between ambulance in motion and in stand still. Frequency, average and standard deviation were analyzed with statistics program, SPSS WIN 17.0 and repeated measure design was introduced to examine inter-relations between position, grade and groups. Results : Intubation was performed more rapidly in neutral position and GVL than in sniffing position and DL(F = 15.260, p = .000). Rapidity value was better with grade I and grade II than grade III and better with GVL than DL(F = 32.629, p = .000). Accuracy value was higher with neutral position and GVL than sniffing position and DL(F = 5.008, p = .011). grade III was less accurate than grade I, grade II and GVL was more accurate than DL(F = 10.966, p = .000). Ambulance motion status did not show any statistically significant differences in accuracy and rapidity. Conclusion : Given this study results, neutral position is better for the patient with severe trauma. For a better survival, GVL intubation can be considered since GVL can enhance accuracy as well as rapidity regarding difficult airway. Since there is no significant differences in ambulance motion factors, intubation can be recommended even in moving ambulance for shortening traveling time to a hospital.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2018

Purpose: On November 15, 2012, sales of OTC (Over-The-Counter) drugs began at convenience stores, which changed the accessibility of some drugs. As a result, the exposure and access patterns of these drugs could have changed. In this study, we reviewed the changes in the characteristics of drug poisoning patients because of the reposition of nonprescription drugs according to the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate changes in characteristics of drug poisoning patients between 2008 and 2016. A registry was developed by an emergency medical center in a local tertiary teaching hospital, and patients who visited the center were enrolled in this registry. We compared two periods, from 2008 to 2012 (Pre OTC) and from 2013 to 2016 (Post OTC), for type of intoxicant, time from poisoning to visiting the emergency center, intention, psychiatric history, previous suicidal attempt, alcohol status, and emergency room outcomes. The primary outcome was the number of patients who took acetaminophen and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Secondary outcomes were ICU admission rate, mortality rate, and number of patients who visited the ER when the pharmacy was closed after taking acetaminophen and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Results: Among 1,564 patients, 945 and 619 patients visited the emergency room during pre and post OTC periods. The number of patients with acetaminophen and NSAIDs poisoning decreased from 9.2% to 6.1% (p=0.016). The ICU admission rate and mortality rate in the emergency room did not show significant results in the relevant patient groups, and so was the number of patients visiting ER when the pharmacy was closed taking acetaminophen and NSAIDs. Conclusion: Despite the sales of nonprescription drugs at convenience stores, the number of acetaminophen and NSAIDs poisoning patients decreased.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.19-28
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• 2012

Purpose : The present study was designed to provide basic data for advanced pre-hospital airway management by comparing the insertion time and success rate between laryngeal tube suction II (LTS II) and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in a manikin. Methods : A total of 32 participants were novice users to both of devices among paramedic students. After taking the introductory lecture and demonstrations, the participants made an attempt to insert the LTS II and LMA to compare the insertion time and success rate. They marked the easiness of insertion of the score ranged from 1 to 10 score scale and preference of the two devices. Results : The insertion time of the LTS II was significantly shorter than that of the LMA (p =.000). There was no significant difference between LTS II and LMA in the success rate. In the easiness of insertion, the score of LTS II $(8.47{\pm}1.41score)$ was significantly higher than that of LMA $(7.19{\pm}1.98score)$(p =.001). The preference of LTS II (75%) was much higher than that of LMA (25%). Conclusion : The manikin study data showed that the LTS II may be a good alternative airway device for providing and maintaining a patent airway.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.123-129
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• 2019

This study selected all patients with acute poisoning carried by the 119 emergency services in K-Province from January 1 to December 31, 2015 for complete enumeration. The subjects were 1,627 patients who were classified as poisoning suspected in chemicals and animal/insect poisoning by Rescue Emergency Activity Information System(Emergency Statistics) in fire-fighting portal system of K-province fire-fighting officers. The 119 activity journals were analyzed retrospectively. The major results are as follows. Regarding the demographic characteristics of the elderly and the non-elderly, the most people were unemployed in the elderly group, other job, the non elderly group about their occupations and in both groups, the most people lived in rural areas about their living places. Regarding the poisoning characteristics of the elderly and the non-elderly, the most causing substance was bee sting about the poisoning causing substances and most of patients didn't get drunken about drunken state in both group. Regarding the time factors of the elderly and the non-elderly, both groups had the most accidents in afternoon about the poisoning time and in summer about the seasonal distribution.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.211-219
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• 2016

The current study was conducted to make pre-post comparisons of education done for 119 emergency medical technicians (EMT) on the patient assessment performance. The data are expected to offer applicable training methods and educational resources for emergency medical services. Twenty six EMT from four cities and provinces participated in the study, which was carried out from 14 to 17 December, 2015. The technicians performed a patient assessment and marked reports on simulated patients. In the course of the assessment, a pre-post evaluation of education was done using a checklist regarding the respective symptoms, such as headache, chest pain, and dyspnea. The median value (quartile value) was used as the descriptive analysis. While patient assessment scores marked 66 points (54.00-80.25) out of 100 (p<0.01) before education, there was a significant increase in the after-education scores, which reached 88.5 points (80.00-93.00). The patient assessment performances revealed a significant increase (p<.0.01) in 5 chest pain, 7 headache, and 9 dyspnea items after education. Similarly, there was an increase in wanting to meet the EMT again scale in regards to categories involved in developing positive relations with patients. Moreover, the adequacy in the patient condition reports all marked a significant increase (p<0.01) in assessment categories. The present study shows that education based on simulation practices are necessary for improvements in patient assessment performance of 119 EMT. Therefore, practical and systematic patient assessment educations may serve as a prerequisite. Further opportunities should be provided for the EMT consistently.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.892-900
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• 2010

Objectives : To save the lives of patients with cardiac arrests, CPR must be performed rapidly and precisely. Regarding its critical necessity, there is a growing tendency to encourage whomever witnesses the cardiac arrest to perform basic CPR. However, the attitude toward basic CPR nor its current state of education in Korean Oriental Medical arena, which is one of the dual axes unique to Korean medical system, are not known. This is a kind of pilot study to research attitudes toward and the educative effect of basic CPR among oriental medical doctors in Korea. Methods : We carried out surveys and tests targeting nineteen apprentice doctors working in Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Hospital, who were receiving training for 'AHA BLS course for healthcare providers', on the attitude toward and educative effect of basic CPR before and after the education. Results : The pre-educational survey showed that most of the participants felt the necessity to be trained in the BLS course, were not confident about performing CPR, and not well-acquainted with the whole process of performing CPR. After education, however, none of them responded with a lack of confidence to perform basic CPR, and the score of the confidence to perform basic CPR was significantly increased, too (from $2.05{\pm}0.71$ to $4.05{\pm}0.40$, n=19, p<0.001). Moreover, all of them answered they were satisfied with this BLS course, and it aroused their sense of responsibility as oriental medical doctors. All the participants passed the exam, and their average score for BLS scheme performance was $28.2{\pm}1.3$. Conclusions : It is necessary, in the future, to set up a management system for intensive, regular and continuous reeducation and expand the research on the perception and attitude targeting larger numbers and more multilevel groups of oriental medical doctors.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.3870-3878
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate 119 rescue party's violence experiences and to analyze their responses of violence experiences based on the pre-hospital emergency medical field. Data were collected from the self-administered survey of 226 rescue party in Jeollabuk-do area in Korea from January 1 through March 2, 2009. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis using SPSS Win 12.0. The results were as follows: first, all of 119 rescue unit in the pre-hospital emergency medical field reported that they got violence experiences more than once a week, and 62% of rescue team were exposed to physical violence. Patient's factors that caused violence were drug abuse or alcohol(56.2%), on the other hand rescue party's factors were shortage of human resources. Second, 42% of the respondents replied that they did not have any educational experiences for prevention and coping methods about violence within 5 years. 77.4% of those surveyed indicated that they wanted to receive specific educations which can prevent and cope with violence. Third, the mean value of total violent response scores was 2.53, and emotional response score was 3.2, social response score was 2.22, and physical response score was 2.17. Fourth, violent response score related to general characteristics proposed that physical(t=-2.08, p=o.38), emotional(t=-7.13, p=.006), and total responses(t=-4.764, p=.000) were statistically significant. And emotional(t=4.257, p=.000) and total responses(t=8.1330, p=.000) related to age were also statistically significant. Finally, among current tenure qualification scores, social response(t=9.987, p=.012) and total score(t=8.130, p=.000) were statistically significant. Between fire departments, violent response score suggested that physical(t=9.987, p=.000), emotional(t=2.433, p=.012), social(t=6.738, p=.000), and total score(t=5.943, p=.000) were statistically significant.