Emergencies ; Rescue Work

Disaster Planning ; Humans ; Rescue Work

Earthquakes ; Humans ; Rescue Work ; Wounds and Injuries ; surgery

Critical Care ; General Surgery ; Humans ; Rescue Work

Disaster Medicine ; Disasters ; Emergency Medicine ; Humans ; Rescue Work

China ; Disasters ; Emergency Medical Services ; Humans ; Rescue Work

We conducted in-depth interviews with 11 Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) members about stress related to disaster relief work and analyzed the interview data using the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method in order to evaluate difficulties in disaster relief work and to develop solutions to these problems in cooperation with related organizations. Results showed that members typically experienced stress related to untrained team members, ineffective cooperation, and the shock and aftermath of aftershock experiences. Stress tended to stem from several factors: difficulties related to cooperation with new team members, the frightening disaster experience, and the aftermath of the disaster. Other stressors included conflict with the control tower, diverse problems at the disaster relief work site, and environmental factors. The most common reason that members participated in KDRT work despite all the stressors and difficulties was pride about the kind of work it involved. Many subjects in this study suffered from various stresses after the relief work, but they had no other choice than to attempt to forget about their experiences over time. It is recommended that the mental health of disaster relief workers will improve through the further development of effective treatment and surveillance programs in the future.
Disasters* ; Earthquakes* ; Mental Health ; Methods ; Nepal* ; Qualitative Research* ; Relief Work ; Rescue Work ; Shock

In the 21st century, natural disasters and emergencies occur frequently worldwide, which leads to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives as well as the direct and indirect economic losses. China has a vast territory frequently struck by natural disasters. However, the reality is not optimistic. Poor organization and management during the rescue actions, the lack of large-scale, systematic medical rescue equipment were all great barriers to the outcomes. Mobile hospitals are expected to provide better health care. We were inspired by the concept of mobile hospital. Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, has set up trauma care system since 1988, in which prehospital care, intensive care, and in-hospital treatment is fully integrated. As a major advantage, such a system provided assurance of "golden hour" rescue treatment. Providing mobile intensive care and prehospital surgical service for severe trauma patients could reduce mortality significantly. Based on the civilian experiences in Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, the mobile emergency (surgical) hospital was developed.
China ; Earthquakes ; Emergency Medical Services ; Humans ; Mobile Health Units ; Relief Work ; Rescue Work

Intravascular stents are being used with increasing frequency in interventional neuroradiology. We present two cases of arterial rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage during middle cerebral artery stenting. Extravasation of contrast material and massive subarachnoid hemorrhage during stenting in one case resulted in mortality. In the other case, overlapping stenting and balloon tamponade on the dissected vessel, however, were performed emergently. Thereafter, thrombotic occlusion of the middle cerebral artery was managed by intraarterial abciximab administration. Serial angiography showed that normal vessel patency was reestablished within 20 min. We discuss complications of stenting for symptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis and their rescue work.
Angiography ; Balloon Occlusion ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Mortality ; Rescue Work ; Rupture ; Stents* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the factors that influence secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and physical symptoms experienced by firefighters. In addition, a hypothetical model was developed. METHOD: The data were collected using self-reported questionnaires from 410 field service firefighters. Data analysis was done with the SPSSWIN 10.0 program for descriptive statistics and Windows LISREL program to determine the causal relationship between the measurement variables. RESULTS: The hypothetical model which was developed fits well with actual data(chi-square=3.16, p=0.99, GFI=1.00, AGFI=0.99, NFI=0.99, and NNFI=1.06). The variable, personality type, social support, and impact mobilization frequency had a significant effect and accounted for 7% of the secondary traumatic stress in firefighters. The variables, career, social support, and secondary traumatic stress had a significant effect and accounted for 24% of the burnout in firefighters. Social support, impact mobilization frequency, and secondary traumatic stress were important variables and accounted for 31% of the physical symptoms in firefighters. CONCLUSION: It is necessary for firefighters to manage themselves according to their personality types. Strategies that can increase the firefighters' social support and decrease their perceived secondary traumatic stress also need to be developed to minimize or prevent a negative effect on their health.
Firefighters* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rescue Work ; Statistics as Topic ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic