Usability testing of new Auckland HEMS packs

Scott Orman's avatarAuckland HEMS

By Dr Chris Denny, Auckland HEMS Medical Director

In the early days of Auckland HEMS, we loosely ‘bolted on’ our equipment to the existing paramedic gear. As time passed and we forged a strong collaborative relationship with our paramedic colleagues, the performance gap in our gear required a solution. One year ago we held an ‘Ergonomic Equipment Exercise’, led by Dr. Samantha Bendall (on sabbatical from Sydney, NSW). From this evening of pack testing we learned to focus on integration. Several design concepts guided our work:

a) Functional coherence
b) Facilitation of communication
c) Facilitation of task accomplishment
d) Adaptable space
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We are now testing our prototype packs.
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This testing will move through three phases:
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Phase I: ‘Kicking the tyres”
Phase II: Simulation-based usability testing (carrying the packs, winching the packs, airway tasks, vascular access tasks, splinting tasks,…)
Phase III: Live operational testing
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Here is a…

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Levitan, the “Laryngeal Handshake” and the “Cartilaginous Cage”

Pearls from Rich Levitan on surgical airways: Do the “Laryngeal Handshake” to identify airway anatomy and the Cricothyroid “Cartilaginous Cage” is protective

Laryngeal handshake and cartilaginous cage
From Rich Levitan’s slides with permission

Continue reading “Levitan, the “Laryngeal Handshake” and the “Cartilaginous Cage””

PODCAST #20 – Dr Helgi Johannsson – Wrongfooted by Checklists

Http://about.me/timleeuwenburg's avatarRural Doctors Net

It was a pleasure to catch up with Icelander-turned Londoner Dr Helgi Johannsson regarding the ‘Wrongfooted‘ case.

Helgi is a prolific blogger – using Social Media to disseminate both useful nuggets of clinical information under the #TGDed hashtag (trauma gas education) and also occasional trash tweets on the weekend. Follow him at @TraumaGasDoc.

I was intrigued by the ‘Wrongfooted‘ case posted by Helgi – a classic case of the WHO checklist not being used properly. Several important lessons from this case, not least the need to use checklists appropriately … and the power of Social Media to disseminate important safety messages. Contrast this with the failure to disseminate safety lessons from a nearly identical case, as articulated subsequently by medical director Dr Dermot O’Riordan – the frustration being that the lessons learned from Dermot’s case weren’t made available to a wider audience.

Clearly ‘Wrongfooted

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Aeromedical FOAMEd : presentation slides from the Aeromedical Society Australasia & Flight Nurses Australia 2013 conference

Missed the conference? Well check out the presenters` slides at least! Some gems here by Dr Brent May on videolaryngoscopes and MICA flight paramedic Matt Shepherd on difficult prehospital airway case.
PRESENTATONS FROM MELBOURNE 2013 CONFERENCE

MEDEST Review. Speciale FOAMED Italy

medest118's avatarMEDEST

This is a special edition dedicated to what’s on in Italy about FOAmed Blog and authors.

MEDEST-reviewThis is not intended as a comprehensive review but just a  brief look on Italian way to blog in emergency medicine. So sorry in advance if I forgot someone. Instead notify me any Blog you think worths to be mentioned.

Thanks to everyone and enjoy!

Questa edizione speciale di MEDEST Review è dedicata ai Blog di Medicina d’urgenza nazionali. Non può e non vuole essere un elenco esaustivo di tutti i Blog in materia ma solo uno sguardo sul panoramma FOAmed in Italia. Mi scuso in anticipo con tutti coloro che non ho menzionato e v iprego di segnalarmi tutti quei Blog che ritenete degni di nota.

Grazie e buona lettura!

EM pills

Carlo D’apuzzo, Mattia Quarta e gli altri autori fanno di questo Blog uno dei più vitali del panorama nazionale. Post…

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