Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews
Abstract Background Very little data is available about the involvement of lifeboat crews in medical emergencies at sea. The aim of this study is to analyze the medical operations at sea performed by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM). Methods This is a retrospective descriptive ana...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00879-7 |
| _version_ | 1797453668457381888 |
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| author | Daphne M. Messelink Gert-Jan van der Ploeg Theo van der Linden Roos D. Flameling Joost J. L. M. Bierens |
| author_facet | Daphne M. Messelink Gert-Jan van der Ploeg Theo van der Linden Roos D. Flameling Joost J. L. M. Bierens |
| author_sort | Daphne M. Messelink |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Very little data is available about the involvement of lifeboat crews in medical emergencies at sea. The aim of this study is to analyze the medical operations at sea performed by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM). Methods This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of all medical operations at sea performed by the KNRM between January 2017 and January 2020. The operations were divided in three groups: with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat, ambulance crew on land waiting for the arrival of the lifeboat, and autonomous operations (without ambulance crew involvement). The main outcome measures were circumstances, encountered medical problems, follow-up and crew departure time. Results The KNRM performed 282 medical operations, involving 361 persons. Operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat (n = 39; 42 persons) consisted mainly of persons with serious trauma or injuries; 32 persons (76.2%) were transported to a hospital. Operations with ambulance crew on land (n = 153; 188 persons) mainly consisted of situations where time was essential, such as persons who were still in the water, with risk of drowning (n = 45, 23.9%), on-going resuscitations (n = 9, 4.8%) or suicide attempts (n = 7, 3.7%). 101 persons (53,7%) were transported to a hospital. All persons involved in the autonomous operations (n = 90; 131 persons) had minor injuries. 38 persons (29%) needed additional medical care, mainly for (suspected) fractures or stitches. In 115 (40.8%) of all operations lifeboat crews did not know that there was a medical problem at the time of departure. Crew departure time in operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat (13.7 min, min. 0, max. 25, SD 5.74 min.) was significantly longer than in operations with ambulance crew on land (7.7 min, min. 0, max 21, SD 4.82 min., p < 0.001). Conclusion This study provides new information about the large variety of medical emergencies at sea and the way that lifeboat and ambulance crews are involved. Crew departure time in operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat was significantly longer than in operations with ambulance crew on land. This study may provide useful indications for improvement of future medical operations at sea, such as triage, because in 40.8% of operations, it was not known at the time of departure that there was a medical problem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:26:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5fa3ba338ed4b67be57d4f69ae54382 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-227X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:26:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5fa3ba338ed4b67be57d4f69ae543822023-11-26T12:32:11ZengBMCBMC Emergency Medicine1471-227X2023-09-012311910.1186/s12873-023-00879-7Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crewsDaphne M. Messelink0Gert-Jan van der Ploeg1Theo van der Linden2Roos D. Flameling3Joost J. L. M. Bierens4Department of Internal Medicine, Ziekenhuis Groep Twente HospitalRegional Ambulance Service Noord-Holland NoordThe Royal Dutch Lifeboat Institution (KNRM)Regional Ambulance Service Ambulance OostExtreme Environments Laboratory, School of Sport, Health & Exercise Science, University of PortsmouthAbstract Background Very little data is available about the involvement of lifeboat crews in medical emergencies at sea. The aim of this study is to analyze the medical operations at sea performed by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM). Methods This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of all medical operations at sea performed by the KNRM between January 2017 and January 2020. The operations were divided in three groups: with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat, ambulance crew on land waiting for the arrival of the lifeboat, and autonomous operations (without ambulance crew involvement). The main outcome measures were circumstances, encountered medical problems, follow-up and crew departure time. Results The KNRM performed 282 medical operations, involving 361 persons. Operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat (n = 39; 42 persons) consisted mainly of persons with serious trauma or injuries; 32 persons (76.2%) were transported to a hospital. Operations with ambulance crew on land (n = 153; 188 persons) mainly consisted of situations where time was essential, such as persons who were still in the water, with risk of drowning (n = 45, 23.9%), on-going resuscitations (n = 9, 4.8%) or suicide attempts (n = 7, 3.7%). 101 persons (53,7%) were transported to a hospital. All persons involved in the autonomous operations (n = 90; 131 persons) had minor injuries. 38 persons (29%) needed additional medical care, mainly for (suspected) fractures or stitches. In 115 (40.8%) of all operations lifeboat crews did not know that there was a medical problem at the time of departure. Crew departure time in operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat (13.7 min, min. 0, max. 25, SD 5.74 min.) was significantly longer than in operations with ambulance crew on land (7.7 min, min. 0, max 21, SD 4.82 min., p < 0.001). Conclusion This study provides new information about the large variety of medical emergencies at sea and the way that lifeboat and ambulance crews are involved. Crew departure time in operations with ambulance crew aboard the lifeboat was significantly longer than in operations with ambulance crew on land. This study may provide useful indications for improvement of future medical operations at sea, such as triage, because in 40.8% of operations, it was not known at the time of departure that there was a medical problem.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00879-7Lifeboat crewSea rescueAmbulance crewSearch and rescueDispatchTelemedicine |
| spellingShingle | Daphne M. Messelink Gert-Jan van der Ploeg Theo van der Linden Roos D. Flameling Joost J. L. M. Bierens Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews BMC Emergency Medicine Lifeboat crew Sea rescue Ambulance crew Search and rescue Dispatch Telemedicine |
| title | Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| title_full | Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| title_fullStr | Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| title_short | Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| title_sort | medical emergencies at sea an analysis of ambulance supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews |
| topic | Lifeboat crew Sea rescue Ambulance crew Search and rescue Dispatch Telemedicine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00879-7 |
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