Applying Crew Resource Management tools in Emergency Response Driving and patient transport-Finding consensus through...

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Patient Transport Safety
• Risk Management in Healthcare

Background:

• Emergency Response Driving (ERD) presents significant safety risks within Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
• Crew Resource Management (CRM) tools are crucial for managing high-risk procedures in EMS.
• This study addresses the need to identify consensus on CRM application in ERD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve expert consensus on critical factors for applying Crew Resource Management (CRM) tools during Emergency Response Driving (ERD).
• To enhance safety protocols for emergency vehicle operations and patient transport.
• To inform the development of evidence-based recommendations for EMS safety.

Main Methods:

• A modified three-round Delphi study involving 50 Emergency Response Driving (ERD) experts.
• Expert evaluation of items based on previous research, using a consensus level of ≥80%.
• Inductive content analysis of open-ended questions to supplement quantitative data.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on 64 out of 86 presented items (74.4%).
• Items reaching consensus were rated as 'important' on a five-point Likert scale (mean values 3.81-4.86).
• The study identified multiple critical factors for CRM tool application in ERD.

Conclusions:

• Key factors for implementing CRM tools in ERD and patient transport have been identified.
• The findings offer valuable insights for improving EMS safety.
• Further research is recommended to develop comprehensive safety guidelines.