• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.111-118
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• 2007

Purpose : It was to present strategies on activation of prehospital medical direction in Korea. Methods : This study was conducted by analysing some papers on prehospital medical direction and statistical data from the National Emergency Management Agency. Results : There was no active application of medical direction methods such as Priority Dispatch System, Pre-Arrival Instructions, System Status Management and no data on prehospital medical direction. To estimate direct medical control on emergency patients who were sorted by EMTs in 2006 was only 2.5%. Conclusion : To improve prehospital medical direction, it needed to applicate data collecting & using system and in-direct & direct medical control by medical doctor.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2006

Purpose: We studied that EMT took care in prehospital care of cardiac arrest patients by "the chain of survial", we need the data about treatment of EMT in prehospital care of cardiac arrest patients. and then we want to educate EMT for their emergency skill and knowledge of prehospital care of cardiac arrest patients. Method: We studied 162 cardiac arrest patients were transported by EMT in Jecheon province, Chingbuk. Results: 1. Stage of Early Access 96.9% of people who related the cardiac arrest patients used the Jecheon 119 Rescue at their emergency situation. 2 Stage of Early CPR The EMT supported keeping of airway to 148 of 162 cardiac arrest patients. Artificial respiration was 120 of 162 cardiac arrest patients and chest compression was 119 of 162 cardiac arrest patients. 3. Stage of Early AED There were shocked 6 cardiac arrest patients but weren't shocked 156 victims of 162 cardiac arrest patients by AED. 4. Stage of Early ACLS There were reported 3 of 162 cardiac arrest patients. to Doctor or Hospital Emergency Center for medical direction to EMT in prehospital area. There is no advanced airway, IV insertion and medication to the prehospital cardiac arrest patients.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2005

In Korea, EMS Fund Operation seems to move the opposite direction to right way. The most initial EMS fund was consumed loan for some emergency patients without any particular results. Since 2002, the use of EMS fund also has shown a tendency to shift one side. By the results, it was 44.3% to support emergency medical centers, so called hospital EMS system and 28.4% to purchase ambulances and helicopters, and 1.6% to operate Central Medical Center, prehospital base in the EMS fund consumed in 2004. It was never supported for the environmental improvement and development of universities, colleges, and private EMS units having the primary responsibilities. The initial EMS fund using should be used for prehospital base, e.g., prehospital staffs, communications, and facilities and balanced development between public and private EMS units than any other fund using.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.55-69
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to analyze the prehospital care report prepared by EMS squads of 119 center in Gyeonggi area and to identify the status of prehospital care activities, problems and improvement possibilities of the emergency care. Method : Five hundred copies of prehospital care report prepared by EMS squads in thirty-eight 119 centers under 18 fire stations in Gyeonggi area from March to April in 2008 were randomly chosen for the analysis. Data abstracted according to the purpose of the study were input and the analysis of prehospital care activities were performed using SPSS-WIN(ver. 16) statistics package. Results : 1. Total 500 cases of prehospital emergency care activities were reviewed. By sex, females were 219 (43.8%) and males were 281 (56.2%). The places of reporting were home (57.8%). According to the type of emergency, 281 cases (56.2%) were caused by disease and 291 (43.8%) were from other causes such as traffic accidents or incidental injuries. 2 The average time needed for the 119 EMS squad to arrive at the scene after being reported was 7.29 minutes. The time used at the scene for the emergency care was 7.3 minutes in average and the time to arrive at the hospital was 25.4 minutes in average. 3. In patient evaluation, in 68% of the cases more than two vital signs were measured at one time and emergency patients were 31%, and non-emergency patients were 69%. 4. In one EMS activity, average 2.15 cases of emergency care were provided to a patient. The cases where two kinds of emergency care were given were 14.4%, which is the most frequent cases. When reviewing the details of the emergency cares given to the patient including multiple cares, trivial cards (taking it easy and giving comfort) were the most frequent one as 40.6% and the medical direction of the doctor was given in only one case out of 500 cases. 5. In patient evaluation and emergency care, vital signs were provided to emergency patients at significantly higher rate comparing to the non-emergency patients. The number of emergency care performance was significantly higher in emergency cases. In emergency dispatch, the cases that EMT (1st class) was on board was 86.2%. When comparing the cases when the 1st class EMT was on board and otherwise, the cases with the presence of 1st class EMT showed more vital signs were detected but there was no significant difference in the number of emergency cares provided. Conclusion : It seemed that the on-scene emergency care did not satisfy the expectations. So it is necessary to enforce the cooperation between the elements, the qualifications of the 119 EMS squads and to improve the prehospital working environment in order to provide the better medical service at any time.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.31-44
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of emergency medical services(EMS) is to save human lives and assure the completeness of the body in emergency situations. Those who have been qualified on medical practice to perform such treatment as there is the risk of human life and possibility of major physical and mental injuries that could result from the urgency of time and invasiveness inflicted upon the body. In the emergency medical activities, 119 emergency medical technicians mainly perform the task but they are not able to perform such task independently and they are mandatory to receive medical direction. The purpose of this study is to examine the recognition and request for medical direction by 119 emergency medical technicians in order to provide basic information on the development of medical direction program suitable to the characteristics of EMS as well as for the studies on EMS for the sake of efficient operation of pre-hospital EMS. Method : Questionnaire via e-mail was conducted during July 1-31, 2010 for 675 participants who are emergency medical technicians, nurses and other emergency crews in Gyeongbuk. The effective 171 responses were used for the final analysis. In regards to the emergency medical technicians' scope of responsibilities defined in Attached Form 14, Enforcement regulations of EMS, t-test analysis was conducted by using the means and standard deviation of the level of request for medical direction on the scope of responsibilities of Level 1 & Level 2 emergency medical technicians as the scale of medical direction request. The general characteristics, experience result, the reason for necessity, emergency medical technicians & medical director request level, medical direction method, the place of work of the medical director, feedback content and improvement plan request level were analyzed through frequency and percentage. The level of experience in medical direction and necessity were analyzed through ${\chi}^2$ test. Results : In regards to the medical direction experience per qualification, the experience was the highest with 53.3% for Level 1 emergency medical technicians and 80.3% responded that experience was helpful. As for the recognition on the necessity of medical direction, 71.3% responded as "necessary" and it turned out to be the highest of 76.9% in nurses. As for the reason for responding "necessary", the reason for reducing the risk and side-effects from EMS for patients was the largest(75.4%), and the reason of EMS delay due to the request of medical direction was the highest(71.4%) for the reason for responding "not necessary". In regards to the request level of the task scope of emergency medical technicians, injection of certain amount of solution during a state of shock was the highest($3.10{\pm}.96$) for Level 1 emergency rescuers, and the endotracheal intubation was the highest($3.12{\pm}1.03$) for nurses, and the sublingual administration of nitroglycerine(NTG) during chest pain was the highest($2.62{\pm}1.02$) for Level 2 emergency medical technicians, and regulation of heartbeat using AED was the highest($2.76{\pm}.99$) for other emergency crews. For the revitalization of medical direction, the improvement in the capability of EMS(78.9%) was requested from emergency crew, and the ability to evaluate the medical state of patient was the highest(80.1%) in the level of request for medical director. The prehospital and direct medical direction was the highest(60.8%) for medical direction method, and the emergency medical facility was the highest(52.0%) for the placement of medical director, and the evaluation of appropriateness of EMS was the highest(66.1%) for the feedback content, and the reinforcement of emergency crew(emergency medical technicians) personnel was the highest(69.0%) for the improvement plan. Conclusion : The medical direction is an important policy in the prehospital EMS activity because 119 emergency medical technicians agreed the necessity of medical direction and over 80% of those who experienced medical direction said it was helpful. In addition, the simulation training program using algorithm and case study through feedback are necessary in order to enhance the technical capability of ambulance teams on the item of professional EMS with high level of request in the task scope of emergency medical technicians, and recognition of medical direction is the essence of the EMS field. In regards to revitalizing medical direction, the improvement of the task performance capability of 119 emergency medical technicians and medical directors, reinforcement of emergency medical activity personnel, assurance of trust between emergency medical technicians and the emergency physician, and search for professional operation plan of medical direction center are needed to expand the direct medical direction method for possible treatment beforehand through the participation by medical director even at the step in which emergency situation report is received.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.67-84
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study is to present the basic data for qualitative improvement of emergency care for emergency patient by paramedic in fire station by understanding the level of awareness and practice in prehospital and transfer step, and understanding the level of emergency care and improvement of clinical knowledge through hospital clinical training. Methods: The researchers explained the objective for 143 persons who completed hospital clinical training from June 2nd, 2006 to October 23rd, 2009 among paramedic in fire station. The questionnaire in this research consisted of 80 questions. In the reliability for the awareness of emergency patient assessment, cronbach's $\alpha$ was 0.95, and in the reliability for emergency care fulfillment, cronbach's $\alpha$ was 0.93. reliability for clinical knowledge improvement is cronbach's $\alpha=.95$, and reliability for emergency care fulfillment is cronbach's $\alpha=.82$. Collected data was analyzed through SPSS 18.0 statistics program for frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, Paired t-test, t-test, Correlation Coefficient, and internal consistency reliability was analyzed by cronbach's $\alpha$. Results: 1) The paramedic awareness and practice difference for emergency patient is statistically signification for general patient assessment(t=14.159, p=.000), trauma patient assessment(t=11.288, p=.000), internal medicine patient assessment(t=10.898, p=.000), and it shows the level of practice is lower than the level of awareness. 2) The paramedic difference between the level of awareness and practice according to whether or not they have clinical career is not signification on awareness(t=3.119, p=.125), and is high on practice(t=3.119, p=.002). 3) The correlation between paramedic awareness and the level of practice shows positive correlation(r=.61, p=.000). The higher the awareness of emergency patient assessment is, the higher the level of practice is. 4) The difference between paramedic clinical knowledge improvement and the level of emergency care practice is statistically significant(t=3.351, p=.001). 5) 89.6%(128 persons) of paramedic replied hospital clinical training experiences are helpful for field activity. 92.3%(133 persons) replied they apply well for clinical knowledge learned during hospital clinical training and emergency care skills in the field. Conclusion: Paramedic in fire station must evaluate the patient's initial assessment and activate the transfer system to the emergency department. It is necessary to develop and implement the effective education program continuously. The education program should systemize currently operated hospital clinical training. emergency disease and symptoms emergency care method, and practice mainly skill education should be progressed. In the prehospital and transfer management, high quality of medical assessment is required to the emergency medical service system. Medical direction from the doctors can feedback the paramedic continuously and continuing education must be provided to the paramedic in fire station.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.29-43
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• 2012

Purpose : The goal of the present study is to provide the basic information to medical control which is the most important improving factor of pre-hospital medical treatment. Method : A total of 749 records of direct medical control were collected from 119 EMTs in emergency medical information center of Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do and Chungcheongbuk-do from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. Results : The 119 EMTs should record the level of qualification of EMT and general patient history taking precisely when they receive direct medical controls. The doctors should take medical controls within the task range of qualification of EMTs. Conclusion : It is necessary to establish the guideline of medical direction and protocol of prehospital emergency care. The quality improvement of pre-hospital emergency services will be possible by the guideline and protocol.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-39
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• 2006

In Korea, There are many disasters, like the collapse of Sampung department store, the strike of severe typhoon 'Rusa' and the subway tragedy in Taegu, because of global warming, urbanization, high-density and high-rise of buildings. So, the government made 'The Framework Act' on the safe and management of disaster and 'The National Emergency Management Agency' was established. But emergency medical service systems in Korea is not growing so much. The purpose of this research is to give basic data for the development of emergency medical service systems in Disaster by comparing of disaster management systems and emergency medical systems among the nations of the world, analysing emergency medical systems in disaster in Korea and suggesting some improvement methods. The improvment methods are like this ; First, establishing the National Disaster Medical System in Korea, making the good triage by EMT, expansion of EMT's working area, developing protocols and framing of medical director increasing the working force of EMT, broad inner cavity of ambulance for treatment of patientent, supplement of professional equipments, active using of helicopters are needed in prehospital are. Second, equal establishment of emergency medical center and increase of working force of emergency medical team are needed in hospital area. Finally, enforcement of the dispatcher's qualification, smooth communication among EMSS systems and actualization of medical direction through screen are needed in the Telecommunication system.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the causes of non-transport in 119 ambulance services and to describe the difference in response time according to the reason for non-transport. Methods: This study analyzed 42,415 non-transport cases out of 123,158 cases using prehospital care reports in a metropolitan city. The Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test were used to 6,857 cases for which time was recorded. Results: Non-transportation in 20${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ comprised 33.1% of all ambulance services. The reason for non-transport were other reasons (25.5%), cancellation (23.8%), and moving to other vehicles (21.7%). There were differences in ambulance service times according to the reasons for non-transport. The activation interval was the longest (2.68 minutes) in the absence of the patient, and the response interval was the shortest (4.96 minutes) among the cancelled case. The total interval was the shortest time (21.97 minutes) in the cancellation cases and the longest time among the death cases (32.23 minutes). Conclusion: It is important to suggest the direction of development of emergency services by identifying the reasons for non-transport by ambulance services and describing the response time according to the reason for non-transport.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.141-171
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• 2019

Nurses are medical personnels under the Medical Service Act and perform medical practice such as medical assistance at medical institutions. The nurse, a medical personnel, provides emergency medical service to emergency patients in the pre-hospital emergency medical system as a 119 rescuer based on the Act on 119 Rescue and Emergency Medical Services. The scope of practice of nurses is comprehensively defined in the Medical Service Act and specified through precedents. In contrast, The scope of work of emergency medical technician is listed in detail. It is understood that nurses in the pre-hospital emergency medical service system have a wider scope of practice than emergency medical technician. In particular, the scope of practice of nurses as emergency medical personnel in the pre-hospital emergency medical system should be interpreted differently within the medical institution, considering the urgency of the patient, being transferred to the emergency medical institution, and the specificity of medical direction through tele-communication.