응급의료전용헬기 항공간호사의 항공이송업무분석

The Analysis of the Flight Nurses Activities in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)

Purpose: This study was aimed to describe Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) and analyze the flight nurses' activities in HEMS. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from the air transportation reports that contained data of 168 patients transported by aircraft to G University medical center in Incheon since June, 2012 to March, 2013. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Average distance of flights was 44.0 km, duration of field treatment took 13.6 minutes, and duration of a flight from scene to hospital was 14.5 minutes. Nursing activities were categorized into 12 direct nursing activities and 5 nursing management activities, and a total number of 7806 nursing activities were occurred in HEMS. The most frequently performed nursing activity was measurement and monitoring (27.9%) followed by medication (11.5%) and respiratory management (8.7%). The most frequent nursing management were information management (11.0%). Nursing activities performed were significantly different depending on the patient's level of consciousness, cause of illness, crew configuration, and type of transportation. Conclusion: This study described HEMS nursing activities performed by flight nurses. Difference in nursing activities according to patient characteristics, crew configuration and type of transportation requires flight nurses to be prepared through educational programs to improve nursing activities and nursing management during air transportation.