This study was intended to improve quality of prehospital emergency care for the elderly patients by figuring out current prehospital care status based on run-sheets and level of knowledge, attitude and prehospital care confidence toward the elderly through questionnaires filled out by 119 emergency medical technicians(EMTs).
Methods: This study was conducted a research of 4,946 elderly patients who had been transferred to the hospital by 119 ambulance in 1 fire station from March 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014 through run-sheets. It, as a descriptive study, also utilized 160 copies with questionnaires of 119 EMTs working in D city on the elderly patients. With SPSS 21.0, it analyzed the data through frequency analysis, t-test, ANOVA and repeated measures, Tukey HDS test.
Results:
1) Among the 4,946 patients, 55.7% of them were female, and 45.8% of them were at the age of 70～79 years. The most frequent places patients occurred were homes 74.8%, and types of patient occurrences showed the order of illnesses 74.2%, and accident injuries 20.1%.
2) Of all patient''s assessments on the elderly patients done by 119 EMTs, Most vital signs were measured in more than 96%. Among various emergency cares, the frequency of applying manipulation airway was 30.4%, ECG monitoring was 19.3%.
3) The mean score for 119 EMTs'' knowledge on the elderly patients was 44.6(13.4). Advanced EMTs(termed 1-level EMTs) got significantly higher score than basic EMTs(termed 2-level EMTs) in knowledge on the elderly patients. Differences in 119 EMTs'' knowledge on the elderly patients were statistically significant based on genders(p=.017), types of licenses(p=.000), clinical training experience(p=.009), interest in issues of senior citizens(p=.048), and volunteering experience(p=.001).
4) The mean score for 119 EMTs'' attitude toward the elderly patients was 3.86(0.67). Difference in their attitude on the elderly patients was statistically significant according to their interest in issues of senior citizens(p=.048), and volunteering experience(p=.002).
5) 119 EMTs'' prehospital care confidence on the elderly patients by prehospital care categories showed the order of 4.09(0.67) points in initial assessment, 4.06(0.71) points in basic life support, and 3.84(0.76) points in advanced life support. Initial assessment and basic life support showed statistically significant difference based upon age(p=.023), license type(p=.000), prehospital care career(p=.012), career at hospital(p=.000), clinical training experience(p=.000), and educated experience(p=.000), while advanced life support was of statistically significant difference according to career at hospital(p=.005), and educated experience(p=.031).
6) In a survey with 160 ambulance crew, 81.3% responded to having occasional difficulties in transporting elderly patients, showing the order of difficulty in communication with the patients 62.3%, shortage of first-aid personnel 40.8%.
Conclusion: this study suggested that education to raise theoretical knowledge of the elderly for better prehospital care and service is necessary and provide various chances to create positive attitude among them toward the elderly, repeated technical prehospital care education and training accompanied by their feedback assessment will lead to high quality service for the elderly patients.