Ministry of Health updates emergency medical aid and care flowcharts
With an amendment to the communiqué published in the Official Gazette, pre-hospital emergency medical aid and care flowcharts were renewed and organized under 78 subcategories in 3 main sections.
The Ministry of Health updated pre-hospital emergency intervention algorithms by amending the Communiqué on the Working Procedures and Principles of Ambulance and Emergency Care Technicians and Emergency Medical Technicians. In the renewed flowcharts, specific conditions and new standards were detailed under the headings of adults, childbirth, newborns, and pediatrics.
Flowcharts Grouped Under 78 Subcategories
With the regulation published in the Official Gazette, pre-hospital emergency medical aid and care flowcharts were gathered under three main headings: Adult, Childbirth and Newborn, and Pediatric Algorithms. Specific emergency situations and intervention methods were addressed under separate titles within the 78 subcategories included in these main sections.
Within the scope of the regulation, the title "Field Management" was changed to "Scene Management." Steps for teams to work in coordination with the Health Command and Control Center and to request additional resources and equipment based on the number of injured individuals were reorganized.
Emergency Response and Communication Standards Updated
In the communiqué, steps for communication and medical aid with individuals exhibiting restlessness, anxiety, and aggression were included under the title of approach to agitated patients. The emergency approach to diabetic patients, as well as medical methods and medication use to be applied in allergic reactions, were detailed.
The BEFAST screening method was added to the guide to facilitate the rapid assessment of patients with suspected acute stroke. Under the title "Bites and Stings," steps to be taken in cases involving snakes, scorpions, ticks, and bees were listed, while carbon monoxide poisoning was included as a separate category under the poisonings section.
Methods to Be Applied in Disasters and Special Situations
Crush Syndrome, which develops due to muscle crushing following situations such as earthquakes and accidents, was defined in the communiqué. It was stated that this syndrome should be considered in cases of entrapment or remaining under rubble for more than half an hour. In situations with numerous casualties, START Triage, with a duration kept under 1 minute per patient, will be used.
Under Pediatric Algorithms, the JumpSTART Triage system was added to the guide for classifying disaster victims under 8 years of age. In the Childbirth and Newborn section, steps for managing postpartum hemorrhage and acute hypertension in pregnancy were outlined.