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Additional file 2.

Additional file 1.

BACKGROUND: Sickness among field relief workers prompted us to develop strategies for preventing manpower loss. Most studies have focused on the preparedness and safety of medical responders in the prepared phase, but those parameters are lacking in the response phase. This study attempted to identify effective ways to prevent medical team members from acquiring acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) based on our field reports. This was a retrospective cohort study. The 56 team members were from eight missions in total, including medial disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance, deployed between June 2007 and February 2010. The demographics of the participating members and their actions were examined for association with acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection episodes using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. One member (7.0%) with acute diarrhea and 11 (26.1%) members without acute diarrhea took doxycycline. The relationship between doxycycline and acute diarrhea episodes was not statistically signifi cant. However, while 6 of 14 team members (42.9%) with acute diarrhea used hand sanitizer, 35 of 42 team members (83.3%) without diarrhea used hand sanitizer. Only hand sanitizer use was statistically related to the prevention of acute diarrhea and URI (p value = 0.021, 0.032). Hand sanitizer is suggested to protect medical teams from acute diarrhea and URI in such challenging environments. Chemoprophylaxis for malaria remains dependent on the area of deployment. METHODS: Sickness among field relief workers prompted us to develop strategies for preventing manpower loss. Most studies have focused on the preparedness and safety of medical responders in the prepared phase, but those parameters are lacking in the response phase. This study attempted to identify effective ways to prevent medical team members from acquiring acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) based on our field reports. This was a retrospective cohort study. The 56 team members were from eight missions in total, including medial disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance, deployed between June 2007 and February 2010. The demographics of the participating members and their actions were examined for association with acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection episodes using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. One member (7.0%) with acute diarrhea and 11 (26.1%) members without acute diarrhea took doxycycline. The relationship between doxycycline and acute diarrhea episodes was not statistically signifi cant. However, while 6 of 14 team members (42.9%) with acute diarrhea used hand sanitizer, 35 of 42 team members (83.3%) without diarrhea used hand sanitizer. Only hand sanitizer use was statistically related to the prevention of acute diarrhea and URI (p value = 0.021, 0.032). Hand sanitizer is suggested to protect medical teams from acute diarrhea and URI in such challenging environments. Chemoprophylaxis for malaria remains dependent on the area of deployment. RESULTS: Sickness among field relief workers prompted us to develop strategies for preventing manpower loss. Most studies have focused on the preparedness and safety of medical responders in the prepared phase, but those parameters are lacking in the response phase. This study attempted to identify effective ways to prevent medical team members from acquiring acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) based on our field reports. This was a retrospective cohort study. The 56 team members were from eight missions in total, including medial disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance, deployed between June 2007 and February 2010. The demographics of the participating members and their actions were examined for association with acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection episodes using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. One member (7.0%) with acute diarrhea and 11 (26.1%) members without acute diarrhea took doxycycline. The relationship between doxycycline and acute diarrhea episodes was not statistically signifi cant. However, while 6 of 14 team members (42.9%) with acute diarrhea used hand sanitizer, 35 of 42 team members (83.3%) without diarrhea used hand sanitizer. Only hand sanitizer use was statistically related to the prevention of acute diarrhea and URI (p value = 0.021, 0.032). Hand sanitizer is suggested to protect medical teams from acute diarrhea and URI in such challenging environments. Chemoprophylaxis for malaria remains dependent on the area of deployment. CONCLUSION: Sickness among field relief workers prompted us to develop strategies for preventing manpower loss. Most studies have focused on the preparedness and safety of medical responders in the prepared phase, but those parameters are lacking in the response phase. This study attempted to identify effective ways to prevent medical team members from acquiring acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) based on our field reports. This was a retrospective cohort study. The 56 team members were from eight missions in total, including medial disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance, deployed between June 2007 and February 2010. The demographics of the participating members and their actions were examined for association with acute diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection episodes using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. One member (7.0%) with acute diarrhea and 11 (26.1%) members without acute diarrhea took doxycycline. The relationship between doxycycline and acute diarrhea episodes was not statistically signifi cant. However, while 6 of 14 team members (42.9%) with acute diarrhea used hand sanitizer, 35 of 42 team members (83.3%) without diarrhea used hand sanitizer. Only hand sanitizer use was statistically related to the prevention of acute diarrhea and URI (p value = 0.021, 0.032). Hand sanitizer is suggested to protect medical teams from acute diarrhea and URI in such challenging environments. Chemoprophylaxis for malaria remains dependent on the area of deployment.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a standardized rapid sequence intubation (RSI) protocol easily accessed on the resuscitation cart increased the success rate of intubation and reduced intubation-related complications in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This work was a retrospective study of patients who were intubated in the ED between February 2006 and June 2007. The RSI protocol and a dosage cross-table were attached to the resuscitation cart beginning in January 2007. Intubated patients before and after application of the protocol were sorted into two groups: pre-intervention and post-intervention. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients were enrolled in the study, including 72 patients in the pre-intervention group and 75 patients in the post-intervention group. After application of the standardized protocol prompted on the resuscitation cart. The adherence rates to pre-treatment agents (69% vs. 90%; p < 0.01) and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) (72% vs. 90%; p < 0.01) significantly improved. The first-attempt success rate was 57 of 72 (79%) in the pre-intervention group versus 70 of 75 (93%) in the post-intervention group (p = 0.016). The time to intubation did not differ signifi cantly, but the preintervention group had a higher percentage of prolonged time to intubation (13% vs. 3%; p = 0.029). The implementation of a standardized RSI protocol did not induce signifi cant adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated implementation of a standardized RSI protocol, improved clinician adherence to the RSI, increased success of first-attempt ED intubation and led to a decline in the rate of prolonged time to intubation.