Training of nursing in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense for aeromedical evacuation in the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the training of the military nursing team in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense to perform Aeromedical Evacuation in the coronavirus pandemic. This is an experience report about the training of the military nursing team in the Brazilian repatriation mission in China. Four members made up the aerospace nursing team. The period was from February to March 2020. Data analysis was carried out based on the survey of courses that each member of the nursing team had participated before the Operation. RESULTS: Training proved to be essential to meet the specificities of the mission. CONCLUSIONS: It is extremely important to operationalize protocols to improve the aeromedical service and transport mechanism, increasing the level of proficiency in the execution of missions. The training of the team allows the construction of necessary knowledge and skills during an aeromedical evacuation, guaranteeing the performance excellence required in this type of mission.

Air Evacuation of Citizens During the COVID-19 Epidemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus epidemic originated in China, having its epicenter in Wuhan. This was the first place in the world to adopt social distancing measures to contain the disease on January 23rd, 2020. After the initial isolation, several countries started making diplomatic plans to evacuate and repatriate their citizens, with the permission of the Chinese authorities. Due to the high risk of exposure of the transported passengers, evacuations were conducted with preventive measures against contamination by biological agents.CASE REPORT: We report the air evacuation of 39 passengers from China to Brazil. Five passengers were transported to Poland and the remaining 34 went to Brazil, where they remained in quarantine for 14 d. The mission was triggered on February 4th, named "Operation Return to Brazil" (Operação Regresso à Pátria Amada Brasil), and conducted by military personnel of the Brazilian Air Force. The mission was accomplished in 6 days; the flight from Wuhan lasted 25 h 20 min; and, additionally, there were on-ground preparations.DISCUSSION: Only with adequate isolation and protective measures was it possible to air evacuate the potentially contaminated passengers in the initial phase of the pandemic. Specific protective equipment (Personal Protective Equipment - PPE) is mandatory for missions in which the properties of the potentially contagious biological agent are not fully known, as was the case. Due to the risk of contamination of passengers and the likely evolution of the transport into an aeromedical evacuation, protocols stating the minimum safety conditions for this kind of patient transport must be followed, with consideration for the patient as well as the crew.Gomes ED, Ronconi MABR, Santos MB, Júnior PP, Franco AZP, Haberland DF, Borges LL. Air evacuation of citizens during the COVID-19 epidemic. Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2022; 93(2):94-98.

Military Nursing in "Operation Return to Brazil": aeromedical evacuation in the coronavirus pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the experience of military nursing in "Operation Return to Brazil" in an aeromedical evacuation. METHOD: this is an experience report of the nursing staff in the Aeromedical Evacuation of potentially-contaminated Brazilians who were in Wuhan, China, after the outbreak of the new coronavirus. RESULTS: the report was constructed from nursing care performed in three stages: pre-flight, screening, and flight. Pre-flight care would include aircraft configuration and material prediction. In screening, the staff was concerned with being properly attired. In the health assessment of returnees, in-flight, attention was focused on Personal Protective Equipment handling to minimize the risk of contamination by prolonged contact with potentially-contaminated passengers. Final considerations: nursing was committed to planning all the actions of this mission, which was one of the longest, strenuous and unprecedented in the history of aeromedical transport in Brazil.