Smart Ambulance Monitoring System Using Iot

A vehicle which is used to transport patients to hospitals is called as ambulance, this ambulance vehicle is equipped with some vital lifesaving equipment's and first aid medicines. With these medicines and equipment's, the patients are given first aid till it reaches the desired hospital. Whenever a patient is in life-threatening emergency, then the ambulance paramedics should act promptly and must update the status of the patient to their doctors. This type of treatment or service is called Emergency Medical Service (EMS). It deals with immediate treatment and timely movement of the patients. For implementing EMS in ambulance several solutions have been developed for faster means of communication between the equipment's used in ambulance and the doctors. But the solutions are not viable in emergency situations. In additions during Covid wave in 2020 there was a scarcity for hospitals beds, it was filled with many covid patients. In many hospitals there was a queue of ambulances with patients waiting outside the hospitals. In some cases, the patients even died before getting any treatment, to overcome such crucial situations we have come out with a new system combining IoT, Sensor system and Embedded Controllers. The system developed here has sensors to monitor patients' vital parameters and transmits to the hospital server, such that a doctor can know the live condition of the patient and he can give instructions to the paramedics to do emergency aids. The system is a compactable and connects to the server with a mobile hotspot. The information is updated every 10 seconds. By implementing this system in ambulances, it saves many valuable lives of the people.

Patients' Satisfaction With Pharmaceutical Care Services Provided During COVID Pandemic: Experience From Greece.

Introduction Private pharmacies can contribute to the health care system through primary care. Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine patients' expectations of pharmaceutical care services during covid pandemic in order to measure the level of patient satisfaction provided by the Greek healthcare system. Also, it is important to identify the associated factors that might affect patient satisfaction. Material and Method The sample of the study consisted of 168 customers of pharmacies in Athens. A patient satisfaction survey was conducted at health facilities operating in Athens. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics and parameters that measure patients' expectations and satisfaction were collected through a closed-ended questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability. The patient's point of view was evaluated based on their expectation and perception of the pharmaceutical care services they had received. Data were entered into SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY ), and descriptive statistics, cross-tabs, and binary logistic regressions were utilized. P < 0.05 was used to declare association. Results About 89.3% of the participants were insured in the Greek health system. The main reason for visiting the pharmacy was the purchase of medicines and products (95.2%), vaccinations (19.6%), and consulting services for first aid (17.3%). The pharmacist was rated for his courtesy, willingness, friendliness, and reliability. Only 48.2% of participants knew that the pharmacy provided primary care services during the pandemic. The most common services provided were blood pressure measurement and intramuscular injections. Around 64.2% of them were fully satisfied. Pharmacists in primary care teams are uniquely positioned to facilitate practice expansion and make medicine a trusted resource for physicians, as well as improve health outcomes for patients. Conclusions The pharmacy has a leading role in health care due to easy access, and fast and immediate service. Patient-clients in Greek society trust their pharmacist as a health professional. Further research is suggested to ensure that through the delivery of health services by pharmacies, the cost of primary care could be lower.

Effects of Critical Incident Stress Management on Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To analyze the effect of Critical Incident Stress Management on the mental health of nurses during COVID-19. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Jhelum Pakistan from Mar to Jun 2020. Methodology: Forty-six nurses were consecutively recruited and evaluated regarding Knowledge about COVID-19, thoughts regarding its origin, emotional reactions, and coping mechanisms. The evaluation was followed by the provision of Critical Incident Stress Management sessions in March. Finally, in the second phase conducted in June, the participants were evaluated again to assess the effect of intervention regarding the above parameters. Results: Results indicated a statistically significant shift in Knowledge from Social Media to Academic Resources (p<0.001). Thoughts regarding the origin of COVID-19 showed that ‘Religious Causes' and belief in ‘Religious and Biological Causes both” significantly reduced (p=0.001 and p=0.003, respectively), while opinions regarding ‘Biological Causes' increased in frequency (p< 0.001). Emotionally a significant reduction was seen in Confusion (p<0.001). A significant reduction was observed in Religious Rituals (p=0.002) for Coping Mechanisms. However, observing Safety Precautions and Distraction Strategies were insignificantly affected (p=0.668 and p=1, respectively). Conclusion: Critical Incident Stress Management helped healthcare workers sublimate their emotional reactions and helped them cope with a productive mindset for better management of the pandemic.

How psychological first aid can help nurses to cope: An intervention strategy that helps nurses deal with distressing or traumatic incidents, or crisis situations

Psychological first aid (PFA) is an intervention strategy to support people in severe distress following crisis events. These traumatic events might include natural disasters, accidents, violent crimes or trauma experienced in nursing work, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case study on psychological first aid on Italian COVID-Hospital

Coronavirus disease had an enormous impact on public health by affecting millions of people who have either fallen ill or died as a result of this disease. The pandemic resulted in several short- and long-term psychological effects, while restrictive measures adopted resulted in challenges in terms of support and counselling meetings, demonstrating the need to move to a digital health care system. In this context, the Psychological First Aid Service at Sant'Andrea, a service for COVID-19 patients and their loved ones, was set up in the Lazio region (Italy). The service provides two free telephone interviews, and if necessary, people are directed to other free support services in the region. In this article, we report a case study of two brothers who contacted the service during the second pandemic wave in Italy. The case has been discussed according to the recent literature, taking the practical and operational aspects of psychological first aid into account. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

How psychological first aid can help nurses to cope: An intervention strategy that helps nurses deal with distressing or traumatic incidents, or crisis situations

Psychological first aid (PFA) is an intervention strategy to support people in severe distress following crisis events. These traumatic events might include natural disasters, accidents, violent crimes or trauma experienced in nursing work, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analytical study of rural women's knowledge of health and preventive measures in Sharkia Governorate

The objective of this research was to identify some general characteristics or rural women. Sources of information on which rural woman rely in the areas of health and prevention and their relative importance. The availability.utilization and relative importance of village health services and activities. Level of rural women's knowledge of health and preventive measures in the five areas studied. namely (health education. healthy nutrition. first aid. reproductive health and family planning. prevention of coronavirus) their relative importance and their relationship with independent variables studied. Measuring the gap between the degree of actual and total knowledge of rural women. Level and relative importance of rural women's practice of health and preventive actions in the five areas considered. correlations between them and the above- mentioned independent variables. and Level of rural women's knowledge of health and preventive actions. Measuring the gap between actual and total practice of rural women. this research was conducted in some villages in Sharkia Governorate. The research sample was 168 rural households and data was collected from January to March 2022. One of the most important findinds of the research is the average level of rural women's knowledge. A significant correlation between the degree of rural women's knowledge of health and preventive actions. the trend towards change and the level of exposure to information source and an inverse correlation with wife age. psychological stress and husband age. Rural women's practice is high. A significant association was found wih monthly gourd. the trend towards change. exposure to information sources.

Youth mental health first aid for educators of immigrant-origin youth: A mixed-method evaluation of the virtual delivery approach

There is a high prevalence of mental health challenges among immigrant-origin youth (IOY) as a consequence of unique stressors and risk factors, disparities in access to mental health services, and distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators and school staff are in need of effective, accessible, and culturally relevant mental health literacy (MHL) training to accurately recognize and appropriately respond to these mental health concerns. The main goal of this pilot study was to examine initial evidence on the effectiveness, utility, acceptability, and cultural fit of the virtual format of the Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training program among educators who work with IOY. A mixed-methods approach was employed through quantitative online surveys at pre-training, post-training, and three-month follow-up as well as qualitative virtual focus groups querying educator and school staff's perspectives. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to quantitatively analyze survey data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Findings obtained from a total of 36 educators and school staff working predominantly IOY revealed significant improvements in participants' mental health knowledge, confidence to help, and attitudes towards mental illness that were sustained at three-month follow-up, with some variability based on race, prior mental health training experience, and professional role. The content and format of the virtual YMHFA was also found to be highly rated in its utility and acceptability. Themes related to utility included (a) crisis response skills and knowledge and (b) flexible scope of use of the training. Themes related to acceptability included the (a) presentation of information, (b) accessibility and convenience, (c) interactive nature of the training, (d) timing and scheduling, and (e) limited content. Themes highlighting the strengths and weaknesses associated with the cultural relevance of the training included (a) inclusivity and specificity and (b) cultural sensitivity and awareness. Themes related to recommendations to improve the cultural relevance of the training included (a) additional knowledge and resources, (b) improving representation in scenarios and videos, and (c) tailoring content to a target audience. Based on these initial findings, several implications for implementation of YMHFA training in schools, improving the cultural relevance of YMHFA for IOY, and future directions in research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychological first aid training in the community

Mental health problems in Malaysia have been showing an upward trend, especially due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite good primary, secondary, and tertiary care, and the availability of community-based mental services such as psychosocial rehabilitation, there remains to be a lack of social support for mental health in the Malaysian community. Stigma toward mental health problems remains high in the country. There are existing volunteer programs, such as Komuniti Sihat Perkasa Negara, that could deliver psychological first aid to the community. This allows the mobilization of societal resources and increases universal health coverage for mental health, which is a crucial preparation before the next crisis that could impact the community's mental health.

Impact of lockdown and psychological first aid: A case study

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown declared by the Indian Government in March 2020 lead to an unexpected turn of events for many, causing a huge psychosocial impact on them. Methodology: The study focused on evaluating a family from Kerala with major language difficulties and the distress being faced by them during their stay in the government provided shelter home in Delhi. The family was assessed by the multidisciplinary team from the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences visiting various shelter homes across the state. The study was aimed to assess the importance of psychological first aid (PFA) on the individual and the family in distress. Results: The family was assessed by the student counselor, who was well versed in their native language Malayalam. They were able to connect well, and hence, an appropriate psychosocial intervention was provided to them under the guidance of her supervisor. The family was highly distressed and had almost developed xenophobia. They were very happy to get a Malayalam-speaking counselor and were provided with all possible support. The authorities were also explained about their specific needs, which was not possible earlier due to the language barrier. They were ultimately successfully integrated with the other residents and returned to their home state, i.e., Kerala. Conclusion: Although PFA is definitely not a substitute for mental health care, ample research and experience has shown that it is a useful tool to assist people in acute distress when applied with a truly professional yet sensitive, empathetic approach. © 2022 The Author(s).

Development of mental health first-aid guidelines for depression: a Delphi expert consensus study in Argentina and Chile.

BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the most common mental health problems worldwide and, while prevalence rates in Latin America are relatively high, most people who meet the criteria for diagnosis do not receive treatment. Family and friends of a person with depression can play an important role in supporting a person to seek and engage with treatment. However, many people do not have the necessary skills or confidence to help. English-language mental health first aid guidelines have been developed to support people to provide such help. The aim of this study was to culturally adapt these guidelines for Chile and Argentina. METHODS: A Delphi expert consensus study was conducted with two expert panels, one of people with lived experience of depression (either their own or as a carer; n = 26) and one of health professionals (n = 29). Overall, 172 statements from the English-language guidelines were translated and compiled into a questionnaire. Participants were asked to rate statements based on how essential or important those statements were for Chile and Argentina and to suggest new statements if necessary. RESULTS: Data were obtained over two survey rounds. Consensus was achieved on 172 statements. A total of 137 statements were adopted from the English-language guidelines, whereas 35 new endorsed statements were generated from panel suggestions. There were similarities between the English-language guidelines and those for Chile and Argentina. The adapted guidelines did not include some of the items from the English-language guidelines related to commenting on a person's strengths or making judgements about their character, and also incorporated new items related to the incorporation of sociocultural considerations as causes of depression and attention to inequities in mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The significant number of new items underscores the importance of undertaking a careful process of cultural adaptation. Further research on dissemination and incorporation of the guidelines into the Mental Health First Aid training course for Chile and Argentina is still required.

Abstracts from international emergency medicine journals

Editor's note: EMJ has partnered with the journals of multiple international emergency medicine societies to share from each a highlighted research study, as selected by their editors. This edition will feature an from each publication.

3-day intervention program for family members of hikikomori sufferers: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Backgrounds: Hikikomori, pathological social withdrawal, is becoming a crucial mental health issue in Japan and worldwide. We have developed a 3-day family intervention program for hikikomori sufferers based on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). This study aims to confirm the effectiveness of the 3-day program by a randomized controlled trial. Methods: This study was registered on the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000037289). Fifteen parents were assigned to the treat as usual (TAU) group (TAU only; Age Mean, 65.6; SD, 7.8), and 14 to the Program group (program + TAU; Age Mean, 67.9; SD, 8.6). This study was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the recruitment rate was 36.3% of our target sample size of 80. Results: Perceived skills improved temporally and stigma temporally worsened in the TAU group. Confidence decreased and attitude showed no change in both groups. Aggressive behaviors of hikikomori sufferers were significantly worsened in the Program group; however, no serious domestic violence was reported. In the TAU group, Avoidance and irregular life patterns were improved. Activity levels were worsened in both groups. Two participants (16.7%) in the Program group and one participant (7.7%) in the TAU group reported actual behavioral changes (e.g., utilizing support). Conclusion: We could not draw general conclusions on the effectiveness of the program due to the study discontinuation. Nevertheless, this study indicates the necessity for revision of the program to improve family members' confidence in engaging with hikikomori sufferers, with safer approaching by families.

Building an expert and patient peer based internet system to support young patients with cancer

Introduction: Approximately 16,500 patients develop cancer in Germany in the ages between 18 und 39 years. Many of them experience fnancial and social problems as a consequence of the disease and its treatment. Young patients represent a small proportion of all cancer patients (3%) and their social situation is very heterogenous. Tey face difculties to get helpful counseling and support. Method(s): Young Cancer Portal (www.junges-krebsportal.de) is an internet-based support system for young cancer patients. It has fve sections:.,First Aid" provides hints and experiences how to cope and how to organize oneself in the first time after diagnosis.,Knowledge Base" provides medical, organizational and legal informations on fertility preservation, on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemia, information for students with cancer, young families, how to deal with insurance companies, problems of severely disabled etc. It is built in intensive interaction with young cancer patients from the.,meeting points" of the foundation. The sections.,Online Consultation Hour" and.,Webinars" provide further informations in an easy understandable format. In the section.,Individual Counseling" expert counseling on social and medical topics is offered as chat on a protected sever and in direct contact. As a new feature support from patient peers with special expertise will be realized. These peers are recruited from the editorial teams who were involved in the development of the information pages on the different topics. Result(s): As on march 23rd, 1,098 patients have been registered for.,individual counseling" and 677 consultations have been performed plus by now 100 consultations on reimbursement for fertility preservation. There have been more than 30,000 visits on the Corona pages. Seven patients' editorial teams have been formed. The pages on fnancial and social problems of students and young families are in final editing. Conclusion(s): We present a new way to provide information on medical, fnancial and social problems to support young cancer patients. By involving active patients from the meeting points of the foundation and organizing them in editorial teams the focus of the information pages is sharpened. Based on their work in the editorial teams these patients are enabled and mobilized to support other patients as peers.

Helping the Helpers: Adaptation and Evaluation of Stress First Aid for Healthcare Workers in the Veterans Health Administration During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Early interventions are needed to support the behavioral health of healthcare staff in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress First Aid (SFA) is a self-care and peer support model for reducing burnout and stress that is designed for use in high-stress occupations. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation of an SFA program in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This brief, multi-session, didactic program was adapted for hospital workgroups. Program attendees completed a survey assessing implementation outcomes, burnout, stress, mood, and SFA skills at the beginning (N = 246) and end (n = 94) of the SFA program and a subgroup (n = 11) completed qualitative feedback interviews. FINDINGS: Program acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility were rated highly. From pre- to post-SFA, the impact of the pandemic on stress and anxiety, as well as proficiency in supporting peers increased. Qualitative findings suggest the program provided a shared language to discuss stress, normalized stress reactions, met a need for stress management tools, and helped staff feel valued, empowered, connected with each other. Staff reported being more aware of their stress, but SFA was insufficient to address many of the systemic sources of burnout and stress. CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: While the SFA program was well received, the impact of brief programs is likely to be modest when implemented in the middle of an ongoing pandemic and when burnout arises from chiefly from systemic sources. Lessons learned during the program implementation that may guide future efforts are discussed.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON THE WILD SIDE

The University of Akron offers a senior-level progressive experiential course in which learners encounter stress as initial responders through managing the decisions and stress of wilderness adventure races in a tabletop exercise. The unique context of remote emergencies puts learners in an equal field of ignorance of competencies and stress management, allowing for increased stress levels to be developed and managed throughout the course. Unique to the course is the implementation of a wilderness first aid course for community partners, where students grow in facilitating professional development while meeting a community need. The three phases allow personal and team-based professional competencies to be practiced and tested through the experiential educational model.

Increasing access to mental health supports for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond through a novel coaching program.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to heightened anxiety, distress, and burnout among healthcare workers and faculty in academic medicine. Penn Medicine launched Coping First Aid (CFA) in March 2020 in response to the pandemic. Informed by Psychological First Aid principles and therapeutic micro skills, CFA was designed as a tele-mental healthcare service for health system employees and their families delivered by trained lay volunteer coaches under the supervision of licensed mental health clinicians. We present an overview of the model, feasibility and utilization data, and preliminary implementation and effectiveness outcomes based on cross sectional coach (n = 22) and client (n = 57) self-report surveys with a subset of program users in the first year. A total of 44 individuals completed training and were certified to coach. Over the first 24 months of the program, 513 sessions occurred with 273 clients (119 sessions were no-shows or canceled). Follow-up appointments were recommended in 52.6% (n = 270) of sessions and 21.2% (n = 109) of clients were referred for professional mental health care. Client survey respondents reported CFA was helpful; 60% were very or extremely satisfied, and 74% indicated they would recommend the program. Our preliminary findings suggest that CFA was feasible to implement and most clients found the service beneficial. CFA provides a model for rapidly developing and scaling mental health supports during and beyond the pandemic.

Professional Volunteerism among Social Work Students as a Response to the Pandemic Crisis

The COVID-19 crisis halted traditional field training in social work education. However, as educators of a profession with roots in philanthropy and volunteerism, the social work schools in Kerala encouraged students to take up professional volunteerism (PV) in response to the crisis as an alternative to the pre-structured field practicum activities. This study explored the various voluntary activities the social work students are involved in as budding professionals. They voluntarily dedicated their professional skills, ethics and competencies through a continuum of five domains of services such as concrete and practical services, psycho-education and psychological support, restoration and rehabilitation services, welfare administration and self-reliance and sustainability programmes. This studys results highlight the significance of PV in social work education to socialise students with diverse needs in society and capacitate them to ethically help the individuals and community achieve well-being.

Online Course on First Aid in Emergency Medicine on the International Coursera Platform

The pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has had an enormous impact on the education system. Higher educational institutions were forced to adapt to remote interaction with students and urgently switch to online learning. Currently, there are many educational platforms, among which one of the leading is the Californian Coursera service. In 2020, Kazan Federal University developed and published the first Coursera course on first aid — “Staying Alive! First Aid in Emergency”. The purpose of the current study was to demonstrate the course results in one calendar year. We analyzed the general indicators of Coursera — the global online learning platform. We reviewed the course indicators from December 21, 2020, to December 21, 2021. The research assesses the advantages and disadvantages of using online courses in the medical education system. It was concluded that massive open online courses effectively teach theoretical disciplines. In case of implementation of applied courses, it is necessary to search and introduce new approaches for practical skill development. © 2022 Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine. All rights reserved.