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Clinical Policies and Procedures for Critical Care Transport during a Respiratory Pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2021

David C. Leisten ,
Jennifer Wheeler ,
James Boomhower ,
Michael A. Frakes ,
Todd Denison ,
Jason E. Cohen  and
Susan R. Wilcox Open the ORCID record for Susan R. Wilcox [Opens in a new window]
David C. Leisten
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA Department of Emergency Medicine, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, MassachusettsUSA
Jennifer Wheeler
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA
James Boomhower
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA
Michael A. Frakes
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA
Todd Denison
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA
Jason E. Cohen
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
Susan R. Wilcox*
Affiliation:
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, MassachusettsUSA Department of Emergency Medicine, Heart Center ICU, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsUSA
*
Correspondence: Susan R. Wilcox, MD Massachusetts General Hospital 55 Fruit Street Boston, Massachusetts02114, USA E-mail: swilcox1@partners.org
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Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic of 2020-2021 created unprecedented challenges for clinicians in critical care transport (CCT). These CCT services had to rapidly adjust their clinical approaches to evolving patient demographics, a preponderance of respiratory failure, and transport utilization stratagem. Organizations had to develop and implement new protocols and guidelines in rapid succession, often without the education and training that would have been involved pre-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These changes were complicated by the need to protect crew members as well as to optimize patient care. Clinical initiatives included developing an awake proning transport protocol and a protocol to transport intubated proned patients. One service developed a protocol for helmet ventilation to minimize aerosolization risks for patients on noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). While these clinical protocols were developed specifically for COVID-19, the growth in practice will enhance the care of patients with other causes of respiratory failure. Additionally, these processes will apply to future respiratory epidemics and pandemics.

Keywords

clinical operationsCOVID-19PPEresource utilizationtransport of patients
Type
Research Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 2021 , pp. 762 - 766
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

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