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Chain of Survival at Mass Gatherings: A Case Series of Resuscitation Events

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Jamie Ranse  and
Kathryn Zeitz
Jamie Ranse*
Affiliation:
Clinical Manager (Research Portfolio), Emergency Department, Calvary Health Care ACT, Australia Chief Nurse, St John Ambulance Australia Research Associate, Flinders University, Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, South Australia
Kathryn Zeitz
Affiliation:
National Staff Officer, St John Ambulance Australia Adjunct Associate Professor School of Nursing, Flinders University, South Australia
*
jamie.ranse@calvary-act.com.au
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Abstract

Background:

At a large public event, or mass gathering, various factors influence patient presentations that brings challenges to patient care. The chain of survival has been investigated in the prehospital setting. However, this has not explicitly included the mass-gathering environment.

Objective:

This study sought to determine the facilitators and barriers to the chain of survival at mass gatherings.

Methods:

This case-series research was exploratory and descriptive, using the analysis of personal experiences of resuscitation. Participants were members of St John Ambulance Australia who had participated actively in a resuscitation event in 2007. Telephone interviews were used as a means of data collection. Participant narrative was recorded electronically, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using a well established human science approach.

Results:

The thematic analysis revealed five main themes and a number of sub-themes. Four of the main themes were aligned easily with the four chain of survival links. The remaining main theme outlined a new link in the chain of survival of specific importance to mass gatherings, ‘early planning’. Additionally, a number of sub-themes were identified, which exemplified various facilitators and barriers to the chain of survival in this environment.

Conclusions:

This research highlights various barriers and facilitators to the chain of survival in the mass-gathering environment. Additionally, the unique “early planning” link in the chain of survival as described in this research highlights the importance of a preparatory phase for responders at mass gatherings.

Keywords

chain of survivalfirst respondermass gatheringresuscitation
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 25 , Issue 5 , October 2010 , pp. 457 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2010

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