Implementing Guidelines for Ambulance Services

Abstract

Introduction:

If there is consensus about how to handle a patient with a specific condition, from the ambulance service point of view, it matters less for the patient which ambulance arrives to take care of the patient. Guidelines are a way of standardizing treatment or management of the patient for a given patient condition. Clear and implemented guidelines that promote the handling of the patients is done from best practice and are evidence-based according to the best ability of the organization.

Aim:

The aim of the current study was to implement guidelines into an organization that was not currently using guidelines. The study was conducted as a collaborative effort between a Swedish pre-hospital training organization and the local ambulance service organization in Kosovo.

Methods:

An iterative process of implementing the guidelines was applied:

1. 1. Identify guidelines appropriate for the local organization. For each iteration, five guidelines are chosen.

2. 2. Have the five guidelines translated into Albanian.

3. 3. The guidelines are adapted to local conditions and context.

4. 4. The five guidelines are approved by an expert group.

5. 5. The five guidelines are implemented in the organization.

Results:

The initial iteration included was carried out in the form of a workshop where 22 persons (doctors and nurses) from the local ambulance service in Kosovo participated. During the workshop, the first three implementation steps were taken, while remaining steps were carried out by the local organization.

Discussion:

With the local management and ambulance personnel involved throughout the process, the implementation of guidelines were delivered in a more feasible way as well as more easily accepted and adhered to. Supporting a standardized treatment or management of the patient will benefit future patients. These standards should be based in evidence-based practice adopted to local conditions.