The Role of an EMT1 in a Different Mission, the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

Background/Introduction:

During COVID-19 pandemic, the EMS of the city of Madrid decided to make available its human and material resources to the Government. Despite its vast experience in disaster care and management, this mission was challenging. EMT1 SAMUR-PC was deployed, fully trained and self-sufficient inside and outside the city.

Objectives:

To review EMT1 activities during coronavirus disease, checking its adaptation to unusual circumstances.

Method/Description:

Description of settings where our teams (physicians, nurses, emergency care assistants, and logisticians) were deployed.

Results/Outcomes:

As elderly people were highly affected, EMT1 offered assessment and advise at nursing homes in Madrid and other cities. Personalized visits were planned and performed addressing personnel and material needs and processed to authorities in daily meetings.

Logisticians advised about how to control clean and dirty zones, isolating positive cases. Meanwhile, doctors and nurses wearing PPE provided health care and referred severe patients. Quality of care in elderly was measured, improvement areas were notified directly to heads.

We were deployed to some hospitals in the country, reinforcing medical and nursing staff at wards, observation areas, and intensive care units. It was also necessary to transfer critical patients between hospitals.

Decontamination lines were set up by CBN experts. Rapid response teams were ready to provide care to colleagues.

Conclusion:

During COVID-19 pandemic, Spanish EMT1 was able to adapt its normal way of working at different settings, supporting and re-establishing essential health services. It required flexibility, taking advantage of existing structures, and focusing on vulnerable populations. Its role was important for saving lives, preserving health, and alleviating suffering.