Wednesday, August 22, 2007

** Ambulance service points finger in Louisiana nursing home deaths

** Preston, UK ambulance dispatchers trained in early stroke recognition

UNITED STATES NEWS

** The deaths of 35 nursing home residents during 2005’s Hurricane Katrina might have been avoided had owners called a local ambulance service to evacuate. That is the word from WREG TV (August 21) which quoted from testimony offered by an EMS sales executive. According to statements made before the court, St. Rita’s nursing home never hailed prehospial workers, despite having an emergency plan contract that included medics moving patients during disasters. The information was offered during the trial of St. Rita’s owners Salvador and Mabel Mangano. Both face tags for negligent homicide. The couple’s lawyer, however, says the local government is at fault because no mandatory evacuation order was issued.

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Preston ambulance dispatchers are receiving extra training in early stroke recognition. The BBC (August 21) said the instruction, funded by  a 1 million pound Department of Health grant, is being overseen by the University of Central Lancashire. University Professor Caroline Watkins said the approach resulted when research indicated dispatchers frequently miss identifying help hails as stroke related. The project has been dubbed the Emergency Stroke Calls:Obtaining Rapid Telephone Triage (ESCORTT).