Outcome of asymptomatic electric shock victims requesting an emergency ambulance.
Prehospital Emergency Care · 2004-01-01 · Observational study
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients suffering from electric shock without significant symptoms at the point of an emergency call could be appropriately assigned a nonemergency ambulance response using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). METHODS: Welsh Ambulance Service dispatch records were searched to identify patients allocated the MPDS code of 15C01 (electric shock without priority symptoms) over a 30-month period. Ambulance and hospital records were also reviewed. RESULTS: Records were unavailable for seven of the 52 patients identified (13%). Nine refused transport (17%, 95% CI 8.2% to 30.3%), and 36 were taken to emergency departments (69%, 95% CI 55% to 81%). Of the 52 patients, 23 were discharged shortly after arrival (44%, 95% CI 31% to 59%), 11 receiving no treatment (21%, 95% CI 11% to 35%). Thirteen patients were admitted as inpatients or were transferred to another hospital (25% of the total sample, 95% CI 14% to 39%). Fourteen had burns (27% of the total sample, 95% CI 16% to 41%). Five of these were admitted or transferred to another hospital, five were discharged after treatment, and two left without treatment (one self-discharged). Records were unavailable for two burns patients. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study do not justify allocating a low-priority response to victims of electric shock without significant symptoms at the point of the emergency call, since 25% require hospital admission. Further research is required to determine whether the addition of questions to the MPDS about burns and pregnancy might allow safe allocation of a nonemergency response to other asymptomatic electric shock patients.