Voss Sarah, Brandling Janet, Black Sarah, Cheston Rik, Cullum Sarah, Iliffe Steve, Purdy Sarah, Benger Jonathan
Associate Professor in Emergency and Critical Care, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Research Fellow, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2018 Apr 23;20:e53. doi: 10.1017/S1463423618000191.
A growing number of older people are accessing emergency medical services (EMS), and many calls to EMS are made by, or on behalf of, people with dementia. Their needs are frequently complex; however, EMS staff are often given minimal guidance on ensuring patient safety, accurate diagnosis, and timely transfer to the most appropriate care. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the EMS experiences of carers for people with dementia and assess the views of EMS staff on the management of dementia, using focus groups and interviews. Themes were focussed on the circumstances surrounding EMS calls to people with dementia. These can prove frustrating due to a lack of information sharing, limited alternatives to hospital attendance and the amount of time that it can take to meet the complex needs of a person with dementia.
越来越多的老年人正在使用紧急医疗服务（EMS），许多EMS呼叫是由患有痴呆症的人或代表他们拨打的。他们的需求往往很复杂；然而，在确保患者安全、准确诊断以及及时转至最合适的护理方面，EMS工作人员通常得到的指导极少。本研究旨在通过焦点小组讨论和访谈，定性地探索痴呆症患者护理人员的EMS经历，并评估EMS工作人员对痴呆症管理的看法。主题集中在向痴呆症患者拨打EMS电话的相关情况。由于缺乏信息共享、前往医院就诊的替代选择有限以及满足痴呆症患者复杂需求可能花费的时间，这些情况可能会令人沮丧。
