Clinical Standard Operating Procedures
At the heart of UK HEMS, is a set of common clinical standard operating procedures (SOPs). These are nationally assured by the Clinical Advisory Group, based on best evidence.
As part of mutual support, each member organisation freely shares its SOPs with other member organisations. Below is the minimum set of SOPs required.
Each organisation will also have to produce operational SOPs, but that is outside the remit of UK HEMS.
Index
1.TRAUMA
1.1 Kinetics and Injury Patterns - reading the wreckage
1.1.1 Principles of Extraction
1.1.2 Scene safety
1.2 Airway maintenance
1.3 C spine clearance
1.4 Thoracic Trauma
1.4.1 Blunt Chest Trauma
1.4.2 Penetrating Trauma
1.4.2.1 Thoracotomy
1.4.2.2 Thoracotomy Set
1.5 Circulation
1.5.1 Fluid Resuscitation
1.5.2 Pre-hospital Haemostasis
1.5.3 IV Access
1.6 Brain Injury Care
1.7 Maxillo Facial Trauma
1.8 The Injured Spine
1.9 Abdominal Trauma
1.10 Extremity Trauma
1.10.1 Amputation at Scene
1.10.2 Segar Splint
1.10.3 Box Splint
1.10.4 Pelvic Splint
1.10.5 Vacuum Splint
1.11 Crush Injuries
1.12 Traumatic Asphyxia
2. PRE- HOSPITAL ANAESTHESIA / ANALGESIA
2.1 Pre Hospital Anaesthesia
2.1.1 Indications
2.1.2 Preparation
2.1.3 Drugs
2.1.4 Conduct
2.1.5 Post intubation checks
2.1.6 Actions on:
2.1.6.1 De-saturation
2.1.6.2 Hypotension
2.1.7 Care in Transit
2.2 Analgesia
2.2.1 Analgesic ladder
2.2.2 Use of Ketamine
2.2.3 Nerve Blocks
2.3 Sedation
3. OBSTETRICS / GYNAECOLOGY
3.1 Trauma in Pregnancy
3.2 Illnesses of Pregnancy
3.3 Childbirth
3.3.1 Post Partum Care
4. MEDICAL
4.1 Sepsis (incl Meningo coccal disease)
4.2 Chest Pain
4.2.1Acute Coronary Syndromes
4.2.1.1 Triage of Patients with STEMI
4.3 Asthma
4.4 Chest Infections / pneumonia
4.5 Acute Cardiac Failure
4.6 Liver Failure
4.7 Cardiac Arrest
4.7.1 Peri arrest care
4.7.2 Post arrest care
4.8 Diarrhoea and Vomiting
4.9 Poisoning / overdoses
4.9.1 Caring for the psychiatric patient
5. SURGERY
5.1 The acute abdomen
5.1.1 Triage of a patient with a suspected ruptured aortic aneurysm
6. PAEDIATRICS
NOTE : This section deals with specific problems of childhood, refer to disease specific SOPs for guidance in dealing with other problems
6.1 Meningocoocal Disease
6.2 Non Accidental Injury
7. MISCELLANEOUS
7.1 Drowning / Near Drowning
7.2 Electrocution
7.3 Environmental illness
7.3.1Heat illness
7.3.2 Cold injury
7.4 Death at Scene
8. TRANSFER OF THE CRITICALLY ILL PATIENT
8.1 Arranging the Transfer
8.2 Patient fitness for Transfer
8.3 Patient Packaging
8.3.1 Checklists
9. MAJOR INCIDENTS (incl CBRN)
9.1 Major Incident Plan
9.2 CBRN
10. FORMULARY
A complete formulary of the drugs carried must be presented. It should include, as a minimum, for each drug:
Drug name
Presentation
Indications
Doses (incl paediatrics')
Contra indications - absolute and relative
Storage considerations
Legal category