Authors

1Sergio Moreno Sanz, 1Marina Sanz Vara, 2Raquel Gimeno Martín

Position

¹Enfermera/o. Servicio de Urgencias Médicas de la Comunidad de Madrid, SUMMA 112.²Médica de familia, SUMMA 112.

Contact address

Avda. Monasterio de Silos, 77A, 3º A. 28049 Madrid.

Contact email: sergioenfermero@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to describe a rapid response vehicle (RRV), mainly in terms of the profile it manages (pathologies, treatments), the nursing professional’s performance in this resource and the final outcome of the health care demand made to the 112 emergency system.
Material and method: cross-sectional descriptive study of the people attended to during the month of May 2008 in the north area of Madrid by a RRV whose assigned population is approximately 957,000 inhabitants.  The following variables were studied: type of emergency call; distance to the scene of the emergency call; person who called 112; patient’s age; sex; nationality; use of medication during the provision of care on the scene; performance of other techniques specific to emergency care delivery and how care delivery to the patient concludes.  
Results: 176 calls were studied. 18% were real emergencies, 72% were urgent calls and 10% corresponded to pathologies that did not require medical attention.  80% of calls were located less than 10 kilometres away from our base.  Family members were the main callers, accounting for 70% of calls.  65% were under the age of 60, 10% were foreigners, 60% were women and the most prevalent pathologies (22%) were neurological. Medication, primarily IV therapy (20%), was administered in 57% of cases.  Vital signs were measured in 85% of subjects. 48% of people attended to had to be taken to the hospital.  51% of these patients were transported in a standard ambulance.  
Conclusions: over half of the people attended to by the rapid response vehicle analysed remained in their home after being treated.  This issue may contribute to the reduction of pressure at a hospital level, as well as favour the patient’s comfort and reduce economic cost.

Keywords:

rapid Response Vehicle (RRV); urgency; emergency; SUMMA 112; types of emergency calls; priorityhome-based care

Versión en Español

Título:

Actividad asistencial de un vehículo de intervención rápida del SUMMA 112