Although mass shootings have been ongoing problem The number of these shocking and tragic incidents in the United States has been rising in recent years for decades – mass shootings Increase From 2019 to 2021, it fell by nearly 40%. So far this year, there have been 356 mass shootings across the country.
These frequent disasters result in an influx of patients with traumatic and life-threatening injuries to flood emergency rooms. However, according to the authors of one study, hospitals do not have a comprehensive system that prepares clinicians to treat these victims. new research article published in Proceedings of the American College of SurgeonsIn the article, they make eight recommendations to help hospitals respond appropriately.
The authors are EMS clinicians, emergency physicians, and surgeons who responded to six recent mass shootings. They treated victims of mass shootings in: Orlando, FL (2016); Las Vegas (2017); Sutherland Springs, TX (2017); Parkland, FL (2018); El Paso, TX (2019); and Dayton, OH (2019).
Take Prep Training Seriously
Through their first proposal, the authors suggest The hospital regularly conducts multidisciplinary training sessions to reflect the reality of actual mass shootings.
educate the public
The authors advise that hospitals should also educate their communities on how to respond to mass shootings. This could mean providing educational materials to the public on how to use a tourniquet to stop bleeding, or educating the public that local hospitals are trauma centers so they know where to transport victims.
Classify quickly and consistently
The article asserts that the triage process should “begin with a mass shooting and repeat in succession,” meaning clinicians should continually assess which patients are most critical so they can appropriately prioritize surgery.
Develop a communication plan
The article notes that hospitals should develop plans for clinicians to communicate directly with medical staff at the scene of a mass shooting. The authors noted that in dealing with the aftermath of their respective mass shootings, they had to bypass formal communication channels and use cell phones to facilitate successful patient care handovers.
Improve patient tracking
Patient tracking is another important consideration. Current patient tracking systems are cumbersome and often require several different patient identifications in prehospital, hospital and interhospital transfers, according to the authors. They recommend a national tracking mechanism, such as a standardized barcode or QR code, that can be used throughout the care process from the point of injury.
Ditch the EHR
Clinician claims During the mass shooting response, the EHR became too unwieldy. They suggest that during these events, hospitals should turn to low-tech alternatives, such as paper charts or note-taking apps that allow for quick bedside recording.
Create a separate contact site
The authors also note that the number of families of mass shooting victims is rapidly outnumbering the normal mechanisms hospitals have to support them. They said the hospital should set up a mass gathering place, such as a conference center, near the site of the incident, informing their loved ones where treatment might be available and providing their helpline number. These family support resources should also be disseminated through social media and mass media.
Prioritize mental health treatment
A final recommendation is for hospitals to provide mental health services for clinicians responding to mass shootings. These services should be deployed quickly and should include group meetings organized by the type of care clinicians provide, such as meetings involving clinicians providing care in the field or for communications specialists who call hospitals on the day of a mass shooting.
Dr. Deborah Kuhls, one of the authors, is also a surgeon. 2017 Las Vegas mass shootingNoting that while mass shootings account for only a small fraction of annual gun deaths in the U.S., they are “horrific events” that most hospitals are not prepared for, even though they are becoming more common.
Dr. Kuhls also said that clinicians like her are important let their voices be heard So that policymakers and community members understand that gun violence is a huge public health problem.
“From all sides — healthcare professionals, hospitals, professional organizations — we really understand the huge public health and medical problems that exist in our country,” she said.
Photo: Pablo Hart, Getty Images
