Journal of Rescue and Relief
Year:2011 | Volume:3 | Issue:1-2|Papers Count:19

Background: One of the important tasks of medical centers is to provide emergency services to the injured during an earthquake. Therefore, these medical centers always should be prepared to deal with such circumstances. Non-structural elements are the important components of medical centers that should be considered. In this study, qualitative and quantitative performance of equipment and non- structural vulnerability of seven public hospitals in Tehran city have been evaluated during an earthquake.Methods: In this cross-sectional research, all public hospitals in Tehran city were studied including governmental or public, private, military and also social security. Using WHO / PAHO Standard Checklist, seven public hospitals were selected and evaluated by convenience sampling method in eleven sections. Findings: According to the results, the lowest functional level was observed in emergency exit systems, communication systems, furniture and equipment. The studied hospitals were at a satisfactory level in heating and cooling systems, ventilation systems of care units, fire detection and extinguisher. Although 56% of the mentioned hospitals were at a satisfactory level in overall assessment of performance in non-structural features, the critical, vital and effective sections of the hospitals were functioning at an average and some in even low levels of safety.  Conclusion: Totally, the hospitals lacked a proper preparation in disaster in non-structural evaluation; furthermore, there was a standard instruction in non-structural immunization that hospitals should consider in preparation.

Background: Nowadays, it is believed that customer-oriented culture should be considered as a main program in organizations. Thus, this paper aims to study the satisfaction and its effective factors among clients and beneficiaries at physiotherapy section of Red Crescent society of Hamedan Township.Methods: In this applied survey research, data was collected by the researcher-made questionnaire. About 210 clients and beneficiaries of physiotherapy section were chosen in 2010; then 66 persons were selected and studied based on Cochran formula.Findings: The results show that complete satisfaction of respondents was above average in terms of gender, education and age (over 3 with criterion of 5); however, there was a meaningful relationship between clients' satisfaction with participation in care process, the efficiency of rehabilitation equipment, regulations and discipline in dealing with clients, persistence, seriousness and enthusiasm in offering services to the clients and also the center self directed in providing services.Conclusion: According to the results, the mangers should attempt to improve beneficiaries and clients satisfaction with their participation in some activities including healing process, improvement of rehabilitation equipment quality, providing timely services, observing regulations and discipline in dealing with clients, having the emotional relationship with patients.

Background: The patients' first encounter is usually with the prehospital emergency. In order to meet the clients and beneficiaries' needs, it is necessary the prehospital emergency nurses be a competent decision maker based on the patients' unstable conditions. This study aims to examine the factors influencing on the manner of prehospital emergency nurses' decision making in emergencies and during the mission.Methods: In this qualitative study, 18 nurses of prehospital emergency bases of Shahrekord University of medical sciences were studied. Data was collected by using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and also it was used content analysis to analyze the qualitative data. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed concurrently with the data collection.Findings: By analyzing the data, five main themes were known as the influencing factors in prehospital emergency nurses' decision making which are as follows: 1) patient-related factors; 2) nurse-related factors; 3) environmental factors; 4) colleagues related factors; 5) the factors related with the type of event and mission.Conclusions: The findings provide a deep understanding of the effective factors in prehospital emergency nurses' decision making. Deep understanding of the manner of prehospital emergency nurses' decision making can facilitate more effective decisions in emergencies, during the mission as well as its related factors and also influence on the output of nursing and medical cares.

Background: Cardio-Pulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation (CPCR) is a systematic and purposeful series of action has been using by nurses for restoring the vital function of central body organs such as heart, lung and brain. Apply of teaching is a numerous recommended method for improving nurses knowledge and skill related to PCPR in majority of published papers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assessment of CPCR educational workshops effect on nurses knowledge based on American Heart Association (AHA) guideline that has been done in 2010.Methods: Using a quasi-experimental study, the knowledge level of 130 nurses of Tehran university medical sciences was assessed in three steps including before, after, and 2 months later of holding the teaching workshop. Using a 20-item questionnaire on basic, advanced cardiac life support and CPCR according to AHA 2010 guideline, data were gathered. The method of teaching workshop was two integrated sections including lecturing and practical demonstration on basic and advanced CPCR concept during two days (16 hr). Using SPSS, the data were analyzed by applying descriptive and analytical statistical tests.Findings: The discrepancy of average knowledge scores related to basic and advanced before teaching workshop (8.6), after (14.9), and 2 month later to the workshop (13.2) indicated the effect of teaching workshop. Comparing the means of the pre- test, post- test and test after 2 months was statistically significant. Nevertheless, in some parts such as on time applying of defibrillation and do the first step in patient with cardio respiratory arrest had the minimal effect from teaching workshop.Conclusion: Since the results indicated that the teaching workshop on basic and advanced CPCR can improve nursing related knowledge; therefore, holding the similar means as theoretical and practical courses in a regular base is recommended.

Introduction: Population density and economic loading led to various and multiple functions in Tehran. The most important concern of Tehran province is natural disasters including earthquake. This study aims to identify risk areas and to prepare the vulnerability maps by different degrees of vulnerability.Methods: In this descriptive study, the relationship between socio-economic indicators was analyzed with the effective factors causing vulnerability in Tehran province by using GIS in different layers. Conclusion: In order to offset the losses of earthquake the actions for empowerment should take into consideration in natural disasters in Tehran. Disaster management should be empowered regarding the physical- space characteristics and also strategic nature of Tehran province.

Background: Damages and injuries, which are about 12% of all kinds of diseases, are the third important reason of fatality in the age of 1 to 40 that mostly results from traffic accidents. According to World Health Organization data, 25 percent of total mortality belongs to death in roads. This study aims to study and to review all current approaches in order to reduce mortality of road accidents.Methods: In this review article, all relevant studies were searched and studied by using Medline and Cochrane library databank in1990-2009 and also some Persian papers with key words such as road injuries, road accident, driving behavior, effective human factors related to road accidents, psychology of accidents, and interventional approaches.Findings: The necessary interventions summarized in the four categories: 1) the emphasis on rules implementation and support; 2) providing coordination between drivers, vehicles and executives; 3) strengthening the infrastructure, information and management systems; 4) communication, public participation and education.Conclusion: Attempt to organize multi-dimensional approaches depends on effective factors in accidents regarding the cultural, social and psychological states in the region. Effective intervention arises from a conceptual understanding of all factors involved in driving. Complex issues should be taken into consideration comprehensively. So, a detailed theoretical framework should be provided in order to design the necessary interventions. For this reason, the available instructions for the involved actors in controlling traffic accidents require public cooperation and collaboration.

Background and objective: Women are one of the most vulnerable groups in disasters. The aim of this study was to identify the influential factors of the vulnerability of women and proposed strategies for risk reduction the vulnerability of women's health in disasters. Materials and methods: This study conducted in 2007 and consisted of two methodologies. The first was a narrative review and the second was a qualitative study (focus group discussion) to determine the views and opinions of decision makers with respect to influential factors and strategies for improving approaches of women's vulnerability in disasters. Results: The main findings of this study were lack of presence of women especially in the responsible government agencies, lack of needs assessment regarding women in disaster situation, lack of legal support of women, lack of credit allocation to women in disaster management, absence or lack of female directors and experts in domain of disaster management, dispatch often men relief workers to affected areas without women's in the team, lack of specialized training centers for women's relief workers.Conclusion: The main strategies that could reduce the vulnerability of women in disasters are strengthening public education, enable women through communication networks, reinforce practical skills for women facing disaster, creating and reinforcing women's NGOs for the purpose of forming its humanitarian activities in crisis prevention, legislation to support of women, to conduct appropriate researches and presenting the results to relevant authorities to take advantage of the plan to deal with disaster (e.g. to determine the needs of women survivors of the disaster), allocation of quotas to women for employment in the relevant organizations, defined some positions responsible for women in the category headquarter and dispatched teams to undergo disaster regions, and train dispatched teams to improved their skills in all areas related to women's health especially in reproductive health in disaster and crisis situations.

Background: Iran is the fourth disaster prone country in Asia and tenth in the world. It constantly exposed to natural and manmade disasters and terrorist attacks. The paper is going to develop a crisis management plan for Shohada hospital. Methods: In this study, firstly crisis management programs in America and Europe are amended and compiled. Then, by providing aerial maps and positioning of units' establishment, the involved officials will provide necessary training and functional exercises in order to examine the lessons learned when the hospital is intact or has been destroyed.Findings: Regarding the pre-designed organization chart training immediately after disaster, the program should be planned and hospital crisis committee comprising various units of the hospital should be established and a responsible associated with three successors considered for each unit. The operation should be started following the issuance of Chief of Staff to the hospital president and to the authorities of the units. Then, the authorities should recall their personnel, accomplish the predetermined tasks and also should end the operation by top officials command.Conclusion: The results indicated that the hospital crisis management programs should be compiled based on available facilities and equipment regarding the natural disasters around the world, failure of managers responsible for controlling crises such as Taiwan earthquake, and lack of adequate facilities to deal with nuclear and chemistry crises in America. At the end, the strength and weak points should be examined by providing the necessity training and performing as maneuver for the involved authorities in the hospital.

Introduction: The hospital personnel and staff preparedness and their knowledge about hazards, disasters and also disaster management are effective in disaster management during an earthquake. The present study aims to study the vulnerability of a military hospital against earthquake in Tehran.Methods: In this descriptive field study, questionnaire (with 18 open questions) was distributed among 30 staff of hospital. Then, the answers were studied and analyzed definitely. Non-structural components were evaluated with the checklist.Findings: About 83% of respondents have declared that there is no warning system in hospital in time of disaster. About 50% of staff have announced that the hospital has a protective system. 70% of respondents have believed some items are necessary such as: learning how to deal quickly; how to retrofit non-structural components; and how to cooperate with relief workers dealing with disaster. Most of respondents thought that there should be a resistant room or parking outside the hospital as a temporary housing. Unexpected disasters headquarter and disaster management organizational chart are considered as strength points and lack of some structural and nonstructural standards are as the weak points in the mentioned hospital.Conclusion: There are some other weak and strength points in hospital despite having committee of unexpected disasters and disaster management organizational chart. Although, there are some opportunities outside the hospital, many external threats may increase the hospital problems in time of disasters.