Bystander Trauma Care Program IOWA

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS   PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Nontraditional Approach
Targets At-Risk Population
  Emergency Medical Services
Public Information and Education
Injury Prevention
 
TYPE OF JURISDICTION
  Multi-County
 
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  Rural   653,710

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death in the first four decades of life. In 1994, Iowa's motor vehicle crashes represented 46 percent (518) of deaths by unintentional traumatic injury. Long EMS response times to emergencies in rural areas are common. Additionally, untrained and ill-equipped bystanders are often the first responders to crash sites where airway management and bleeding control are critical to the survival of injured persons.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the program is to improve access to care for victims of traumatic injury, thereby reducing disability and death from motor vehicle crashes and other causes of trauma by:



STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines was selected to extend the piloted effort into the 17-county South Central Iowa EMS Region while implementing the following:



RESULTS

During the project period, 120 EMS personnel were trained as bystander care instructors. They subsequently trained more than 2,000 laypersons from communities within the Central Iowa EMS Region.

A preliminary analysis of the program involved questioning 369 individuals before and immediately after training. This analysis indicated that participants now would be more likely to stop and provide assistance, would be better able to perform correct sequential interventions, and would be better able to provide complete and accurate information when calling 911. Although further follow-up studies are needed, early results indicate that the program provides excellent preparation for layperson bystanders that arrive at the scene of traumatic injury. This bodes well for individuals traveling throughout this largely rural state.