Initial request
- Request usually to come from ambulance control. But will be accepted from the Gardaí, Fire Service or the Coastguard
- The call should be taken on the Ambulance Radio or Anglesea St. telephone. Must be confirmed
- The recipient of the call should follow the "ETHANE" procedure (see right)
- The message will be given to the most senior doctor in the Emergency Department at the time
- This doctor, if not the consultant, will contact the consultant
ETHANE
Exact location
Type of incident
Hazards/special difficulties
Access to scene
Number of casualties
Emergency services present
Indications for call out
- The main indication for team call-out is entrapment
- The entrapment may be physical (e.g. in a vehicle/caught in a machine etc.) or virtual (e.g. geographic)
- The decision to deploy the call-out team will be the sole responsibility of the on-call consultant
- The decision will be based on the practicalities of the moment e.g. staffing in the ED, staff availability etc
- Out of hours attendance by consultants on-scene will be by individual arrangement with each consultant
- It may be best if a consultant go directly to the scene from his/her home rather than from the ED
- Call-out episodes will be reviewed at regular intervals with the ambulance service
Team
- The team will consist of the on-call Emergency Department consultant, and
an experienced staff nurse/sister.
- If Emergency Department work permits, a registrar will also accompany the team
- The team will wear overall and boots provided, or appropriate outerwear as agreed by the division
- Team members will also wear high visibility jackets
- Standard safety equipment will also be worn as appropriate
- The team will carry its own equipment and drugs (including DDAs) to the scene
The team will attend at out-of-hospital emergencies as determined by call-out procedures agreed with the Ambulance Service.
Transportation to the scene will be by ambulance or other means as agreed by the division of emergency medicine, the ambulance service and CUH.