Volume 11 — January 30, 2014
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Factors Associated With the Adoption of a Patient Education Intervention Among First Responders, King County, Washington, 2010–2011
The pamphlet is a tear-off sheet (pamphlet) attached to the medical incident report form used at-scene by firefighter emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The pamphlet is dual color (white and red) and includes information about 1) transportation, 2) blood glucose, 3) blood pressure, 4) falls, and 5) community resources. At the top of the pamphlet is a check box for noting that the patient was not transported by emergency medical services (EMS) providers. The text next to the check box specifies that the patient did not require an EMS transport to the hospital but should call 911 again if his or her condition worsens. Below the transportation check box, the pamphlet is divided into a 4-quadrant grid with boxes of equal size. In the top left box, there is a check box to mark when a patient is identified with low blood sugar. This box includes after-care instructions for a patient who has been seen and treated by the EMS provider for low blood sugar. Two blood sugar measures are noted on the pamphlet, the measure before EMS providers treated the patient and the measure after treatment. Next to the blood sugar quadrant is a check box for high blood pressure, to be checked if a patient has been identified with very high blood pressure (systolic, >160 and/or diastolic, >100). This quadrant includes a visual indicating blood pressure categories from normal (systolic, <120; diastolic, <80) all the way to hypertension stage 2 (systolic, >160; diastolic, >100). Below this visual is a place for noting the patient’s blood pressure. Below that is text describing the consequences of high blood pressure for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure as well as a written recommendation to talk to a doctor about the blood pressure reading. Below this quadrant is a check box for community resources. This box lists telephone numbers of social support services such as the Washington 2-1-1 hotline, the Crisis Clinic, and the Healthy Aging Partnership hotline. Next to the community resources box is a check box for falls. Below the textbox are several community resources for fall prevention programs including the EMS-sponsored “One Step Ahead” program and the Harborview Fall Prevention Clinic. Firefighter EMTs are asked to check the box for the relevant medical issue and discuss the information on the pamphlet with the patient. The pamphlet is left with the patient for future reference.
Figure. MIRF backer patient education pamphlet.
The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions.
