The nursing team from the Rehabilitation Program in Specialized Schools at the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre from CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal provides care to students aged 4–21 with complex disabilities and significant medical needs. These students attend two specialized schools, and our nursing team works in a community-based setting without regular on-site access to a physician or connections to pediatric hospitals. Because of the complexity of our clients’ conditions, emergencies occur frequently. In many cases, 911 must be called, and the student is transported to the emergency department accompanied by an administrative staff member or an orderly.
The emergency transfer of multi-impaired, non-verbal children to the hospital by ambulance constitutes a significant point of vulnerability within the care pathway. We observed that critical information was often lost or delayed during this transition because staff accompanying the students were asked questions they could not answer. Despite our efforts to give detailed verbal reports to first responders, it was clear that this was not enough to support optimal continuity of care and ensure patient safety.
To address this issue, we created an ambulance report form designed to organize and communicate essential medical information quickly and accurately to the hospital team. The form includes key details, such as the time of the incident and 911 call, the reason for the call, pertinent medical background information, medications administered, vital signs, and contact information of the nurse managing the emergency. This form has become an essential tool in our practice, improving information transfer, enhancing patient safety, and saving valuable time during emergencies.
Lead:
Melissa Mailloux, AIS-Nurse Clinician
Contributors:
Kristen Cooke, Nurse Clinician
Sharon Vaughan, Licensed Practical Nurse
Emily Lecker, Program Administration Manager
Florence Imbambe, Licensed Practical Nurse
Cassandra Carreiro-Da-Luz, Licensed Practical Nurse
