Ebrahim Ariamoghaddam - Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahbobeh Abdolrahimi - Assistant professor, Medical-Surgical Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Jamesahar - Department of Medical-Surgical, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hamidreza Behnam Vashani - Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Background: Handling, transferring, and handing off trauma patients impose risks on patients and transfer teams. Therefore, pre-hospital staffs require a high skill to perform these processes simultaneously in critical situations.Aim: The present study was performed with aim to examine the role of demographic factors and skills of pre-hospital staff in the handling and movement of trauma patients to hospitals.Method: This cross-sectional study was performed by the proportional stratified random sampling method on ۱۵۱ pre-hospital emergency staff. For data collection, in addition to a demographic information questionnaire, the researcher completed a valid and reliable checklist based on ۳۰۰ hours of direct observation for assessing staff skills. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version ۲۰) using descriptive and inferential statistics. p<۰.۰۵ was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean score of staff skills was ۷۷.۸۰±۷.۸۴. The lowest scores were related to the stage of “transfer to hospital” (۷۲.۰۴±۸.۴۱) and the dimension of “using body mechanics” (۶۷.۵۷±۱۰.۴۲). There was an inverse correlation between staff body mass index and the mean score of staff skills (r= -۰.۱۹, p<۰.۰۵). Besides, the staff’s skill mean score was correlated with patients’ age (r=۰.۱۸) and weight (r=۰.۱۶) (p<۰.۰۵).Implications for Practice: Retraining courses covering driving, managing pediatric patients, healthy diet and exercise, proper use of equipment, and body mechanics should be implemented for pre-hospital staff. Also, authorities should take measures to control infection and improve patient handoff.

Emergency Responders, Patient Handoff, Patient safety, Patient Transfer