Outcome of asymptomatic electric shock victims requesting an emergency ambulance

Objective

To determine whether patients suffering from electric shock without significant symptoms at the point of an emergency call could be appropriately assigned a nonemergency ambulance response using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS).

Methods

Welsh Ambulance Service dispatch records were searched to identify patients allocated the MPDS code of 15C01 (electric shock without priority symptoms) over a 30-month period. Ambulance and hospital records were also reviewed.

Results

Records were unavailable for seven of the 52 patients identified (13%). Nine refused transport (17%, 95% CI 8.2% to 30.3%), and 36 were taken to emergency departments (69%, 95% CI 55% to 81%). Of the 52 patients, 23 were discharged shortly after arrival (44%, 95% CI 31% to 59%), 11 receiving no treatment (21%, 95% CI 11% to 35%). Thirteen patients were admitted as inpatients or were transferred to another hospital (25% of the total sample, 95% CI 14% to 39%). Fourteen had burns (27% of the total sample, 95% CI 16% to 41%). Five of these were admitted or transferred to another hospital, five were discharged after treatment, and two left without treatment (one self-discharged). Records were unavailable for two burns patients.

Conclusions

The findings of this study do not justify allocating a low-priority response to victims of electric shock without significant symptoms at the point of the emergency call, since 25% require hospital admission. Further research is required to determine whether the addition of questions to the MPDS about burns and pregnancy might allow safe allocation of a nonemergency response to other asymptomatic electric shock patients.