Validating Signs and Symptoms from An Actual Mass Casualty Incident to Characterize An Irritant Gas Syndrome Agent (IGSA) Exposure: A First Step in The Development of A Novel IGSA Triage Algorithm

摘要

IntroductionChemical exposures daily pose a significant threat to life. Rapid assessment by first responders/emergency nurses is required to reduce death and disability. Currently, no informatics tools for Irritant Gas Syndrome Agents (IGSA) exposures exist to process victims efficiently, continuously monitor for latent signs/symptoms, or make triage recommendations. This study describes the first step to developing emergency department informatics tools for chemical incidents: validation of signs/symptoms that characterize an IGSA syndrome.