The use of warning lights and siren by the ambulance crew in the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre

摘要

Warning lights and siren (4,&S) use is a privilege and their major function is to alert other road users to the approaching ambulance. There have been concerns that L&S were being utilized regardless of the severity of a patient's condition. Its indiscriminate use has contributed to ambulance crashes [1-4]. Ambulance crashes have become a major public concern in Malaysia, with 288 accidents involving ambulances from 2006 to 2010 [5], Depending on the organization involved, providers of differing qualifications, training and experiences run various ambulance services in the country. In Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), the paramedic is responsible for assessing the patients' condition. However, it is not certain whether the decision to initiate L&S is appropriate. The purpose of this study is to assess the utilization of warning L&S and the factors that may influence their use.