THE SMUR OF POITIERS

The mobile and intensive care service (SMUR) is the pre-hospital resuscitation structure that intervenes, outside the hospital, at the request of a regulating doctor from the SAMU.

Two types of  intervention are carried out by teams from the SMUR of Poitiers::

• Primary interventions: These interventions take place at the scene of the accident or the home of the patient. The medical team provides medical care, at times resuscitative, before transport to a health care establishment.
• Secondary interventions: These interventions consist in transporting patients who are already hospitalized to a technical platform or specialized department that does not exist in the initial establishment.

The SMUR of Poitiers is based at the university hospital center.

The SMUR teams that intervene, day and night, night and day, include:

• an emergency physician
• a nurse,
• a driver with an ambulance driving proficiency certificate (CCA).

During an intervention,the SMR team is constant contact, mainly by radio, with the SAMU and its regulating doctor.

On the site of intervention, following examination of the victim, the physician applies the appropriate treatment, and goes on to inform the regulating doctor at the SAMU.

According to the condition of the victim, his wishes and hospital availability, the regulating doctor makes the decision on directing the patient to the hospital establishment in a position to admit him. He then organizes admission to the receiving department (emergency, intensive care…) and mobilizes the specialists necessary to pursuit of hospital management and treatment (cardiologists, radiologists, neurologists…).

This type of organization reduces the lapse of time prior to treatment and management of pathologies such as myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident.

Our SMUR teams apply sophisticated anesthesia and revival techniques: general anesthesia, specific modalities of assisted ventilation, transport with intra-aortic counterpulsation balloon pump…

The SMUR of Poitiers transfers patients from public and private health car establishments in Poitiers, Châtellerault, Montmorillon et Loudun. It also intervenes in other departments at the request of local SAMUs.

 

Helicopter SMUR

Since 2002, the Poitou-Charentes region has been equipped with a rescue and evacuation helicopter, which is based at  SAMU 86.

It undertakes primary and secondary missions throughout the Poitou-Charentes region at the request of the SAMUs of Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne.

SAMU 86 coordinates the interventions.

The SAMU helicopter is active from October through April from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. and during the summer season (June to September) 24 hours a day..

The crew consists in:

• a pilot,
• a SAMU 86 nurse,
• a SAMU 79 or SAMU 86 emergency physician.

Pediatric SMUR

Pediatric SMUR ensures regional transfers of infants in distress (under 2 years of age) to the pediatric intensive care department of the Poitiers CHU.

When a neonate presents with signs of distress, the pediatric intensivist is directly contacted by his colleague.

The pediatric intensivist is then dispatched for the intervention. SAMU 86 organizes the ground or air transportation.

Pediatric SMUR disposes of equipment adapted to transport of the neonate: respirator, incubator, material for intubation, perfusion, draining…

Pediatric SMUR: emergency neonate management and treatment.

 

THE OTHER SMUR STATIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT

Implanted in Poitiers, SAMU 86 has a departmental vocation.

By convention, it represents the grouping of the different SMUR stations in the department.

Three other SMR stations exist in the Vienne department. :

SMUR of Châtellerault

It is located in the hospital of  Châtellerault and has a 24-hour team.
Le SMUR of Châtellerault carried out  707 interventions in 2009.

SMUR de Montmorillon

It is located in the hospital of Montmorillon and has a 24-hour team.
The SMUR of Montmorillon carried out  259 interventions in 2009.

SMUR of Loudun

It is located in the hospital of Loudun and has a 24-hour team.
Le SMUR of Loudun carried out 253 interventions in 2009.

THE MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMERGENCY CELL (CUMP)

Catastrophes occasion not only physical injuries, but also individual or collective, immediate or deferred, acute or chronic psychological injuries.

Just like physical victims, psychological victims necessitate emergency care. Rapid intervention of psychiatric physicians, psychologists and specifically trained nurses ensures satisfactory immediate and post-immediate treatment, which extends to psychological support for the families of the victims and the rescuers.

The Vienne department possesses a medical and psychological emergency cell, which is part and parcel of  SAMU 86. When CUMP activation  has been decided upon (generally on triggering of a rescue plan), mobilized volunteer health care professionals join the SAMU 86 team.