Evaluation of the abilities of the staff to perform medical rescue procedures at the advanced level in the State Fire Service in Poland in connection with an update of the Principles of Medical Rescue Organisation in the National Emergency and Fire System

Introduction: Analysis of the medical education of State Fire Service (SFS) officers in terms of the possibility to perform medical emergency procedures at the advanced level in connection with an update of the Rules of Medical Rescue Organisation in National Emergency and Fire System (NEFS). Material and methods: An analysis was conducted of the nationwide staff-related data on the medical education of SFS officers, both in the day-based and shift-based system. The analysis also covered additional qualifications for the pursuit of the profession of a physician, nurse and medical emergency worker among the firefighters/medical emergency workers in Poland, satisfaction of the obligation of professional training and additional employment in healthcare facilities. Results: 2220 officers with medical education work in the organisational units of SFS. Nearly 40% of the officers with medical education in SFS additionally work in healthcare units and more than a half pursues the statutory professional training. To ensure one medical emergency worker per professional shift on the ready, every SFS EFU should have ca. 5.6 full-time positions for medical emergency workers — this is a coefficient including absences of leave, sickness absences and other variables. Therefore, the above calculations indicate that to ensure one medical emergency worker per professional shift in one SFS EFU (E ≈ 5.6), ca. 2817 officers with medical education should be employed. With the current staff level (SRM = 2220), ca. 597 officers should be employed to fill the demand (Mrt) if the advanced level is to be achieved Conclusions: The medical rescue in SFS as one of the disciplines of medicine requires continual development in terms of solutions for the system, equipment and first of all the staff. A higher number of medical emergency workers in SFS may have a positive effect on the quality of the medical procedures carried out during isolated emergency medical incidents. The organisational units of SFS in most voivodeships in Poland face a shortage of medical emergency workers on duty, which has a negative effect on the possibility to perform Medical Rescue Procedures at the advanced level