Resource Limited Facility

Ideally in the treatment of TCA, there will be enough staff available for interventions to be conducted simultaneously. In situations where staff and resources are limited, then a systematic approach must be utilised to identify the cause of the TCA as well as the need to call for help early. Resources may need to be pulled from other areas of the hospital or from local ambulance services. In a smaller facility, it is unlikely that services and necessary equipment will available 24/7 in order to thoroughly care for the patient in TCA. It is not expected that providers would attempt any interventions that are outside of their skill level or beyond their capability. Priority in that case should be focused on managing the patient according to available resources and calling for skilled help via Adult Retrieval Victoria or Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval (PIPER). Contact should be made early to initiate urgent critical care response as well as advice regarding management. The use of telehealth in this situation may be of vital assistance to the providers and gives the consultant on the other end a better understanding of the patient’s presentation and available resources.