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The specialisation of out-of-hospital emergency medical care requires constant optimization of work methods and procedures. For this reason, the research activity acquires unquestionable importance, given the direct relationship between the theoretical activity and its practical application.

Support for research has become consolidated as a strategic line of service development, as well as for the professional advancement of medical personnel, both paid-staff and volunteers.

In this regard, SAMUR - Civil Protection is committed to:

• The creation of several research groups on specific emergency subject matters that are responsible for fostering, directing, assisting, and energising the dedicated researchers who are part of our personnel.
• The provision of specific training in research, writing and managing scientific papers, bibliography searches, database management, and statistical analysis for clinical research is offered to those interested workers.
• Research training for new personnel during the competitive selection process, considering this subject matter to be an important part of the curriculum design of any professional branch dedicated to out-of-hospital emergency.
• The professional advancement of personnel whose dedication to research and incorporation of the research method provides the cornerstone for continuous medical care improvement based on scientific evidence.
• The participation of all professionals in the implementation of the service’s medical care procedures, using a bibliography review methodology from evidence-based medicine sources.
• The participation of professionals and volunteers in international, national and regional scientific meetings of interest for the research dissemination (conferences, scientific forums etc.) through financial support for the expenses generated therefrom.
• The provision of internal activities for the presentation of research papers and public interest cases (clinical case competition, monographic literature review sessions).

Scientific production during 2024:

• 34th NATIONAL SEMES (SPANISH SOCIETY OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE CONFERENCE 5, 6 AND 7 JUNE 2024, SEVILLE. 50 papers: 35 oral presentations, 5 defended posters, 9 undefended posters and 1 clinical case. 52.2% of the total papers presented by the national EMSs correspond to SAMUR-Civil Protection
  • 1st Prize for Better Nursing Communication. Suspicion indicators for ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke in pre-hospital management.
  • Honourable mention in the Emergency Medical Technician Category. Introduction of hearing aids and visual references in telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
  • Selection of Best Papers (Medical Category):
    • Artificial intelligence-based neurological outcome prediction during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
    • Interim analysis of the SYMEVECA Study Phase 2: with new modes of ventilation for patients during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
• 7th NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE SPANISH CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) COUNCIL (CERCP), 22 AND 23 NOVEMBER 2024, A CORUÑA. 29 papers. 18 oral presentations, 10 posters, 1 Ted talk. 15.7% of the Conference papers are from SAMUR-Civil Protection
  • 1st Prize. SYMEVECA Study. Phase 2.
  • 2nd Prize. Mortality predictive factors in moderate haemorrhagic traumatic brain injury in the out-of-hospital setting.
  • 3rd Prize. ETCO2 (End Tidal CO2), haemorrhagic shock predictor in pre-hospital emergencies.
  • 1st Prize in the SVA Championship
• 30th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Emergency and Emergency Medicine Care Nursing (SEEUE) - PINTO (Madrid) 22, 23 and 24 April. 1 poster presentation
• 1st NATIONAL CONGRESS ON EMERGENCY PSYCHOLOGY - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA 2, 3 AND 4 May 2024. 1 oral presentation.

26th Municipal Conference on Disasters

The conference was held in Madrid on 25 and 26 October 2024 under the motto “Madrid at the Heart of International Solidarity”.

This biannual meeting, organised by SAMUR-Civil Protection, is a platform for emergency sector professionals and volunteers to share knowledge, experiences and advances in disaster management.

This year's edition offered preeminent scientific round tables with the participation of renowned national and international experts, commercial and institutional exhibitions, workshops for professionals and a large-scall (macro) drill involving multiple security and emergency service agencies.

These conferences were a unique opportunity for attendees to update his/her skills, expand his/her professional networks, and contribute to the development of more effective strategies for civil protection and emergency management.

12th Conference on Child Abuse Prevention and Care

On November 21st, 2024, the 12th Conference on Child Abuse Prevention and Care was held under the motto “Safe environments for children and adolescents: Addressing risk situations through medical emergencies”.

Child abuse prevention and care

Emergency professionals face situations daily derivative from the absence of safe environments for children and adolescents. A safe environment is one which respects the rights of all children and fosters a healthy physical, psychological and social environment, including the digital environment, and prevents any form of violence against this group.

Therefore, within the new approach to comprehensive protection of children and adolescents which must be adopted by all, the Madrid City Council's emergency medical services seek to add value to our interventions involving paediatric patients by identifying unsafe environments and enabling the early activation of prevention and care mechanisms for vulnerable families, at the time and location of the provision of care, whether at home, at school, or the community in general. Furthermore, it is intended to minimize the impact that our intervention may have on victims, furthering the well-being, recovery and personal development of our children. We strongly believe that this philosophy can be extrapolated to all levels of care, and therefore invite professionals from hospitals, primary health care, social services, law enforcement, and legal services and all those involved in childcare to this conference.

The main objective of this conference is precisely to put forward certain keys to understanding the risk and violence against children and adolescents, and to provide several guidelines for developing effective online protection measures to create or protect safe environments. The fostering of these safe environments requires the study and observation of the physical aspects of the places where children are found, emotional aspects, the presence of consenting adults, and the participation of all related parties, including the very protagonists themselves.

Throughout the programme of these conferences, several of the risks resulting from the absence of a safe and secure environment were discussed. These included the risks of sexual abuse, offering an overview of the current problem, updated diagnoses, and the use of chemical submission with minors. The unsafe environment generated by new technologies which is responsible for the existence of crimes against children and adolescents online, screen addiction, and preventive and intervention strategies to combat the issue were similarly discussed.

Subsequently, the issue of mental health in childhood and crisis care was addressed, along with suicide, as well as some strategies implemented through a training program for educators to anticipate the detection and initial support of such situations.

Finally, feedback was obtained from young people as regards the issues discussed during the conference to come full circle in that comprehensive overview of what risks entail in secure environments.

Many collaborators are involved in this event: individual professionals, healthcare and educational institutions, social services, third-sector organizations, etc., all committed to the challenge of building a network that ensures protective environments for our children and adolescents.

13th Municipal Emergency Psychology Conference

The 13th Edition of the Emergency Psychology Conference under the motto “Emergencies and Addictions” was held on November 7th, 2024.

The 13th edition of the Emergency Psychology Conference focused on the psychological approach to addictions, as they generate traumatic experiences in which the patient feels their physical and psychological integrity is threatened, while also deeply affecting their family, work, and social life. Intervention during the emergency phase encourages awareness of the problem, motivation for change, and the possibility of reversing a chronic condition or history of substance use.

Recognising the negative consequences of addiction, its risk factors and absence of addiction coping skills, facilitates the shift from positive addiction expectations, irrational beliefs, control and the negative emotions generated such as guilt, shame and denial.

Failure to adequately address addiction can lead to traffic and workplace accidents, hit-and-run accidents, car accidents, falls, assaults, vehicular violence, polytrauma, traumatic autolysis, sexual assault, gender-based violence, child abuse, elder abuse, anxiety attacks, cardiorespiratory arrests and other psychiatric emergencies.

Following Prochaska and DiClemente's "Transtheoretical Model of Change," emergency intervention enables a patient to move from precontemplation or the absence of any plans to modify behaviour to contemplation, preparation, and action for the change which entails eliminating consumption, controlling cravings and negative emotions, and the maintenance of abstinence.

Crisis intervention serves as a bridge between the patient’s life story and referral resources. Connecting current symptomatology or consumption with the aetiology that correlates with having suffered abuse, exposure to violence, sexual abuse, bullying, exposure to trauma, sexual and/or gender identity issues. This facilitates the cessation of addictive behaviour and its medium- and long-term perpetuation as self-medication. It prevents the intensity and frequency of adaptive (or adjustment) disorders, deficit narcissism, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizoid personality disorder, avoidant personality disorders, dysthymia, attachment disorders etc. It is, therefore, necessary to raise awareness as regards the importance of early intervention, to be non-judgmental, to humanise the patient, and to speak naturally regarding his/her addiction.

Sharing the intervention procedures, experience and feedback of various professionals is essential to successfully address the difficult situations that a city such as Madrid deserves and needs.

6th Blood Analysis in Emergency Conference

The 6th Blood Analysis in Emergency Conference was held at the Comprehensive Training Center for Safety and Emergency (CIFSE) on 25 April 2025.

All emergency services in Spain participated, presenting real-life clinical cases where blood analysis has been crucial in-patient management and recovery.

SAMUR-Civil Protection was the first out-of-hospital emergency service in Spain capable to perform blood tests, starting in 1998. Today, it carries out nearly 1,000 blood tests per month. Its mobile ICUs can deliver results in record time — in just 30 seconds.

Currently, our service can measure, using three portable devices, several parameters which assist in better understanding the actual immediate needs of patients, and as a result improving survival rates.