Intensive care systems

Systems for NETS are self-contained, modular units with inbuilt power and medical gas supplies. They have most of the facilities normally available in an intensive care unit. These include monitoring, multiple infusion pumps, ventilatory support and communications. For babies and infants less than around 3kg, a double wall incubator is used. Subject to the patient's length being no more than the incubator capacity, patients of between 3 and 5 kg can sometimes be accommodated in an incubator.

Power and medical gases (air and oxygen) can be supplemented by supplies from the referring hospital or from within any of the vehicles used by NETS. Switching is immediate, allowing change over to occur without any noticeable interruption to supply.

Neonatal modules are built to a common design. The 'footprint' of the unit and its interfacing mechanisms to vehicles are standard. This approach allows evolution of the components of the unit without interfering with the mechanisms of loading, safe securing and unloading.

Infants and young children can be transported on a 'short' strectcher suitable for patients up to about 30kg.

Older paediatric patients are carried on an adult-sized stretcher which have been modified to accept a paediatric bridge. This lightweight bridge includes infusion pumps, Oxylog ventilator and multi-function monitor.

Systems	Compatibility		Fixation method	Weight	Comments
	Patient	Vehicle
R1	Neonate or Infant < 6 kg & < 60 cm	Child Flight 1	Brackets at each end of stretcher attaching to aircraft floor	119 kg	Not approved for King-Air, Rescue helicopters or Child Flight 2
		Road ambulance	Strap ties attaching to adult stretcher
		Hospital trolley	Strap ties to trolley
R4	Neonate or Infant < 6 kg & < 60 cm	NETS ambulances (Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit) King Air (AA) Child Flight 1 Child Flight 2 Westpac 1 (Newcastle) Rescue 22, 23 (Sydney) Rescue 26 (Wollongong) Rescue 24 (Orange) Southcare (Canberra) Pelair Westwind (Charter jet) Hospital scissor trolleys (short)	All these systems use the standard NETS' locking system which is based on 'Bucher' pins (two at each end) being contained by a bracket or frame.	119 kg	Strap ties for hospital trolley or non-NETS' ambulance.
C1				113 kg	Strap ties for hospital trolley or non-NETS' ambulance.
WK1	Infants and young children 3 kg to 30 kg			Williams' stretcher (red) = 19 kg Paediatric sub-frame (blue) = 50 kg	Add weight of selected Bridge and Patient for all-up-weight. Strap ties fo hospital trolley or non-NETS ambulance
B2	Infants or Child > 5 kg		Locks onto Ferno stretchers which have been fitted with lugs (using pip-pins)	22 kg	Bridge design. Can be used in either of 2 positions (shorter and longer patients) Power: Internal battery when on W1, mains and parasitic operation. 12 & 28 vdc; 230 vac
B3				21.5 kg
B5 Yellow	Child > 10 kg	NETS Ambulances Child Flight 1 Child Flight 2 (pending) AA (RFDS Sydney) Rescue 22, 23		B5 36kg Yellow 25kg	Bridge design. External power from 12/28 VDC or 230VAC sources. Monitor and pumps have internal batteries.

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