Australasian emergency care
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Australas Emerg Care · Sep 2021
ReviewUse of Virtual Reality for minor procedures in the Emergency Department: A scoping review.
The objective of this review was to collate, summarise and report evidence on the use of VR as an interventional tool for pain and anxiety management during ED procedures. ⋯ A small number of studies involving children undergoing needle insertion in ED found VR to be a safe and effective means of managing procedural anxiety, providing a more effective strategy than standard care. Studies with larger samples, involving different procedures and across age groups are required.
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Australas Emerg Care · Sep 2021
Self-reported incidence of verbal and physical violence against emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in Singapore.
Western studies have highlighted alarmingly high rates of work-related violence experienced by emergency medical services (EMS) staff. As there is a paucity of Asian studies, we aimed to investigate the incidence of physical and verbal violence against the EMS crew in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). ⋯ Paramedics may benefit from security escort for clients with history of alcohol intoxication or violence and more teaching on self-defence and soft restraints. Current training and protocols should be revised to meet these needs.
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Australas Emerg Care · Sep 2021
Impact of personal protective equipment on prehospital endotracheal intubation performance in simulated manikin.
Tracheal intubation in COVID-19 patients is a potentially high-risk procedure for healthcare professionals. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended to minimize contact with critical patients with COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to primarily examine the effect of PPE use on intubation time and success rate among prehospital healthcare professionals; additionally, we compared intubation times among prehospital health care professionals using PPE with direct laryngoscopy and video laryngoscopy assistance. ⋯ PPE use is associated with increased intubation time and decreased success rate. Video laryngoscopy assistance in cases where PPE use is required facilitates faster endotracheal intubation than does direct laryngoscopy assistance.