Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Children undergo many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the ED. Although emergency staff can often intervene to reduce physical pain through topical anaesthesia, analgesia and sedation, much procedural distress can be addressed by better preparing patients and families for the procedures. ⋯ We present a practical language guide for procedures and equipment for use by clinicians in the ED before, during and after procedures. The language tables might be most usefully placed in the procedure rooms for easy reference or incorporated into clinical practice guidelines.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2012
Prospective observational study of the practice of endotracheal intubation in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia.
To describe the practice of endotracheal intubation in the ED of a tertiary hospital in Australia, with particular emphasis on the indication, staff seniority, technique, number of attempts required and the rate of complications. ⋯ Although the majority of results are comparable with overseas data, the rates of difficult laryngoscopy and desaturation are higher than previously reported. We feel that this data has highlighted the need for practice improvement within our department and we would encourage all those who undertake emergent airway management to audit their own practice of this high-risk procedure.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2012
Earthquake-related crush fractures and non-earthquake-related fractures of the extremities: a comparative radiological study.
To determine the features that differentiate earthquake-related crush extremity fractures from non-earthquake-related extremity fractures by using digital radiography (DR) and multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT). ⋯ Earthquake-related crush fractures of extremities are more likely than non-earthquake-related extremity fractures to involve multiple extremities, multiple bones and to be comminuted. The lower extremities, predominantly the tibia and fibula, are more likely to be involved. This has implications for emergency and disaster planning in earthquake-prone regions.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2012
Prolonged length of stay in the emergency department in high-acuity patients at a Chinese tertiary hospital.
ED overcrowding is a worldwide issue, with most evidence coming from developed countries. Until now, little was known about this subject in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the situation of prolonged lengths of stay (LOS) in the ED for high-acuity patients in a Chinese tertiary hospital and to identify associated factors. ⋯ We found an excessive LOS in the resuscitation room in this tertiary hospital. The most significant reason for prolonged LOS was boarding block. Shortage of inpatient beds and reluctance of the wards to admit these patients might be the primary reasons for extremely long boarding.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2012
Factors associated with failure to follow up with a general practitioner after discharge from the emergency department.
To identify factors associated with failure to follow up with a general practitioner (GP) after discharge from the ED or emergency medicine unit (EMU). ⋯ Participants who were aware of the reason for follow up with a GP, who were admitted to EMU, had health insurance or had a regular GP were more likely to comply with follow-up advice. This highlights that good patient communication is important for successful follow up, and that alternative avenues for completion of management need to be explored for patients without health insurance or a regular GP.