Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2012
ReviewReview article: A primer for clinical researchers in the emergency department: Part III: How to write a scientific paper.
In this series we address key topics for clinicians who conduct research as part of their work in the ED. Analysis of research data does not represent the completion of a project as the findings need to be communicated to clinicians and other researchers in the field. In this section, we describe how to write up clinical research data for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. We also describe the editorial and peer-review process.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2012
Once or twice-daily, algorithm-based intravenous cephazolin for home-based cellulitis treatment.
Cellulitis is a common presentation to the ED and a significant cause of hospitalization that can be managed in hospital-in-the-home programmes. Current clinical-practice guidelines recommend once or twice-daily i.v. antibiotics; however, there is an absence of data describing the impact of these guidelines in real-world practice-based settings. This study aims to describe the safety and effectiveness of home-based cellulitis treatment according to an online treatment algorithm. ⋯ An online decision support algorithm can support the effective use of a once or twice-daily treatment regimen for uncomplicated cellulitis. This approach can increase the efficiency and capacity of home-based therapy, resulting in better alignment of treatment options with clinicians and patients' preferences.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2012
'Lessons learned': A comparative case study analysis of an emergency department response to two burns disasters.
The Royal Perth Hospital (RPH; Perth, Australia) has been the receiving facility for burns patients in two separate disasters. In 2002, RPH received 28 severely injured burns patients after the Bali bombing, and in 2009 RPH received 23 significantly burnt patients as a result of an explosion on board a foreign vessel in the remote Ashmore Reef Islands (840 km west of Darwin). The aim of this paper is to identify the interventions developed following the Bali bombing in 2002 and review their effectiveness of their implementation in the subsequent burns disaster. ⋯ There were a number of lessons observed from the Bali experience in 2002 that have led to improvements in practice and lessons learned.
-
Appendicitis is the most common paediatric surgical emergency. In our institution, the majority of inter-hospital transfers are for suspected appendicitis. We undertook an audit to assess the accuracy of the provisional diagnosis of the transferred cases. ⋯ Of the surgical referrals for appendicectomy, 60% did not have appendicitis. An improved assessment protocol is required to reduce the margin of diagnostic error and transfer cost, while maintaining clinical safety.