Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
Observational StudyHuman factors in the emergency department: Is physician perception of time to intubation and desaturation rate accurate?
The main objective of the present study was to examine the perceived versus actual time to intubation (TTI) as an indication to help determine the situational awareness of Emergency Physicians during rapid sequence intubation and, additionally, to determine the physician's perception of desaturation events. ⋯ Our findings have shown that provider's perception of TTI occurs sooner than actually observed. Also, the providers were less aware of desaturation during the procedure.
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The present study aimed to describe paramedic assessment and management of pain in children in a large state-wide ambulance service. ⋯ Disparities in analgesic administration based on age and the low rate of pain scores documented in very young children identified in the present study should inform strategies that aim to improve the assessment and management of pain in children.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
A retrospective audit of referral letter quality from general practice to an inner-city emergency department.
Our primary aim was to analyse the quality of letters from general practitioners (GPs) to the ED as defined by two checklists: the authors' own nine-item list and a template published in 2013 by the New South Wales Agency for Clinical Innovation. The secondary aim was to determine if referral quality was influenced by letter format (handwritten or computer-generated) or urgency of the patient's condition (defined by triage category). ⋯ Referral quality was influenced by letter format but not by urgency of the patient's condition. Omission of information from referral letters potentially risks patient safety. Handwritten referrals should be abandoned. Comprehensive electronic letter templates and regular updating of medications, comorbidities and allergies are encouraged.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
Pre-clinical medical students' perceptions of their patient safety skills in a simulated emergency department.
Patient safety has emerged as an important topic for inclusion in medical curricula. However, there is limited literature describing how medical students are taught, learn and self-assess patient safety skills. The present study aimed to seek pre-clinical medical students' perceptions of (i) their individual performance at a range of safety skills; and (ii) how they define patient safety in a simulated ED. ⋯ Students had a favourable opinion of their own safety skills. However, answers to free text question revealed misconceptions about the nature of patient safety despite significant teaching on this topic.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
Trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to emergency departments: A population-based study from New South Wales, Australia.
The objective of this study is to describe the trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to EDs in New South Wales, Australia. ⋯ In this population-based study, short-term representations were highest in the infant patient population, in-patient readmission rates were highest in the elderly and very frequent representations to ED were characterised by middle-aged patients with mental health or drug and alcohol related presentations.