Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Influence of cognitive impairment on pain assessment and management in the emergency department: A retrospective cross-sectional study.
To quantify the impact of cognitive impairment on pain assessment and management practices in the ED. ⋯ Pain is inadequately and inappropriately assessed for elderly patients with a cognitive impairment in the ED, resulting in delays in initiation of pain management.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Clinical risk for substance-affected patients attending an emergency department in the Northern Territory with police: A quality improvement initiative.
Determine clinical risk for patients presenting to Royal Darwin Hospital ED when they cannot be cared for at the police watch-house (WH) or sobering-up-shelter (SUS) because of a medical concern. ⋯ This is a common presentation at Royal Darwin Hospital ED by a patient group with high levels of comorbidity, homelessness and alcohol dependence. Nearly half self-discharged prior to medical assessment. These patients frequently re-attend the same facilities and enter into a cycle of non-intervention. Case management across services is needed to improve the opportunity that these patients receive appropriate medical, social and addiction interventions.