Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2020
Multi-site study exploring the experiences of security staff responding to mental health, drug health and behavioural challenges in the emergency department.
This multi-site study aimed to give voice to the views and experiences of security staff in assisting with the response to the growing number of people with mental health, drug health and behavioural problems attending EDs. ⋯ Expecting non-clinicians to undertake a clinical role (often under stressful circumstances involving close patient contact) places security staff and patients in a precarious position. Greater clarity regarding the role of security staff and information that allows them to adequately and safely undertake their work is required. If security staff are expected to participate in patient care then access to relevant information and the ability to document their activities and patient interactions should be provided. The vital support role that security staff perform needs to be valued and respected.
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To report the incidence of fever among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ In an Australian hospital, screening for fever lacked sensitivity for detection of patients with SARS-CoV-2.
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Australian hospitals have prepared for a major surge in patients due to the infectious respiratory pandemic COVID-19. In other nations, patient presentations have overwhelmed resources. ⋯ In this article, we will describe three lung ultrasound algorithms for the emergency diagnosis of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms during a COVID-19 pandemic: (i) LUSC19: lung ultrasound to assess the severity of COVID-19; (ii) LUSAC: lung ultrasound to exclude alternative causes of respiratory distress; and (iii) LUSI: lung ultrasound following intubation. We anticipate that emergency physicians will use these algorithms during the upcoming respiratory pandemic to rapidly determine the severity of COVID-19 infection, to seek and treat significant alternative diagnoses and ensure endotracheal intubation.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2020
Specialised vestibular physiotherapy in the emergency department: A pilot safety and feasibility study.
To evaluate the safety and feasibility of vestibular physiotherapy in the ED, and its impact on adherence to evidence-based clinical practice. ⋯ The results of the present study support extending the role of physiotherapists to managing peripheral vestibular dysfunction in the ED.