Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2024
Is clinician reported practice in Western Australian emergency departments aligned with direct discharge pathway protocols for minor self-limiting fractures? A multi-centre professional survey.
To determine ED clinician's current management for five common minor self-limiting fractures (MSLF) and evaluate practice against evidence-informed direct discharge pathway (DD) protocols. ⋯ Survey results suggested system wide variation in ED fracture management practice and target areas for service improvement. Avenues for service improvement could include hospital wide agreed management plans for specific fractures and support for less experienced clinicians.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2024
'You mean you're not doing it already?' A national sentinel toxico-surveillance system for detecting illicit, emerging and novel psychoactive drugs in presentations to emergency departments.
Patients presenting to the ED after using illicit drugs, including novel psychoactive substances, are a unique source of information on substances that are directly causing acute harm in the community. Conventionally, illicit drug intoxications are assessed and managed in EDs based on self-report and presenting symptoms, with no objective data on the causative agent. ⋯ The key benefit of EDNA is the capacity to provide timely laboratory-confirmed toxicology data on emerging drug-related threats in the community. This leads to improvements in clinical, forensic laboratory and public health harm reduction responses, reflecting rapid translation of the research.
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In order to tackle racism in healthcare, it must be rooted out, carefully and mindfully, by all those who work in the field. Of late, there is much talk to enact institutional change; however, I believe there is a paucity of commentary to encourage individual responsibility. Here I present a personal experience which I believe illustrates a frequent occurrence whereby racism is falsely identified in a person. ⋯ I call for a more personal call to action for each and every healthcare professional. I urge my colleagues to be mindful with the use of racist and to take a breath before presiding judgement. You might be surprised as to what you learn from other when they are given the chance.