Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2021
Is COVID-19 the straw that broke the back of the emergency nursing workforce?
To explore the intentions of Australian emergency nurses to remain in or leave emergency nursing after the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ The data suggest that approximately 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, a high proportion of ED nurses intend to leave ED nursing within 5 years, which will exacerbate pre-existing shortages. Active strategies to address this are urgently needed.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2021
Observational StudyCharacteristics, presentation and outcomes of music festival patrons with stimulant drug-induced serotonin toxicity.
A large number of stimulant drug-associated deaths at music festivals in Australia were reported during the southern hemisphere summer of 2018-2019. This led to the prehospital deployment of healthcare professional-led critical care response teams. We aimed to describe the characteristics, clinical presentation, management and outcomes of music festival patrons with stimulant drug-induced serotonin toxicity managed using this model during the study period. ⋯ Severe illness was associated with a high incidence of end-organ impairment. A high proportion of patients without severe disease were able to be successfully managed at the event without transport to hospital. No deaths are reported in this series.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2021
Regional anaesthesia for rib fractures: A pilot study of serratus anterior plane block.
Rib fractures are not only painful but are associated with morbidity and mortality, especially in older patients. The serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) is a plane block distant from major neurovascular bundles and may provide anaesthesia to a substantial area of the hemithorax. This pilot study was designed to assess if the SAPB can be safely and efficiently incorporated to the trauma reception workflow of an adult, level 1 trauma centre. ⋯ The present study demonstrated the feasibility of ultrasound-guided SAPB among patients with multiple rib fractures in the ED. No complications were observed. Further prospective evaluation of analgesic effects in a larger cohort is indicated.