Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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To assess the feasibility of using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM®)-sigma and thromboelastography (TEG®)-6s viscoelastic point-of-care assays during rotary wing aeromedical transport, and to determine the reliability of the results obtained. ⋯ It is feasible to reliably run tests on both the ROTEM-sigma and TEG-6s after the devices have been flown in a rotary wing aircraft. However, testing cannot be performed while in flight conditions. It is also possible to run blood samples collected up to 3 h prior and acquire results which correlate well with initial testing.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2020
Children and adolescents with severe acute behavioural disturbance in the emergency department.
Mental health (MH) presentations to ED are increasing in children and adolescents. Little is known about patients with severe acute behavioural disturbance (ABD). We set out to describe patients with ABD severe enough to trigger an acute crisis team response in ED (termed 'Code Grey') and how they differ from other MH patients. ⋯ Children and adolescents with severe ABD differ from other MH presentations and often require physical or chemical restraint. Anticipatory management plans may be valuable for repeat presenters.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2020
What proportion of healthcare worker masks carry virus? A systematic review.
Concerns have been raised by healthcare organisations in New Zealand that routine mask use by healthcare workers (HCW) may increase the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through increased face touching. Routine mask use by frontline HCW was not recommended when seeing 'low risk' patients. The aim of this review was to determine the carriage of respiratory viruses on facemasks used by HCW. ⋯ Although limited, current evidence suggests that viral carriage on the outer surface of surgical masks worn by HCW treating patients with clinical respiratory illness is low and there was not strong evidence to support the assumption that mask use may increase the risk of viral transmission.
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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.