Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2024
Risk factors for violence in an emergency department: Nurses' perspectives.
Work-related violence remains a significant problem in healthcare settings, including EDs. Violence risk assessment tools have been developed to improve risk mitigation in this setting; however, incorporation of these tools into standard hospital processes remains scarce. This research aimed to explore nurses' perspectives on the Bröset Violence Checklist used in routine violence risk assessment and their recommendations for additional items. ⋯ We recommend that violence risk assessment include: history of violence, cognitive impairment, psychotic symptoms, drug and alcohol influence, shouting and demanding, verbal abuse/hostility, impulsivity, agitation, irritability and imposed restrictions and interventions. These violence risk factors fit within the four categories of historical, clinical, behavioural and situational.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2024
Developing a clamshell thoracotomy training model to support hybrid teaching in simulation-based education.
Thoracotomy is an acute, time-sensitive procedure. Simulation-based education provides a safe-learning platform to learn these techniques under close supervision. ⋯ We describe the creation of a thoracotomy simulation model that allows trainees to practice these techniques in a safe-learning environment.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2024
Naloxone use by Aotearoa New Zealand emergency medical services, 2017-2021.
Emergency medical services (EMS) use of naloxone in the prehospital setting is indicated in patients who have significantly impaired breathing or level of consciousness when opioid intoxication is suspected. The present study characterised naloxone use in a nationwide sample of Aotearoa New Zealand road EMS patients to establish a baseline for surveillance of any changes in the future. ⋯ A national rate of EMS naloxone patients was established; measured clinical effects of naloxone were modest, suggesting many patients had reasons other than opioid toxicity contributing to their symptoms. Naloxone administration rates provide indirect surveillance information about suspected harmful opioid exposures but need to be interpreted with care.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2024
Observational StudyChoosing Wisely audit: CT KUB ordering in emergency department renal colic presentations.
Our aim was to safely reduce unnecessary CT KUBs (kidneys, ureters, bladder) in patients with renal colic. ⋯ Audit interventions can reduce unnecessary CT KUBs in renal colic.