Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2016
ReviewPotential role for psychological skills training in emergency medicine: Part 1 - Introduction and background.
Psychological skills training (PST) is the systematic acquisition and practice of different psychological techniques to improve cognitive and technical performance. This training consists of three phases: education, skills acquisition and practice. Some of the psychological skills developed in this training include relaxation techniques, focusing and concentration skills, positive 'self-suggestion' and visualisation exercises. ⋯ Despite the benefits realised in other professions, medicine has only recently begun to explore certain elements of PST. The present paper reviews the history and evidence behind the concept of PST. In addition, it presents some aspects of PST that have already been incorporated into medical training as well as implications for developing more comprehensive programmes to improve delivery of emergency medical care.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2016
Observational StudyFluid bolus therapy in emergency department patients: Indications and physiological changes.
The aim of the present paper is to study the indications for fluid bolus therapy (FBT) and its associated physiological changes in ED patients. ⋯ In ED, FBT is used mostly in patients without shock. However, after an immediate haemodynamic effect, FBT is associated with absent or limited physiological changes at 1 or 2 h. Even in shocked patients, the changes in MAP at 1 or 2 h after FBT are small.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2016
The Emergency Medicine Events Register: An analysis of the first 150 incidents entered into a novel, online incident reporting registry.
Incident reporting systems are critical to understanding adverse events, in order to create preventative and corrective strategies. There are very few systems dedicated to Emergency Medicine with published results. All EDs in Australia and New Zealand were contacted to encourage the use of an Emergency Medicine - specific online reporting system called the Emergency Medicine Events Register (EMER). ⋯ A focus on correct diagnosis, procedure performance and investigation interpretation may reduce errors in the ED. The ability to learn from incidents and make system changes to enhance patient safety in healthcare organisations is an inherent part of providing a proactive, quality culture.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2016
Use and knowledge of single dose activated charcoal: A survey of Australian doctors.
The use of single dose activated charcoal (SDAC) as a means of gastric decontamination is declining. The present study examined the potential use of SDAC in common overdose scenarios by Australian emergency doctors, compared with clinical toxicologists and current guidelines. ⋯ Our study showed that there is a significant variation in the use of SDAC between toxicologists and emergency doctors in some scenarios. Clinical toxicologists are more likely to administer SDAC in certain overdose settings. It is essential to provide education on the benefits versus actual risks of SDAC in acute poisoning so that doctors will understand when to administer SDAC or seek further advice.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2016
Patient intention and self-reported compliance in relation to emergency department attendance after using an after hours GP helpline.
To determine ED attendance and compliance with GP advice following a call to an after hours telephone triage and advice service. ⋯ An after hours GP helpline may divert some callers intending to go to the ED to other care. However, patient non-compliance may limit the capacity of telephone triage and advice service to reduce demand for ED. Further research is needed to better understand the effect of the service.