Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2016
Ventilator-assisted preoxygenation: Protocol for combining non-invasive ventilation and apnoeic oxygenation using a portable ventilator.
To describe a simple protocol for ventilator-assisted preoxygenation (VAPOX) prior to rapid sequence intubation in the ED using a Hamilton T1 ventilator in an effort to further reduce the incidence of transient and critical hypoxaemia. ⋯ Preoxygenation using a ventilator with an open valve system may allow safe combination of non-invasive ventilation, pressure controlled ventilation and apnoeic oxygenation using nasal cannula. VAPOX may be the technique of choice to preoxygenate and apnoeic oxygenate many patients who undergo rapid sequence intubation in the ED equipped with these ventilators.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2016
Impact of a pilot pathway for the management of gastroenteritis-like symptoms in an emergency department: A case study following a Salmonella outbreak.
This research aims to describe the effect of standard care (control) versus a clinical management pathway (intervention) on patient length of stay and admission rates during a public health emergency at one Australian ED. ⋯ The length of stay for patients between the two groups was statistically different, suggesting that the implementation of a clinical management pathway for patients with gastroenteritis-like symptoms reduced the ED length of stay. This finding is useful in future planning for similar public health emergency responses and/or for use when patients present with gastroenteritis-like symptoms on a daily basis.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2016
Development of a productive research culture in emergency medicine: Report of the outcomes of a research forum.
In recent years, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) has increasingly focused on the need for high-quality research in emergency medicine (EM). One important initiative was the establishment of the ACEM Foundation, which among other responsibilities, is required to support clinical research through the provision of research funding and other measures. ⋯ Nine key objectives were determined including that research should be a core business of the ACEM and a core activity of the EM workforce, and that EM research should be sustainable and adequately supported. This report describes the background and conduct of the Forum, its recommendations and the way in which they could be implemented.