Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Toxic cardiac arrest is an uncommon manifestation of poisoning. Patients might benefit from resuscitative measures that are over and above those recommended in standard ACLS resuscitation guidelines. ⋯ Treating medical staff should seek expert advice from a toxicologist or from their Poisons Information Centre network (Australia 13 11 26; New Zealand 0800 764 766) at the earliest opportunity when managing patients with cardiac arrest or intractable shock from known or suspected poisoning. Ideally, toxicological expertise should be sought before the withdrawal of active treatment in cardiac arrest or shock from known or suspected poisoning.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
ReviewEmergency Department Workforce Models: What the literature can tell us.
The present study looks at what the literature can tell us about examples of innovative ED staffing. Numerous medical databases, journals specific to emergency care, and key government agency sites were searched to obtain Australian and relevant international literature between 1995 and the present. Studies which discussed appropriate staffing arrangements in the EDs were assessed with preference given to those which gathered evidence about the staff mix. ⋯ The few papers that do exist conclude that senior staffing, matching peak staffing levels with peak patient demand, having appropriately skilled staff mixes and designing the staff profile based upon individual hospital needs produces the most effective outcomes. Although there are some lessons to be learnt from the success of the staffing of various teams, and the introduction of new roles in the EDs, there are still significant gaps within the literature. There is a need for assessment of the effectiveness of various ED-wide staffing profiles (rather than just individual teams within an ED).
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Comparative StudyComparison of visual analogue and Likert scales in evaluation of an emergency department bedside teaching programme.
The present study compares visual analogue scale (VAS) to Likert-type scale (LTS) instruments in evaluating perceptions of an ED bedside clinical teaching programme. A prospective study was conducted in the ED of an urban, adult tertiary hospital. Prospective pairing occurred of a teaching consultant and registrar who were relatively quarantined from normal clinical duties. ⋯ An ED bedside teaching programme is perceived to be a beneficial educational intervention. The VAS is a reliable and valid alternative to the LTS for educational evaluation and might provide advantages in educational measurement. Further research into the significance of extreme values and educationally important changes in scores is required.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Case ReportsAcute compartment syndrome of the thigh following minor trauma in a patient on dual anti-platelet therapy.
Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh is a rare surgical emergency. It is usually associated with high energy trauma and concomitant femoral fracture. ⋯ Background anti-platelet therapy and hospital prescribed anticoagulants were likely contributors to this pathology. We describe these factors and discuss the issues associated with assessment of minor trauma in the anti-coagulated patient.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Comparative StudySick leave in the emergency department: staff attitudes and the impact of job designation and psychosocial work conditions.
To examine patterns of, and attitudes to, sick leave taken by ED and other hospital staff and to compare ED doctor and nurse psychosocial work conditions. ⋯ Emergency department staff generally report healthy psychosocial work conditions. However, the high rate of ED nurse sick leave might be related to their considerable psychological job demand and perceived lack of supervisor support.