Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2010
Comparative StudyExHALED study: prevalence of smoking and harm levels in an emergency department cohort.
To determine the prevalence of smoking among ED patients compared with the general New Zealand (NZ) smoking prevalence. Secondary outcomes were to determine smokers' level of nicotine dependence, readiness to quit and engagement with primary health care. ⋯ The prevalence rates of smoking are higher among patients attending Wellington Hospital ED than the general NZ population and the majority would like to quit smoking. One in four ED smokers have a high FTND score and are considered nicotine-dependent. Many patients who were not registered with a general practitioner smoked, and the majority wanted to quit. Finally, there is significant interest from ED patients in receiving quit smoking packs from the ED.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2010
Obesity significantly increases the difficulty of patient management in the emergency department.
To determine which aspects of ED management are adversely affected by patient obesity, to determine the level of obesity above which management is made more difficult and to make recommendations on how these effects might be mitigated. ⋯ Patient obesity significantly increases the difficulty of ED patient management. Staff recommendations to mitigate these effects were few but may inform changes in ED practice.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2010
Case ReportsLumbosacral plexopathy due to a rupture of a common Iliac artery aneurysm.
We report a case of lumbosacral plexopathy caused by the rupture of a common iliac artery aneurysm. The patient presented with sciatic type symptoms of lower back pain radiating to his left leg with associated numbness and weakness in the L4-S1 distribution. ⋯ Sciatica is commonly due to a prolapsed intervertebral disc, although spinal canal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, piriformis syndrome and spinal tumours and other causes need to be considered. This case serves to increase the awareness of the possibility of another uncommon cause, especially when additional atypical neurological symptoms exist.
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To establish the incidence and pattern of injuries in patients presenting to hospital with tram-related injuries. ⋯ Most cases of trauma related to trams have minor injuries and are discharged following ED management. Primary prevention of falls in trams and the separation of pedestrians from trams are key areas requiring immediate improvement. In the face of increasing trauma associated with trams, continuing safety surveillance and targeted public safety messages are important to sustain trams as safe and effective mode of transport.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2010
Emergency clinician performed ultrasound: availability, uses and credentialing in Australian emergency departments.
To determine the current availability, uses and credentialing processes of emergency clinician performed ultrasound (EDUS) in Australian ED. ⋯ Emergency department ultrasound is widely available in Australia. Only 60% of surveyed ED had a credentialing process in place for EDUS. This may be of concern given the current Australasian College for Emergency Medicine policy regarding EDUS.