Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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First rib fractures (FRFs) have historically been a marker for severe trauma and poor outcomes. The aim of the present study was to assess whether an association still exists between a fractured first rib and global trauma scores suffered by the patient, examine mortality rates and identify other commonly associated injuries. ⋯ A larger than expected proportion of FRFs were not associated with severe trauma scores or high mortality. These findings suggest that patients with an FRF may have a greater chance of surviving their traumatic FRF than previously reported. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for severity and specific associated injuries when treating a patient with FRFs.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2022
Attitudes and regard for specific medical conditions among Australian emergency medicine clinicians.
To quantify the attitude ED clinicians hold towards patients presenting with different medical conditions, including a novel pandemic condition. ⋯ Emergency doctors and nurses generally hold lower regard for complex medical conditions with behavioural components, including substance use disorders and somatoform conditions.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2022
A mixed methods investigation of behavioural drivers influencing Emergency Department attendance in Victoria during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
To identify behavioural drivers and barriers that may have contributed to changes in ED attendance during the first 10 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Victoria. ⋯ Patients expressed increased concerns around attending ED during the first 10 months of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and frequently cited COVID-19 as a reason for delaying their presentation. These factors would be amenable to mitigation via focussed public health messaging.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2022
Preventable presentations of older adults to emergency departments: General practitioners' perspectives.
To describe general practitioners' (GP) perspectives of older patients presenting to the ED, reasons they would refer to the ED and how they utilise community services to help manage older adults. ⋯ GPs reported they would have been able to manage a significant proportion of older adults who presented to the ED in the community without referring to the ED. Severe and acute illness requiring urgent evaluation and intervention was the main reason GPs would refer to the ED.