Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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The overall prognosis for children who sustain a submersion incident is directly related to several variables including length of submersion, initial neurologic evaluation, time to first breath, initial pH, and others. Resuscitation after near-drowning is unsuccessful in terms of death and neurologic deficit in 30% of those children who are treated at our institution. ⋯ Therefore skilled attempts at resuscitation and management are mandatory. The understanding of the sequence of events that occur during the drowning process and the pathophysiologic consequence make it possible for health care personnel to provide aggressive therapeutic interventions that will enhance the likelihood of a normal recovery.
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The purpose of this study was to assess the need for home health care referral screening for elderly patients after ED discharge. The specific research question addressed was: Is there a need for home care referral screenings for elderly patients discharged from the emergency department? ⋯ Elderly patients frequently access the health care delivery system through the emergency department, but little is known about the outcomes of such usage, particularly in the context of continuity of care. If home care referral screenings of elderly ED patients are performed and appropriate referrals are made before ED discharge, a seamless delivery system of health care is provided. A home care visit resulting from a referral may be all that is needed for the maintenance of a patient's condition. To improve the quality and continuity of patient care, home care screening should be integrated into the routine discharge ED activities.