Annals of emergency medicine
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A computed tomography (CT) scan has high sensitivity in detecting intracranial injury in patients with minor head injury but is costly, exposes patients to high radiation doses, and reveals clinically relevant lesions in less than 10% of cases. We evaluate S100-B protein measurement as a screening tool in a large population of patients with minor head injury. ⋯ Measurement of plasma S100-B on admission of patients with minor head injury is a promising screening tool that may be of help to support the clinician's decision not to perform CT imaging in certain cases of low-risk head injury.
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The training of medical personnel to provide care for disaster victims is a priority for the physician community, the federal government, and society as a whole. Course development for such training guided by well-accepted standardized core competencies is lacking, however. This project identified a set of core competencies and performance objectives based on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by the specific target audience (emergency department nurses, emergency physicians, and out-of-hospital emergency medical services personnel) to ensure they can treat the injuries and illnesses experienced by victims of disasters regardless of cause. ⋯ Participants, representing multiple academic and provider organizations, used a modified Delphi approach to achieve consensus on recommendations. A framework of 19 content categories (domains), 19 core competencies, and more than 90 performance objectives was developed for acute medical care personnel to address the requirements of effective all-hazards disaster response. Creating disaster curricula and training based on the core competencies and performance objectives identified in this article will ensure that acute medical care personnel are prepared to treat patients and address associated ramifications/consequences during any catastrophic event.