The American journal of emergency medicine
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Observational Study
Diseases associated with electrolyte imbalance in the ED: age-related differences.
The objective of the study is to investigate the prevalence of electrolyte imbalance (EI) in the emergency department (ED) with systemic diseases in different decades of life. ⋯ In our study, 13.7% of all patients showed an EI, and only 2% of cases were alone without any associated systemic disease. Most EIs are associated to other systemic diseases. The present data also depict different age-related and disease-associated prevalence patterns of EI, thus highlighting a complex clinical scenario.
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Review Meta Analysis
Effect of scribes on patient throughput, revenue, and patient and provider satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Scribes offer a potential solution to the clerical burden and time constraints felt by health care providers. ⋯ We found no difference in length of stay or time to disposition with a small increase in the number of patients per hour seen when using scribes. Potential benefits include revenue and patient/provider satisfaction.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Single rescuer ventilation using a bag-valve mask with internal handle: a randomized crossover trial.
To compare tidal volume received during single rescuer ventilation with a modified bag-valve mask (BVM) with integrated internal handle vs standard BVM among healthy volunteers using a manikin model. ⋯ The modified BVM with integrated internal handle results in greater mean received tidal volume compared with standard BVM during single rescuer ventilation in a manikin model. This modified BVM design may prove a useful airway adjunct for ventilation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Using the skin protective lotion IB1 as a substitute for chemical protective gloves.
We aimed to evaluate the performance of medical personnel in using the IB1 topical protective lotion on their hands and wrists together with standard disposable medical gloves, compared to standard-issued medical chemical protective gloves. This randomized cross-over study included 144 medical personnel. Primary endpoints were time-to-completion of autoinjection; success rate, number of attempts, and time-to-achieve successful endotracheal intubation; time-to-achieve satisfactory tube fixation; time-to-draw and inject the content of an ampoule; and the total time-to-perform all medical procedures. ⋯ For all medical procedures, the use of IB1 was reported as significantly more convenient than the use of chemical protective gloves (P<.001 for all comparisons). IB1 with standard medical gloves significantly shorten the time-to-perform medical procedures requiring fine motor dexterities and is subjectively more convenient than chemical protective gloves. IB1 should be considered as an appropriate alternative for medical teams in a chemical event.