Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2007
Multicenter StudySimulated pediatric trauma team management: assessment of an educational intervention.
Trauma is the leading cause of death in children. The quality of initial medical care received by injured children contributes to outcomes. Our objective was to assess effectiveness of an educational intervention on performance of emergency department (ED) teams during simulated pediatric trauma resuscitations. ⋯ This study demonstrated that an on-site educational intervention was effective in improving the performance of ED teams during simulated pediatric trauma resuscitations. Postintervention performance was more consistent with the Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines. Further studies are needed to determine if improved performance in a simulated scenario leads to improved performance and better clinical outcomes of critically injured children.
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Atrial fibrillation is a rare diagnosis in children and adolescents. We report a case of a 17-year-old previously healthy boy who presented to the emergency department with a 3-week history of shortness of breath, chest pain, and 1 episode of hemoptysis. ⋯ An extensive workup led to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. This case highlights the importance of evaluating for thromboembolic events in pediatric patients presenting with new-onset atrial fibrillation and typical electrocardiogram pattern of cor pulmonale with or without respiratory symptoms.
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(1) To determine antibiotic choices, route of administration, and outcomes of children treated as outpatients with noncomplicated, nonfacial cellulitis at a tertiary care center. (2) To determine the number of visits and time spent in the emergency department (ED) for treatment. ⋯ Noncomplicated, nonfacial cellulitis is most commonly treated using first-generation cephalosporins. Treatment with oral antibiotics was effective and required fewer visits and less time in the ED compared with intravenous treatment. Twice-daily cefazolin and probenecid was associated with less treatment failures and admissions than cefazolin alone and may represent a reasonable alternative for children with nonfacial cellulitis requiring intravenous antibiotics.
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Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2007
Resident exposure to critical patients in a pediatric emergency department.
We hypothesize that nonpediatric and pediatric residents are exposed to a very low percentage of critically ill patients in a high-volume children's hospital emergency department (ED). ⋯ Pediatric and nonpediatric residents who rotate through a high-volume children's hospital ED are exposed to a very low number of critically ill children. Other educational formats, such as mock resuscitations or standardized patient encounters, may be required to correct this deficit.
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Pediatric emergency care · Nov 2007
Test characteristics of the 3-view abdominal radiograph series in the diagnosis of intussusception.
To determine the test characteristics of the 3-view abdominal radiograph series to exclude intussusception in children presenting to the pediatric emergency department. ⋯ Using specific criteria, the presence of air in the ascending colon on 2 or 3 abdominal radiograph views has the potential to substantially decrease the likelihood of or exclude intussusception.