Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Use of helical computed tomography for imaging the pediatric cervical spine.
To determine the differences in resource utilization and radiation exposure between conventional radiography (ConvRad) and helical computed tomography (HCT) when used to survey the pediatric cervical spine (CSp). ⋯ As a modality to screen the pediatric CSp for blunt-force trauma, HCT results in increased radiation exposure and radiology resource use without a reduction in sedation usage or time in the ED.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The validity of emergency department triage blood pressure measurements.
Automated blood pressure (ABP) devices are ubiquitous at emergency department (ED) triage. Previous studies failed to evaluate ABP devices against accepted reference standards or demonstrate triage readings as accurate reflections of blood pressure (BP). This study evaluated ED triage measurements made using an ABP device and assessed agreement between triage BP and BP taken under recommended conditions. ⋯ ABP triage measurements show significant discrepancies from a reference standard. Repeat measurements following AHA standards demonstrate significant decreases in the measured blood pressures.
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The educator's portfolio is of value for both university and community-based academic faculty. It can be used to document scholarly activity and teaching and to prepare for periodic evaluations. Many faculty members use it to assist them in managing their careers and to reflect on activities and teaching efforts to ensure continued growth in competency as teachers. Promotion and tenure committees of many institutions now use this document to aid them in making promotion decisions.
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There is a need for every medical school graduate to handle emergencies as they arise in the daily practice of medicine. Emergency medicine (EM) educators are in a unique position to provide students with basic life support skills, guidance in assessing the undifferentiated patient, and exposure to the specialty of EM during all years of medical school. Emergency physicians can become involved in a variety of education experiences that can supplement the preclinical curriculum and provide access to our specialty at an early stage. ⋯ An effective course combines didactic and clinical components that draw on the strengths of the teaching institution and faculty of the department. A structured clerkship orientation session and system for feedback to students are essential in nurturing the development of student learners. This article provides an approach to assist the medical student clerkship director in planning and implementing EM education experiences for students at all levels of training, with an emphasis on the senior-year rotation.