European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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This is a retrospective study on the outcome using the TRISS methodology of 94 significantly injured patients over a 24-month period, managed by the Hospital Trauma Team in a general hospital since the formation of the Team in August 1994. There were 37 deaths and nine (24.3%) of these were 'potentially preventable' according to TRISS methodology. Seven of these nine 'potentially preventable or unexpected deaths' were transferred from a nearby district hospital where there was no acute operative facilities. ⋯ The probable causes for the 'potentially preventable trauma deaths' were delay owing to interhospital transfer, delay in activation of the trauma team, unidentified intra-peritoneal haemorrhage, failure to control haemorrhage and delayed or inadequate definitive operation. The evident improvement in the reduction of unexpected trauma deaths were likely associated with the success factors of the improvement of the multi-disciplinary cooperation including mutual understanding, simultaneous patient assessment, higher readiness to use diagnostic peritoneal lavage or ultrasonography to evaluate blunt abdominal trauma, earlier senior participation in patient care, shortening in response time of supportive facilities and a gradual cultural change towards dedicated trauma patient care. Further reduction in unexpected deaths can be expected if better prehospital triage by ambulance staff is attained to transfer trauma patients to the most appropriate instead of the nearest hospital.
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The aim of this study was to describe the possibility of influencing components of hospital delay time within the emergency department (ED) among patients with ST-elevation on the initial electrocardiogram (ECG). Nurses recorded seven patient time points: (1) ED admission; (2) ECG recording; (3) decision by nurse/ED physician; (4) cardiologist ED arrival; (5) decision of coronary care unit (CCU) admission; (6) ED departure; (7) CCU arrival. After special training in ECG, nurses in the ED were subsequently delegated to send patients directly to the CCU if showing ST-elevation on the admission ECG without contacting either the physician in ED or the cardiologist on call (intervention). ⋯ Among patients receiving thrombolysis, the median delay time from hospital admission to CCU admission was reduced from 40 minutes during the 9 months prior to start of the intervention (nurses sending patients directly to the CCU) to 22 minutes during the 6 months thereafter (p = 0.02). The largest proportion of hospital delay components for acute coronary syndrome patients occurred between the cardiologist's decision to admit to the CCU and departure from the ED, and the interval following the decision by the nurse or physician to the cardiologist ED arrival. When nurses were delegated to transfer patients with ST-elevation on admission directly to the CCU without contacting a physician, the delay time from ED admission to CCU admission was reduced by nearly 50%.
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To determine the rate of inappropriate use of the ambulance service a prospective study of patients brought to a Dublin accident and emergency (A&E) department by ambulance was performed over a 78-day period--358 cases were analysed representing 37% of the ambulance case load. The receiving A&E physician deemed 43.3% of cases to have a definite indication for calling an ambulance, 36.9% a relative indication and 19.8% to have no indication. A strong correlation was shown between a definite indication for transport by ambulance and admission to hospital. ⋯ When a general practitioner requests the ambulance only 7.4% of cases had no indication for the action. Approximately one-third (31%) of 999 calls were made because the patient had no transport alternative. The problem of ambulance misuse is multifactorial and a variety of strategies are required to address the issue.
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The diagnosis of elder abuse and neglect is difficult to accomplish, making intervention elusive, primarily because to date there is no set definition of either abuse or neglect. This paper, written primarily from the American viewpoint, addresses definitions; assessment and diagnosis; aetiology of abuse; intervention; prevention and management; ethical and legal considerations; elder abuse and the emergency physician; and future goals.