J Emerg Med
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Sodium azide is a chemical with a mechanism similar to cyanide. There is concern that it could be used as a chemical warfare agent. ⋯ The recurrence, and seriousness, of these events suggests a need for continued education of emergency providers. Emergency physicians should consider exposures to toxic chemicals in their differential when a cluster of patients presents with similar symptoms over a short period of time.
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Alcohol is the leading contributor to boating deaths. Earlier literature estimates that 30-40% of people drink alcohol while boating. ⋯ A majority of participants imbibe while boating and with only a rudimentary understanding of the dangers. Designated drivers (for boating) campaigns might falsely imply imbibing-passenger safety. Public health officials should readdress the dangers of passenger drinking, especially with the younger age group, to help decrease alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.
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The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) uses multiple, short-structured contacts to evaluate communication and professionalism. It predicts medical school success better than the traditional interview and application. Its acceptability and utility in emergency medicine (EM) residency selection are unknown. ⋯ Although the MMI alone was viewed less favorably than a traditional interview, participants were receptive to a mixed-methods interview. The MMI does correlate with performance on the EM clerkship and therefore can measure important abilities for EM success. Future work will determine whether MMI performance predicts residency performance.
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Patient satisfaction with emergency care is associated with timeliness of care, empathy, technical competence, and information delivery. Previous studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings regarding the association between pain management and patient satisfaction. ⋯ There was a significant association between patient satisfaction and a reduction in pain of 2 or more points and number of medications administered. Effective pain management is associated with improved patient satisfaction among ED patients with painful conditions.