Australasian emergency nursing journal : AENJ
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Nov 2012
Comparative StudyAnalysis of three advanced practice roles in emergency nursing.
There are many Emergency Department (ED) demand management systems that include advanced practice emergency nursing roles. The aim of this study is to examine and compare three advanced emergency nursing practice roles: ED Fast Track, Clinical Initiatives Nurse (CIN) and Rapid Intervention and Treatment Zone (RITZ). ⋯ Advanced practice roles in emergency nursing can have different applications in the ED context. Clarity about role intent and scope of practice is important and should inform educational preparation and teams within which these roles operate.
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Aug 2012
Managing people with mental health presentations in emergency departments--a service exploration of the issues surrounding responsiveness from a mental health care consumer and carer perspective.
Mainstreaming of mental health services (MHS) within the Australian medical system has generated a fundamental transformation in the way consumers and carers access emergency MHS. People present to the Emergency Department (ED) with many health issues which can often include the management of their mental illness, physical co morbidity, or substance use. ⋯ The pilot project utilised focus groups with mental health care consumers and carers to collaboratively focus on and document the mental health client's 'journey of care' in the ED. There is evidence to suggest from this project that the ED mental health client journey needs continuous improvement and evaluation.
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Aug 2012
ReviewPractical use of the Glasgow Coma Scale; a comprehensive narrative review of GCS methodology.
Narrative review of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) methodology. ⋯ The GCS was designed for the objective measurement of level of consciousness, assessment of trend, and to facilitate accurate and valid communication between clinicians. Concerns have been raised about the potential for misleading levels of precision engendered by the use of the GCS, and the use of simpler scales suggested. This review discusses the GCS and conditions affecting calculation of domain and summary scores, and recommends a method of implementation and interpretation.
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Aug 2012
Improving pain management of abdominal pain in children presenting to the paediatric emergency department: a pre-post interventional study.
In 2007, the Mater Children's Hospital Emergency Department participated in the Emergency Care Pain Management Initiative funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council National Institute of Clinical Studies (NHMRC-NICS). The findings of this NHMRC-NICS research across eleven paediatric emergency departments highlighted deficits in pain management of abdominal pain. Specifically pain assessment, timeliness of analgesia, and pain management guidelines were found to be lacking. ⋯ This project raised local awareness in the pain management of abdominal pain and provides baseline information for future improvement. The guideline has been trialled in the clinical setting of paediatric emergency and has the potential to improve pain management practices in children presenting to the emergency department with abdominal pain.