Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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Boxer's fractures are common hand injuries, but their management varies greatly. Two years ago, a boxer's fracture care pathway was developed for use in the Royal London Hospital emergency department to standardise management. ⋯ The evaluation examined the functional outcomes of patients with boxer's fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation who were discharged with no follow up. Findings show that most returned to work immediately and had good functional outcomes, which suggests that the pathway is safe for uncomplicated fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation.
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PATIENTS WHO attend emergency departments (EDs) know that alternative healthcare services are available to them but cannot always access them, a report has concluded.
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Due to major changes in how emergency care is delivered across different communities, one emergency department is no longer like another. Some have separate minor injury provision, some are general departments that cater for all types of patient, while others are designated major trauma centres. These differences in patient profile affect the required numbers and skill mix of nursing establishments so that the nursing workforce in each cannot be predicated on patient numbers alone. This article describes the development by the RCN Emergency Care Association of an evidence-based staffing tool and how it can be used in practice.
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Emergency departments (EDs) in the UK are under increasing pressure, partly because people use them inappropriately for non-urgent conditions. As part of NHS Wales Choose Well campaign, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, based in Bangor, Gwynedd, commissioned research into public perceptions of EDs and alternative urgent care services. This article reports on the findings, one of which is that parents tend to choose EDs as the default option when their children are unwell. The article also asks how public trust in other NHS services can be built so that demand on EDs can be reduced.