Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Competence based training and assessment has become central to education and training for healthcare professionals. There continues to be uncertainty about the meaning of competence and how the principles underpinning competence based training and assessment can be applied to evolving subspecialty and multidisciplinary areas such as prehospital care. Considerable development work has been undertaken on a national level with the creation of a Competence Framework for Emergency Care. This article explores the concepts of competence, defines the terminology, and describes the role of a competence framework in education and training.
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A short cut review was carried out to establish whether topical anaesthetics are an acceptable alternative to lidocaine infiltration in children. A total of 54 papers were found using the reported search, of which seven represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results, and study weaknesses of these best papers are tabulated. A clinical bottom line is stated.
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Epistaxis is a common, potentially life threatening, emergency but first line medical staff are often not adequately trained in its management. This paper presents an illustrated step by step guide to the management of epistaxis by junior doctors in the emergency department.
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Review
Best evidence topic report. Transthoracic ultrasonography to diagnose pneumothorax in trauma.
A short cut review was carried out to establish whether transthoracic ultrasound can be used to diagnose pneumothoraces in trauma patients. A total of 46 papers were found using the reported search, of which four represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results, and study weaknesses of these best papers are tabulated. A clinical bottom line is stated.
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This study aimed to provide an overview of morbidity and mortality among patients admitted to the Hospital of the Medicine Faculty of Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey, after the 1999 Marmara earthquake. ⋯ In the first 24-48 hours after a major earthquake, hospital emergency departments are flooded with large numbers of patients. Among this patient load, those patients with crush syndrome or vital organ injuries are particularly at risk. Proper triage and prompt treatment of these seriously injured earthquake victims may decrease morbidity and mortality. It is hoped that this review of the challenges met after the Marmara earthquake and the lessons learned will be of use to emergency department physicians as well as hospital emergency planners in preparing for future natural disasters.