Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
-
A short-cut review was carried out to establish whether patients requiring lower limb immobilisation should have thromboprophylaxis. A total of 148 papers were found using the reported search, of which four presented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ The clinical bottom line is that ambulatory patients with temporary lower leg immobilisation who are over 50, in a rigid cast, non-weight bearing or with a severe injury should be considered as an at risk group for venous thromboembolism (VTE). If there are any other current proven VTE risk factors, patients should be considered as high risk.
-
The aim of this study was to determine whether a normal range of elbow movement can be used as a rule out tool for significant injury after blunt trauma in the paediatric population. ⋯ In the setting of blunt trauma resulting in elbow injury in children, a normal ROM does not rule out a significant injury and should not be used as a screening tool.
-
To describe the patterns and clinical features of toxicity related to recreational use of mephedrone and other cathinones in the U.K. using data collected by the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS). ⋯ Toxicity associated with recreational mephedrone use is increasingly common in the UK. Sympathomimetic adverse effects are common and severe effects are also reported. Structured data collected by the NPIS may be of use in identifying trends in poisoning and in establishing toxidromes for new drugs of abuse.
-
To empirically model the determinants of duration of wait of emergency (triage category 2) patients in an emergency department (ED) focusing on two questions: (i) What is the effect of enhancing the degree of choice for non-urgent (triage category 5) patients on duration of wait for emergency (category 2) patients in EDs; and (ii) What is the effect of co-located GP clinics on duration of wait for emergency patients in EDs? The answers to these questions will help in understanding the effectiveness of demand management strategies, which are identified as one of the solutions to ED crowding. ⋯ These findings suggest that diverting non-urgent (category 5) patients to an alternative model of care (co-located GP clinics) is a more effective demand management strategy and will reduce ED crowding.