Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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The quality of medical documentation is integral to audit, clinical governance, education, medico-legal aspects and continuity of patient care. This study aims to investigate the introduction of a dedicated 'Airway Registry Form' (ARF) on the quality of documentation in prehospital rapid sequence intubation. ⋯ This study validates the use of a dedicated ARF for the improvement of documentation and data collection related to prehospital rapid sequence intubation when compared with post-event extraction of data from a generic case-record.
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Information technology (IT) has an important role in the emergency department (ED) functioning, but staff attitudes can influence the way IT is used. Qualitative research into the perceptions of the ED staff has identified a variety of individual, environmental and system factors that may influence attitudes towards using IT. The authors aimed to determine which factors predict attitudes towards using IT and which factors are the most influential. ⋯ The perceived individual impact of technology is the most important factor in determining ED staff attitude towards using IT. The ED staff are more likely to view using IT systems positively if they can see direct individual benefits arising from their use.
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Airway management is a core component in the practice of advanced life support (ALS) paramedics. ⋯ Significant improvement in confidence and knowledge was found after paramedics completed an intense airway management course. Knowledge at 6 and 12 months remained significantly better compared with pre-course.
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In the UK, there is a continuing effort within the National Health Service to reduce patient waiting times in emergency departments (EDs). This audit aimed to evaluate whether a reporting radiographer-led discharge system could reduce waiting times from x-ray to discharge with no detrimental effect on patient outcomes. ⋯ The service reduced waiting times and re-attendance rates while improving the accuracy of diagnosis. The efficacy of such services should be further studied in relation to more complex patient groups.
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The aim of this investigation was to better understand emergency medicine (EM) faculty opinions as they relate to continuity with students. ⋯ EM faculty express theoretical optimism regarding the value of improved continuity between teacher and learner. This positive sentiment persisted after actual experience with students on a shift allocation model that aligns faculty and student schedules.