Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Initial focused assessment with sonography in trauma versus initial CT for patients with haemodynamically stable torso trauma.
Focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) examination is a widely known initial evaluation for patients with trauma. However, it remains unclear whether FAST contributes to patient survival in patients with haemodynamically stable trauma. In this study, we compared in-hospital mortality and length of stay between patients undergoing initial FAST vs initial CT for haemodynamically stable torso trauma. ⋯ In-hospital mortality was not significantly different between the initial FAST and initial CT groups for patients with haemodynamically stable torso trauma. Initial CT should be considered in patients with haemodynamically stable torso trauma.
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Multicenter Study
Barriers and enablers that influence guideline-based care of geriatric fall patients presenting to the emergency department.
Geriatric patients commonly present to the ED after a fall. Recent evidence suggests that ED physicians are poorly adherent to published ED-specific geriatric fall guidelines. This study applied a theoretical domains framework (TDF) approach to systematically investigate barriers and enablers in the provision of guideline-based care to ED geriatric fall patients. ⋯ This study identified important barriers and enablers to provision of guideline-based care in geriatric ED fall patients. Based on these findings, future implementation of guidelines nationally and internationally should focus on improving knowledge and training on guidelines, improving positive reinforcement for guideline-appropriate management, greater allied health support and further research to support guidelines.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Diurnal, weekly and seasonal variations of chest pain in patients transported by emergency medical services.
Chest pain is among the leading causes for emergency medical services (EMS) activation. Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is not only one of the most critical aetiologies of chest pain, but also one of few conditions encountered by EMS that has been shown to follow a circadian pattern. Understanding the diurnal relationship between the inflow of chest pain patients and the likelihood of acute MI may inform prehospital and emergency department (ED) healthcare providers regarding the prediction, and hence prevention, of dire outcomes. ⋯ EMS-attended chest pain calls follow a diurnal pattern, with the most vulnerable patients encountered during afternoons and winter/spring seasons. These data can inform prehospital and ED healthcare providers regarding the time of presentation where patients are more likely to have an underlying MI and subsequently worse outcomes.
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Multicenter Study
Cross-sectional evaluation of emergency care capacity at public hospitals in Zambia.
The last decade has seen rapid expansion of emergency care systems across Africa, although they remain underdeveloped. In Zambia, the Ministry of Health has taken interest in improving the situation and data are needed to appropriately guide system strengthening efforts. The Emergency Care Assessment Tool (ECAT) provides a context-specific means of measuring capacity of healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries. We evaluated Zambian public hospitals using the ECAT to inform resource-effective improvements to the nation's healthcare system. ⋯ Zambian public hospitals have reasonable capacity to care for acutely ill and injured patients; however, there is a need for increased training and improved supply chains.
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Multicenter Study
Preferred learning modalities and practice for critical skills: a global survey of paediatric emergency medicine clinicians.
To describe senior paediatric emergency clinician perspectives on the optimal frequency of and preferred modalities for practising critical paediatric procedures. ⋯ Paediatric ED clinicians suggest that most paediatric critical procedures should be practised at least annually. The preferred learning modality depends on the skill practised; alternative clinical settings are thought to be most useful for standard airway manoeuvres, while simulation-based experiential learning is applicable for most other procedures.