Articles: emergency-medicine.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of performance of interns completing the old (1993) and new interactive (1997) Advanced Trauma Life Support courses.
The 1997 edition of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course emphasized interactivity as its major change. The impact of this change is assessed in this study. ⋯ Using standard ATLS pass criteria, performance after the new and old ATLS courses was similar. Superior performances were measured using OSCE methodology for clinical trauma management skills after the new compared with the old ATLS course in this population of interns.
-
J Am Osteopath Assoc · Jan 1999
Method of preparing emergency medicine residents for giving legal depositions.
This study was performed to determine if a simulated legal deposition increases emergency medicine (EM) residents' knowledge, self-confidence, and understanding of a legal deposition. This prospective study included a convenience sample of EM 1-3 residents. A knowledge and a self-assessment pretest were given, followed by a didactic session moderated by local attorneys, followed by knowledge and a self-assessment posttest. ⋯ Using a paired t-test, the authors found this difference to be statistically significant. (P < 0.01) Using Hotelling's T2 test, the authors compared presimulation and postsimulation self-assessment questions. The results revealed that there was a difference between these scores (P < 0.001). Participants in the deposition significantly improved their self-assessment ranking and knowledge inventory test scores by participating in a simulated legal deposition.
-
Training programs in bedside ultrasound for emergency physicians often encounter considerable resistance, partly because of concern that the number of radiology-interpreted studies ordered from the ED may decrease. This study attempted to determine the effect of instituting an ED training program in ultrasound on the ordering of formal studies from a department of radiology. ⋯ The number of formal studies significantly increased after institution of the training program, both in terms of absolute numbers (annual mean 181 v 95, P < .001) and as a percentage of all outpatient sonograms ordered at the institution (9.8% v 5.1%, P < .001). Introduction of a teaching program in emergency ultrasound appears to increase utilization of formal ultrasound services, at least during the training period.