Articles: emergency-medicine.
-
To test the overall reliability of a performance-based clinical skill assessment for entering emergency medicine (EM) residents. Also, to investigate the reliability of separate reporting of diagnostic and management scores for a standardized patient case, subjective scoring of patient notes, and interstation exercise scores. ⋯ SPs can be used to reliably assess bedside clinical skills of EM residents. While component reliability levels are slightly lower than the global clinical skill reliability coefficient, they are still high enough to use for identification of individual strengths and weaknesses.
-
Management of the trapped casualty is a specialized area of prehospital care. It requires close cooperation between all the emergency services. ⋯ A variety of immobilization equipment is available, different equipment being suitable to different situations. The prehospital anaesthetist needs to understand the influence this equipment has on airway management and subsequent anaesthesia.
-
Prehospital airway obstruction is common following traumatic injury. Airway management of these patients is difficult in the prehospital setting, particularly because those providing care are often not trained in the skills necessary for endotracheal intubation. As a result, a number of alternative devices are available for airway maintenance. ⋯ The pharyngotracheal lumen airway and Combitube are both more difficult to use than the laryngeal mask airway and risk inflating the stomach if the devices are incorrectly used. Cricothyroidotomy is associated with serious complications but is only used where there is no other option. As with other techniques, it requires regular training in its use.
-
Review
Burnout and its correlates in emergency physicians: four years' experience with a wellness booth.
To measure the degree of burnout among emergency physicians (EPs) and to identify and rank predictive factors. ⋯ Elevated levels of burnout exist among a substantial percentage of surveyed EPs. However, there is evidence for a "survivor" category of practitioners for whom burnout either does not develop or is a reversible process. The projected attrition rate over 5 and 10 years appears to be no greater than that of the average medical specialty.