Articles: emergency-services.
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Eye injuries can happen to people of any age and for many reasons; among these is a fall. The aims of this study were to: (1) examine trends among fall-related eye injuries in working-age and older adults admitted to the emergency department (ED) from 2012 to 2021; and (2) investigate and compare the risk factors associated with fall-related eye injuries between working-age adults and older adults. ⋯ Among Americans treated in the ED for injury, fall-related eye injuries are increasingly common, especially among older adults, and associated with a need for inpatient care. Therefore, these findings suggest opportunities to investigate fall prevention and eye protection interventions, especially in the home setting.
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The aim of this study was to examine the epidemiology of alcohol-associated fall injuries among older adults aged ≥65 years in the United States. ⋯ Our findings highlight the rising rates of ED visits for alcohol-associated falls among older adults during the study period. Health care providers in the ED can screen older adults for fall risk and assess for modifiable risk factors such as alcohol use to help identify those who could benefit from interventions to reduce their risk.
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Cleaning smartphones of healthcare workers (HCWs) is generally recommended; however, most previous studies on bacterial contamination of smartphones assessed touchscreens alone. This study compared the prevalence of bacterial contamination on touchscreens and posterior surfaces of smartphones owned by HCWs. ⋯ The posterior surface of a smartphone was more significantly contaminated with bacteria than the touchscreen. Both surfaces of smartphones need to be cleaned to prevent bacterial contamination in healthcare environments.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2023
Initial experience of a Priority Primary Care Centre in metropolitan Melbourne.
To report the initial experience of a newly built Priority Primary Care Centre (PPCC) from the ED perspective. ⋯ The PPCC enabled re-direction of a small proportion of ED presentations. Early results suggest that such patients can be adequately selected and managed at PPCCs.