Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Credentialing of emergency medicine trainees in point-of-care ultrasound: An effective, efficient and enjoyable model.
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Curriculum Framework contains numerous mentions of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS). However, obtaining formal PoCUS credentials is often problematic. The Fiona Stanley Hospital ED PoCUS training programme was devised to assist emergency medicine trainees to meet the credentialing requirements of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine. ⋯ The Fiona Stanley Hospital ED model is effective in assisting emergency medicine trainees to gain formal PoCUS credentials. As it requires relatively little organisation, time and staffing, it could be adopted in many EDs around Australia and New Zealand.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Estimating the frequency and cost of emergency department presentations and hospitalisation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: A retrospective analysis from regional Queensland.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients commonly have frequent visits to the ED. Consequently, COPD has a significant effect on total healthcare expenditure. The objective was to measure the frequency of ED presentation and hospitalisation among COPD patients and to estimate the costs resulting from such care utilisation. ⋯ COPD patient presentation to ED and admission to hospital is an expensive method of providing healthcare to manage this chronic condition. Clinical practitioners and policy makers need to develop and implement optimal integrated care management systems to reduce this hospitalisation rate and reduce the societal costs associated with COPD patient management.
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A trauma patient with orbital compartment syndrome may lose vision within hours of the injury. This article describes an approach to decompressing the orbit which may be sight-saving.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Development and implementation of a Pacific Island centred COVID-19 Healthcare Worker Safety Guide.
Healthcare workers in Pacific Island Countries face unique workload and infection control hazards because of limited resources, cultural practices and local disease burden. In the context of COVID-19, concern around healthcare worker safety escalated in the region, triggering the need for a relevant resource. ⋯ We recommend a creative approach to facilitate meaningful communication with this group of clinicians, including low resolution technology and use of social media platforms.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2021
Residential aged care homes: Why do they call '000'? A study of the emergency prehospital care of older people living in residential aged care homes.
To describe the clinical characteristics, medical interventions and patterns of ambulance service use related to the emergency, prehospital care of older people living in residential aged care (RAC) homes. ⋯ This is the first study to describe emergency prehospital care, case-mix and intervention of frail, older people living in RAC. These results demonstrate a clinically complex group of people with high rates of comorbidity, cognitive impairment and polypharmacy. These valuable data will inform education and training of prehospital clinicians, assist in targeting preventative medicine and primary care programmes and further development of alternate, acute and emergency care pathways for this unique patient group.