Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2023
Calling an ambulance for non-emergency medical situations: Results of a cross-sectional online survey from an Australian nationally representative sample.
To investigate the Australian general public's perception of appropriate medical scenarios that warrants a call to an emergency ambulance. ⋯ Although emergency healthcare system (EHS) capacity not increasing at the same rate as demand is the biggest contributor to EHS burden, non-urgent medical situations for which other low-acuity healthcare pathways may be appropriate does play a small role in adding to the overburdening of the EHS. This present study outlines a series of complaints and demographic characteristics that would benefit from targeted educational interventions that may aid in alleviating ambulance service attendances to low-acuity callouts.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2023
Prevalence of psychoactive drugs in injured patients presenting to an emergency department.
The aim of the present study was to obtain an unbiased understanding of the prevalence of psychoactive drugs in trauma patients presenting to a large ED. ⋯ The prevalence of psychoactive drugs in injury presentations to an ED is high, and provides an opportunity to reduce harm. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of an approach which limits bias and obtains results that accurately reflect the drug prevalence in injured cohorts. Systematic testing of injured patients is an important contribution to the epidemiology of injury.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2023
Multi-disciplinary, simulation-based, standardised trauma team training within the Victorian State Trauma System.
Inconsistency in the structure and function of team-based major trauma reception and resuscitation is common. A standardised trauma team training programme was initiated to improve quality and consistency among trauma teams across a large, mature trauma system. The aim of this manuscript is to outline the programme and report on the initial perception of participants. ⋯ A team-based trauma reception and resuscitation education programme, introduced in a large, mature trauma system led to positive participant-reported outcomes in clinical confidence and real-life team leadership participation. Wider implementation combined with longitudinal data collection will facilitate correlation with patient and staff-centred outcomes.
-
Aortic dissection (AD) is rare. Missed AD is a common reason for coronial investigations and civil claims for medical negligence. Recommendations include improved education, supervision and information transfer, reminders in chest pain pathways and higher rates of investigation for AD. ⋯ The appropriate diagnostic yield of investigation to balance risk and benefit has not been defined. The AD detection risk score pathway has been proposed as a useful diagnostic tool but concerns about its derivation, validation and utility remain. In this paper, we try to draw together published literature and local audit data to develop recommendations about what might be done to reduce the number of missed AD cases in EDs and what the impact of higher investigation rates might be.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2023
Potentially avoidable emergency department transfers from residential aged care facilities for possible post-fall intracranial injury.
To determine the percentage of potentially preventable residential aged care facility (RACF) to ED transfers for potential intracranial injury post-fall. To describe rates of CT brain (CTB) performance, intracranial trauma-related findings, neurosurgical intervention, and patient outcome. ⋯ Just over half of the RACF to ED transfers were classified as 'potentially avoidable'.