CJEM
-
Observational Study
Effectiveness of intravenous prostaglandin to reduce digital amputations from frostbite: an observational study.
We assessed the effectiveness and safety of a 5-day intravenous prostaglandin (iloprost) protocol at reducing digital amputation for patients with severe frostbite injuries at urban emergency departments. ⋯ In this unselected socially complex urban population, administration of iloprost for patients with frostbite was shown to be safe and was associated with lower digital amputation rates, particularly for those with more severe injuries.
-
Professional culture is a powerful influence in emergency departments, but incompletely understood. Disasters magnify cultural realities, and as such the COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique opportunity to better understand emergency medicine (EM) values, practices, and beliefs. ⋯ COVID-19 has highlighted and compounded existing tensions and threats to the core values of EM, underscoring a critical mismatch between values and practice. Realignment of the realities of ED work with staff values is urgently needed.