Postgraduate medical journal
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We sought to investigate whether admission hyperglycaemia is associated with complications in patients who had an acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and, if so, whether complications during hospitalisation modify the effect of hyperglycaemia on 3-month poor outcome after thrombolysis. ⋯ Hyperglycaemia is an independent predictor of complications following stroke after thrombolysis, especially for brain oedema, gastrointestinal bleeding, HT and sICH. Complications during hospitalisation did not modify the effect of hyperglycaemia on the poor outcome at 3 months in ischaemic stroke.
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Many junior doctors have reported a lack of confidence in managing emergency conditions. However, there is insufficient literature summarising the current knowledge about the non-technical skills needed by junior doctors to tackle medical emergencies. This paper aims to identify the non-technical skills necessary for the management of medical emergencies by junior doctors. ⋯ The result of this review was the identification of several key non-technical skills: teamwork, communication, asking for help, challenging seniority, task prioritisation, decision-making, leadership and handling stress. In conclusion, lack of non-technical skills in junior doctors has a negative impact on patient care in a medical emergency. The training of junior doctors can be re-evaluated and designed to reflect the importance of these non-technical skills.
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To determine the prevalence of syncope or collapse in pulmonary embolism (PE). ⋯ Syncope was a frequent presenting symptom in our study of 224 consecutive patients with PE but was never the sole clinical feature. It would be difficult to justify routine testing for PE in patients presenting only with syncope or collapse.
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There is a huge variation in the depth and breadth of content taught regarding orthopaedic examinations. Undergraduate students are often confused by the variability in examination teaching, therefore increasing concerns for upcoming objectively structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). Doctors, despite being expected to teach, rarely receive formal preparation, with only a handful of institutions providing necessary training. The Clinical Orthopaedic Teaching programme for Students (COTS) was designed to equip medical students with the knowledge to perform orthopaedic examinations and to synergistically provide senior students with the necessary experience for the future teaching required of them. ⋯ COTS shows that an NPT style can be used to effectively teach orthopaedic examinations, with benefits for students and tutors. With our aim to refine and upscale this programme, we publish our pilot study findings to encourage similar teaching programmes to be adopted at other universities.