Annals of emergency medicine
-
Comparative Study
Endotracheal tube selection in children: a comparison of four methods.
To determine the accuracy of four methods of endotracheal tube size selection in the pediatric population. ⋯ Neither fifth finger width nor fifth finger diameter accurately predicts proper endotracheal tube size in most children. A more accurate estimation can be made using the age-based formula, but when the child's age is unknown or when calculation is awkward or impossible, an accurate estimate can be made using the width of the fifth fingernail.
-
Emergency physicians desire to provide their patients with care that is of the highest quality and is cost effective. Any tool that promotes these aims is good and should be used. ⋯ ACEP has initiated a process for the development and evaluation of selected clinical policies. We anxiously await information that sheds light on the value of policies in enhancing the clinical practice of emergency medicine.
-
Multicenter Study
Missed diagnoses of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department: results from a multicenter study.
To determine the rate of missed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the emergency department and the factors related to missed diagnoses. ⋯ The rate of missed AMI in the ED was only 1.9%. However, 25% of these might have been prevented had ST-elevation not been missed, and another 25% might have been prevented had patients who were recognized to have ischemic heart disease by the physician in the ED been admitted.
-
To examine in children the relationship of wheezing to measurable environmental factors. ⋯ A high incidence of pediatric emergency department presentations for wheezing are associated with weather, infections, and months of the year.
-
Patient satisfaction with emergency department care is enhanced by information distributed to patients on ED arrival. ⋯ ED information has a significant effect on patients' perceptions of the quality of care and overall satisfaction.