Annals of emergency medicine
-
To determine whether intracranial hemorrhage is a predictor of occult cervical-spine fracture. ⋯ Despite a high percentage of patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, our study failed to demonstrate that intracranial hemorrhage is predictor of occult cervical-spine fracture.
-
To determine the feasibility of a case-finding program for cognitive impairment in elderly emergency department patients, and to describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in screened patients and identify factors associated with impairment. ⋯ Screening for cognitive impairment in elderly ED patients using the OMC Test is feasible. There is a high prevalence of cognitive impairment in elderly ED patients, and the prevalence increases with age. Identification of cognitive impairment is important in the assessment of elderly ED patients and may affect clinical evaluation, patients' understanding of medical information, and compliance with discharge instructions.
-
To report the type and frequency of battlefield casualties and the procedures performed to treat them. ⋯ The composite casualty admitted to US Navy-Marine trauma facilities was injured by shrapnel in the lower extremity and required surgical debridement only. Soldiers with land mine injuries, as in other wars, were among those in greatest need of emergency resuscitation.
-
To measure emergency care providers' attitudes toward quality of life after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to determine if their perceptions influence the care they provide. ⋯ The quality of life, self-esteem, and outcomes that emergency health care providers imaging after SCI are considerably more negative than those reported by SCI survivors. Because providers' knowledge and attitudes may affect the care they provide and may influence patients and families struggling with critical treatment decisions, emergency care providers must be aware of outcomes, well-being, and life satisfaction following severe SCI.
-
The financial realities of the current health care arena make it imperative that deliverers of trauma care initiate programs that reduce the cost of trauma. Triage can be one process that attempts to attain this goal. ⋯ This tiered, in-house response system differs with respect to human and material resources. Personnel, operating room, laboratory work, and protective wear savings account for approximately $1,042 per code patient, yielding an annual $629,404 institutional savings.