Annals of emergency medicine
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To assess the effectiveness of an international emergency medical services (EMS) train-the-trainer program. ⋯ Despite differences in language, culture, technology, and resources, an international train-the-trainer program can be evaluated. In addition to standard testing, a retrospective before-and-after self-assessment instrument provides corroborative evidence of program success.
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For patient and personnel safety, agitated and violent individuals are sometime physically restrained during out-of-hospital ambulance transport. We report two cases of unexpected death in restrained, agitated individuals while they were being trans-ported by advanced life support ambulance. ⋯ In both cases the cause of death was determined to be positional asphyxiation during restraint for excited delirium. Physicians and emergency service personnel should be aware of the potential complications of using physical restraints for control of agitated patients.
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Because death has occurred with injury involving voltage as low as 50 to 60 V (probably the result of arrhythmias), we wanted to evaluate the necessity of cardiac monitoring in children sustaining electrical injuries with 120 or 240 V. ⋯ On the basis of our findings, initial cardiac evaluation (ECG) and monitoring do not appear to be necessary in children sustaining household electrical injuries (120 and 240-V); however, the significance of loss of consciousness, tetany, wet skin, or current flow that crossed the heart region could not be determined in our investigation. Therefore, cardiac monitoring should be performed if one of these factors is present.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
CPR knowledge, self-efficacy, and anticipated anxiety as functions of infant/child CPR training.
To determine the effect of infant/child CPR training on CPR knowledge, self-efficacy, and anticipated anxiety among parents of healthy infants/children. ⋯ Community-based infant/child CPR training programs affect parents on a variety of levels but may not effect changes in CPR knowledge.