Annals of emergency medicine
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The assessment of patients with poisoning should include assessment of psychiatric details, the level of consciousness, and clinical features occurring in a number of Toxidromes (toxicology syndromes). To ensure these aspects were routinely covered, we introduced a preformatted chart (PFC) to record our poisoning admissions. The aim of our study was to determine whether using a PFC improved the quality, accuracy, and completeness of the data obtained from admissions with poisoning. ⋯ Data collected prospectively with a PFC collects more information than can be obtained retrospectively from case records. In particular, the validity of data on clinical signs on presentation gained from retrospective chart review is questionable. Centers that are interested in collecting data on series of poisonings would benefit from using a PFC or some other systematic prospective method of data collection.
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To determine the adverse event and complication rate for the use of procedural sedation and analgesia for painful procedures and diagnostic imaging studies performed in a pediatric emergency department. ⋯ The adverse event rate for procedural sedation and analgesia performed by pediatric emergency physicians was 2.3% with no serious complications noted.
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To conduct an economic analysis of the implementation of the Ottawa Knee Rule. ⋯ Implementation of the Ottawa Knee Rule Would be associated with meaningful reductions in societal health care costs both in the United States and Canada without a reduction in quality of care.