The American journal of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Wound infection rate and irrigation pressure of two potential new wound irrigation devices: the port and the cap.
The objectives of this study were to determine the speed of irrigation and the infection rate of two new irrigation devices. In the clinical portion of this two-part study, 208 patients with traumatic wounds were randomized to one of two new irrigation device groups, the cap/bottle or the port/bag, to determine irrigation times and infection/complication rates. Wounds were irrigated in less than 4 minutes in 97% of patients using a mean of 786 mL. ⋯ In part II, 9 male and 8 female medical volunteers were timed in the delivery of 250 mL of saline into a graduated cylinder, using four different irrigation set-ups. Mean time for 250 mL and calculated stream pressures (psi) were: (1) cap/bottle, 12.9 seconds, 1.5 psi; (2) port/bag, 11.2 seconds, 2.0 psi; (3) syringe/catheter, 113.2 seconds, 8.2 psi; and (4) syringe/needle, 175.4 seconds, 7.3 psi (time and psi: P < .05 for all pairwise comparisons except cap versus port). Rapid irrigation and infection rates comparable with standard devices used in wound irrigation suggest that the new devices may prove to be valuable tools in emergent wound care.
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Comparative Study
Correlation between triage nurse and physician ordering of ED tests.
Triage nurse ordering of tests can reduce patient time in the emergency department. This benefit must be balanced with the extra expense and potential morbidity of unnecessary tests. This study examined whether triage nurse ordering of lab tests and X-rays correlated with physician ordering. ⋯ Nurses deviated from the test ordering guidelines in 37% of patients. Triage nurse ordering of X-rays, electrocardiogram, and urinalysis has moderate to substantial correlation with physician ordering. Correlation of triage nurse and physician ordering of tests can be improved with the use of test ordering guidelines.
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The opinions and experiences of board-certified emergency physicians regarding employment structure and finances, professional society policies, and quality of patient care have never been formally studied. A survey questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 1,050 emergency physicians certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. The survey contained 29 multiple choice questions. ⋯ Fifteen percent have been terminated without due process/peer review, and 11% have been forced to leave a position, move, or pay compensation because of noncompete clauses. The majority reported encountering instances of substandard emergency medical care, most commonly in settings with multihospital contract company coverage. The majority also believe their specialty societies should address issues of employment structure and quality of patient care standards.
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Pulse oximetry is commonly used to rapidly determine oxygen saturation and is incorporated in emergency triage as a screening for potential cardiopulmonary complications. This study examined the effect of routine pulse oximetry measurements on emergency department (ED) triage classification. ⋯ Although this group is small in number, the potential consequences of missing a hypoxic condition could be devastating for the individual patient. Since pulse oximetry is presently an inexpensive technology, it would seem to be a worthwhile screening tool for emergency triage.
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The emergency department (ED) provides a substantial amount of critical care. The purpose of this study was to quantitate the critical care provided in an urban ED. The study was performed at a large urban hospital with an annual ED volume of 70,000 patients. ⋯ Overall, 14% of adult critical care, 23% of pediatric critical care, and 15% of all critical care provided in the areas studied occurred in the ED. A significant proportion of critical care is provided in the ED, and triage acuity assignment reflects this need. A significant proportion of critically ill patients was admitted to the floor for lack of bed space, which highlights the financial constraints in urban hospitals such as the one studied.