Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Laser-assisted anesthesia prior to intravenous cannulation in volunteers: a randomized, controlled trial.
Intravenous cannulation is common and painful. Absorption of topical anesthetics is limited by the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. A single pulse of an erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser irradiation can remove an area of the stratum corneum, leading to enhanced uptake of topical agents, such as lidocaine, while leaving the rest of the epidermis intact. ⋯ Pretreatment of the skin with a laser device followed by a 5-minute topical lidocaine application reduces the pain of IV cannulation in volunteers.
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There has been little systematic study of emergency department (ED) patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) values. The authors sought to characterize ED patients with elevated BP values, assess presenting symptoms, and determine the prevalence of elevated BP after discharge. ⋯ Elevated BP is common among ED patients. African American patients are more likely than those of other ethnic groups to have greater BP values. The ED visit may be a good opportunity to identify patients with unrecognized or poorly controlled hypertension.
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Multicenter Study
What do emergency medicine learners want from their teachers? A multicenter focus group analysis.
To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no reports describing what learners believe are good emergency medicine (EM) teaching practices. EM faculty developers are compromised by this lack of knowledge about what EM learners appreciate in their teachers. ⋯ Learners are sensitive to the constraints of the ED teaching environment, and have consistent views about good ED teaching practices. Among 14 general principles identified, "takes time to teach," "gives feedback," "tailors teaching to the learner," "uses teachable moments," and "has a good teacher attitude" were the most commonly reported.
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Clinical Trial
Octylcyanoacrylate for the treatment of small, superficial, partial-thickness burns: a pilot study.
Octylcyanoacrylate (OCA) is a tissue adhesive used to close wounds and to treat minor abrasions. ⋯ The results of this pilot study suggest that OCA may be useful for some, but not all, small, superficial, partial-thickness burns. Further studies may help clarify the indications and contraindications to proper usage of OCA in small, superficial burns.
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Neurologic complaints are a frequent cause of emergency department visits. The morbidity and mortality of neurologic complaints such as headache and stroke can be extensive. Thus, emergency medicine residency programs should ensure adequate training in such neurologic emergencies. The authors sought to determine what methods are being used to educate residents on neurologic emergencies. ⋯ Currently, the primary method of educating residents to treat neurologic emergencies is through didactic lectures, as opposed to clinical rotations in neurology or neurosurgery. Improving resident education in neurologic emergencies within the current educational format must focus on improving didactic lectures in neurologic topics. Expanding clinical rotations or electives to enhance education in neurologic emergencies also warrants future attention.