European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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The objective of this study was to identify factors that influence emergency nurses' adherence to an emergency department national protocol (EDNP). A survey of emergency nurses (n=200) and physicians with medical end responsibility on an emergency department (n=103) was carried out. Emergency nurses' self-reported adherence to the EDNP was 38%, 55% of the nurses and 44% of the physicians were aware of the protocol. ⋯ The main influencing factor seems awareness. Other factors related to the individual, the organization and to protocol characteristics. Solely disseminating the EDNP is not enough to get the protocol used in clinical practice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of a chest imaging lecture on emergency department doctors' ability to interpret chest CT images: a randomized study.
To assess the chest computed tomography (CT) imaging interpreting skills of emergency department (ED) doctors and to study the effect of a CT chest imaging interpretation lecture on these skills. ⋯ A single chest CT interpretation lecture did not improve chest CT interpretation by ED doctors. Less than one-third of doctors had a systematic approach to chest CT interpretation. A standardized systematic approach may improve interpretation skills.
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Letter Case Reports
A case of acute valproic acid poisoning treated successfully with L-carnitine.
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Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare neurosurgical emergency. SEH is characterized by an archetypal clinical presentation including abrupt spinal pain followed more or less rapidly by various degrees of neurological deficit. The diagnosis of SEH, often based on a clinical presumption, represents a clinical challenge. ⋯ We suggest that SEH is a dynamic disease, which occurs in patients with an abnormal vasculature structural degenerative change. The bleeding is probably of multifactorial origin incriminating veins as well as arteries. Therefore, we proposed a classification of SEH, according to the most probable etiology whatever the associated factors, in six groups: spontaneous, secondary, iatrogenic, traumatic, recurrent, and idiopathic SEH.
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Sustained external chest compressions during cardiocerebral resuscitation (CCR) are physically demanding. It might be hypothesized that a high cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and/or muscle strength delays the development of physical fatigue and, consequently, preserves CCR quality. We intended to assess the impact of cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and muscle strength on CCR quality. ⋯ Study registration number: ISRCTN70447230, www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN70447230.