European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Observational Study
Prognostic value of infrared thermography in an emergency department.
In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic potential of infrared thermography in a population of medical patients admitted to the emergency department. Central-to-peripheral temperature gradients were analyzed for association with 30-day mortality. ⋯ ΔN and ΔF showed a significant association with 30-day mortality, suggesting a prognostic value. However, this was a small pilot study with few events. Larger studies are warranted for confirmation of these findings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Mental health promotion for junior physicians working in emergency medicine: evaluation of a pilot study.
Work-related stress is highly prevalent among physicians working in emergency medicine. Mental health promotion interventions offer the chance to strengthen physicians' health, work ability, and performance. The aim of this study was to implement and evaluate a mental health promotion program for junior physicians working in emergency medicine. ⋯ The results suggest that this health promotion program is a promising intervention to strengthen mental health and reduce perceived work stress. It is suitable for implementation as a group training program for junior physicians working in emergency medicine. Comparable interventions should be pursued further as a valuable supportive offer by hospital management.
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Rapid sequence intubation and emergency intubation in the emergency department (ED) can be life-saving procedures, but require the appropriate skills, experience and preparation to avoid complications ranging from simple trauma to life-threatening desaturation. Only scarce data exist in the published literature on complications following emergency intubation in children and most guidelines are extrapolated from the adult population. ⋯ Complications of rapid sequence intubation, a relatively low-frequency procedure in the paediatric ED, occurred in one of four children and repeat attempts at intubation were made in another 24%. We suggest that the use of an intubation checklist including the preparation of equipment and recommendations for drug use would minimize the occurrence of adverse events of intubation in children.
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Double checking medications at initial assessment within paediatric emergency departments (EDs) has the potential to delay patient flow, and doubt has been cast on the efficacy of double checking in all but high-risk medications. We aimed to benchmark current practice for the use of Patient Group Direction (PGD) medications at initial assessment in EDs within the Paediatric Emergency Research UK and Ireland (PERUKI) network, with a focus on the use of 'single-checker' PGDs. ⋯ Single-checker PGDs are currently in use in nearly two-thirds of PERUKI sites. No evidence of increased medication errors was reported with this practice; however, more detailed studies are required to support this finding and to inform best practice.