Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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To examine (1) the prevalence of experiencing physical, injurious and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and (2) the associations between HIV risks and different types of IPV among women receiving care in an inner city emergency department (ED). ⋯ For many women receiving care in EDs, IPV and several HIV risk behaviours are frequent, co-occurring health problems. HIV testing and routine IPV inquiry in ED settings offer an important opportunity to identify women who are affected by these overlapping epidemics and refer them to appropriate treatment services.
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To determine consultants' compliance with motor traffic regulations on recall to hospital to attend emergencies, and ownership and use of green warning lights (GWLs). To determine the views of senior police officers on consultants complying with traffic regulations on emergency recall with and without GWLs. ⋯ Consultants recalled to their hospitals for emergencies disregard speed restrictions and traffic light signals both with and without GWLs and risk both accident and prosecution for ignoring traffic legislation. They should consider using a GWL to ease their progress through traffic when attending an emergency and observe all traffic laws.
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Appropriate alerting of patients with trauma and informative handover are necessary to allow a smooth transition of care between the prehospital and hospital teams. ⋯ Greater cooperation between regional emergency departments and ambulance services is necessary to refine the alerting and handover process, producing a pathway through which vital information is collected by trained personnel and communicated without distortion to the resuscitation room, where it may be utilised to inform life-saving decisions.
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Serotonin syndrome is an under-reported and under-recognised condition that occurs on administration of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors alone, or in combination with other medication known to increase levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine. This case report demonstrates signs and symptoms associated with their overdose and illustrates the importance of recognition of this syndrome to instigate appropriate treatment for the patient.