Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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A variety of interventions have been proposed to manage rising demand for Emergency and Urgent Care, described by an NHS England review as unsustainable in the long term. However it is unlikely that any suggested approach will be equally suitable for the diverse population of ED users.We aimed to understand the patterns of demand amongst different types of patients attending ED. We also sought to understand the intended and unintended effects of demand management initiatives. Our study combined insights from routine data, a survey of ED patients, and qualitative interviews with ED staff. This paper describes the results of our analysis of the interviews. ⋯ ED staff attribute distinctly different patterns of ED attendance to patients of different age groups, including reasons for attending ED, the route to the ED, and the rate of non-urgent attendance. Given this variation, proposed demand management interventions are likely to impact differently on different age groups, and one solution is unlikely to be optimal for all ages. Therefore a number of different approaches will be needed to manage ED demand among different age groups.
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Sudden cardiac death is one of the leading causes of mortality in the UK. The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the UK is approximately 30 000. The initial cardiac rhythm in these cases is often a ventricular tachyarrhythmia which requires electrical defibrillation. The efficacy of defibrillation is dependent on its timely use, with the odds of survival decreasing by up to 10% for every minute of delay. The use of AEDs has been shown to significantly improve neurologically intact survival in OHCA. Significant progress has been made regarding the provision of AEDs in public places but it is questioned whether sufficient public education has been undertaken in order to support this strategy. This study aims to explore the attitudes of the general public in order to inform public education strategies, increase AED use and ultimately improve survival of OHCA. ⋯ The level of knowledge of AEDs is low amongst the general public. Majority of the study population who knew about AEDs had some degree of resuscitation training. Further research is required to ascertain how to translate knowledge into optimal use of AEDs in practice.
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Since the end of World War II, there has been an emergence of explosives used amongst civilian populations resulting in mass-casualty incidents. The development of pre-hospital medical systems, worldwide, has resulted in an increased response at these incidents. However, information about the pre-hospital medical response is sparse and not collated. This review aimed to collect and appraise the literature on the pre-hospital management of mass-casualty bombing incidents. The primary objective was to identify and discuss the common themes highlighted as problems in the pre-hospital medical response. The secondary objectives reviewed the injury patterns in victims and psychological impacts on pre-hospital responders. ⋯ Functioning and reliable communication, alongside regular training exercises with other emergency services, is important in the pre-hospital response. This is aided through accurate triage, in a safe area, to ensure even casualty distribution. A visible and established command and control enables scenes to be led effectively. Access to suitable and adequate supplies of equipment fosters improvement in patient outcomes. Awareness of secondary devices, as well as chemical, radiological and nuclear exposure, is vital in ensuring responder safety. A variety of injury patterns was found. Finally, psychological complications and support systems amongst pre-hospital responders varied.
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: In recent years the RVH Emergency Department (ED) had been under intense pressure and public scrutiny. This led to a demoralised workforce who had become disengaged with quality improvement (QI). QI projects had become an exercise in data collection with little focus on improving care for patients. ⋯ We have also increased efficiency with senior review for Ambulance patients and subsequent significant decrease in waiting times. A recent project targeting the waste associated with unnessecary triage blood tests is showing promising early results.emermed;34/12/A880-a/F2F2F2Figure 2The ED improvement team have endeavoured to improve the environment for staff by developing a 'Grrr to Great' board, through which staff are empowered to highlight problems but are also tasked with developing solutions. We have also increased accessibility of QI data by producing a QI update board and displaying data openly and transparently in the department.emermed;34/12/A880-a/F3F3F3Figure 3.
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Forearm fractures are the most common paediatric injury presenting to A+E.1,2 Literature supports safe and effective treatment of these injuries in A+E using a variety of sedation methods, including ketamine.3,4 The Paediatric Orthopaedic Trauma Snapshot (POTS) study showed that only 35% of A+Es nationally allow manipulation of these injuries in the department. ⋯ With adequate and appropriate training, the majority of simple radius and ulna fractures can be reduced and definitively treated safely and effectively using Es-ketamine in the emergency department. This technique has significant benefits in terms of resource management and finance whilst maintaining optimum patient care.