Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Ambulance services need to identify and prioritise patients with sepsis for early hospital assessment. We aimed to determine the accuracy of early warning scores alongside paramedic diagnostic impression to identify sepsis that required urgent treatment. ⋯ No strategy is ideal but using NEWS2 alongside paramedic diagnostic impression of infection or sepsis could identify one-third to half of sepsis cases without prioritising unmanageable numbers. No other score provided clearly superior accuracy to NEWS2.
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In-hospital alcohol testing provides an opportunity to implement prevention strategies for patients with high risk of experiencing repeated alcohol-related injuries. However, barriers to alcohol testing in emergency settings can prevent patients from being tested. In this study, we aimed to understand potential biases in current data on the completion of blood alcohol tests for major trauma patients at hospitals in Victoria, Australia. ⋯ Biases in the collection of blood alcohol data likely impact the surveillance of alcohol-related injuries. Routine alcohol testing after major trauma is needed to accurately inform epidemiology and the subsequent implementation of strategies for reducing alcohol-related injuries.
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Antibiotic stewardship in the ED is important given the increasing prevalence of multidrug resistance associated with poorer patient outcomes. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the ED for infections like appendicitis is common. At baseline, 75% of appendicitis cases at our institution received broad-spectrum ertapenem rather than the recommended narrower-spectrum ceftriaxone/metronidazole combination. We aimed to improve antibiotic stewardship by identifying barriers to guideline adherence and redesigning our appendicitis antibiotic guideline. ⋯ Antibiotic stewardship can be improved by ensuring clinicians have access to convenient and up-to-date guidelines through clinical decision support systems. The FITT model can help guide projects by identifying individual, task and technology barriers. Sustained adherence to clinical guidelines through simplification of guideline content is a potentially powerful tool to influence clinician behaviour in the ED.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Point-of-care ultrasound-guided versus standard reduction of displaced distal radius fractures in the emergency department: a randomised controlled clinical trial.
During closed reduction of displaced distal radius fractures, physical examination is used to determine the need for further manipulation before radiographic confirmation and cast application. Manipulation performed under ultrasound guidance has the potential to decrease the number of reduction attempts. ⋯ This study could not demonstrate that PoCUS-guided reduction of distal radius fractures was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the number of reduction attempts.
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There are evidence-based bedside tests for diagnosing acute vertigo, but no evidence-based strategies to support clinicians in implementing them. The purpose of this study was to design an implementation strategy for treating acute vertigo by examining current facilitators and barriers to using these tests in the ED using the principles of implementation science. ⋯ This study found several barriers to managing acute vertigo such as memory constraints, and inadequate supporting materials and training, although a robust desire for change. The implementation strategy's initial phase is described, which must now be tested.