Articles: emergency-department.
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Review
Heatstroke presentations to urban hospitals during BC's extreme heat event: lessons for the future.
Climate change is leading to more extreme heat events in temperate climates that typically have low levels of preparedness. Our objective was to describe the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of adults presenting to hospitals with heatstroke during BC's 2021 heat dome. ⋯ Heatstroke patients were unable to activate 911 themselves, and most presented with a 48-h delay. This delay may represent a critical window of opportunity for pre-hospital and hospital systems to prepare for the influx of high-acuity resource-intensive patients.
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The battle along Antietam Creek in September 1862 was pivotal in shaping future combat medical readiness practices. With the full confidence of his commander, Major (Dr) Jonathan Letterman implemented an innovative ambulance corps system, which contributed immensely to modern-day battlefield medicine. Each year, the Uniformed Services University (USU) holds the Antietam Staff Walk, during which military medical students are engaged by faculty at various "stops" along the 6-mile walk. The four learning objectives for the Antietam Staff Walk are to (1) introduce the role of the "staff ride," (2) orient learners to reading terrain, (3) reinforce the six principles of health service support, and (4) recall the heritage of the military medical officer. The Department of Military and Emergency Medicine at USU commissioned a program evaluation to determine if these course objectives were being met, evaluate the effectiveness of the Antietam Staff Walk as a teaching tool, and make recommendations for improving its educational impact. ⋯ Our review of the Antietam Staff Ride resulted in several curricular recommendations for enhancing its learning impact. Our program evaluation serves as a model for line units and other military organizations to optimize the impact of the historical staff ride as a teaching tool.
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Accurate triage assessment by emergency nurses is essential for prioritizing patient care and providing appropriate treatment. Undertriage and overtriage remain an ongoing issue in care of patients who present to the emergency department. The purpose of this literature review was to examine factors associated with triage accuracy in the emergency department. ⋯ This review underscores the complex nature of ED triage accuracy. It highlights the importance of nurse experience, training programs, patient characteristics, and the work environment in enhancing triage decision making. Enhanced understanding of these factors can inform strategies to optimize triage accuracy and improve patient outcomes.
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Review
Cosmetic Filler-Induced Vascular Occlusion: A Rising Threat Presenting to Emergency Departments.
Vascular emergencies from cosmetic filler-induced vascular occlusion represent an iatrogenic etiology that poses a threat to patients, with sequelae that range from disfiguring skin necrosis to blindness and stroke. As cosmetic fillers continue to grow in popularity, the importance of early identification, triaging, and management of these rare but potentially disabling injuries has motivated efforts to educate the public and professional audiences. In this practice review article, we outline components of acute care pertaining to these injuries based on evolving practice guidelines and best evidence recommendations.
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Review Observational Study
The long and the short of pediatric emergency department antibiotic prescribing: A retrospective observational study.
Most antibiotics prescribed to children are provided in the outpatient and emergency department (ED) settings, yet these prescribers are seldom engaged by antibiotic stewardship programs. We reviewed ED antibiotic prescriptions for three common infections to describe current prescribing practices. ⋯ While guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing was generally high, auditing antibiotic prescriptions identified shifting prescribing towards the minimally recommended duration as a potential opportunity to reduce antibiotic use among children for these infections.