Articles: emergency-medicine.
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A study was undertaken to determine if use of a structured review instrument (SRI) increased the perceived overall satisfaction with a journal club in a group of emergency medicine residents. Before and 6 months after the introduction of a structured checklist format for article review, a 5-point Likert scale (1 = worst, 5 = best) was used to assess residents' satisfaction with the journal club, as well as the following subsidiary outcome parameters resident and leader workload, educational value in interpreting the medical literature, and application of the information to clinical practice. Additional measured outcome variables included resident attendance and number of articles read per attendee. ⋯ Following introduction of the SRI, residents were more satisfied with the journal club (3.8 v 3.2, P < .05). There was no change in resident attendance (92% v 71%, P = .65), total articles read (75% v 70%, P = .33), or perceived workload (3.3 v 3.1; P = .3). The use of a SRI was found to increase resident satisfaction and improve the perceived educational value of a journal club without increasing residents' workload or decreasing attendance.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 1996
Confidence in performance of pediatric emergency medicine procedures by community emergency practitioners.
To survey a cohort of physicians who work in general community emergency departments (ED) in order to assess their comfort levels in performing urgent and emergent medical procedures on children. ⋯ While emergency physicians within the catchment area of a tertiary care children's hospital feel comfortable with most pediatric procedures, they express a significant degree of discomfort with many potentially life-saving skills. Because of the infrequent need for many of these interventions in children, the high levels of discomfort are not surprising. These procedures may most comfortably be performed at pediatric centers but can be accomplished well at all EDs if personnel are adequately trained. A strong working relationship with pediatric emergency centers and an enhanced teaching of these procedures may increase comfort levels with these potentially life-saving measures.
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Pediatric emergency care · Oct 1996
ReviewThe laryngeal mask airway: a review for the emergency physician.
The laryngeal mask airway has recently been released as a adjunct to airway management. It has gained widespread acceptance as an alternative to the face mask for the provision of general anesthesia. The LMA is available in various sizes for use in every age and weight patient (Table 1). ⋯ While it is used frequently in the operating room as a replacement for the anesthesia mask, its role outside of the operating room may include an adjunct in the management of the difficult airway. In this setting it may be used as a guide to blind endotracheal intubation or for fiberoptic-guided intubation. More importantly, it may be life-saving in the cannot intubate/cannot ventilate scenario.