Articles: emergency-services.
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Do parents understand emergency department discharge instructions? A survey analysis.
Understanding discharge instructions is crucial to optimal healing but may be compromised in the hectic environment of the emergency department. ⋯ Overall, parental understanding of ED discharge instructions is good. However, there remains a considerable number (about 20%) who fail to fully comprehend the diagnosis or treatment directives. This subset might benefit from the use of lay terminology by the staff, institution of a special discharge nurse, or use of diagnosis-specific information sheets.
-
Multicenter Study
Validation of the Ottawa Knee Rule in children: a multicenter study.
The main objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Ottawa Knee Rules when they were applied to children. The secondary objective was to determine post hoc whether use of the rules would reduce the number of knee radiographs ordered. ⋯ The Ottawa Knee Rules are valid in children and have the potential to decrease the use of radiography in children with knee injuries.
-
Multicenter Study
Emergency department management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly: the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration.
To determine adherence of emergency department (ED) management of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to current treatment guidelines. ⋯ Important differences exist between guideline recommendations and actual ED management of COPD exacerbations in older adults. Outcomes after ED treatment are poor and may be related to these shortcomings in quality of care. Better adherence to guideline recommendations when caring for elderly patients with COPD exacerbations may lead to improved clinical outcomes and better resource usage.
-
To evaluate the incidence and the strategy of management of syncope admitted urgently to a general hospital. ⋯ Great inter-hospital and inter-department heterogeneity in the incidence and management of syncope was observed in general hospitals. As a consequence, we were unable to describe a uniform strategy for the management of syncope in everyday practice.
-
Multicenter Study
Management of whiplash injuries presenting to accident and emergency departments in Wales.
To assess the use of soft collars for whiplash injuries presenting to Welsh accident and emergency departments and compare with recommended treatment as suggested by other literature. ⋯ The study recommends treatment protocols for whiplash injuries prescribing regular analgesia, early home exercises with the help of an advice sheet, and physiotherapy if symptoms persist.