Medical Emergency Department Research Articles

Usability of the head impulse test in routine clinical practice in the emergency department to differentiate vestibular neuritis from stroke.

The bedside head impulse test (bHIT) is used to differentiate vestibular neuritis (VN) from posterior circulation stroke (PCS) in patients presenting with acute vestibular syndrome (AVS). If assessed by neuro-otological experts, diagnostic accuracy is high. We report on its diagnostic accuracy when applied by nonexperts during routine clinical practice in the emergency department (ED), its impact on patient management, and the potential diagnostic yield of the video-oculography-supported head impulse test (vHIT). Medical chart review of 38 AVS patients presenting to our university medical center's ED, assessed by neurology residents. We collected bHIT results (abnormal/peripheral or normal/central) and whether patients were admitted to the stroke unit or general neurological ward. Final diagnosis (VN, n=24; PCS, n=14) was determined by clinical course, magnetic resonance imaging, and vHIT. The bHIT's accuracy was only 58%. Its sensitivity for VN was high (88%), but due to many false-abnormal bHITs in PCS (36%), the specificity was low (64%). The vHIT yielded excellent specificity (100%) and moderate sensitivity (67%). The decision on the patient's further care was almost arbitrary and independent from the bHIT: 58% of VN and 57% of PCS patients were admitted to the stroke unit. The bHIT, applied by nonexperts during routine practice in the ED, has low accuracy, is too often mistaken as abnormal/peripheral, and is not consistently used for patients' in-hospital triage. As false-abnormal bHITs can lead to misdiagnosis/mistreatment of stroke patients, we recommend that bHIT applied by nonexperts should be reassessed by a neuro-otological expert or preferably quantitative vHIT in the ED.

Incidence and Predictors of Peripheral Venous Catheter-Related Complications in Hospitals in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) are the most commonly used medical devices in hospitals for the administration of medications. Their use can lead to complications of varying severity. Objective: Determine the incidence and factors associated with the occurrence of PVC-related complications. Methods: This was a two-month prospective observational study conducted in the Medical Emergency Department (MED) of Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital in Ouagadougou. All patients admitted during the study period who had a PVC inserted and removed were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of complications. Results: In total, 459 PVCs were inserted and removed in 415 patients hospitalized at the Medical Emergency Department during the study period. The placement of 37.7% (n = 173) of PVCs resulted in complications in 131 patients (31.6%). For 644.3 days of catheterization, the incidence density was estimated at 6.5 complications per 1000 patient days. Phlebitis (24.0%), infection (5.7%), and accidental removal (2.8%) were the most frequently identified complications. The average age of the patients was 46.8 ± 18.9 years with a sex ratio of 1.22. The average patient hospitalization duration was 2.5 ± 2.6 days. In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with the occurrence of complications after PVC insertion were patient’s state of agitation during the procedure (aOR = 12.59; 95% CI = 4.12 - 38.49), placement of the PVC at the elbow bend (aOR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.86 - 5.52), multiple attempts (aOR = 3.18; 95% CI = 1.49 - 6.75), administration of 10% hypertonic glucose solution (aOR = 3.67; 95% CI = 1.62 - 8.33), and duration of catheterization beyond 72 hours without being changed (aOR = 33.00; 95% CI = 14.19 - 76.75). Conclusion: The incidence of PVC-related complications was relatively high. The identification of the factors that can lead to these complications is relevant to the delivery of quality healthcare to patients.

The Evaluation Value of Emergency and Critical Illness Scoring System for Emergency Medical Patients

To explore the application value of three emergency and critical illness scoring systems in the prognosis assessment of emergency medical patients is the main objective. The 200 emergency medical cases received in the emergency department of our hospital were selected as the research objects and the 28 d survival of the patients was used as the observation end point. The patients were divided into the survival group 156 cases and the death group 44 cases; statistical analysis of the rapid emergency treatment within 24 h of admission to the two groups; differences in rapid emergency medicine score, modified early warning score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score, statistical analysis of the general physiological indicators and general data of the two groups of patients within 24 h of admission; the work of subjects, receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the differences between the three scoring systems in predicting the prognosis of emergency medical patients and the logistic multivariate regression model was used to analyze the relevant factors affecting the prognosis of patients. The rapid emergency medicine score, modified early warning score and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score of the death group were higher than those of the survival group and the difference was statistically significant (p 2, decreased saturation of peripheral oxygen and unresponsiveness were independent risk factors for 28 d death in patients admitted to the emergency medical department (p<0.05). For patients admitted to the emergency medical department, rapid emergency medicine score, modified early warning score and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score have certain clinical value in predicting the prognosis of patients at 28 d and the value of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score is relatively high. There are many factors affecting the prognosis of patients and they affect the adverse effects of patients in emergency medical department and there are many factors for the prognostic outcome.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on alternatives to opioids protocol for opioid reduction in emergency department

The United States (US) is in the midst of both an opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. The Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) approach is a useful strategy of utilizing non-opioid options as the first-line pain therapy in the emergency department (ED). Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, more than 40 states have reported a rise in opioid-related deaths. Since there is a potential increasing need for pain management due to limited outpatient resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unclear whether the COVID-19 has affected the effectiveness of the ALTO protocol in reducing opioid administration in the ED. To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the usage of the ALTO protocol for opioid reduction, this retrospective cohort study was performed to compare patients receiving pain medication in an urban ED during the COVID-19 pandemic (March to August 2020) and patients during the same period from one year prior. The primary outcome was the change in ED opioid administration and out-patient opioid prescriptions. All opioid dosages were converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MME) for data analysis. Secondary outcomes included changes in ALTO medication use, patient satisfaction with pain control, ED length of stay, and rate of left without being seen (LWBS). The mean prescribed MME per discharged patient visit was significantly lower in the COVID-19 pandemic group (3.16 ± 0.31 versus 7.72± 0.31, p &lt; 0.001). There was no significant difference in ED opioid administration, patient satisfaction with pain control, ED length of stay, and rate of LWBS between both groups. In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ALTO protocol can reduce out-patient opioid usage without changing opioid administration in the ED.

Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment in Emergency Medical Department to Rescue Unconscious Patients

Coma is a common and critical illness in emergency medicine. It is mainly caused by abnormal metabolism of the cerebral cortex and brainstem network structure that maintains normal conditions, causing the patient to lose consciousness, consciousness, etc. If the patient fails to receive timely and effective diagnosis and treatment after the onset of disease , Will threaten the lives of patients. However, because the patient was in a coma or impaired consciousness after admission, he was unable to describe his condition, medical history, etc., which increased the difficulty of clinical diagnosis. Coma is a common emergency and critical illness with a high fatality rate in the emergency department. It is more common in acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, poisoning, and trauma. Because the patient presented with a severe disorder of consciousness, unable to provide relevant medical history and cooperate with diagnosis and treatment, and the etiology involved multi-disciplinary and multi-professional knowledge, it brought great difficulties to diagnosis, rescue and treatment. Therefore, how to quickly determine the cause of the disease in a short time and implement the correct rescue measures in the first time has become a great challenge for emergency medical staff. Medical research has shown that the diagnosis and treatment of coma patients must clarify the cause of the patient, understand the factors that cause the coma, and formulate targeted diagnosis and treatment measures. Therefore, clinically, it is necessary to strengthen the rapid diagnosis and timely examination of patients with coma in emergency medicine, understand the cause of the patient's coma, and adopt effective treatment methods, so as to stabilize the patient's vital signs and avoid further development of the disease.

Recognition of Warning Signs by the Patient with Ischemic Stroke and Impact on Emergency Department Admission Times

The general objective of this study was to assess the impact of the recognition of warning, signs of ischemic stroke, on the reduction of emergency admission times and the improvement of the prognosis of the patient suffering from ischemic stroke in the emergency department of the Yaounde central hospital. Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive and analytical aim carried out in the medical emergency department of the central hospital of Yaounde over a period of 3 months, going from October to December 2020. All patients admitted to emergency departement, during this period, for a diagnosis of ischemic stroke confirmed by a brain CT scan were included in the study. The data was collected on a survey sheet divided into 3 sections: the patient, the assessment of his knowledge and his reaction to the stroke. The variables studied were socio-demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Data analysis was conducted with Census and Survey Processing System (CSPRO). Results: During the study period, 62 patients met the inclusion criteria. Adults under 50 (41.94%) were the most represented age group. The mean age of the patients was 52.3 years with ranges ranging from 36 to 82 years. The sex ratio was 1.38 in favor of women. The most common unmodifiable cardiovascular risk factor was age over 55 years 44%. High blood pressure 61% was the most common modifiable risk factor. More than half of the study population had no knowledge of the warning signs of ischemic stroke. The most well-known warning sign was 40% mouth deformation. The anamnesis noted that the weakness of the hemibody, the limb or the leg was found in our cohort in 77% of cases, followed by balance disorder (73%) and speech disorder (50%). The main associated sign was asthenia 32%. Direct admission to hospital through the emergency department was the first call for alert 58%, followed by self-medication 32% and seeking help from a family member 31%. The emergency department admission time was over 4 hours 30 minutes in more than half of the cases. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke is an important cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa in the acute phase. Information, education and communication about the warning signs of ischemic stroke reduce the time to emergency room visits and improve the prognosis of these patients.

Value of biomarkers in predicting mortality in older medical emergency department patients: a Dutch prospective study

ObjectiveOlder emergency department (ED) patients are at high risk of mortality, and it is important to predict which patients are at highest risk. Biomarkers such as lactate, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin...

Agitation in schizophrenia: origins and evidence-based treatment.

Agitation associated with schizophrenia remains an important clinical concern and if not managed effectively, can escalate into aggressive behavior. This is a review of the recent biomedical literature on agitation in individuals with schizophrenia. Themes in the recent literature include consideration of comorbidities such as cigarette smoking and cannabis use. Surveys reveal that pharmacological approaches to manage agitation have changed little, with haloperidol remaining in common use and intramuscular administration of antipsychotics and/or benzodiazepines being frequently administered to more severely agitated/aggressive individuals. Of note, ketamine has been recently adopted for use in severe agitation in medical emergency departments, but the risk of this medication for people with schizophrenia is unclear. At present, inhaled loxapine remains the only rapidly acting noninjectable FDA-approved treatment for agitation associated with schizophrenia. In development is an intranasal formulation for olanzapine (a well characterized atypical antipsychotic already approved to treat agitation) and a sublingual film for dexmedetomidine (an α2-adrenergic agonist used as an anesthetic and now being repurposed). Comorbidities can contribute to agitation and can make an accurate differential diagnosis challenging. The ongoing development of rapidly acting novel formulations of antiagitation medications, if successful, may facilitate clinical treatment by providing additional options.

Establishing Research Priorities for the Emergency Severity Index Using a Modified Delphi Approach

IntroductionThe accuracy of an initial ED triage decision has been reported to drive the clinical trajectory for ED patients, and, therefore, this assessment is critical to patient safety. The Emergency Severity Index—a 5-point score assigned by a triage nurse and based on disease acuity, patient potential for decompensation, and anticipated resource use—is used both in the United States and internationally. In the US, the Emergency Severity Index is used by up to 94% of the academic medical center emergency departments. In 2020, the Emergency Nurses Association acquired the intellectual property rights to the Emergency Severity Index and is responsible for its maintenance and improvement. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to establish a research agenda for the improvement of individual and institutional understanding and use of the Emergency Severity Index. MethodsModified Delphi process was used with 3 rounds of data collection. ResultsRound 1 yielded 112 issues, which were collapsed into 18 potential research questions in 4 general categories: education and training (6 questions), workplace environment (3 questions), emergency care services (7 questions), and special populations (2 questions). These questions were used in round 2 to establish importance. Round 3 yielded a rank ordering of both categories and research questions. DiscussionThe research priorities as set through the use of this modified Delphi process align well with current gaps in the literature. Research in these areas should be encouraged to improve the understanding of educational, environmental, and process challenges to emergency nurses’ triage decisions and accuracy of Emergency Severity Index assignments.

Barriers and Challenges Faced by Social Workers Caring for Dementia Patients in Acute Care Settings

The nature of dementia care provided by social workers across various hospital settings is unexplored. This study utilized the “rigorous and accelerated data reduction” (RADaR) qualitative analysis technique to explore the process of care among social workers for persons with dementia (PWDs) across a Midwestern tertiary care system with two aims: 1) to identify environmental barriers and supports to quality dementia care in two hospital settings (medical and psychiatric emergency departments (ED), and the main inpatient hospital (IP)), and 2) to identify existing strengths and challenges to high quality social work dementia care within these settings. Twelve qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive, snowball sample of social workers in dementia care in a large, academic health care system in 2016. Results identify environmental barriers in both settings (physical space design, patient-environment interactions, safety, and discharge disposition). Environmental aspects that promote quality care include supportive staff and family in the patient environment in the IP and ED hospital sections while the discharge disposition is more relevant in the IP. While there are some areas of social work involvement (discharge, psycho-social needs, treatment/management issues) that promote quality of care across locales, the pattern of performing roles varied, e.g. there is more focus on discharge planning and less management of competing demands in the IP than in the ED. Also, social workers were more involved in the diagnosis of dementia in the ED than other settings. We offer policy and practice recommendations to improve care for PWDs in academic hospital settings.

Evaluation of Psychotropic Drug Use in Adolescents Accessing a General Emergency Medical Department for Mental Disorders

Background: Given the paucity of data concerning the care of adolescents attending an emergency department (ED) for mental disorders, we performed an observational study with the aim to describe psychotropic drug use in an Italian ED. Methods: A retrospective chart review of adolescents (13–17 years) visited in the ED of the San Paolo University Hospital in Milan for mental disorders between January and June 2018 was conducted. Information concerning age, gender, type of disorder, psychotropic drug use in the ED and outcome of the visit were analyzed, using an anonymous patient code. Results: A total of 1298 adolescents, 13–17 years old, were visited in the ED, 56 (4%) of whom had a diagnosis of mental disorder (34 females and 22 males). The most common disorder was anxiety (21 patients), followed by predominant psychomotor disorder (13 patients). In all, 30 adolescents received a psychotropic drug. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly used drugs (73% of the subjects), and delorazepam was administered/prescribed to 17 adolescents, despite the fact that evidence on its safety, efficacy, and its off-label use in the pediatric population is lacking. Conclusions: One out of two adolescents attending the ED for an acute episode of mental disorder received a psychotropic drug prescription, mainly in an off-label manner. More evidence is needed to guide the pharmacological management of acute episodes of mental disorders.

A comparison of perioperative pain control in total shoulder arthroplasty: preoperative tramadol is associated with decreased long-term opiate use when compared with traditional opioids

BackgroundProlonged opiate use has been associated with adverse patient outcomes and high societal costs. While tramadol, an alternative to traditional opiate pain medications, has evidence-based support for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, no clear guidance exists in the shoulder arthroplasty literature to guide perioperative prescribing practices. MethodsAll patients from a private insurance database who underwent total or reverse shoulder arthroplasty between 2008 and 2015 were identified. These patients were grouped into 3 mutually exclusive cohorts based on perioperative pain management regimes: those who received (1) traditional opiates only, (2) tramadol only, (3) nonopioids only. These groups were compared for length of stay, prolonged opioid use (defined as opioid use >3 months after surgery), emergency department (ED) visits, 90-day readmissions, and medical complication ResultsFrom 2008 to 2015, 5,797 shoulder arthroplasty patients met inclusion criteria for the study. Of those, 498 (8.6%) received pre- and postoperative tramadol, 2001 (34.5%) traditional opioids, and 3289 (56.7%) nonopioids only. Traditional opioid use was weakly associated with a higher risk of minor medical complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.20, confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.97, P = .048), ED visits (OR 1.22, CI 19 1.03-1.43, P = .017), and 90-day readmission (OR 1.29, 1.03-1.62, P = .025) compared to nonopioid only users. Additionally, these patients had a markedly higher risk of prolonged narcotic use (OR 6.72, CI 5.89-7.68, P < .001). ConclusionsShoulder arthroplasty who received perioperative tramadol were less likely than those who received traditional opioids to require prolonged opiate pain medication. Given the well-established negative consequences of prolonged opiate use and lack of association between tramadol use and medical complications found in the current study, tramadol should be considered in shoulder arthroplasty candidates. However, tramadol is not without its own risks, and the risk of prolonged postoperative narcotic use is still higher within this population compared to those patients who take no opioids. These results should help inform preoperative pain management plans in patients who are likely to undergo eventual TSA. Level of EvidenceLevel III; Retrospective Cohort Study

Visual and Hearing Impairment Are Associated With Delirium in Hospitalized Patients: Results of a Multisite Prevalence Study

ObjectiveSensory deficits are important risk factors for delirium but have been investigated in single-center studies and single clinical settings. This multicenter study aims to evaluate the association between hearing and visual impairment or bi-sensory impairment (visual and hearing impairment) and delirium. DesignCross-sectional study nested in the 2017 “Delirium Day” project. Setting and ParticipantsPatients 65 years and older admitted to acute hospital medical wards, emergency departments, rehabilitation wards, nursing homes, and hospices in Italy. MethodsDelirium was assessed with the 4AT (a short tool for delirium assessment) and sensory deficits with a clinical evaluation. We assessed the association between delirium, hearing and visual impairment in multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for: Model 1, we included predisposing factors for delirium (ie, dementia, weight loss and autonomy in the activities of daily living); Model 2, we added to Model 1 variables, which could be considered precipitating factors for delirium (ie, psychoactive drugs and urinary catheters). ResultsA total of 3038 patients were included; delirium prevalence was 25%. Patients with delirium had a higher prevalence of hearing impairment (30.5% vs 18%; P < .001), visual impairment (24.2% vs 15.7%; P < .01) and bi-sensory impairment (16.2% vs 7.5%) compared with those without delirium. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the presence of bi-sensory impairment was associated with delirium in Model 1 [odds ratio (OR) 1.5, confidence interval (CI) 1.2–2.1; P = .00] and in Model 2 (OR 1.4; CI 1.1–1.9; P = .02), whereas the presence of visual and hearing impairment alone was not associated with delirium either in Model 1 (OR 0.8; CI 0.6–1.2, P = .36; OR 1.1; CI 0.8–1.4; P = .42) or in Model 2 (OR 0.8, CI 0.6–1.2, P = .27; OR 1.1, CI 0.8–1.4, P = .63). Conclusions and implicationsOur findings support the importance of routine screening and specific interventions by a multidisciplinary team to implement optimal management of sensory impairments and hence prevention and the management of the patients with delirium.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Serially Tested Emergency Medical Services Workers

Background Emerging research has examined the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in numerous settings, but a critical gap in knowledge is an understanding of the rate of infection among first responders. Methods We conducted a prospective serial serologic survey by recruiting public first responders from Cleveland area emergency medical services agencies and fire departments. Volunteers submitted a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing and serum samples to detect the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 on two visits scheduled approximately 3 weeks apart. Results 296 respondents completed a first visit and 260 completed the second. While 71% of respondents reported exposure to SARS-CoV-2, only 5.4% (95% CI 3.1-8.6) had positive serologic testing. No subjects had a positive PCR. On the first visit, eight (50%) of the test-positive subjects had no symptoms and only one (6.2%) sought healthcare or missed school or work. None of the subjects that tested negative on the first visit were positive on their second. Conclusions While our results show a relatively low rate of test positivity for SARS-CoV-2 amongst first responders, most were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. The potential risk of asymptomatic transmission both between first responders and from first responders to vulnerable patients requires more study.

One Notable Complication of Nasopharyngeal Airway: A Case Report.

IntroductionThe nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) is used by emergency providers and first responders to assist with oxygenation in obtunded, critically ill patients. There are few recorded NPA complications.Case ReportWe describe a unique case in which a patient went multiple days with recurrent symptoms of upper airway obstruction secondary to retained NPA.DiscussionNasopharyngeal airways may be uniquely prone to being displaced and retained due to their use in emergent situations, their small size, and time of insertion in the field prior to emergency department (ED) contact where handoff is not often standardized.ConclusionThe use of large-flanged NPAs might reduce incidences of displacement into the nasal cavity. This case highlights the need for improved handoff communication between emergency medical services and ED staff, especially to account for all inserted devices to prevent foreign body retention.

Assessing the Necessity for the "Joint Above and Below" Radiography Approach for Lower-extremity Long Bone Fractures in Children.

A common strategy for evaluation of extremity fractures is the "joint above and below" (JAB) radiograph approach, which includes dedicated imaging of the joint proximal and distal to a fracture independent of clinical suspicion for an injury involving the joint. The incidence of concomitant ipsilateral lower-extremity fractures or dislocations associated with lower-extremity long bone fractures in children has not been commonly reported and represents an evidential gap for determining a radiograph approach. Our purpose was to determine the frequency of and risk factors for concomitant ipsilateral lower-extremity fractures or dislocations. A retrospective study of children aged 1 to 17 years treated at an academic medical center emergency department from 2015 to 2018 with any fracture involving the tibia, fibula, or femur. Children with pathologic fractures, transferred from another facility, and/or designated as a level I trauma were excluded. The primary outcome was the prevalence of a concomitant bony injury (fracture or dislocation) at a distinct site in the same extremity. Differences between the concomitant bony injury group and single injury group were characterized using Fisher exact tests. Regression analysis was used to determine predictors of concomitant bony injuries, including age, sex, and mechanism of injury (with injuries requiring level II or III trauma activation classified as high risk). During the study period, 241 patients with lower-extremity long bone fractures were included. Complete JAB radiographs, defined as dedicated orthogonal radiographs of the joint proximal to and distal to the fracture site, were taken in 85 (35.3%) of 241 patients. Concomitant bony injuries were found in 9 (3.73%) of 241 patients (95% confidence interval, 1.7-7.0%). No additional concomitant bony injuries were identified at follow-up. When comparing patients with and without concomitant bony injuries, there was no significant difference in age (P = 0.34) and sex (P = 0.73). However, patients with a high-risk injury were more likely to have a concomitant bony injury (P < 0.01; odds ratio, 21.9; 95% confidence interval, 3.6-131.5). Concomitant ipsilateral lower-extremity fractures or dislocations are uncommon in children sustaining tibia, fibula, and/or femur fractures. Although the JAB approach to radiographs may be useful in identifying additional injuries in children with lower-extremity injuries resulting from a "high-risk" mechanisms, its overall yield is low. To provide safe, cost-effective care, providers should continue to value clinical suspicion, history, and physical examination findings to guide selection of radiographs in those with lower-extremity long bone fractures as significant fractures can typically be identified with limited imaging in patients with low-risk injury mechanisms.

What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency medicine residency training: an observational study

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has engendered difficulties for health systems globally; however, the effect of the pandemic on emergency medicine (EM) residency training programs is unknown. The pandemic has caused reduced volumes of emergency department (ED) patients, except for those with COVID-19 infections, and this may reduce the case exposure of EM residents. The primary objective of this study was to compare the clinical exposure of EM residents between the prepandemic and pandemic periods.MethodsThis was a retrospective study of EM resident physicians’ training in a tertiary teaching hospital with two branch regional hospitals in Taiwan. We retrieved data regarding patients seen by EM residents in the ED between September 1, 2019, and April 30, 2020. The first confirmed COVID-19 case in Taiwan was reported on January 11, so the pandemic period in our study was defined as spanning from February 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020. The number and characteristics of patients seen by residents were recorded. We compared the data between the prepandemic and pandemic periods.ResultsThe mean number of patients per hour (PPH) seen by EM residents in the adult ED decreased in all three hospitals during the pandemic. The average PPH of critical area of medical ED was 1.68 in the pre-epidemic period and decreased to 1.33 in the epidemic period (p value < 0.001). The average number of patients managed by residents decreased from 1.24 to 0.82 in the trauma ED (p value = 0.01) and 1.56 to 0.51 in the pediatric ED (p value = 0.003) during the pandemic, respectively. The severity of patient illness did not change significantly between the periods.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic engendered a reduced ED volume and decreased EM residents’ clinical exposure. All portion of EM residency training were affected by the pandemic, with pediatric EM being the most affected. The patient volume reduction may persist and in turn reduce patients’ case exposure until the pandemic subsides. Adjustment of the training programs may be necessary and ancillary methods of learning should be used to ensure adequate EM residency training.

The impact of a qualified medical documentation assistant on trauma room management

PurposeTo improve quality of trauma room management, intra- and inter-hospital benchmarking are important tools. However, primary data quality is crucial for benchmarking reliability. In this study, we analyzed the effect of a medical documentation assistant on documentation completeness in trauma room management in comparison to documentation by physicians involved in direct patient treatment.MethodsWe included all patients treated in the trauma room from 2016/01/01 to 2016/12/31 that were documented with the trauma module of the German Emergency Department Medical Record V2015.1. We divided the data into documentation by medical documentation assistant (DA, 07:00 to 17:00), physician in daytime (PD, 07:00 to 17:00), and physician at night (PN, 17:00 to 07:00). Data were analyzed for completeness (primary outcome parameter) as well as diagnostic intervals.ResultsThere was a significant increase in complete recorded data for DA (74.5%; IQR 14.5%) compared to PD (26.9%; IQR 18.7%; p < 0.001) and PN (30.8%; IQR 18.9; p < 0.001). The time to whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) significantly decreased for DA (19 min; IQR 8.3) compared to PD (24 min; IQR 12.8; p = 0.007) or PN (24.5 min; IQR 10.0; p = 0.001).ConclusionIn presence of a qualified medical documentation assistant, data completeness and time to WBCT improved significantly. Therefore, utilizing a professional DA in the trauma room appears beneficial for data quality and time management.

Rapid ethnographic assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic April 2020 ‘surge’ and its impact on service delivery in an Acute Care Medical Emergency Department and Trauma Center

ObjectivesAssess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery by frontline healthcare providers in acute care medical and emergency department settings and identify strategies used to cope with pandemic-related...

Managing ethical aspects of advance directives in emergency care services.

In Hospital Emergency Department and Emergency Medical Services professionals experience situations in which they face difficulties or barriers to know patient's advance directives and implement them. To analyse the barriers, facilitators, and ethical conflicts perceived by health professionals derived from the management of advance directives in emergency services. This is a qualitative phenomenological study conducted with purposive sampling including a population of nursing and medical professionals linked to Hospital Emergency Department and Emergency Medical Services. Three focus groups were formed, totalling 24 participants. We performed an inductive-type thematic discourse analysis. This study was approved by ethical committees of Ethical Commitee of Clínic Hospital (Barcelona) and Comittee of Emergency Medical Services (Barcelona). The participants received information about the purpose of the study. Patients' anonymity and willingness to participate in the study were guaranteed. There were four types of barriers that hindered the proper management of patients' advance directives in Hospital Emergency Department and Emergency Medical Services: personal and professional, family members, organisational and structural, and those derived from the health system. These barriers caused ethical conflicts and hindered professionals' decision-making. These results are in line with those of previous studies and indicate that factors such as gender, professional category, and years of experience, in addition to professionals' beliefs and the opinions of colleagues and family members, can also influence the professionals' final decisions. The different strategies described in this study can contribute to the development of health policies and action protocols to help reduce both the barriers that hinder the correct management and implementation of advance directives and the ethical conflicts generated.