Medical emergency calls and calls for central nervous system symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in Hangzhou, China.

Background: Since January 2020, the continuous and severe COVID-19 epidemic has ravaged various countries around the world and affected their emergency medical systems (EMS). The total number of emergency calls and the number of emergency calls for central nervous system (CNS) symptoms during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in Hangzhou, China (January 20-March 20) were investigated, and it was investigated whether these numbers had decreased as compared with the corresponding period in 2019. Methods: The number of daily emergency calls, ambulance dispatches, and rescues at the Hangzhou Emergency Center (HEC) was counted. The CNS symptoms considered in this study included those of cerebrovascular diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, and other neurological diseases. Results: It was found that, during the 2020 study period, the number of emergency calls was 33,563, a decrease of 19.83% (95% CI: 14.02-25.41%) as compared to the 41,863 emergency calls in 2019 (P < 0.01). The number of ambulances dispatched was 10,510, a decrease of 25.55% (95 %CI: 18.52-35.11%) as compared to the 14,117 ambulances dispatched in 2019 (P < 0.01). The number of rescues was 7,638, a decrease of 19.67% (95% CI: 16.12-23.18%) as compared with the 9,499 rescues in 2019 (P < 0.01). It was also found that the number of emergency calls related to CNS symptoms, including symptoms of cerebrovascular diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, and other neurological diseases, was significantly reduced (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The total number of medical emergency calls and the number of emergency calls for CNS symptoms occurring in a large city in China decreased significantly during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Relationship Between Moral Intelligence and Occupational Burnout in Mazandaran Pre-Hospital Emergency Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and purpose: COVID-19 pandemic caused high workload and led to high levels of burnout in medical staff including emergency medical personnel. Identifying and preventing occupational burnout can efficiently improve mental health in workplace and enhance the quality of services delivered. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational burnout and moral intelligence in emergency medical staff. Materials and methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 250 prehospital emergency staff in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2021. The participants were selected from emergency bases using stratified sampling. Data were collected using demographic characteristics checklist, Moral Intelligence Scale (Lennick & Kiel), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Structural equation and maximum likelihood model were applied. Data analyses were carried out in SPSS 23 and Amos 24. Results: The mean scores for moral intelligence and burnout were 81.10±8.30 and 44.41±13.73, respectively. Every one point increase in moral intelligence score decreased burnout score by 1.55 (P=0.054). Significant relationships were seen between all dimensions of Moral Intelligence Scale and moral intelligence (P<0.001). Keeping promises (r=0.82, P<0.001) and the ability to let go of one’s own mistakes (r=0.79, P<0.001) were found to be highly correlated with moral intelligence. In MBI, only personal accomplishment showed a significant positive correlation coefficient with burnout (r=0.41, P=0.026). Conclusion: In this study, improvements in moral intelligence score decreased the burnout score. Therefore, improving moral intelligence, as an acquired ability, in emergency medical personnel can reduce the levels of burnout experienced. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (JMUMS) is the property of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Emergency Center Curbside Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has placed a significant burden on health care systems in the United States. Michigan has been one of the top states affected by COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: We describe the emergency center curbside testing procedure implemented at Beaumont Hospital, a large hospital in Royal Oak, MI, and aim to evaluate its safety and efficiency. METHODS: Anticipating a surge in patients requiring testing, Beaumont Health implemented curbside testing, operated by a multidisciplinary team of health care workers, including physicians, advanced practice providers, residents, nurses, technicians, and registration staff. We report on the following outcomes over a period of 26 days (March 12, 2020, to April 6, 2020): time to medical decision, time spent documenting electronic medical records, overall screening time, and emergency center return evaluations. RESULTS: In total, 2782 patients received curbside services. A nasopharyngeal swab was performed on 1176 patients (41%), out of whom 348 (29.6%) tested positive. The median time for the entire process (from registration to discharge) was 28 minutes (IQR 17-44). The median time to final medical decision was 15 minutes (IQR 8-27). The median time from medical decision to discharge was 9 minutes (IQR 5-16). Only 257 patients (9.2%) returned to the emergency center for an evaluation within 7 or more days, of whom 64 were admitted to the hospital, 11 remained admitted, and 4 expired. CONCLUSIONS: Our curbside testing model encourages the incorporation of this model at other high-volume facilities during an infectious disease pandemic.

[Strategy for university emergency room management at the beginning of an epidemic using COVID-19 as an example]. / Strategie einer universitären Notaufnahme für das COVID-19-Management im Rahmen einer beginnenden Epidemie.

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections worldwide, all hospitals are faced with the challenge associated with the pandemic. In particular, emergency rooms must prepare and implement completely new workflows. This applies in particular to patient screening and selection (triage). Close cooperation with other specialist areas such as hygiene, infectiology or virology is also necessary in order to implement appropriate treatment concepts before, during and after the diagnosis is completed. In addition, communication and quality and risk management are highly relevant in addition to the clinical aspects. This article uses COVID-19 as an example to describe how emergency rooms can prepare for a pandemic.