ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chest radiographs are the most basic and readily available imaging modality for visualizing the lungs and are potentially useful for describing the disease severity in patients showing respiratory symptoms in COVID-19 patients. The early diagnosis of COVID-19 features on radiography helps in triaging and starting treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study consisted of 145 radiographs, and these were reported by two radiologists, two emergency physicians and one intern working in the Emergency department. The scores given by them were correlated. A targeted short lecture for the scoring was imparted and after a sufficient latent period the scoring of chest radiographs was done again, and the scores correlated and compared. RESULTS: We observed agreement between radiologists with emergency medicine physicians was "none to slight" to "fair," before the dedicated online teaching course. Following the meeting, there was an increase in interobserver agreement in-between radiologists and between radiologists and emergency medicine physicians. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a focused online meeting, targeted at explaining radiological features of a specific pathology, in a pandemic situation like COVID, to our clinical counterparts in the emergency medicine department can help in increasing their interpretation skills. This can directly benefit triaging, admission/discharge and monitoring of the status of patients, in intensive care units and emergency medicine. This also helps in allaying the anxiety, while waiting for a final report from the Radiologist.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the stress experienced by emergency medicine physicians working in emergency departments during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the factors they stated to be effective against stress, and their coping approaches to stressful situations. Materials and Methods: The study was designed in a general screening model, and 200 emergency medicine physicians participated via e-mail who work in emergency departments in Turkey. The sources of stress related to the pandemic, the factors that they find effective in combating stress, and their strategies to cope with stress were investigated with relation to their gender, marital status, after-shift accommodation, manner of working in a shift, smoking behavior, having a chronic disease, having children, and spouse's job as a healthcare professional. Results: While the primary source of stress of emergency medicine physicians during the pandemic was the risk of transmitting the virus to their families, the most influential factor in combating stress was leisure activities. Emergency physicians' approaches to coping with stress were significantly predicted by the variables of using full personal protective equipment while working, having an adequate sleep and resting opportunities, obtaining additional economic income, and not knowing the pandemic's end date. Conclusion: Emergency medicine physicians used active problem-oriented approaches, and among these, they used the social support seeking approach the most during the pandemic. It is necessary to provide social support, take precautions to care for healthcare workers' families and arrange emergency physicians' shifts to allocate their time to their leisure activities appropriately to reduce stress.