Substantial improvement in compliance with universal precautions in an emergency department following institution of policy.

Seven months following the introduction of an institutional policy mandating compliance with universal precautions (UPs), we observed 127 health care workers performing 1421 interventions on 155 critically ill and injured patients in an emergency department setting in July 1989. Results were compared with a similar study undertaken exactly 1 year previously when UPs were considered as guidelines only. Overall adherence to UPs improved from 44.0% to 72.7% from 1 year to the next. Adherence to UPs improved from 19.5% to 55.7% during interventions on patients with profuse bleeding and from 16.7% to 54.5% during performance of major procedures. Compliance improved from 47.9% to 81.0% for emergency department-based health care workers (residents, attending physicians, nurses, x-ray film technicians). Prehospital care providers, a group not accountable to the institution, remained particularly noncompliant with only 13% adherence. We conclude that mandating UPs as policy with a monitoring component is effective in ensuring a reasonable level of adherence. However, given current barrier technology, achieving appropriate levels of compliance during unscheduled visits by patients requiring immediate attention and rapid intervention remains a challenge.

The potential utility of a rapid CK-MB assay in evaluating emergency department patients with possible myocardial infarction.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of a new rapid creatine kinase-MB (R-CK-MB) assay compared with a standard CK-MB (S-CK-MB) assay and to determine its potential use in the evaluation of emergency department patients with possible myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Retrospective patient identification with subsequent testing of excess sera for CK-MB and total CK using an identity-unlinked procedure. SETTING: Large, urban, teaching hospital ED. PARTICIPANTS: All adult patients with excess sera and one of several defined presentations chosen to identify those with possible myocardial ischemia or infarction. Patients with clearly documented noncardiac etiologies of their symptoms or signs were excluded. MAIN RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 271 patient specimens for the R-CK-MB assay compared with the S-CK-MB assay were 100%, 96.8%, 75.0%, and 100%, respectively. The R-CK-MB assay was positive for 32 patients (11.8%). Of these, eight (25.0%) were admitted to unmonitored beds, and five (15.6%) were discharged home. All of these 13 patients had initial ECGs without evidence of ischemia or infarction. On follow-up, at least eight of the 13 had evidence of infarction. CONCLUSION: The R-CK-MB assay demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity compared with the S-CK-MB assay. When used for patients in whom a cardiac care unit admission is not considered, the rapid assay may identify some patients with unsuspected myocardial infarction and prevent inadvertent discharge or admission to unmonitored beds.