Interventions to improve emergency department throughput and care delivery indicators: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) crowding has repercussions on acute care, contributing to prolonged wait times, length of stay, and left without being seen (LWBS). These indicators are regarded as systemic shortcomings, reflecting a failure to provide equitable and accessible acute care. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving ED care delivery indicators. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing ED interventions aimed at reducing key metrics of time to provider (TTP), time to disposition (TTD), and LWBS. We excluded disease-specific trials (e.g., stroke). We used Cochrane's revised tool to assess the risk of bias and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations to rate the quality of evidence. The meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model and Cochrane Q test for heterogeneity. Data were summarized as means (±SD) for continuous variables and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other major databases. A total of 1850 references were scanned and 20 RCTs were selected for inclusion. The trials reported at least one of the three outcomes of TTD, TTP, or LWBS. Most interventions focused on triage liaison physician and point-of-care (POC) testing. Others included upfront expedited workup (ordering tests before full evaluation by a provider), scribes, triage kiosks, and sending notifications to consultants or residents. POC testing decreased TTD by an average of 5-96 min (high heterogeneity) but slightly increased TTP by a mean difference of 2 min (95% CI 0.6-4 min). Utilizing a triage liaison physician reduced TTD by 28 min (95% CI 19-37 min; moderate-quality evidence) and was more effective in reducing LWBS than routine triage (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66-0.88; moderate quality). CONCLUSIONS: Operational strategies such as POC testing and triage liaison physicians could mitigate the impact of ED crowding and appear to be effective. The current evidence supports these strategies when tailored to the appropriate practice environment.

Race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position in emergency department utilization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: Evaluate the association of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position (SEP) on emergency department (ED) visits for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which may reflect access to and quality of cancer care. Materials & methods: Patients with HCC identified from a commercial multi-payer claims database between 2015 and 2018 were matched to near-neighborhood social determinants of health (SDOH) and stratified by race/ethnicity and SEP (proxied by annual household income). Analyses evaluated the effect of race/ethnicity and SEP on ED utilization, adjusting for SDOH, demographic and clinical characteristics using multivariable regression methods. Results: A total of 22,247 patients were included. Black and Hispanic patients had 43 and 18% higher ED utilization than White patients at higher-income levels (p < 0.01); these differences were nonsignificant at lower-income. Regardless of income level, Asian patients had lower ED utilization. Conclusion: Further research on the intersectionality between race/ethnicity, SEP and other SDOH may guide structural-level interventions to address health inequities.

Health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities have been observed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a real-world retrospective insurance claims study of more than 22,200 adult patients with HCC between 2015 and 2018. We evaluated the association of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position (measured by income level) with emergency department (ED) utilization. Our study consisted of 69% White, 14% Black, 7% Hispanic, 6% Asian and 4% other patient populations. Black and Hispanic patients had the highest number of ED visits, followed by White and Asian patients. Compared with White patients, ED visits were 27% higher for Black, 17% higher for Hispanic and 36% lower for Asian patients. Compared with low income, middle income was associated with 4% more and high income with 6% less ED use, regardless of race/ethnicity. At higher income levels, Black and Hispanic but not Asian patients demonstrated higher ED use than White patients. These findings suggest that improved socioeconomic position of Black and Hispanic patients may not provide as protective an effect on health outcomes, potentially due to structural health inequities.

Emergency department responses to nursing shortages.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the nursing shortage, which is predicted to continue to worsen with significant numbers of nurses planning to retire within the next 5 years. There remains a lack of published information regarding recommended interventions for emergency departments (EDs) facing a sudden nursing shortage. METHODS: We queried emergency department leaders from the American College of Emergency Physicians to examine the impact of nursing shortages on EDs and to gather real-world interventions employed to mitigate the effects of the shortage. RESULTS: Most respondents (98.5%) reported nursing shortages, with 83.3% describing prolonged shortages lasting more than 12 months, with negative impacts such as misses/near-misses (93.9%) and increasing left without being seen rates (90.9%). ED leaders reported a range of interventions, including operational flow changes, utilizing alternative staff to fill nurse roles, recruitment of new nurses, and retention strategies for existing nurses. They employed temporary and permanent pay increases as well as efforts to improve the ED work environment and techniques to hire new nurses from atypical pipelines. CONCLUSION: We report a patchwork of solutions ED leaders utilized which may have variable efficacy among different EDs; personalization is essential when selecting interventions during a sudden nursing shortage.

Noncardiac Surgery in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A 11-Year Institutional Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Limited options in the end-stage treatment of heart failure have led to increased use of left ventricular assist devices. For this reason, the rate of non-cardiac surgeries in patients with left ventricular assist devices is also increasing. Our study aims to analyze surgical rate, anesthesia management, and results by reviewing our 11-year experience with patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery receiving left ventricular assist devices support. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 57 patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery and 67 non-cardiac surgical procedures among 274 patients who applied between January 2011 and December 2022 and underwent left ventricular assist devices implantation with end-stage heart failure. RESULTS: Fifty (74.6%) patients with left ventricular assist devices admitted to the hospital for non-cardiac surgery were emergency interventions. The most common reasons for admission were general surgery (52.2%), driveline wound revision (22.3%), and neurological surgery (14.9%). This patient group has the highest in-hospital mortality rate (12.8%) and the highest rate of neurological surgery (8.7%). While 70% of the patients who underwent neurosurgery were taken to surgery urgently, the International Normalized Ratio values of these patients were between 3.5 and 4.5 at the time of admission to the emergency department. CONCLUSION: With a perioperative multidisciplinary approach, higher morbidity and mortality risks can be reduced during emergencies and major surgical procedures.

Developing a clinical decision support system software prototype that assists in the management of patients with self-harm in the emergency department: protocol of the PERMANENS project.

BACKGROUND: Self-harm presents a significant public health challenge. Emergency departments (EDs) are crucial healthcare settings in managing self-harm, but clinician uncertainty in risk assessment may contribute to ineffective care. Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) show promise in enhancing care processes, but their effective implementation in self-harm management remains unexplored. METHODS: PERMANENS comprises a combination of methodologies and study designs aimed at developing a CDSS prototype that assists clinicians in the personalized assessment and management of ED patients presenting with self-harm. Ensemble prediction models will be constructed by applying machine learning techniques on electronic registry data from four sites, i.e., Catalonia (Spain), Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. These models will predict key adverse outcomes including self-harm repetition, suicide, premature death, and lack of post-discharge care. Available registry data include routinely collected electronic health record data, mortality data, and administrative data, and will be harmonized using the OMOP Common Data Model, ensuring consistency in terminologies, vocabularies and coding schemes. A clinical knowledge base of effective suicide prevention interventions will be developed rooted in a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines, including quality assessment of guidelines using the AGREE II tool. The CDSS software prototype will include a backend that integrates the prediction models and the clinical knowledge base to enable accurate patient risk stratification and subsequent intervention allocation. The CDSS frontend will enable personalized risk assessment and will provide tailored treatment plans, following a tiered evidence-based approach. Implementation research will ensure the CDSS' practical functionality and feasibility, and will include periodic meetings with user-advisory groups, mixed-methods research to identify currently unmet needs in self-harm risk assessment, and small-scale usability testing of the CDSS prototype software. DISCUSSION: Through the development of the proposed CDSS software prototype, PERMANENS aims to standardize care, enhance clinician confidence, improve patient satisfaction, and increase treatment compliance. The routine integration of CDSS for self-harm risk assessment within healthcare systems holds significant potential in effectively reducing suicide mortality rates by facilitating personalized and timely delivery of effective interventions on a large scale for individuals at risk of suicide.

Changes in emergency department visits and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective analysis of 956 hospitals.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many non-COVID-19 emergency department (ED) visits were indirectly affected. ED visits and mortality were assessed during different pandemic time periods compared with pre-pandemic. METHODS: The study used data from 41 million Iran Health Insurance Organization members. The outcomes were non-COVID-19 ED visits and associated mortality in 956 hospitals. An analysis of ED visits was conducted both for all-cause and cause-specific conditions: cardiovascular diseases (CVD), mental and substance use disorders, unintentional injuries, and self-harm. In addition, total in-hospital ED mortality was analyzed. A negative binomial regression and a Poisson regression with a log link were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of visits and mortality relative risk (RR). RESULTS: 1,789,831 ED visits and 12,377 deaths were reported during the study. Pre-pandemic (Sep 2019 to Feb 2020), there were 2,767 non-COVID-19 visits rate per million person-month, which decreased to 1,884 during the first COVID-19 wave with a national lockdown from Feb 20 to Apr 19, 2020 (IRR 0.68, [0.56-0.84]). The non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk was 8.17 per 1,000 visit-month during the pre-pandemic period, rising to 12.80 during the first wave of COVID-19 (RR 1.57, [1.49-165]). Non-COVID-19 ED visit rates decreased during the first pandemic year from Sep 2020 to Feb 2021 (IRR 0.73, [0.63-0.86]), but increased after COVID-19 vaccination two years later from Sep 2021 to Feb 2022 (IRR 1.11, [0.96-0.17]). The total ED mortality risk for non-COVID-19 was significantly higher after the COVID-19 outbreak in the first (RR 1.66, [1.59-1.72]) and second years (RR 1.27, [1.22-1.32]) of the pandemic. The visit incidence rate for mental health and substance use disorders declined from 8.18 per million person-month to 4.57 (IRR 0.53, [0.32 to 0.90]) in the first wave. In the second year, unintentional injury visits increased significantly compared with pre-pandemic (IRR 1.63, [1.30-2.03]). As compared to before the pandemic, there was no significant change in CVD and self-harm visit rates during the pandemic. Cardiac arrest was the leading cause of death in Iran hospitals' EDs. CONCLUSION: In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-COVID-19 hospital ED visits declined and mortality risk increased. Despite two years since the COVID-19 outbreak, non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk remains high.

Evaluating the use of clinical decision aids in an Australian emergency department: A cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To identify healthcare professionals' knowledge, self-reported use, and documentation of clinical decision aids (CDAs) in a large ED in Australia, to identify behavioural determinants influencing the use of CDAs, and healthcare professionals preferences for integrating CDAs into the electronic medical record (EMR) system. METHODS: Healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses and physiotherapists) working in the ED at the Gold Coast Hospital, Queensland were invited to complete an online survey. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and where appropriate, mapped to the theoretical domains framework to identify potential barriers to the use of CDAs. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: Seventy-four healthcare professionals (34 medical officers, 31 nurses and nine physiotherapists) completed the survey. Healthcare professionals' knowledge and self-reported use of 21 validated CDAs was low but differed considerably across CDAs. Only 4 out of 21 CDAs were reported to be used 'sometimes' or 'always' by the majority of respondents (Ottawa Ankle Rule for ankle injury, Wells' criteria for pulmonary embolism, Wells' criteria for deep vein thrombosis and PERC rule for pulmonary embolism). Most respondents wanted to increase their use of valid and reliable CDAs and supported the integration of CDAs into the EMR to facilitate their use and support documentation. Potential barriers impacting the use of CDAs represented three theoretical domains of knowledge, social/professional role and identity, and social influences. CONCLUSIONS: CDAs are used variably by healthcare professionals and are inconsistently applied in the clinical encounter. Preferences of healthcare professionals need to be considered to allow the successful integration of CDAs into the EMR.

Hospital ownership and admission rates from the emergency department, evidence from Florida.

OBJECTIVE: In light of Department of Justice investigations of for-profit chains for over-admitting patients, we sought to evaluate whether for-profit hospitals are more likely to admit patients from the emergency department. DATA SOURCES: We used statewide visit-level inpatient and emergency department records from Florida's Agency for Healthcare Administration for 2007-2019. STUDY DESIGN: We calculated differences in admission rates between for-profit and other hospitals, adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. We also estimated instrumental variables models using differential distance to a for-profit hospital as an instrument. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: Our main analysis focuses on patients ages 65 and older treated in hospitals that primarily serve adults. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Adjusted admission rates among patients ages 65 and older were 7.1 percentage points (95% CI: 5.1-9.1) higher at for-profit hospitals in 2019 (or 18.8% of the sample mean of 37.8%). Differences in admission rates have remained constant since 2009. CONCLUSION: Our results are consistent with allegations that for-profit hospitals maintain lower admission thresholds to increase occupancy levels.

Consultas tardías en los servicios de emergencias pediátricas durante la pandemia por COVID-19 en Uruguay, entre el 13 de marzo y el 29 de julio de 2020

En diciembre de 2019, en Wuhan, China, se detectaron los primeros casos de SARS-CoV-2. En Uruguay, desde el 16 de marzo de 2020 se suspendieron las actividades de enseñanza, deportivas y espectáculos públicos. Varios países reportaron una marcada disminución de las visitas a urgencias. Algunos niños presentaron enfermedades ocasionales o descompensaciones de enfermedades crónicas, consultando en forma tardía con el riesgo que ello implica. El objetivo de este trabajo es realizar una descripción de las consultas tardías durante la pandemia. Se realizó un estudio multicéntrico y descriptivo entre el 13 de marzo y el 29 de julio de 2020. Se definió consulta tardía como los ingresos por injurias agudas con más de 6 horas de evolución, fiebre mayor a 72 horas de evolución, dificultad respiratoria con más de 12 horas de evolución, síntomas agudos, como dolor abdominal, de más de 24 horas de evolución, síntomas de más de 12 horas de evolución en niños con enfermedades crónicas que determinaron descompensación e ingreso. Se incluyeron 27 centros. Se registraron un total de 34.260 consultas en urgencia, se incluyeron 189 niños para el estudio. El promedio de edad fue de 6 años; 17 pacientes requirieron ingreso a unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI). Predominó la apendicitis entre los diagnósticos al alta. Esta investigación puso en evidencia la existencia de consultas tardías en nuestro país. Esto contribuye a ponderar el impacto negativo de la pandemia en la población pediátrica.

Summary: In December 2019, the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in Wuhan. In Uruguay, since March 16, teaching, sports and public entertainment activities were suspended. Several countries reported a marked decrease in emergency room visits. Some children presented occasional illnesses or decompensations from chronic illnesses, consulting late with the risk that this implies. The objective of the work is to make a description of late consultations during the pandemic. A multicenter and descriptive study was carried out between March 13 and July 29, 2020. "Late consultation" was defined as admissions for: Acute injuries with more than 6 hours of evolution, fever greater than 72 hours of evolution, difficulty respiratory disease with more than 12 hours of evolution, acute symptoms such as abdominal pain of more than 24 hours of evolution, symptoms of more than 12 hours of evolution in children with chronic diseases that determined decompensation and admission. 27 centers were included. A total of 34260 emergency consultations were registered, 189 children were included for the study. The average age was 6 years. 17 patients required admission to the ICU. Appendicitis predominated among the diagnoses at discharge. This research revealed the existence of late consultations in our country. This helps to weigh the negative impact of the pandemic on the pediatric population.

Em dezembro de 2019, em Wuhan, foram detectados os primeiros casos de SARS-CoV-2. No Uruguai, desde 16 de março, as atividades de ensino, esporte e entretenimento público foram suspensas. Vários países relataram uma diminuição acentuada nas visitas ao pronto-socorro. Algumas crianças apresentavam doenças ocasionais ou descompensações de doenças crônicas, consultando tardiamente os riscos que isso implica. O objetivo do trabalho é fazer uma descrição das consultas tardias durante a pandemia. Um estudo multicêntrico e descritivo foi realizado entre 13 de março e 29 de julho de 2020. Consulta tardia foi definida como internações por: Lesões agudas com mais de 6 horas de evolução, febre maior que 72 horas de evolução, dificuldade respiratória com mais de 12 horas de evolução, sintomas agudos como dor abdominal com mais de 24 horas de evolução, sintomas com mais de 12 horas de evolução em crianças com doenças crônicas que determinaram descompensação e internação. 26 centros foram incluídos. Um total de 34.260 consultas de emergência foram registradas, 189 crianças foram incluídas no estudo. A idade média era de 6 anos. 17 pacientes necessitaram de internação na UTI. Apendicite predominou entre os diagnósticos na alta. Esta pesquisa revelou a existência de consultas tardias em nosso país. Isso ajuda a pesar o impacto negativo da pandemia na população pediátrica.

Noncardiac Surgery in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A 11-Year Institutional Experience

ABSTRACT Introduction: Limited options in the end-stage treatment of heart failure have led to increased use of left ventricular assist devices. For this reason, the rate of non-cardiac surgeries in patients with left ventricular assist devices is also increasing. Our study aims to analyze surgical rate, anesthesia management, and results by reviewing our 11-year experience with patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery receiving left ventricular assist devices support. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 57 patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery and 67 non-cardiac surgical procedures among 274 patients who applied between January 2011 and December 2022 and underwent left ventricular assist devices implantation with end-stage heart failure. Results: Fifty (74.6%) patients with left ventricular assist devices admitted to the hospital for non-cardiac surgery were emergency interventions. The most common reasons for admission were general surgery (52.2%), driveline wound revision (22.3%), and neurological surgery (14.9%). This patient group has the highest in-hospital mortality rate (12.8%) and the highest rate of neurological surgery (8.7%). While 70% of the patients who underwent neurosurgery were taken to surgery urgently, the International Normalized Ratio values of these patients were between 3.5 and 4.5 at the time of admission to the emergency department. Conclusion: With a perioperative multidisciplinary approach, higher morbidity and mortality risks can be reduced during emergencies and major surgical procedures.

Intervenções de enfermagem no serviço de urgência: Perspetivas dos enfermeiros / Nursing interventions in emergency departments: Nurses' perspectives / Intervenciones de enfermería en el servicio de urgencias: Perspectivas de los enfermeros

Resumo Enquadramento: A evolução dos serviços de urgência tornou complexo o enquadramento das intervenções realizadas pelos enfermeiros. Compreender esta evolução é essencial para gerir eficientemente estes recursos e garantir cuidados seguros às pessoas. Objetivo: Descrever as intervenções de enfermagem implementadas aos clientes no serviço de urgência. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo com uma abordagem descritiva e exploratória, que ocorreu em duas etapas sequenciais - (1) identificação das intervenções de enfermagem através da observação não participante, entrevista semiestruturada e questionário e (2) análise de conteúdo às intervenções identificadas. Resultados: Identificaram-se 1429 intervenções que foram categorizadas em 24 dimensões. As mais comuns incluíram a Administração de fármacos, a Avaliação clínica, a Colheita de amostras biológicas, a Gestão da informação clínica e a Manutenção do funcionamento das unidades. Conclusão: As intervenções identificadas revelam uma ampla gama de práticas que vão além do cuidado direto à pessoa, incluindo a gestão do fluxo de trabalho e da informação clínica. Os resultados do estudo destacam a importância de uma melhor compreensão dessas intervenções para a otimização dos serviços de urgência.

Abstract Background: The evolution of emergency departments added further complexity to the framework of nursing interventions. Understanding this evolution is vital to efficiently manage resources and ensure patients the provision of safe care. Objective: The objective of this study is to describe nursing interventions provided to patients in emergency departments. Methodology: A qualitative approach using a descriptive and exploratory methodology was employed by this study, involving two consecutive stages - (1) identification of nursing interventions using non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire, and (2) content analysis of the identified interventions. Results: A total of 1,429 interventions were identified and categorized into 24 dimensions. The most commonly observed interventions were Administration of medication, Clinical assessment, Collection of biological specimens, Management of clinical information, and Maintaining the department's functioning. Conclusion: The identified interventions show nurses' broad range of practices that surpass direct patient care, encompassing the management of workflows and clinical information. The study findings emphasize the significance of further understanding nursing interventions for the optimal management of emergency departments.

Resumen Marco contextual: La evolución de los servicios de urgencias ha complicado el marco de las intervenciones realizadas por el personal de enfermería. Comprender esta evolución es esencial para gestionar de forma eficiente estos recursos y garantizar unos cuidados seguros para las personas. Objetivo: Describir las intervenciones de enfermería aplicadas a los pacientes del servicio de urgencias. Metodología: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque descriptivo y exploratorio, que se desarrolló en dos etapas secuenciales - (1) identificación de las intervenciones de enfermería mediante observación no participante, entrevista semiestructurada y cuestionario, y (2) análisis de contenido de las intervenciones identificadas. Resultados: Se identificaron un total de 1429 intervenciones, clasificadas en 24 dimensiones. Las más comunes incluían la Administración de fármacos, la Evaluación clínica, la Recogida de muestras biológicas, la Gestión de la información clínica y el Mantenimiento del funcionamiento de la unidad. Conclusión: Las intervenciones identificadas muestran un amplio abanico de prácticas que van más allá de la atención directa a la persona, incluida la gestión del flujo de trabajo y de la información clínica. Los resultados del estudio destacan la importancia de comprender mejor estas intervenciones para optimizar los servicios de urgencias.

Impact of an Emergency Department Isolation Policy for Patients With Suspected COVID-19 on Door-to-Electrocardiography Time and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Rapid electrocardiography diagnosis within 10 minutes of presentation is critical for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients in the emergency department (ED). However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the emergency care system. Screening for COVID-19 symptoms and implementing isolation policies in EDs may delay the door-to-electrocardiography (DTE) time. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,458 AMI patients who presented to a single ED in South Korea from January 2019 to December 2021. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and ED isolation policies on DTE time and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We found that the mean DTE time increased significantly from 5.5 to 11.9 minutes (P < 0.01) in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and 22.3 to 26.7 minutes (P < 0.01) in non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. Isolated patients had a longer mean DTE time compared to non-isolated patients in both STEMI (9.2 vs. 24.4 minutes) and NSTEMI (22.4 vs. 61.7 minutes) groups (P < 0.01). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the effect of COVID-19 duration on DTE ≥ 10 minutes was 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-2.47), and the aOR for isolation status was 5.62 (95% CI, 3.54-8.93) in all patients. We did not find a significant association between in-hospital mortality and the duration of COVID-19 (aOR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.52-1.56) or isolation status (aOR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.71-3.68). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that ED screening or isolation policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to delays in DTE time. Timely evaluation and treatment of emergency patients during pandemics are essential to prevent potential delays that may impact their clinical outcomes.

Clasificación de riesgo y tiempo puerta-antibiótico en pacientes con sospecha de sepsis / Risk classification and door-to-antibiotic time in patients with suspected sepsis / Classificação de risco e tempo porta-antibiótico no paciente com suspeita de sepse

Objetivo: evaluar la asociación entre la clasificación de riesgo y el tiempo puerta-antibiótico en pacientes con sospecha de sepsis. Método: estudio de cohorte retrospectivo, con una muestra de 232 pacientes con sospecha de sepsis atendidos en el departamento de emergencias. Se dividieron en 2 grupos: con y sin clasificación de riesgo. Una vez identificado el tiempo puerta-antibiótico, se realizó un análisis de varianza de un factor con la prueba post hoc de Bonferroni o la prueba t de Student independiente para variables cuantitativas continuas; pruebas de correlación de Pearson, correlación biserial puntual o correlación biserial para análisis de asociación; y procedimiento de bootstrap cuando no había distribución normal de variables. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Resultados: el tiempo puerta-antibiótico no difirió entre el grupo que recibió clasificación de riesgo en comparación con el que no fue clasificado. El tiempo puerta-antibiótico fue significativamente más corto en el grupo que recibió una clasificación de riesgo de alta prioridad. Conclusión: no hubo asociación entre el tiempo puerta-antibiótico y si se realizó o no la clasificación de riesgo, ni con la hospitalización en enfermería y en unidad de cuidados intensivos, ni con la duración de la estancia hospitalaria. Se observó que cuanto mayor era la prioridad, más corto era el tiempo puerta-antibiótico.

Objective: to evaluate the association between risk classification and door-to-antibiotic time in patients with suspected sepsis. Method: retrospective cohort study, with a sample of 232 patients with suspected sepsis treated at the emergency department. They were divided into 2 groups: with and without risk classification. Once the door-to-antibiotic time was identified, one-way analysis of variance was performed with Bonferroni post hoc test or independent Student's t-test for continuous quantitative variables; Pearson correlation tests, point-biserial correlation or biserial correlation for association analyses; and bootstrap procedure when there was no normal distribution of variables. For data analysis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used. Results: the door-to-antibiotic time did not differ between the group that received risk classification compared to the one that was not classified. Door-to-antibiotic time was significantly shorter in the group that received a high priority risk classification. Conclusion: there was no association between door-to-antibiotic time and whether or not the risk classification was performed, nor with hospitalization in infirmaries and intensive care units, or with the length of hospital stay. It was observed that the higher the priority, the shorter the door-to-antibiotic time.

Objetivo: avaliar a associação entre a realização de classificação de risco e o tempo porta-antibiótico no paciente com suspeita de sepse. Método: estudo de coorte retrospectivo, com amostra de 232 pacientes com suspeita de sepse atendidos no pronto atendimento. Foram distribuídos em 2 grupos: com e sem classificação de risco. Identificado o tempo porta-antibiótico, realizou-se análise de variância de um fator com post hoc de Bonferroni ou teste T-Student independente para variáveis quantitativas contínuas; testes de correlação de Pearson, correlação bisserial por pontos ou correlação bisserial para análises de associação; e procedimento de bootstrap quando não havia distribuição normal de variáveis. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizado o software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Resultados: o tempo porta-antibiótico não diferiu entre o grupo que recebeu classificação de risco comparado ao que não foi classificado. O tempo porta-antibiótico foi significativamente menor no grupo que recebeu classificação de risco de alta prioridade. Conclusão: não houve associação entre o tempo porta-antibiótico e a realização ou não da classificação de risco, tampouco com internação em enfermaria e em unidade de terapia intensiva, ou com o tempo de internação hospitalar. Observou-se que quanto maior a prioridade, menor o tempo porta-antibiótico.

An Adult Case of Pharyngeal Injury Caused by Toothbrush.

Most toothbrush-induced oral injuries occur in children and are relatively shallow, involving the oral mucous membranes and musculature, but rarely deeper layers. Here, the management of an adult case of pharyngeal injury caused by a toothbrush is discussed. A man fell while brushing his teeth, and his toothbrush stuck in his throat. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a toothbrush stuck in the left parapharyngeal space, reaching the subcutaneous tissue of the posterior neck. The toothbrush was surgically removed because blind removal could damage major cervical arterioles and nerves. In intraoral injuries caused by deep penetrating toothbrushes, there is a risk that the injury extends to the major arterioles and nerves of the neck. The need for imaging studies, methods of removal, and possible complications should all be considered before taking an appropriate removal action.

Geriatric mortality risk factors in emergency department for non-traumatic abdominal pain.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine the factors affecting the mortality of geriatric patients presenting to the emergency department with non-traumatic abdominal pain, as well as the associations of these factors with mortality. BACKGROUND: With the increasing number of elderly patients, early recognition of patients with risk-bearing diagnoses is crucial. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study included 466 patients over 65 years of age who were admitted to THE emergency department of a tertiary hospital and consented to participate. Data was collected on patient demographics, vital signs, chronic diseases, laboratory investigations, diagnoses, disposition, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean patient age was 74.42 years, with 47.4 % being male and 52.6 % female. 15.6 % of the patients had nonspecific causes. The risk of mortality within one month was 5.797 times higher in patients with neurological diseases and 5.183 times higher in those with a history of surgery. A one-unit decrease in hemoglobin increased the mortality risk by 0.656 times. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of careful evaluation of elderly patients with neurological diseases, previous surgical history, and anemia in the emergency department with non-traumatic abdominal pain (Tab. 5, Ref. 18).

Improving Safety and Quality With an Emergency Department Overcrowding Plan.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency department overcrowding is a concern that predates the recent coronavirus disease pandemic. Overcrowding in the emergency department continues to worsen internationally. There are multiple combined strategies that help to maintain quality and safety by reducing patient wait times, left-without-being-seen rates, and the length of time a patient stays in the emergency department. The objective of the project was to use an interdisciplinary team to strengthen and revise the emergency department overcrowding plan to reduce the patient wait times, length of stay, and the left-without-being-seen rates. METHODS: The quality improvement team used interprofessional collaboration to focus on 3 areas of the emergency response plan. The team automated an instrument to measure overcrowding in the emergency department, developed a tiered response plan to overcrowding, and implemented a standardized multidisciplinary paging protocol. RESULTS: The emergency department overcrowding plan resulted in a 2.7% decrease in the left-without-being-seen rates, a 42-minute (14.5%) decrease in median emergency department length of stay, and a 3.56-hour (33.3%) decrease in daily overcrowding. DISCUSSION: Emergency department overcrowding is influenced by a multitude of factors. The development and implementation of an efficient and effective overcrowding plan have significant value for patient quality and safety as well as health system planning. An effective response to emergency department overcrowding is a pre-established plan that incrementally uses system-wide resources to support emergency department functions as the census and patient acuity fluctuate.

Perfil de competências do enfermeiro coordenador de um serviço de urgência / What if disaster strikes..... How prepared are emergency room nurses?

A crescente procura por mais e melhores cuidados de saúde tem levado a um aumento significativo na ultima década do numero de episódios em serviço de urgência, uma situação que é transversal a todos os níveis de atuação. Do lado oposto a este aumento estão equipas reduzidas em número, com dificuldade em dar resposta perante serviços sobrelotados, na maior parte das vezes por situações pouco ou não urgentes, situação explicada por alguma ineficiência dos cuidados de saúde primários e pelo fácil acesso aos serviços hospitalares de urgência. Esta é uma situação que sobrecarrega os serviços de saúde e os profissionais, colocando em causa a segurança e a qualidade dos cuidados. Neste mesmo contexto, a gestão de cuidados ganha uma elevada importância, pelo que é imperativo entregar essa função a profissionais capazes e preparados para a mesma. Num ambiente de grande complexidade como o serviço de urgência, dinámico e com um fluxo de utentes mantido durante as 24 horas do dia, e onde o enfermeiro gestor não está em permanente presença física, é ao enfermeiro coordenador de equipa que cabe essa gestão de cuidados e até a gestão do serviço, na ausência do enfermeiro gestor do mesmo. Ainda que a figura do enfermeiro coordenador de equipa não esteja contemplada na carreira de Enfermagem, ela existe em praticamente todos os serviços de urgência. Desta forma, é imperativo definir qual o perfil de competências destes elementos, fundamentais para o bom funcionamento dos serviços e para o garante da segurança e qualidade dos cuidados de enfermagem em contexto de urgência. Neste sentido, realizamos um estudo com base na técnica de Delphi, que começou pela construção de uma proposta de perfil de competências, composta por 21 competências, agrupadas por tipologia (comportamentais, técnico-profissionais e de liderança e gestão). A elaboração deste instrumento foi suportada pela revisão bibliográfica, e posteriormente colocada sob escrutínio de um painel de peritos, conforme preconizado para a técnica de Delphi. Na primeira ronda, os peritos que integraram o painel, também contribuíram individualmente com sugestões de competências a acrescentar à proposta de perfil. A proposta final deste perfil de competências do enfermeiro coordenador de equipa, constituído por 28 competências, obteve concordância máxima em 92,9% delas (26 competências), e com um grau de consenso MUITO ELEVADO em 21 competências e ELEVADO nas restantes sete. Foi, assim, possível construir uma versão de consenso para a qual se sugere validação e que se espera servir de catalisador para a mudança de paradigma, legislando e regulamentando a figura do enfermeiro coordenador de equipa, com domínios de competências bem definidos e que permitam o desenvolvimento adequado dessas mesmas competências.

The growing demand for more and better health care has led to a significant increase in the last decade of the number of episodes in emergency services, a situation that cuts across all levels of activity On the opposite side of this growth are teams that are reduced in number, with difficulty in responding to overcrowded services, most often due to low or non-urgent situations, a situation explained by some inefficiency of primary health care services and by the easy access to hospital emergency services. This is a situation that overloads health services and professionals, putting the safety and quality of care at risk. In this context, care management gains a great importance, which is why it is imperative to deliver this task to professionals who are capable and prepared for it. In highly complex environment such as the emergency room, which is dynamic, has a flow of users 24 hours a day, and where the nurse manager is not physically present all the time, it is the nursing team coordinator who is responsible for the care management and even the management of the service. Although the figure of the nursing team coordinator is not included in the nursing career, it exists in practically all emergency services. Thus, it is imperative to define the competence profile of these elements, which are fundamental for the proper functioning of services and for guaranteeing the safety and quality of nursing care in an emergency context. Taking this into account, we carried out a study base on the Delphi technique, which began with the construction of a proposal for a competences profile, comprising 21 competences, grouped by typology (behavioral, technical-professional and leadership and management). The elaboration of this instrument was supported by the bibliographical review, and later placed under the scrutiny of a panel of experts, as recommended for the Delphi technique. In the first round, the experts who were part of the panel also contributed individually with suggestions of competences to be added to the profile's proposal. The final draft of the competences profile of the nursing team coordinator, consisting of 28 competences, obtained maximum agreement in 92.9% of them (26 competences). and with a degree of consensus VERY HIGH in 21 competences and HIGH in the remaining seven. Thus, it was possible to build a version of consensus for which validation is suggested and which is expected to serve as a catalyst for a paradigm shift, legislating and regulating the figure of the nursing team coordinator, with well-defined domains of competences that allow for the adequate development of these same skills.

Burden of suspected epileptic seizures on emergency services: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with acute epileptic seizures form a large patient group in emergency neurology. This study aims to determine the burden caused by suspected epileptic seizures at different steps in emergency care. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional, population-based (>1,000,000 inhabitants), 4-year (2015-2018) study was conducted in an urban setting with a single dispatch centre, a university hospital-affiliated emergency medical service (EMS), and five emergency departments (EDs). The study covered all adult (≥16 years old) emergency neurology patients receiving medical attention due to suspected epileptic seizures from the EMS and EDs and during hospital admissions in the Helsinki metropolitan area. RESULTS: Epileptic seizures were suspected in 14,364 EMS calls, corresponding to 3.3% of all EMS calls during the study period. 9,112 (63.4%) cases were transported to hospital due to suspected epileptic seizures, and 3368 (23.4%) were discharged on the scene. 6969 individual patients had 11,493 seizure-related ED visits, accounting for 3.1% of neurology- and internal medicine-related ED visits and 4607 hospital admissions were needed with 3 days' median length of stay (IQR=4, Range 1-138). Male predominance was noticeable at all stages (EMS 64.7%, EDs 60.1%, hospital admissions 56.2%). The overall incidence was 333/100,000 inhabitants/year for seizure-related EMS calls, 266/100,000 inhabitants/year for ED visits and 107/100,000 inhabitants/year for hospital admissions. Total estimated costs were 6.8 million €/year, corresponding to 0.5% of all specialized healthcare costs in the study area. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with suspected epileptic seizures cause a significant burden on the health care system. Present-day epidemiological data are paramount when planning resource allocation in emergency services.

A Conceptual Framework for Optimizing the Equity of Hospital-Based Emergency Care: The Structure of Hospital Transfer Networks.

Policy Points Current pay-for-performance and other payment policies ignore hospital transfers for emergency conditions, which may exacerbate disparities. No conceptual framework currently exists that offers a patient-centered, population-based perspective for the structure of hospital transfer networks. The hospital transfer network equity-quality framework highlights the external and internal factors that determine the structure of hospital transfer networks, including structural inequity and racism. CONTEXT: Emergency care includes two key components: initial stabilization and transfer to a higher level of care. Significant work has focused on ensuring that local facilities can stabilize patients. However, less is understood about transfers for definitive care. To better understand how transfer network structure impacts population health and equity in emergency care, we proposea conceptual framework, the hospital transfer network equity-quality model (NET-EQUITY). NET-EQUITY can help optimize population outcomes, decrease disparities, and enhance planning by supporting a framework for understanding emergency department transfers. METHODS: To develop the NET-EQUITY framework, we synthesized work on health systems and quality of health care (Donabedian, the Institute of Medicine, Ferlie, and Shortell) and the research framework of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities with legal and empirical research. FINDINGS: The central thesis of our framework is that the structure of hospital transfer networks influences patient outcomes, as defined by the Institute of Medicine, which includes equity. The structure of hospital transfer networks is shaped by internal and external factors. The four main external factors are the regulatory, economic environment, provider, and sociocultural and physical/built environment. These environments all implicate issues of equity that are important to understand to foster an equitable population-based system of emergency care. The framework highlights external and internal factors that determine the structure of hospital transfer networks, including structural racism and inequity. CONCLUSIONS: The NET-EQUITY framework provides a patient-centered, equity-focused framework for understanding the health of populations and how the structure of hospital transfer networks can influence the quality of care that patients receive.

Restrição do movimento da coluna: uma análise do conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem / Restricted movement of the spine: an analysis of the knowledge of nursing professionals / Restricción del movimiento de la columna vertebral: un análisis del conocimiento de los profesionales de enfermería

RESUMO: Objetivo: Analisar o conhecimento de profissionais de enfermagem sobre restrição do movimento da coluna em vítimas de trauma e descrever a tomada de decisão. Método: Estudo exploratório, descritivo, quali-quantitativo. Realizou-se entrevista semiestruturada com 27 profissionais de enfermagem de serviços de emergência hospitalar e pré-hospitalar em São Leopoldo, Brasil, em março de 2022. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva e análise de conteúdo. Resultados: 48% dos profissionais tinham conhecimento quanto às recomendações atuais; a maioria atuantes no pré-hospitalar. A cervicalgia/lombalgia foi a indicação predominante. Na categoria "a tomada de decisão e a transição do cuidado", identificou-se falta de padronização nas condutas do intra-hospitalar, enfatizando a importância da sequência no atendimento e confiança entre profissionais. Considerações finais: Identificou-se pouca apropriação das equipes do intra-hospitalar sobre as atuais evidências, falta de padronização nas condutas e dificuldades na transição do cuidado entre os serviços.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze nursing professionals' knowledge about restricting spinal movement in trauma victims and describe their decision-making. Method: An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative-quantitative study. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 27 nursing professionals from hospital and pre-hospital emergency services in São Leopoldo, Brazil, in March 2022. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Results: 48% of the professionals knew the current recommendations; most worked in pre-hospital care. Cervicalgia/lumbago was the predominant indication. In the category "decision making and the transition of care", a lack of standardization in in-hospital conduct was identified, emphasizing the importance of sequence in care and trust between professionals. Final considerations: It was found that in-hospital teams had little knowledge of the current evidence, a lack of standardization in procedures, and difficulties in the transition of care between services.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Analizar los conocimientos de los profesionales de enfermería sobre la restricción del movimiento de la columna vertebral en víctimas de traumatismos y describir su toma de decisiones. Método: Un estudio exploratorio, descriptivo, cualitativo-cuantitativo. Se realizó una entrevista semiestructurada a 27 profesionales de enfermería de los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios y prehospitalarios de São Leopoldo, Brasil, en marzo de 2022. Los datos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva y análisis de contenido. Resultados: El 48% de los profesionales conocía las recomendaciones actuales; la mayoría de ellos trabajaba en atención prehospitalaria. La cervicalgia/lumbago fue la indicación predominante. En la categoría "toma de decisiones y transición de los cuidados", se detectó una falta de normalización en la conducta intrahospitalaria, lo que subraya la importancia de la secuencia en los cuidados y la confianza entre los profesionales. Consideraciones finales: Se identificó que los equipos intrahospitalarios tenían escaso conocimiento de las evidencias actuales, que había una falta de normalización en los procedimientos y dificultades en la transición de la atención entre los servicios.