African Journal of Emergency Medicine This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Qualitative inquiry into Registered General Nurses’ experiences in the emergency centre
This study explored lived experiences of Registered General Nurses working in emergency centres.MethodsThis study employed an exploratory qualitative design. Purposive sampling was used in selecting hospitals and participants for study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 Registered General Nurses who worked in emergency centres. Data analysis was performed through content analysis.ResultsDemographic results revealed that only one respondent used knowledge of critical care nursing to practice emergency care in an emergency centre. Four thematic categories emerged after qualitative data analysis: ...
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

A one year audit of patients with venous thromboembolism presenting to a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa
ConclusionVenous thromboembolism presentation to the emergency centre is not common, but the risks associated with the morbidity and mortality related to it makes it important despite its relative scarcity. The prevalence of HIV infection amongst patients with VTE is concerning – not only related to the frequency of the pathology but also due to HIV not being factored into the common VTE risk stratification scores. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation by Emergency Medical Services in South Africa: Barriers to achieving high quality performance
ConclusionOverall knowledge and skill performance was below standard. This study suggests that theoretical knowledge has a small but notable role to play on some components of skill performance. Demographic variables that affected both knowledge and skill may be used to improve training and the overall quality of Basic Life Support CPR delivery by EMS personnel. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Views of emergency care providers about factors that extend on-scene time intervals
This study focused on describing the perceptions of a sample of emergency care providers regarding the impact of environmental, clinical and systemic factors with respect to their on-scene time intervals.MethodThe study was descriptive and prospective in nature making use of a self-designed questionnaire. Basic descriptive methods were used during the analysis of the participants’ responses to 16 close-ended questions. A further review of the limited narrative elicited by two open-ended questions allowed for the reporting of additional views and opinions.ResultsThirty-three (92%) participants agreed that extended time on...
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

The association between hospital arrival time, transport method, prehospital time intervals, and in-hospital mortality in trauma patients presenting to Khayelitsha Hospital, Cape Town
DiscussionMethod of transport, hospital arrival time and prehospital transport time intervals did not have a substantially measurable effect on in-hospital mortality. More studies with larger samples are suggested due to the small event rate. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Head injury burden in a major referral hospital emergency centre in Botswana
This study describes the demographics, aetiology, emergency centre diagnosis and severity indicators of patients with head injuries presenting to the largest referral hospital emergency centre in Botswana.MethodsCross-sectional retrospective data was collected from July 2015 to September 2015 for all emergency centre head injury presentations at Princess Marina Hospital. Information was extracted from emergency centre records regarding patient demographics, mechanism of injury, clinical observations, diagnosis, and treatment.ResultsThree-hundred and sixty head injury patients presented to the emergency centre in the three ...
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

A description of the self-perceived educational needs of emergency nurses in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
DiscussionThe study emphasises the need for support systems for educational development of emergency nurses. Further training in specific skills and competencies may enhance emergency care provided. There is a growing need for ongoing educational development of emergency nurses in South Africa. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

A low fidelity eye model for lateral canthotomy training
Publication date: Available online 5 May 2018Source: African Journal of Emergency MedicineAuthor(s): Rodrigo Kong, Dersim Pascal Kaya, Eric Cioe-Pena, Josh GreensteinAbstractWe introduce a low-fidelity, low-cost, reusable training model for the lateral canthotomy procedure. We believe that this trainer has the potential to improve clinicians’ knowledge and skill of the procedure, especially when cost or access to higher-fidelity trainers is prohibitive. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

The burden of intentional self-poisoning on a district-level public Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa
DiscussionIntentional self-poisoning patients place a significant burden on emergency centres. The high percentage of low-grade acuity patients managed in a high-acuity area is of concern and should be investigated further. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

A cross-sectional survey of burnout amongst doctors in a cohort of public sector emergency centres in Gauteng, South Africa
DiscussionThe results indicate that a large proportion of the doctors who work in these emergency centres are at moderate to high risk of burnout. Based on our findings we recommend that interventions be introduced at the work place to reduce burnout in doctors and improve their mental well-being. This will ensure better service delivery to patients with emergencies. Further research into the causes of occupational burnout should be explored. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Emergency health education in a conflict stricken environment: A situational analysis
Conclusions drawn suggest that the knowledge of emergency medicine by front line professionals is limited. Therefore, the development of field curricula, practical and theoretical training by visiting practitioners, provision of additional teaching aids, tools and equipment, integration of multiple disciplines in training and financial resource mobilisation would be beneficial in improving knowledge, attitudes and practices of emergency care. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Estimated injury-associated blood loss versus availability of emergency blood products at a district-level public hospital in Cape Town, South Africa
ConclusionThe volume of available emergency blood appears inadequate for injury care, and doesn’t consider the need for other causes of acute haemorrhage (e.g. gastric, gynaecological, etc.). Furthermore, lack of other blood components (i.e. plasma and platelets) presents a challenge in this low-resourced setting. Further research is required to determine the appropriate management of injury-associated haemorrhage from a resource and budget perspective. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

A qualitative study exploring nurses’ attitudes, confidence, and perceived barriers to implementing a traumatic brain injury nursing chart in Uganda
ConclusionNurses were receptive to the education session and nursing chart, and felt that it increased their confidence and improved their ability to care for traumatic brain injured patients. However, lack of supplies, overwhelming numbers of patients, and inadequate staffing interfered with consistent monitoring of patients. The nurses offered various suggestions for improving traumatic brain injury care that should be further investigated. More research is needed to assess the applicability of a standardised traumatic brain injury nursing education and chart in a broader context. (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

Freely Accessible Medical Education (FAME) for Africa
Publication date: June 2018Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 2Author(s): Giles N. Cattermole, Appolinaire Manirafasha, Adam R. Aluisio, Gabin Mbanjumucyo (Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research

The accuracy of paediatric weight estimation during simulated emergencies: The effects of patient position, patient cooperation, and human errors
The objective of this study was to evaluate weight estimation accuracy of the Broselow tape, the PAWPER XL tape, the Mercy method, and a custom-designed mobile phone App in a variety of realistic simulated paediatric emergencies.MethodsThis was a prospective study in which 32 emergency medicine volunteers participated in eight simulations of common paediatric emergency conditions, using children models. The participants used each of the four methods to estimate the children’s weight. The accuracy of and time taken for the weight estimations were evaluated for each method. A regression analysis determined the effects of p...
Source: African Journal of Emergency Medicine - July 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research