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W D Rose

Publications and source records attributed to W D Rose.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus: emergency department testing yield.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate how often the ED ordering of stat serum calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), and phosphorus (PO4(-3)) levels affected clinical treatment; to define the diagnoses of patients for whom Ca+2, Mg+2, and PO4(-3) measurements did affect clinical therapy; and to suggest guidelines for more appropriate ordering of these laboratory tests. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed in an academic teaching hospital. All adult ED patients who had Ca+2, Mg+2, or PO4(-3) laboratory testing during the 9-month study period were included and evaluated for potential clinical impact of an abnormal Ca+2, Mg+2, or PO4(-3) laboratory test. RESULTS: 1.477 patients had Ca+2, Mg+2, or PO4(-3) measured while in the ED during the study period. Of these, 260 patients (17.6%) had a total of 312 abnormal Ca+2, Mg+2, or PO4(-3) values as defined by results exceeding +/- 15% of normal reference values. Of these, only 5 patients (0.3%) received treatment for abnormal values in the ED, while 75 patients (5.1%) were treated once admitted to the hospital. In this study, the only diagnostic groups to whom significant treatment was administered were diabetic patients (Ca+2 and PO4(-3); alcoholic patients (Mg+2); and renal failure patients (Ca+2, Mg+2, and PO4(-3). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that stat Ca+2, Mg+2, and PO4(-3) levels seldom affect clinical treatment in the ED. The frequency of ordering these tests may be reduced by obtaining Ca+2, Mg+2, or PO4(-3) measurements only for patients known to be at risk for such abnormalities, based on their existing or suspected diagnoses. The authors suggest obtaining these tests, when indicated, on a "non-stat" basis, with the subsequent laboratory results becoming available in-hospital, where treatment is more likely to occur.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Physician-staffed helicopter scene response from a rural trauma center.

One hundred ten consecutive trauma patients transported directly from the scene of injury by a hospital-based helicopter emergency medical service were reviewed. These patients were injured in the rural areas of central and northeastern Pennsylvania and were transported to a level I trauma center. The medical flight team consisted of an emergency physician and a registered nurse. The average round-trip flight distance was 44 miles. The overall mortality was 21.8%. Eighty-eight percent of the injuries were motor vehicle related. Only two patients received advanced life support prior to arrival of the helicopter. Forty-five percent of patients required major intervention by the medical flight team at the scene. The average scene time was 33.6 minutes for transported patients. Sixteen patients required extrication after the arrival of the flight crew and had significantly prolonged scene times averaging 61.8 minutes (P less than .001). Patient entrapment was the most important contributing factor in on-scene ground time.

Aircraft↗
PubMed1986

Rural interhospital helicopter transport of motor vehicle trauma victims: causes for delays and recommendations.

One hundred twenty-six consecutive ACS Category I motor vehicle trauma patients transported by helicopter from 25 hospitals to a regional trauma center in rural Pennsylvania during a 14-month period were reviewed retrospectively. The overall mortality was 13%. Average round-trip distance was 79 miles. Interventions by the medical flight team (emergency physician/nurse) included endotracheal intubation, tube thoracostomy, and/or central venous access in 42 patients (33%) prior to lift-off. Ground time at the referring facility, from landing to lift-off, when no interventions were required of the flight team, averaged 31.2 minutes (baseline). Ground time when major therapeutic interventions were required (principally airway management), however, averaged 57.4 minutes, an 84% increase over baseline (P less than .01). A major cause of the excessive ground times was the lack of standardized diagnostic workup and stabilization of patients prior to arrival of the flight team. Recommendations for standardized emergency department preparation of trauma victims requiring aeromedical evacuation are made.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of intubations. Before and after establishment of a rapid sequence intubation protocol for air medical use.

INTRODUCTION: After finding the success rate of intubations in our air medical program to be less than optimal (with a success rate of only 73%), a protocol for increased doses of sedatives and neuromuscular blocking (NMB) agents was developed for field use by flight nurses and paramedics. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for 100 intubations before and 100 intubations after establishment of this protocol. RESULTS: Success rate of intubation increased from 73% to 96%, which was statistically significant (p < 0.01). No difference existed between the two groups with regard to age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale scores, nature of injury, route of intubation, number of attempts or percent intubated. Two patients (2%) became bradycardic using the new protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that protocols including sedatives and NMB agents can be used safely and effectively by an appropriately trained air medical team of nurses and paramedics and may improve patient care.

Air Ambulances↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Teamwork in emergency medical services.

Emergency medical care is delivered by highly trained and motivated individuals working in groups. In some cases, these groups function as teams, but their teamwork has been poorly studied and rarely is the result of focused training. Medical outcome traditionally is described using patient parameters and often is related to the economics of care delivery. Errors in medical care typically are blamed on individuals and occasionally on system problems. Teams and teamwork, although a major part of the medical delivery system, usually are not included in training, outcome measures, or rigorous quality improvement efforts. This article outlines issues involved in the analysis of medical errors as they relate to measures of individual and team performance and introduces concepts related to emergency care teamwork and team training. Through analogy with aviation analysis of errors and corrective training medical care similarly is being analyzed and error-reduction efforts studied and implemented. The potential benefit of teamwork training for EMS personnel, including air medical crews, is discussed.

Air Ambulances↗