Background: The use of a length/weight-based tape (LBT) for equipment size and drug dosing for pediatric patients is recommended in a joint statement by multiple national organizations. A new system, ...known as Handtevy™, allows for rapid determination of critical drug doses without performing calculations. Objective: To compare two LBT systems for dosing errors and time to medication administration in simulated prehospital scenarios. Methods: This was a prospective randomized trial comparing the Broselow Pediatric Emergency Tape™ (Broselow) and Handtevy LBT™ (Handtevy). Paramedics performed 2 pediatric simulations: cardiac arrest with epinephrine administration and hypoglycemia mandating dextrose. Each scenario was repeated utilizing both systems with a 1-year-old and 5-year-old size manikin. Facilitators recorded identified errors and time points of critical actions including time to medication. Results: We enrolled 80 paramedics, performing 320 simulations. For Dextrose, there were significantly more errors with Broselow (63.8%) compared to Handtevy (13.8%) and time to administration was longer with the Broselow system (220 seconds vs. 173 seconds). For epinephrine, the LBTs were similar in overall error rate (Broselow 21.3% vs. Handtevy 16.3%) and time to administration (89 vs. 91 seconds). Cognitive errors were more frequent when using the Broselow compared to Handtevy, particularly with dextrose administration. The frequency of procedural errors was similar between the two LBT systems. Conclusion: In simulated prehospital scenarios, use of the Handtevy LBT system resulted in fewer errors for dextrose administration compared to the Broselow LBT, with similar time to administration and accuracy of epinephrine administration.
Objective
Emergency medical services (EMS) professionals infrequently transport children leading to difficulty in recognition and management of pediatric critical illness. Simulation provides an ...opportunity to train EMS professionals on pediatric emergencies. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of serial simulation training over 6 months on EMS psychomotor and cognitive performance during team‐based care.
Methods
This was a longitudinal prospective study of a simulation curriculum enrolling EMS professionals over a 6‐month period during which they performed three high‐fidelity simulations at 3‐month intervals. The simulation scenarios included a 15‐month‐old seizure (T0), 1‐month‐old with hypoglycemia (T1), and 4‐year‐old clonidine ingestion (T2). All scenarios were standardized and required recognition and management of respiratory failure and decompensated shock. Scenarios were videotaped and two investigators scored EMS team interventions during simulations using a standardized scoring tool. Inter‐rater reliability was assessed on 30% of videos using kappa analysis. Volumes of administered intravenous fluid (IVF) and medications were measured to assess for errors in administration. The primary outcome was the change in scenario score from T0 to T2.
Results
A total of 135 team‐based simulations were conducted over the study period (48, 40, and 47 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively). Inter‐rater reliability between reviewers was very good (κ = 0.7). Median simulation score improved from T0 to T2 (24 vs 31, p < 0.001, maximum score possible = 42). The proportion of completed tasks increased across multiple categories including improved recognition of respiratory decompensation (19% vs. 56%), management of the pediatric airway (44% vs. 88%), and timeliness of vascular access (10% vs. 38%). Correct IVF administration varied by scenario (25% vs. 52% vs. 30%, p = 0.02).
Conclusion
Serial simulation improved EMS team‐based care in both recognition and management of pediatric emergencies. A standardized pediatric simulation curriculum can be used to train EMS professionals on pediatric emergencies and improve performance.
Objectives
The COVID‐19 pandemic has had an impact on emergency medical services (EMS) and its guidelines, which aid in patient care. This study characterizes state and territory EMS office ...recommendations to EMS statewide operational and clinical guidelines and describes the mechanisms of distribution and implementation during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Methods
A mixed‐methods study was conducted in 2 phases. In phase 1, changes and development of COVID‐19 guidance and protocols for EMS clinical management and operations were identified among 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 5 territories in publicly available online documents and information. In phase 2, structured interviews were conducted with state/territory EMS officials to confirm the protocol changes or guidance and assess dissemination and implementation strategies for COVID‐19.
Results
In phase 1, publicly available online documents for 52 states/territories regarding EMS protocols and COVID‐19 guidance were identified and reviewed. Of 52 (33/52) states/territories, 33 had either formal protocol changes or specific guidance for the pandemic. In phase 2, 2 state and territory EMS officials were interviewed regarding their protocols or guidance for COVID‐19 and the dissemination and implementation practices they used to reach EMS agencies (response rate = 65%). Of the 34 state/territory officials interviewed, 22 had publicly available online COVID‐19 protocols or guidance. Of the 22 officials with online COVID‐19 protocols, all reported providing operational direction, and 19 of 22 officials reported providing clinical direction.
Conclusions
Most states provided guidance to EMS agencies and/or updated protocols in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic.
The objective of this study was to estimate the sensitivity of plain radiographs in identifying bony or ligamentous cervical spine injury in children.
We identified a retrospective cohort of children ...younger than 16 years with blunt trauma-related bony or ligamentous cervical spine injury evaluated between 2000 and 2004 at 1 of 17 hospitals participating in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. We excluded children who had a single or undocumented number of radiographic views or one of the following injuries types: isolated spinal cord injury, spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormalities, or atlantoaxial rotary subluxation. Using consensus methods, study investigators reviewed the radiology reports and assigned a classification (definite, possible, or no cervical spine injury) as well as film adequacy. A pediatric neurosurgeon, blinded to the classification of the radiology reports, reviewed complete case histories and assigned final cervical spine injury type.
We identified 206 children who met inclusion criteria, of which 127 had definite and 41 had possible cervical spine injury identified by plain radiograph. Of the 186 children with adequate cervical spine radiographs, 168 had definite or possible cervical spine injury identified by plain radiograph for a sensitivity of 90% (95% confidence interval, 85%-94%). Cervical spine radiographs did not identify the following cervical spine injuries: fracture (15 children) and ligamentous injury alone (3 children). Nine children with normal cervical spine radiographs presented with 1 or more of the following: endotracheal intubation (4 children), altered mental status (5 children), or focal neurologic findings (5 children).
Plain radiographs had a high sensitivity for cervical spine injury in our pediatric cohort.
Painful conditions are a common cause for emergency medical services transport. Adequate and appropriate treatment for pain in the prehospital setting is considered an essential part of care. Despite ...this, several studies have identified that pain in the prehospital setting is often undertreated with even greater disparities in the pediatric population. As a result, several organizations have written policy statements surrounding this issue advocating for better treatment of pain and further research into barriers and disparities in care. The aim of this article is to review the current state of prehospital pain management in children and adolescents and to highlight advances made in this area with a look toward future directions of care.
Study objective Plain anteroposterior pelvic radiographs are commonly used to screen children for pelvic fractures or dislocations after blunt torso trauma. The test sensitivity and utility, however, ...are unclear. We assessed the sensitivity of anteroposterior pelvic radiographs for identifying children with pelvic fractures or dislocations after blunt torso trauma. We hypothesized that anteroposterior pelvic radiographs fail to identify all children with pelvic fractures or dislocations, including patients undergoing operative intervention and those with hypotension. Methods We conducted a prospective multicenter observational study of children (<18 years) with blunt torso trauma in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. We compared plain anteroposterior pelvic radiographs to the final diagnosis of pelvic fractures or dislocations as documented by the orthopedic faculty physician before emergency department (ED)/hospital discharge. We described the data with descriptive statistics, including 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Of 12,044 patients enrolled in the parent study, 451 (3.7%; 95% CI 3.4% to 4.1%) had pelvic fractures or dislocations. Of these patients, 65 (14%; 95% CI 11% to 18%) underwent operative intervention and 21 (4.7%; 95% CI 2.9% to 7.0%) had age-adjusted hypotension on initial presentation. In the ED, 382 of the 451 patients underwent plain anteroposterior pelvic radiographs, with a sensitivity of 297 of 382 (78%; 95% CI 73% to 82%) for patients with pelvic fractures or dislocations, 55 of 60 (92%; 95% CI 82% to 97%) for patients undergoing operative intervention, and 14 of 17 (82%; 95% CI 57% to 96%) for patients with hypotension. Conclusion Plain anteroposterior pelvic radiographs have a limited sensitivity for identifying children with pelvic fractures or dislocations after blunt trauma, including patients undergoing operative intervention and those with hypotension.
Study objective We determine whether intra-abdominal injury is rarely diagnosed after a normal abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan result in a large, generalizable sample of children evaluated in ...the emergency department (ED) after blunt torso trauma. Methods This was a planned analysis of data collected during a prospective study of children evaluated in one of 20 EDs in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. The study sample consisted of patients with normal results for abdominal CT scans performed in the ED. The principal outcome measure was the negative predictive value of CT for any intra-abdominal injury and those undergoing acute intervention. Results Of 12,044 enrolled children, 5,380 (45%) underwent CT scanning in the ED; for 3,819 of these scan the results were normal. Abdominal CT had a sensitivity of 97.8% (717/733; 95% confidence interval CI 96.5% to 98.7%) and specificity of 81.8% (3,803/4,647; 95% CI 80.7% to 82.9%) for any intra-abdominal injury. Sixteen (0.4%; 95% CI 0.2% to 0.7%) of the 3,819 patients with normal CT scan results later received a diagnosis of an intra-abdominal injury, and 6 of these underwent acute intervention for an intra-abdominal injury (0.2% of total sample; 95% CI 0.06% to 0.3%). The negative predictive value of CT for any intra-abdominal injury was 99.6% (3,803/3,819; 95% CI 99.3% to 99.8%); and for injury undergoing acute intervention, 99.8% (3,813/3,819; 95% CI 99.7% to 99.9%). Conclusion In a multicenter study of children evaluated in EDs after blunt torso trauma, intra-abdominal injuries were rarely diagnosed after a normal abdominal CT scan result, suggesting that safe discharge is possible for the children when there are no other reasons for admission.
Background
Supporting clinical research is a national priority. Clinician scientists are rare and clinical trials in academic medical centers (AMC) often fail to meet enrollment goals. Undergraduate ...students interested in biomedical careers often lack opportunities to perform clinical research.
Objective
Describe an innovative undergraduate course that supports clinical research in an AMC.
Methods
The course, Clinical Research Methods and Practice, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to learn clinical research through didactic and practical experiences. The students in turn support clinician scientists’ conduct of clinical studies in an AMC. Clinician scientists receive research support and participate in mentoring sessions for students.
Results
Over seven semesters, 128 students have assisted in 21 clinical studies located in outpatient and inpatient units of two hospitals. Students identified and screened eligible patients, collected clinical data, assisted in obtaining informed consent, and transported specimens. Many of the clinician scientists have met their enrollment goals and several have been top‐enrollers in multicenter clinical trials as a result of student support.
Conclusions
The Clinical Research Methods and Practice class addresses barriers to clinical research in AMC. This may be a model for institutions committed to mentoring students early in their career and to developing infrastructures for clinical research. Clin Trans Sci 2013; Volume 6: 94–97
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