bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MP16: Which PoCUS skills are retained over time for medical students?
Authors: Edgar L. , Fraccaro L. , Park L. , MacIsaac J. , Pageau P. , Ramnanan C. , Woo M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasonography (PoCUS) is being incorporated into Canadian undergraduate medical school curricula. The purpose of this study was to evaluate novel PoCUS education sessions to determine what aspects of the sessions benefitted from hands-on training and which PoCUS skills were retained over time. Methods: Second year medical students voluntarily received three different PoCUS training sessions, each lasting three hours. Prior to the sessions, participants prepared independently with pre-circulated online learning materials. After a 15-minute lecture, experienced PoCUS providers led small group (1 instructor: 5 students), live scanning sessions. Evaluations were conducted before and after each session using expert validated multiple choice questions testing general and procedural knowledge, image recognition and interpretation. Volunteer students were evaluated via direct observation of live scanning using an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSAT) based on the O-score and then re-evaluated at 2 months post-training to assess PoCUS skills retention. Results: 40 second year medical students participated in extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (eFAST), cardiac, and gallbladder PoCUS sessions. The live-training sessions significantly improved student PoCUS knowledge beyond what they learned independently for eFAST (p < 0.001), cardiac (p < 0.001), and gallbladder (p = 0.02). The largest improvement was noted in procedural knowledge test scores improving from 44.0% to 84.0% (n = 38). 16 students were evaluated after each session with a mean O-score of 2.37. 8 students returned two months later to be re-evaluated demonstrating a change in O-scores for eFAST (2.00 to 2.38, p = 0.15), cardiac (2.28 to 2.00, p = 0.32), and gallbladder (2.91 to 1.88, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Procedural PoCUS knowledge benefited the most with hands-on training. eFAST and cardiac PoCUS competency was maintained over time while gallbladder PoCUS competency degraded suggesting that targeted PoCUS skills training may be possible. Further study is required to determine the best use of PoCUS resources in undergraduate medical education.
MP17: Education innovation: A tool to teach consultation skills using rapid cycle deliberate practice
Authors: Johnston A.
Published: May 2019

Innovation Concept: Consultation skills (the collaborator role) are key for safe and effective Emergency Medicine practice. The tool described uses educational techniques familiar to Emergency Physicians and residents (rapid cycle deliberate practice and focused debriefing) to incorporate teaching of this skill into on-shift clinical teaching of Emergency Medicine residents. Methods: We searched the literature for consultation teaching methods. We developed a tool to teach consultation as part of on-shift clinical teaching using pedagogical concepts familiar to Emergency Medicine residents, rapid cycle deliberate practice and focused debriefing. The developed tool has three phases; 1) Introduction to a framework for good consultation skills, 2) Managing push-back and understanding competing frames of reference and 3) Direct observation and feedback on the actual consultation. The tool is designed to be used during a clinical shift. Over a series of consecutive cycles the resident refines a consultation and is eventually directly observed during the actual interaction with a consultant. Curriculum, Tool or Material: For each of the three phases the tool provides a framework for the preceptor to use to guide the presentation and discussion. During phases 1 and 2 the resident will present the consultation a number of times and the preceptor will provide focused debriefing allowing the presentation to be refined and optimized. During phase 3 the preceptor provides direct observation of the actual consultation followed by focused debriefing. Phase 1: Focuses on understanding the learners current skill level and presents a framework for a high quality consultation. Phase 2: Introduces the concept of competing frames of reference and push-back and patient centred strategies for managing this situation. Phase 3: The actual consultation interaction between resident and consultant is observed and debriefed. Conclusion: Consultation skills are important in the day to day practice of Emergency Medicine but rarely the subject of specific teaching. The tool presented can be used during clinical shifts to teach consultation skills using pedagogy familiar to both Emergency Physicians adEM residents.
MP18: Addressing unrealistic expectations: a novel transition to discipline curriculum in emergency medicine
Authors: Costello L. , Argintaru N. , Wong A. , Simard R. , Chacko M. , Meshkat N.
Published: May 2019

Innovation Concept: Emergency medicine (EM) programs have restructured their training using a Competence by Design model. This model emphasizes entrustable professional activities (EPAs) that residents must fulfill before advancing in their training. The first EPA (EPA 1) for the transition to discipline (TTD) stage involves managing the unstable patient. Data from the University of Toronto (U of T) program suggests residents lack enough exposure to these patient presentations during TTD – creating a disconnect between anticipated clinical exposure and the expectation for residents to achieve competence in EPA 1. Methods: To overcome this gap, U of T EM faculty specifically targeted EPA 1 while designing the TTD curriculum. Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development in medical education was used. This six-step approach involves: problem identification, needs assessment, goals and objectives, education strategies, implementation and evaluation. To maximize feasibility of the new curriculum, existing sessions were mapped against EPAs and required training activities to identify synchrony where possible. Residents were scheduled on EM rotations with weekly academic days that included this novel curriculum. Curriculum, Tool or Material: Didactic lectures, procedural workshops and simulation were closely integrated in TTD to address EPA 1. Lectures introduced approaches to cardinal presentations. An interactive workshop introduced ACLS and PALS algorithms and defibrillator use. Three simulation sessions focused on ACLS, shock, airway, trauma and the altered patient. A final simulation session allowed spaced-repetition and integration of these topics. After the completion of TTD, residents participated in a six-scenario simulation OSCE directly assessing EPA 1. Conclusion: The curriculum was evaluated using a multifaceted approach including surveys, self-assessments, faculty feedback and OSCE performance. Overall, the curriculum achieved its goal in addressing EPA 1. It was well-received by faculty and residents. Residents rated the sessions highly, and self-reported improved confidence in assessing unstable patients and adhering to ACLS algorithms. The simulation OSCE demonstrated expected competency by residents in EPA 1. One limitation identified was the lack of a pediatric simulation session which has now been incorporated into the curriculum. Moving forward, this innovative curriculum will undergo continuous cycles of evaluation and improvement with a goal of applying a similar design to other stages of CBD.
MP22: Guiding practice transition with a faculty mentorship program
Authors: Yiu S. , Yeung M. , Fischer L. , Frank J.
Published: May 2019

Innovation Concept: Transition to independent practice is challenging and early career physicians are more prone to burnout and error. Despite recommendations for formal mentorship to support physicians, only 43.6% of US academic Emergency Medicine departments have such programs. We describe an innovative mentorship program designed to support these early career physicians and enhance quality of care, career longevity, and wellness. We operationalized mentorship in which experienced, highly regarded, empathic mentors guide mentees in their personal and professional development. Methods: In this program two Emergency Physician mentors were teamed with each newly hired Emergency Physician. Mentees could request their own mentors, and teams were matched on the basis of shared personal and academic interests. Mentors received academic funding and training on good mentorship practice, roles and responsibilities, and feedback. Teams had to meet formally at least twice a year, with additional contact as needed. While mentees set the meeting agenda, teams were also encouraged to address four main areas. These areas were identified from a targeted needs assessment and literature review. They include: 1) clinical process and care, 2) departmental structure and culture, 3) teaching and scholarship, and 4) physician wellness. After meetings, mentees summarized and submitted the topics discussed and reflected on action plans. An oversight committee supported the program. Curriculum, Tool or Material: All nine (9) newly hired physicians joined the program in Fall 2018. As of December 2018, six (6) teams have had formal meetings. They discussed the following areas: clinical processes and care (50%), departmental structure and culture (100%), teaching and scholarship (67%), and physician wellness (100%). Other areas discussed include: academic career, financial planning, and networking. Teams spent 20-60% of the time formulating steps to achieve mentee career goals. They spent 40-60% of the time discussing skills and resources needed. End of year program evaluation will include outcomes such as satisfaction, value, effectiveness, projects, promotions, and awards. The results will shape future program design. Conclusion: We implemented a mentorship program for newly hired Emergency Physicians. As mentorship is integral to successful transition to independent practice, this program model could be highly beneficial to other academic Emergency Medicine departments.
MP27: Designing team success - an engineering solution to avoid chest tube equipment chaos using best available evidence, consensus and prototyping
Authors: Hanlon R. , French J. , Atkinson P. , Fraser J. , Benjamin S. , Poon J.
Published: May 2019

Background: Chest tube insertion is a time and safety critical procedure with a significant complication rate (up to 30%). Industry routinely uses Lean and ergonomic methodology to improve systems. This process improvement study used best evidence review, small group consensus, process mapping and prototyping in order to design a lean and ergonomically mindful equipment solution. Aim Statement: By simplifying and reorganising chest tube equipment, we aim to provide users with adequate equipment, reduce equipment waste, and wasted effort locating equipment. Measures & Design: The study was conducted between March 2018 and November 2018. An initial list of process steps from the best available evidence was produced. This list was then augmented by multispecialty team consensus (3 Emergency Physicians, 1 Thoracic Surgeon, 1 medical student, 2 EM nurses). Necessary equipment was identified. Next, two prototyping phases were conducted using a task trainer and a realistic interprofessional team (1 EM Physician, 1 ER Nurse, 1 Medical student) to refine the equipment list and packaging. A final equipment storage system was produced and evaluated by an interprofessional team during cadaver training using a survey and Likert scales. Evaluation/Results: There were 47 equipment items in the pre-intervention ED chest tube tray. After prototyping 21 items were removed while nine critical items were added. The nine items missing from the original design were found in four different locations in the department. Six physicians and seven RNs participated in cadaver testing and completed an evaluation survey of the new layout. Participants preferred the new storage design (Likert median 5, IQR of 1) over the current storage design (median of 1, IQR of 1). Discussion/Impact: The results suggest that the lean equipment storage is preferred by ED staff compared to the current set-up, may reduce time finding missing equipment, and will reduce waste. Future simulation work will quantitatively understand compliance with safety critical steps, user stress, wasted user time and cost.
MP28: Reigniting improvements in emergency departments – New approaches to resolving unsolvable problems
Authors: Barclay N. , McDuff J. , Vanosch M. , Bournelis L. , Finamore S.
Published: May 2019

Background: In 2016 The Fraser Health Authority's Emergency Network established a priority to standardize patient access and flow through their 13 emergency departments (ED). A Model of Care (MOC) was developed after an extensive review of the literature and current practices across BC. Aim Statement: The ED Model of Care (MOC) specifies best practice expectations with respect to emergency patient access and flow. Rather than a ‘top-down’ mandate of expected practices, the MOC provided the opportunity for site-based teams to promote solutions that were ‘locally actioned and regionally enabled’. Measures & Design: ED Quality Improvement (QI) teams were developed at all sites. The ED Network developed a “QI Bootcamp”, a one-day course focused on imparting tools to drive improvements, providing a baseline understanding of how to launch and sustain local QI initiatives. Using Prosci's change approach, an emphasis was placed on using local ingenuity to implement plans, analyze feedback and diagnose gaps. This approach measured utilization of the changes to tangibly link initiatives and change to specific outcomes. As part of this strategy, an online scorecard was created to measure local results against best practice outcomes. The scorecard tracked quantitative access metrics such as ED Length of Stay (EDLOS), Left Without Being Seen rate, and triage time. Measures such as forming a QI team, identifying a QI project and completing a PDSA cycle were included in the scorecard Evaluation/Results: The MOC change management strategy was launched in May of 2018. By December 2018 all 13 EDs had formed a local QI team and identified a project. Twelve sites had completed at least one PDSA cycle and 10 sites had at least 75% of their members attend the QI Bootcamp. The scorecard displayed improvements in flow metrics. Highlights include the average arrival to triage time decreasing by 36% at one site, EDLOS for moderately ill patients decreased from 4.8 to 3.4 hours at another, and a community hospital had low acuity patient EDLOS decrease from 3.52 to 2.37 hours. Discussion/Impact: A standardized approach to patient access and flow in the ED (MOC), combined with the engaging grass roots approach to inspiring local innovation, allied with a concrete change management approach demonstrated significant results for patients accessing and moving through EDs. This pattern that is more likely to sustain itself because the results are felt and locally owned.
MP32: Mid-morning huddle: a coordinated team approach to facilitating disposition of older adults
Authors: Kelly N. , Campbell S.
Published: May 2019

Background: Older adults in the emergency department (ED) take an increasingly larger portion of resources, have increased length of stay and a higher likelihood of adverse outcomes. In many cases bad planning, multiple vague handovers, and lack of coordinated care exacerbate this problem. With the impending onset of our aging population this is a situation that can be expected to compound in complexity in the years to come. Aim Statement: We describe daily interdisciplinary review of ED patients over the age of 75 years (or otherwise identified as a challenging discharge) to discuss barriers and facilitators to discharge/disposition. We will use data to identify the impact of this particular population to ED flow. Measures & Design: This initiative developed from our participation in the Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE) Collaborative and applies Plan/Do/Study/Act (PDSA) cycles and run reports to compare: length of stay; Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) screening tool; ED census, admission/discharge rates, bounce back rates, consulting services, and interdisciplinary participation. Evaluation/Results: The average daily census of our ED between the months of July-October of 2018 was over 211 patients/day, of which over 12% were patients 75 years and older. We conducted over 70 huddles, reviewing an average of 11 patients per day. The average length of stay for patients at the time of the huddle was 19 hours, significantly higher than the general emergency population. Next day admission and discharge rates were comparable, 44.8% and 43.1% respectively with the additional patients remaining in the ED with no disposition. Internal medicine was consulted on 30% of all huddle patients and 38.4% subsequently admitted. Thirty day bounce back rates for huddle patients discharged home was 29.3%. Around 60% of patients 75 and older were screened with the ISAR and 55.7% of these were positive (2 or more questions). Discussion/Impact: Older patients consume a disproportionate amount of ED resources. Daily interdisciplinary ‘geriatric huddles’ improved communication between members of the ED team and with consulting services. The huddles enhanced awareness of the unique demands that older adults place on the flow of the ED, and identified opportunities to enhance patient flow.
MP33: Predictors of delirium in older patient at the emergency department: a prospective multicentre derivation study
Authors: Béland E. , Nadeau A. , Boucher V. , Carmichael P. , Voyer P. , Pelletier M. , Gouin É. , Daoust R. , Berthelot S. , Lamontagne M. , Morin M. , Lemire S. , Émond M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Delirium is a frequent pathology in the elderly presenting to the emergency department (ED) and is seldom recognised. This condition is associated with many medical complications and has been shown to increase the hospital length-of-stay. The objective of this study was to identify the predictor factors of developing delirium in this high-risk population. Methods: Design: This study was part of the multicenter prospective cohort INDEED study. Participants: Patients aged 65 and older, initially free of delirium and with an ED stay of 8h or longer, were followed up to 24h after ward admission. Measures: Clinical and demographic variables were collected by interview and chart review. A research professional assessed their delirium status twice daily using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Analyses: A classification tree was used to select predictors and cut-points that minimized classification error of patients with incident delirium. After literature review, nineteen predictors were considered for inclusion in the model (eight non-modifiable and eleven modifiable factors). Results: Among the 605 patients included in this study, incident delirium was detected by the CAM in 69 patients (11.4%). In total, fourteen variables were included in a preliminary model, of which six were intrinsic to the patient and eight were modifiable in the ED. Variables with the greatest impact in the prediction of delirium includes age, cognitive status, ED length of stay, autonomy in daily activities, fragility and mobility during their hospital stay. The diagnostic performance of the model applied to the study sample gave a sensitivity of 78.3% (95% CI: 66.7 to 87.3), a specificity of 100.0% (95% CI: 99.3 to 100.0), a PPV of 100.0% (95% CI: 93.4 to 100.0) and a NPV of 97.3% (95% CI: 95.6 to 98.5). Conclusion: The delirium risk model developed in this study shows promising results with elevated sensitivity and specificity values. Considering the limited ability to predict and detect delirium among physicians, the potential increase in sensitivity provided by this tool could be beneficial to patients. This model will ultimately serve to identify high-risk patients with the goal of developing strategies to alter modifiable risk factors and subsequently decrease the incidence of delirium in this population.
MP36: Short-term side effects associated with opioids for acute pain
Authors: Daoust R. , Paquet J. , Cournoyer A. , Piette E. , Morris J. , Lessard J. , Castonguay V. , Lavigne G. , Williamson D. , Chauny J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Opioid side effects are common when treating chronic pain. However, the rate of opioid side effects for acute pain has rarely been examined, particularly in the post emergency department (ED) setting. The objective of this study was to evaluate the short-term incidence of opioid induced side effects (constipation, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, and drowsiness) in patients discharged from the ED with an opioid prescription. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of patients aged ≥18 years that visited the ED for an acute pain condition (≤ 2 weeks) and were discharged with an opioid prescription. Patients completed a 14-day diary assessing daily pain medication use and side effects. Results: Mean age of the 386 patients included was 55 ± 16 years; 50% were women. During the 2-week follow-up, 80% of patients consumed at least one dose of opioids. Among the patients who used opioids, 38% (95%CI: 33-48) reported constipation, 27% (95%CI:22-32) nausea/vomiting, 30% (95%CI:25-35) dizziness, 51% (95%CI:45-57) drowsiness, and 77% (95%CI:72-82) reported any side effects. Adjusting for age, sex, and pain condition, patients who used opioids were more likely to report any side effect (OR 7.5, 95%CI:4.3-13.3) and constipation (OR 7.5, 95%CI:3.1-17.9). A significant dose response effect was observed for constipation but not for the other side effects. Nausea/vomiting (OR 2.0, 95%CI:1.1-3.6) and dizziness (OR 1.9, 95%CI:1.1-3.4) were associated with oxycodone compared to morphine. Conclusion: Similar to chronic pain, opioid side effects are highly prevalent during short-term treatment for acute pain. Physicians should be aware and inform patients about those side effects.
MP37: Adherence to Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines for prescribing oral anticoagulants to patients with atrial fibrillation in the emergency department
Authors: Hung D. , Butler M. , Campbell S.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia treated in the emergency department (ED) and is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that only oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy reduces risk of AF related stroke. Our objective was to measure the prescribing practices for OACs for new onset AF at a tertiary ED and two surrounding community EDs, and identify rates of adverse effects within 90 days. The findings of this study will provide quality assurance information for the management of patients with new onset AF. This information has the potential to promote adherence to prescribing guidelines for AF in the ED and the reduction of common adverse events such as ischemic stroke. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 385 patients with new onset AF who presented to the ED between November 2014 to Mach 2018. We defined new onset as symptoms <48 hours and had AF confirmed with electrocardiogram. We recorded the selected therapy choice of cardioversion and/or rate control, gender, age, and assessed CHADS-65 score. We recorded who was prescribed OAC and those who were referred to cardiology, family medicine, or did not have a documented follow up plan. Patients with a previous history of AF or current anticoagulant therapy were excluded. We recorded if any patients returned to the ED within 90 days with ischemic stroke, AF recurrence, myocardial infarction, other embolic disease or death. Results: 86 of 294 (29.5%) of patients who qualified under CHADS-65 received OACs appropriately. 64 of 66 (97.0%) of patients who did not qualify under CHADS-65 did not receive OACs appropriately. 5 patients overall returned within 90 days with ischemic stroke, 4 of those were not prescribed OACs, however this was not statistically significant (P = 0.999). Conclusion: This data suggests that physicians in the study are under-prescribing OACs relative to published guidelines. A larger study is necessary to elucidate the effect of ED OAC prescribing patterns on long-term patient outcome.
MP38: Are we missing pulmonary embolism in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presenting to the emergency department? Multicenter insights into incidence of concomitant disease and yield of testing
Authors: Moussienko D. , Lang D. , Skeith L. , Lang E.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often present to the ED with acute exacerbations (AE-COPD) of the disease. A potential occult yet fatal disease that might contribute or accompany an AE-COPD presentation is a pulmonary embolism (PE). Previous studies have investigated and report rates of PE in up to 29% of patients presenting with AE-COPD. Misdiagnoses of PE leads to poor outcomes, however, over-testing for PE also presents with substantial risks to the patient and strain on acute care resources. The goal of this study was to pragmatically identify the prevalence and 30-day incidence of PE in patients presenting with AE-COPD to EDs, as well as the burden and yield of PE investigations. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of extracted data for patients □50 years old presenting to one of four emergency departments in Calgary with an AE-COPD since 2013. Patients with a history of outpatient anticoagulation therapy from a community pharmacy were excluded. Each patient chart was reviewed to identify a diagnosis of PE during the admission for an AE-COPD, or 30 days post discharge from an AE-COPD admission or ED presentation. An AE-COPD diagnosis was defined as a primary. Results: A total of 9554 AE-COPD ED patient visits were included in the study. 0.69% (95%CI 0.54 to 0.88) were identified to have a PE. 26 of the 66 (39.4%) were diagnosed during an AE-COPD inpatient admission, while 43 (65.2%) were diagnosed within 30 days post-discharge from an AE-COPD admission or ED presentation. Since 2016, 7.4% of AE-COPD patients underwent a CT-PE, while 16.7% underwent a d-dimer. The most common chief complaint in PE patients was dyspnea (75.8%). The mean age of the PE diagnosed was 73.4, with nearly equal representation of both sexes. Many patients had underlying comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer of various sites, all of which are risk factors for developing a PE. Conclusion: The prevalence and 30-day incidence of PE in AE-COPD patients appears to be lower than what was previously reported in the literature. Despite this, a significant proportion of AE-COPD patients were exposed to the risks and burden of a PE work up, with low diagnostic yield. PE investigations in AE-COPD should be used selectively and could inform a quality improvement indicator. A future prospective study would drastically contribute to whether a PE clinical work up should be recommended and of value to patients.
MP39: Reducing overcapacity: applying the LEAN model to length of stay in the emergency department
Authors: Wilson N. , Bugden G. , Swain J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Recently there have been many studies performed on the effectiveness of implementing LEAN principals to improve wait times for emergency departments (EDs), but there have been relatively few studies on implementing these concepts on length of stay (LOS) in the ED. This research aims to explore the initial feasibility of applying the LEAN model to length-of-stay metrics in an ED by identifying areas of non-value added time for patients staying in the ED. Methods: In this project we used a sample of 10,000 ED visits at the Health Science Centre in St. John's over a 1-year period and compared patients’ LOS in the ED on four criteria: day of the week, hour of presentation, whether laboratory tests were ordered, and whether diagnostic imaging was ordered. Two sets of analyses were then performed. First a two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to evaluate whether ordering either lab tests or diagnostic imaging affected LOS. Second a generalized linear model (GLM) was created using a 10-fold cross-validation with a LASSO operator to analyze the effect size and significance of each of the four criteria on LOS. Additionally, a post-test analysis of the GLM was performed on a second sample of 10,000 ED visits in the same 1-year period to assess its predictive power and infer the degree to which a patient's LOS is determined by the four criteria. Results: For the Wilcoxon rank-sum test there was no significant difference in LOS for patients who were ordered diagnostic imaging compared to those who were not (p = 0.6998) but there was a statistically significant decrease in LOS for patients who were ordered lab tests compared to those who were not (p = 2.696 x 10-10). When assessing the GLM there were two significant takeaways: ordering lab tests reduced LOS (95% CI = 42.953 - 68.173min reduction), and arriving at the ED on Thursday increased LOS significantly (95% CI = 6.846 – 52.002min increase). Conclusion: This preliminary analysis identified several factors that increased patients’ LOS in the ED, which would be suitable for potential LEAN interventions. The increase in LOS for both patients who are not ordered lab tests and who visit the ED on Thursday warrant further investigation to identify causal factors. Finally, while this analysis revealed several actionable criteria for improving ED LOS the relatively low predictive power of the final GLM in the post-test analysis (R2 = 0.00363) indicates there are more criteria that influence LOS for exploration in future analyses.
MP50: National survey of 9-1-1 ambulance communication centers’ resources related to prehospital recognition of agonal breathing and cardiac arrest
Authors: Vaillancourt C. , Charette M. , Cyr K. , Hodges S. , Thiruganasambandamoorthy V. , Dainty K. , Morrison L. , Jenneson S. , Tallon J. , Segal E. , Sibley A. , Measham J. , Thoma B. , Allain D.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: 9-1-1 telecommunicators receive minimal education on agonal breathing, often resulting in unrecognized out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We successfully piloted an educational intervention that significantly improved telecommunicators’ OHCA recognition and bystander CPR rates in Ottawa. We sought to better understand the operations of Canadian 9-1-1 communications centers (CC) in preparation for a multi-centre study of this intervention. Methods: We conducted a National survey of all Canadian CCs. Survey domains included information on organizational structure, dispatch system used, education curriculum, and performance monitoring. It was peer-reviewed, translated in French, pilot-tested, and distributed electronically using a modified Dillman method. We designated respondents in each CC before distribution and used targeted follow-up and small incentives to increase response rate. Respondents also described functioning of neighboring CCs if known. Results: We received information from 51/51 provincial and 1/25 territorial CCs, representing 99.7% of the Canadian population. CCs largely utilize the Medical Dispatch Priority System (MPDS) platform (93%), many are Province/Ministry regulated (50%) and most require a High School diploma as minimum entry level education (78%). Telecommunicators receive initial in-class training (median 1.3 months, IQR 0.3-1.9; range 0.1-2.2), often followed by a preceptorship (84.4%) (median 1.0 months, IQR 0.7-1.7; range 0.4-6.0). Educational curriculum includes information on agonal breathing in 41% of CC, without audio examples in 34%. Among responding CCs, over 39,000 suspected OHCA 9-1-1 calls are received annually. Few CCs maintain local performance statistics on OHCA recognition (25%), bystander CPR rates (25%) or survival rates (50%). Most (97%) expressed interest in future research collaborations. Conclusion: Most Canadian telecommunicators receive no or minimal education in recognizing agonal breathing. Further training and improved OHCA monitoring may assist recognition and enhance outcomes.
MP51: Assessment of predictors of deterioration in mild traumatic brain injury with intracranial hemorrhage at emergency department
Authors: Fortier É. , Paquet V. , Émond M. , Chauny J. , Hegg S. , Malo C. , Champagne J. , Gariepy C. , Carmichael P.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a common cause of Emergency Department (ED) visits. Over the past years, several authors have debated the relevance of radiological and clinical follow-up of these patients, as the main challenge is to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration. Objectives: To determine whether demographic, clinical or radiological variables can predict patient deterioration. Methods: Design: An historical cohort was constituted in two level-1 trauma centers (Chu de Quebec - Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus (Québec City) and Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur (Montréal)). Participants: Medical records of mTBI patients aged ⩾16 with an ICH were reviewed using a standardized data collection tool. Consecutive medical records were reviewed from the end of 2017 backwards until sample saturation. Measures: Deterioration was defined as either death, deterioration of the control CT scan according to the radiologist, clinical deterioration or neurosurgical intervention. Analyses: Logistic regression analyses were performed to ascertain predictors of deterioration. Interobserver agreement was calculated. Results: A total of 274 patients were included in our analyses. Mean age was 60.8 and 68.9% (n = 188) were men. Four variables were found to be associated with all outcomes: radiological deterioration, clinical deterioration, death, and neurosurgical intervention. Diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% CI [0.97-6.94]), confusion as an initial symptom (OR = 2.8, 95% CI [1.42-5.61]), anticoagulation (OR = 2.8, 95% CI [1.01-7.84]) and significant subdural hemorrhage (≥4 mm) (OR = 3.4, 95% CI [1.42-5.61]) seen on the first computed tomography scan were strongly associated with these outcomes. Age had a neutral effect (OR = 1.01, 95% CI [0.99-1.03]) while high initial Glasgow Coma score seemed to have a protective effect (OR = 0.4, 95% CI [0.24-0.69]). Radiological deterioration was not systematically associated with clinical deterioration. As for the 46 patients with a deterioration of CT scan, only 30.4% vs. 69.5% without deterioration (p = 0.0035) showed a clinical deterioration. Conclusion: Diabetes, anticoagulation, significant subdural hemorrhage and confusion as an initial symptom seem to be predictors of deterioration following a mild traumatic brain injury with positive CT scan.
MP54: The prevalence and pattern of drugs detected in injured drivers in four Canadian provinces
Authors: Brubacher J. , Chan H. , Lee J. , Rowe B. , Koger K. , Davis P. , Vaillancourt C. , Wishart I.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Many drugs, including cannabis and alcohol, cause impairment and contribute to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Policy makers require knowledge of the prevalence of drug use in crash-involved drivers, and types of drugs used in order to develop effective prevention programs. This issue is particularly relevant with the recent legalization of cannabis. We aim to study the prevalence of alcohol, cannabis, sedating medications, and other drugs in injured drivers from 4 Canadian Provinces. Methods: This prospective cohort study obtained excess clinical blood samples from consecutive injured drivers who attended a participating Canadian trauma centre following a MVC. Blood samples were analyzed using a broad spectrum toxicology screen capable of detecting cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines (including their major analogues), and opioids as well as psychotropic pharmaceuticals (including antihistamines, benzodiazepines, other hypnotics, and sedating antidepressants). Alcohol and cannabinoids were quantified. Health records were reviewed to extract demographic, medical, and MVC information using a standardized data collection tool. Results: This study has been collecting data in 4 trauma centres in British Columbia (BC) since 2011 and was launched in 2 trauma centres in Alberta (AB), 1 in Saskatchewan (SK), and 2 in Ontario (ON) in 2018. In preliminary results from BC (n = 2412), 8% of injured drivers tested positive for THC and 13% for alcohol. Preliminary results from other provinces (n = 301) suggest a regional variation in prevalence of drivers testing positive for THC (10% - 27%), alcohol (17% - 29%), and other drugs. By May 2018, an estimated 4500 cases from BC, 600 from AB, 150 from SK, and 650 from ON will have been analyzed. We will report the prevalence of positive tests for alcohol, THC, other recreational drugs, and sedating medications, pre and post cannabis legalization. The number of cases with alcohol and/or THC levels above Canadian per se limits will also be reported. Results will be reported according to province, driver sex, age, single vs. multi vehicle crashes, and requirement for hospital admission. Conclusion: This will be among the largest international datasets on drug use by injured drivers. Our findings will provide patterns of drug and alcohol impairment in 4 Canadian provinces pre and post cannabis legalization. The significance of these findings and implication for impaired driving policy and prevention programs in Canada will be discussed.
MP55: Characteristics associated with biphasic reactions in an adult population
Authors: Lachance A. , Ben-shoshan M. , Cournoyer A. , Daoust R. , La Vieille S. , Huard V. , Lessard J. , Paquet J. , Marquis M. , Gabrielli S. , Shand G. , Morris J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Biphasic anaphylactic reactions are a concern in emergency medicine. Risk factors associated with this type of reaction remain ill-defined. The aim of this study was to investigate elements associated with biphasic anaphylactic reactions and to determine the impact of anaphylaxis treatments on biphasic reactions. Methods: From the multicenter Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry prospective cohort, we selected adults (≥18 years) with a visit to the emergency department (ED) of Sacré-Cœur Hospital, an urban tertiary-care hospital. Then, a structured chart review was done to collect additional information on types and timing of treatments for the initial anaphylactic reaction, presence and treatment of biphasic reactions during the initial ED visit or upon patients’ return. Biphasic reactions were defined by the recurrence of any anaphylaxis symptoms within 72 hours of a resolved anaphylaxis episode. Potential factors associated with biphasic reactions were studied using Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Patients with anaphylaxis were enrolled between April 2014 and February 2018. From the cohort, 401 adult patients were identified. We found 37 patients who developed a biphasic reaction. Amongst them, 33 received treatments and 9 required more than one dose of intramuscular epinephrine. None of the biphasic reaction patients required intravenous epinephrine, other vasopressors, ICU admission, or endotracheal intubation. Biphasic reactions appeared in a median time of 13.3h after the initial reaction ranging from 1.1h to 69.6h (IQR 30.2). There was no difference in age or gender of patients who developed a biphasic reaction compared those who did not. Pertinent past medical history, daily medications, mean of arrival to the ED, allergen type, ingestion route, or initial symptoms during the anaphylaxis episode were not significantly different in the two groups. Treatment with corticosteroids was similar in the two groups (9.0% vs. 8.1% p = 0.82). Treatment, dose and route of administration of epinephrine was not different in the two groups but longer delays before treatment with the first dose of epinephrine was more frequent in biphasic reaction patients (median delay of 64 minutes, p = 0.015). Conclusion: No patient characteristic, allergen, route of ingestion, symptom, nor treatment with corticosteroids has shown to be significantly different in patients with and without biphasic reactions. Delayed treatment with epinephrine is significantly associated with biphasic reactions.
P003: Door-to-antibiotics and mortality for emergency department patients presenting with septic shock
Authors: Aguanno A. , Van Aarsen K. , Pearce S. , Nguyen T.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: We examined our local sepsis patient population, and specifically our most vulnerable patients - those presenting to the emergency department (ED) in septic shock - for variables predictive of survival to hospital discharge. We applied the familiar ED paradigm of, “Door to,” to calculate the impact of time to antibiotics against patient survival to hospital discharge. Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients aged > = 18 years, presenting to tertiary care ED between 01 Nov 2014 and 31 Oct 2015. Patients determined to have sepsis if A) > = 2 SIRS criteria and ED suspicion of infection (ED acquisition of blood/urine cultures or antibiotic administration) and/or B) received ED or Hospital discharge diagnosis of sepsis (ICD-10 diagnostic codes A4xx and R65). Patients sub-classified with septic shock if A) triage SBP < = 90mmHg, B) triage MAP < = 65mmHg or C) serum lactate > = 4mmol/L. “Door Time” was defined as the earliest time recorded for the patient encounter, either the time the patient registered in the Emergency Department, or the triage time. A generalized linear model was performed with a binomial distribution using survival to discharge as the response variable. Age, sex, ED arrival method, time to antibiotics, ED serum lactate and ED serum glucose level were the predictor variables. Results: 13506 patient encounters met inclusion criteria (10980 unique patients). Linear regression of time to antibiotics against survival to hospital discharge failed to achieve statistical significance. Linear regression of the secondary outcome variables achieved statistical significance for age and serum lactate level. Per the model, as age increased by 1 year, the odds of dying prior to hospital discharge increased by 3.8% and as serum lactate increased by 1 mmol/L, odds of dying prior to hospital discharge increased by 11.1%. Conclusion: We found no association between time to antibiotic treatment and mortality. Causal relationships require randomized controlled trials, and this analysis contributes to clinical equipoise.
P006: Management of first trimester bleeding in the emergency department
Authors: Amiro R. , Clouston R. , French J. , Atkinson P.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy is a common presentation to the Emergency Department (ED) with half going on to miscarry. Currently there is no local consensus on key quality markers of care for such cases. Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) is increasingly utilized in the ED to detect life threating pathology such as an ectopic pregnancy or fetal viability. PoCUS leads to improved patient satisfaction, quicker diagnosis and treatment. The purpose for this study was to examine the rates of formal ultrasound and PoCUS when compared to reported and recommended rates, and also to understand the use of other diagnostic tests. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of pregnant females presenting to the ED with first trimester bleeding over one year (June 2016 – June2017) was completed. A sample size of 108 patients was required to detect a moderate departure from baseline reported rates (67.8 – 77.6%). The primary outcome was the PoCUS rate in the ED. The main secondary outcome was the formal ultrasound rate. The literature recommends PoCUS in all early pregnancy bleeding in the ED, with a target of 100% of patients receiving PoCUS. Additional data recorded included the live birth rate, pelvic and speculum examination rate and lab tests. There is no clearly defined ideal practice for the additional data so these rates will be recorded without comparison. Results: Records of 168 patients were screened for inclusion. 65 cases were excluded because they were not pregnant or had confirmed miscarriage or other, leaving a total of 103 patients included in the analysis. The PoCUS rate was 51.5% (95% CI 42%-61%), lower than previously reported PoCUS rates of 73% (67.8 – 77.6%). The formal ultrasound rate was 67% (57%-75%). Both approaches were significantly lower than the recommended rate of 100% (95.7 – 100%). Rates for other key markers of care will also be presented. Conclusion: Fewer PoCUS exams were performed at our centre compared with reported and recommended rates for ultrasound. Further results will explore our current practice in the management of first trimester pregnancy complications. We plan to use this information to suggest improvements in the management of this patient population.
P008: Evaluation of outcomes after implementation of a provincial prehospital bypass standard for trauma patients – an Eastern Ontario experience
Authors: Austin M. , Sinclair J. , Leduc S. , Duncan S. , Rouleau J. , Price P. , Evans C. , Vaillancourt C.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Trauma and injury play a significant role in the population's burden of disease. Limited research exists evaluating the role of trauma bypass protocols. The objective of this study was to assess the impact and effectiveness of a newly introduced prehospital field trauma triage (FTT) standard, allowing paramedics to bypass a closer hospital and directly transport to a trauma centre (TC) provided transport times were within 30 minutes. Methods: We conducted a 12-month multi-centred health record review of paramedic call reports and emergency department health records following the implementation of the 4 step FTT standard (step 1: vital signs and level of consciousness, step 2: anatomical injury, step 3: mechanism and step 4: special considerations) in nine paramedic services across Eastern Ontario. We included adult trauma patients transported as an urgent transport to hospital, that met one of the 4 steps of the FTT standard and would allow for a bypass consideration. We developed and piloted a standardized data collection tool and obtained consensus on all data definitions. The primary outcome was the rate of appropriate triage to a TC, defined as any of the following: injury severity score ≥12, admitted to an intensive care unit, underwent non-orthopedic operation, or death. We report descriptive and univariate analysis where appropriate. Results: 570 adult patients were included with the following characteristics: mean age 48.8, male 68.9%, attended by Advanced Care Paramedic 71.8%, mechanisms of injury: MVC 20.2%, falls 29.6%, stab wounds 10.5%, median initial GCS 14, mean initial BP 132, prehospital fluid administered 26.8%, prehospital intubation 3.5%, transported to a TC 74.6%. Of those transported to a TC, 308 (72.5%) had bypassed a closer hospital prior to TC arrival. Of those that bypassed a closer hospital, 136 (44.2%) were determined to be “appropriate triage to TC”. Bypassed patients more often met the step 1 or step 2 of the standard (186, 66.9%) compared to the step 3 or step 4 (122, 39.6%). An appropriate triage to TC occurred in 104 (55.9%) patients who had met step 1 or 2 and 32 (26.2%) patients meeting step 3 or 4 of the FTT standard. Conclusion: The FTT standard can identify patients who should be bypassed and transported to a TC. However, this is at a cost of potentially burdening the system with poor sensitivity. More work is needed to develop a FTT standard that will assist paramedics in appropriately identifying patients who require a trauma centre.