bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
P043: Trauma team leaders in Canada: A national survey
Authors: Belhumeur V. , Malo C. , Nadeau A. , Hegg S. , Gagné A. , Émond M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: It was demonstrated that the early trauma team activation (TTA) could improve younger trauma patients outcomes and mortality rates. However, the link between older patient prognosis improvement and the activation / effectiveness of the Trauma team (TT) is still unclear. There is also a lack of information about the exact and optimal structure of TTs and their activation criteria, which may differ across centers. The main objective of this study is to provide a description of the current TT available in level 1 and 2 centres across Canada. Methods: In 2017, a survey using a modified Dillman technique was sent to 210 health professionals scattered across all Canadian trauma care facilities. The survey included questions regarding 1) the presence and the composition of a TT, 2) the established TT activation criteria, and finally 3) the initial patient care. Results: A total of 107 (57%) completed surveys were received. Among them, only 22 (11.7%) were from level 1 or 2 centres and were therefore considered for analyses. Seventeen respondents had a TT in their centre, and they all shared their TT activation criteria (1 to 27 different indications). Most frequently mentioned criteria were: suspected injuries (58.8%), judgment of the emergency physician (41.2%), systolic blood pressure (47.1%), Glasgow Coma score (35.3%) and respiratory rate (28%). In presence of a prehospital care warning trauma, the initial assessment of a severely injured patient is exclusively completed by a member of the TT for only 35.1% of the respondents. For 11.8% of respondents, TT coordinates airway management. For 64.7% of participants, the TT leader is the dedicated care provider to accompany patients until final orientation. Conclusion: These results suggest a great variability across Canada regarding the roles assumed by the TT, but also regarding the activation criteria leading them to take action.
P044: Use of a gait tracking device to count steps of older emergency department patient
Authors: Estrada-Codecido J. , Lee J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Delirium is a common complication among older people who need care in the emergency department (ED). Mobility is an evidence-based non-pharmacologic strategy shown to reduce delirium and functional decline among older patients in the acute care setting. However, previous research has shown that compliance with mobility is important to achieve this decreased incidence of delirium. Gait tracking devices have been used in previous studies to accurately measure steps, engagement and intensity of physical activity in older hospitalized patients.The objectives of this study are to compare the feasibility and validate the accuracy of three accelerometer-based gait tracking devices. This is the first step in a program of research to objectively measure mobility among older ED patients as a potential marker of delirium risk. Methods: This is a prospective, observational study of patients 65 years of age and older during their ED visit. We excluded those with critical illness, unable to communicate or provide consent (language barrier, aphasia); and those with any ambulatory impediments. Consenting participants wear the gait trackers for the duration of their stay or for a minimum of 8 hour, and ambulate as normally as they would in their home. Devices were retrieved when the patient was admitted, discharged or, after 8 hours and the steps count was then recorded from an online interface. Our primary feasibility measure is the proportion of eligible patient for which we are be able to recover the tracker and record their steps. The primary validation endpoint will be the concordance between steps recorded by the gait tracking device compared to a gold standard manual step count over a fixed distance. We will report proportions with exact binomial 95% confidence intervals (CI) for feasibility and validity endpoints. Results: Preliminary data from an initial pilot phase includes 7 participants who wore a gait tracking device during their ED visit. Mean age was 79.7 years (+/−5.76) and 57% were females. Devices were worn by participants and recovered by research staff in all 7 cases (100%, 95% CI: 59 – 100). Data from online interface has been collected from 6 participants (85%, 95%CI: 42 – 99). Mean step count by observer was 86.17 +/− 4 (95% CI 82.2 – 90.2) and 70.3 +/− 4 (95%CI 66-74.3) by gait tracker. Conclusion: Our preliminary data suggests that use of gait-tracking devices in the ED is feasible.
P062: Designing team success - an engineering approach to capture team procedural steps to develop microskills for interprofessional skills education
Authors: Hanlon R. , French J. , Atkinson P. , Fraser J. , Benjamin S. , Poon J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Chest tube insertion, a critical procedure with a published complication rate (30%), is a required competency for emergency physicians. Microskills training has been shown to identify steps that require deliberate practice. Objectives were: 1. Develop a chest tube insertion microskills checklist to facilitate IPE, 2. Compare the microskills checklist with published best available evidence, 3. Develop an educational video based on the process map, 4. Evaluate the video in an interprofessional team prior to cadaver training as a proof of concept. Methods: 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). Two prototyping phases were conducted using a task trainer and a realistic interprofessional team (1 EM Physician, 1 ER Nurse, 1 Medical student). A final microskills list was produced and compared to the procedural steps described in consensus publications. An educational video was produced and evaluated by an interprofessional team prior to cadaver training using a survey and Likert scales as a proof of concept. Participants were 7 EM RNs and 6 ATLS trained physicians. Participants were asked to fill out a nine-question survey, using a 5-point Likert Scale (1-strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree). Results: The final process map contained 54 interdisciplinary steps, compared to ATLS that describes 14 main steps and peer reviewed articles that describe 9 main steps. The microskills checklist described, in more detail, the steps that relate to team interaction and the operational environment. Physicians rated the training video were able to apply what they learned in the video with an average of 4.67 (median of 5, mode of 5, and an IQR of 0.75). Conclusion: The development of the process maps and microkills checklists provides interprofessional teams with more information about chest tube insertion than instructions described in commonly available courses and procedural steps derived by consensus.
P067: The number and types of procedural skill acquired by family medicine/emergency medicine (CCFP-EM) residents at different teaching sites
Authors: Jiang A. , Lee M. , Bhimani M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: During the one-year CCFP-EM program, residents rotate through different teaching sites. The purpose of this project is to investigate differences in procedural skills acquisition between these sites, which will help identify the effectiveness of each setting for teaching procedural skills amongst EM trainees. Methods: Over a two year period, residents enrolled in a CCFP-EM residency training program were asked to log their procedures and the sites where they were performed. The cumulative data was analyzed to show the number and types of procedures performed at each site. Results: A total of 477 procedures were logged over two years, with 198 procedures performed at urban tertiary emergency departments (EDs), 116 at community EDs, 87 at intensive care units (ICUs), 37 at urgent care centre, 24 in clinics, and 15 at other settings. Overall, 48 point of care ultrasounds, 75 vascular access procedures, 99 reduction/casting, 48 lumbar punctures, 29 procedural sedations, 125 minor surgical procedures, and 32 other procedures were performed. The majority of procedures were performed at the tertiary care urban ED, followed closely by community ED setting. The only exception was vascular access, which was performed most commonly in ICU settings. Conclusion: Our urban tertiary care ED setting provided the most learning opportunity for procedural skill acquisition, suggesting that having maximized time allocated in this setting is essential for EM learners to acquire procedural skills. One exception is that EM learners gain more vascular access training in ICUs.
P079: A retrospective cohort study of the impact of age and post-intubation hypotension threshold on mortality
Authors: Lachance-Perreault D. , Turgeon J. , Boucher V. , Émond M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Endotracheal intubation (EI) is frequently performed in the emergency department (ED). Although this procedure is generally life-saving, EI is also known to cause adverse effects, such as hemodynamic alterations. A systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg is the most commonly accepted definition of hypotension; however systolic blood pressure naturally increases with age. The National Trauma Triage Protocol now states that this threshold could be raised to 110 mmHg in older patients. Objective: to determine the impact of increasing the post-intubation hypotension (PIH) threshold to 110 mmHg on hospital length of stay and mortality in older patients. Methods: Design: A historical cohort of patients admitted in a level-1 trauma center ED between 06/2011 and 05/2016 was constituted. Population: Patients were included if pre-EI vital signs were available, their intubation was performed in the resuscitation room, were aged ≥65, if no surgical access was needed and if EI was performed in ≤3 attempts. Measures: All clinical data including vitals were prospectively recorded using the software ReaScribe. Main outcome was in-hospital mortality. Analyses: Univariate and multivariate analyses assessed the relation between PHI and outcomes. Results: A total of 181 patients were included. When using the 90-mmHg threshold, 92 patients suffered from PIH. Mean length of stay for these PIH patients was 18.9 days, compared to 12.0 days for non-hypotensive patients (P = 0.06). Mortality rate at 24 hours was 9.78% and 15.83% for PIH and non PIH patients, respectively (p = 0.2). The 110-mmHg threshold identified 33 additional PIH patients (n = 125) and their mean length of stay was 17.8 compared to 10.2 days for non PIH patients (P = 0.02). Mortality rate at 24 hours was 9.90% for PIH patients and 21.43% for non PIH patients (p = 0.02). Conclusion: PIH was associated with a significant increase in LOS when the PIH threshold is set at 110. Mortality rate is high in the intubated ED older patient and that increasing hypotension threshold for older patient seem to have no impact on patient mortality at 24 hours. Since our sample is limited, more research is needed to confirm these results.
P083: Innovative use of AED by RNs and RTs during in-hospital cardiac arrest (Phase III)
Authors: Vaillancourt C. , Lanos C. , Charette M. , Dale-Tam J. , Gatta M. , Godbout J. , Buhariwalla H. , Kasaboski A. , Nery P. , Nemnom M. , Brehaut J. , Wells G. , Stiell I.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) most commonly occurs in non-monitored areas, where we observed a 10min delay before defibrillation (Phase I). Nurses (RNs) and respiratory therapists (RTs) cannot legally use Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) during IHCA without a medical directive. We sought to evaluate IHCA outcomes following usual implementation (Phase II) vs. a Theory-Based educational program (Phase III) allowing RNs and RTs to use AEDs during IHCA. Methods: We completed a pragmatic before-after study of consecutive IHCA. We used ICD-10 codes to identify potentially eligible cases and included IHCA cases for which resuscitation was attempted. We obtained consensus on all data definitions before initiation of standardized-piloted data extraction by trained investigators. Phase I (Jan.2012-Aug.2013) consisted of baseline data. We implemented the AED medical directive in Phase II (Sept.2013-Aug.2016) using usual implementation strategies. In Phase III (Sept.2016-Dec.2017) we added an educational video informed by key constructs from a Theory of Planned Behavior survey. We report univariate comparisons of Utstein IHCA outcomes using 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: There were 753 IHCA for which resuscitation was attempted with the following similar characteristics (Phase I n = 195; II n = 372; III n = 186): median age 68, 60.0% male, 79.3% witnessed, 29.7% non-monitored medical ward, 23.9% cardiac cause, 47.9% initial rhythm of pulseless electrical activity and 27.2% ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia (VF/VT). Comparing Phases I, II and III: an AED was used 0 times (0.0%), 21 times (5.6%), 15 times (8.1%); time to 1st rhythm analysis was 6min, 3min, 1min; and time to 1st shock was 10min, 10min and 7min. Comparing Phases I and III: time to 1st shock decreased by 3min (95%CI -7; 1), sustained ROSC increased from 29.7% to 33.3% (AD3.6%; 95%CI -10.8; 17.8), and survival to discharge increased from 24.6% to 25.8% (AD1.2%; 95%CI -7.5; 9.9). In the VF/VT subgroup, time to first shock decreased from 9 to 3 min (AD-6min; 95%CI -12; 0) and survival increased from 23.1% to 38.7% (AD15.6%; 95%CI -4.3; 35.4). Conclusion: The implementation of a medical directive allowing for AED use by RNs and RRTs successfully improved key outcomes for IHCA victims, particularly following the Theory-Based education video. The expansion of this project to other hospitals and health care professionals could significantly impact survival for VF/VT patients.
P088: Emergency physicians’ approach to head CT scanning for elderly patients who fall: A survey of Canadian, American, British, and Australian emergency physicians
Authors: MacDonald S. , Mercier É. , O'Brien T. , Mercuri M. , de Wit K.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: The number of seniors presenting to emergency departments after a fall is increasing. Head injury concerns in this population often leads to a head CT scan. The CT rate among physicians is variable and the reasons for this are unknown. This study examined the role of patient characteristics and country of practice in the decision to order a CT. Methods: This study used a case-based survey of physicians across multiple countries. Each survey included 9 cases pertaining to an 82-year old man who falls. Each case varied in one aspect compared to a base case (aspirin, warfarin, or rivaroxaban use, occipital hematoma, amnesia, dementia, and fall with no head trauma). For each case, participants indicated how “likely” they were to order a head CT scan, measured on a 100-point scale. A response of 80 or more was defined a priori as ‘likely to order a CT scan’. The survey was piloted among emergency residents for feedback on design and comprehension, and was published in French and English. Recruitment was through the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Twitter and CanadiEM. For each case we compared the proportion of physicians who were ‘likely to scan’ with relative to the base case. We also compared the proportion of participants who were ‘likely to scan’ each case in the USA, UK and Australia, relative to Canada. Results: Data was collected from 484 respondents (Canada-308, USA-64, UK-67, Australia-27, and 18 from other countries). Social media distribution limited our ability to estimate of the response rate. Physicians were most likely to scan in the anticoagulation cases (90% likely to order a scan compared to 36% for the base case (p = <0.001)). Other features associated with increased scans were occipital hematoma (48%), multiple falls (68%), and amnesia (68%) (all p < 0.005). Compared to Canada, US physicians were more likely to order CT scans for all cases (p = <0.05). Compared to Canada, UK physicians were significantly less likely to order CT for patients in every case except in the patient with amnesia. Finally, Australian physicians differed from Canada only for the occipital hematoma case where they were significantly more likely to order CT scan. Conclusion: Anticoagulation, amnesia and a history of multiple falls appear to drive the ordering a head CT scan in elderly patients who had fallen. We observed variations in practice between countries. Future clinical decision rules will likely have variable impact on head CT scan rates depending on baseline practice variation.
P091: Lumbosacral spinal imaging and narcotic prescription for patients presenting to the emergency department with non-traumatic low back pain
Authors: Berezin L. , Thompson C. , Rojas-Luengas V. , Borgundvaag B. , McLeod S.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Choosing Wisely Canada guidelines suggest that in the absence of red flags or clinical indicators suggestive of serious underlying conditions, physicians should not order radiological images for patients presenting with non-specific low back pain, and current recommendations do not endorse routine prescribing of opioids for this condition. The objective of this study was to determine how many patients presenting to the ED with non-traumatic low back pain have spinal imaging and how many are discharged home on opioids. Methods: We conducted a retrospective medical record review for adult (>17 years) patients presenting to an academic tertiary care ED with non-traumatic low back pain from April 1st 2014 to March 31st 2015 (pre-guideline) and April 1st 2017 to March 31st 2018 (post-guideline). Patients were excluded if they were >70 years old, were not discharged home, had a traumatic injury, features of cauda equina syndrome, weight loss, history of cancer, fever, night sweats, chronic use of systemic corticosteroids, chronic use of illicit intravenous drugs, first episode of low back pain over 50 years of age, abnormal reflexes, loss of motor strength or loss of sensation in the legs. Results: 1060 (545 pre-guideline, 515 post-guideline) were included. Mean (SD) age was 39.6 (12.3) years and 549 (51.8%) were female. Pre-guideline, 45 (8.3%) patients had spinal imaging, compared to 39 (7.6%) post-guideline (Δ 0.7%; 95% CI: −2.6% to 4.0%). Of the 84 (7.9%) patients who had spinal imaging, 4 (8.9%) had pathologic findings pre-guideline, compared to 10 (25.6%) patients post-guideline. The proportion of patients discharged home with a prescription for opioids was lower after the Choosing Wisely Canada guidelines (40.9% vs. 11.1%; Δ29.8%; 95% CI: 24.8% to 34.7%). Conclusion: Choosing Wisely Canada guidelines did not appear to alter the rate of imaging for patients presenting to the ED with non-traumatic low back pain. Overall the rate of spinal imaging was lower than expected. The proportion of patients who were discharged home with a prescription for opioids was lower after the Choosing Wisely Canada guidelines, however we don't know if this represents an overall trend in the reduction of opioid prescribing, or a specific change in practice related to the ED management of low back pain.
P101: The development of entrustable professional activity reference cards to support the implementation of Competence by Design in emergency medicine
Authors: Stoneham E. , Witt L. , Paterson Q. , Martin L. , Thoma B.
Published: May 2019

Innovation Concept: Competence by Design (CBD) was implemented nationally for Emergency Medicine (EM) residents beginning training in 2018. One challenge is the need to introduce residents to Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) that are assessed across numerous clinical rotations. The Royal College's resources detail these requirements, but do not map them to specific rotations or present them in a succinct format. This is problematic as trainees are less likely to succeed when expectations are unclear. We identified a need to create practical resources that residents can use at the bedside. Methods: We followed an intervention mapping framework to design two practical, user-friendly, low-cost, aesthetically pleasing resources that could be used by residents and observers at the bedside to facilitate competency-based assessment. Curriculum, Tool or Material: First, we designed a set of rotation- and stage-specific EPA reference cards for the use of residents and observers at the bedside. These cards list EPAs and clinical presentations likely to be encountered during various stages of training and on certain rotations. Second, we developed a curriculum board to organize the EPA reference cards by stage based upon our program's curriculum map. The curriculum board allows residents to view the program's curriculum map and the EPAs associated with each clinical rotation at a glance. It also contains hooks to hang and store extra cards in an organized manner. Conclusion: We believe that these practical and inexpensive tools facilitated our residency program's transition to competency-based EPA assessments. Anecdotally, the residents are using the cards and completing the suggested rotation-specific EPAs. We hope that the reference cards and curriculum board will be successfully incorporated into other residency programs to facilitate the introduction of their EPA-based CBD assessment system.
P112: In situ simulation: A team sport?
Authors: Rusiecki D. , Hoffe S. , Walker M. , Reid J. , Rocca N. , White H. , McDonough L. , Chaplin T.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Identification of latent safety threats (LSTs) in the emergency department is an important aspect of quality improvement that can lead to improved patient care. In situ simulation (ISS) takes place in the real clinical environment and multidisciplinary teams can participate in diverse high acuity scenarios to identify LSTs. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence that the profession of the participant (i.e. physician, registered nurse, or respiratory therapist) has on the identification of LSTs during ISS. Methods: Six resuscitation- based adult and pediatric simulated scenarios were developed and delivered to multidisciplinary teams in the Kingston General Hospital ED. Each ISS session consisted of a 10- minute scenario, followed by 3-minutes of individual survey completion and a 7- minute group debrief led by ISS facilitators. An objective assessor recorded LSTs identified during each debrief. Surveys were completed prior to debrief to reduce response bias. Data was collected on participant demographics and perceived LSTs classified in the following categories: medication; equipment; resources and staffing; teamwork and communication; or other. Two reviewers evaluated survey responses and debrief notes to formulate a list of unique LSTs across scenarios and professions. The overall number and type of LSTs from surveys was identified and stratified by health care provider. Results: Thirteen ISS sessions were conducted with a total of 59 participants. Thirty- four unique LSTs (8 medication, 15 equipment, 5 resource, 4 communication, and 2 miscellaneous issues) were identified from surveys and debrief notes. Overall, MDs (n = 12) reported 19 LSTss (n = 41) reported 77 LSTs, and RTs (n = 6) reported 4 LSTs based on individual survey data. The most commonly identified category of LSTs reported by MDs (36.8%) and RTs (75%) was equipment issues while RNs most commonly identified medication issues (36.4%). Participants with □5 years of experience in their profession, on average identified more LSTs in surveys than participants with >5 years experience (1.9 LSTs vs 1.5 LSTs respectively). Conclusion: Nursing staff identified the highest number of LSTs across all categories. There was fairly unanimous identification of major LSTs across professions, however each profession did identify unique perspectives on LSTs in survey responses. ISS programs with the purpose of LST identification would benefit from multidisciplinary participation.
P125: Faculty development in the age of competency-based medical education: a national, cross-sectional needs assessment for Canadian emergency medicine faculty
Authors: Stefan A. , Hall J. , Sherbino J. , Chan T.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: In July 2018, Emergency Medicine (EM) transitioned to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada's (RCPSC) Competence by Design (CBD) training framework. In anticipation of CBD implementation, we conducted a nation-wide needs assessment of EM faculty and senior residents to understand their attitudes towards CBD, workplace-based assessments (WBA) and overall educational needs. Methods: A multi-site, cross-sectional digital survey was conducted in winter 2018 with a sample of EM faculty and senior residents across RCPSC EM programs in Canada. Recruitment was via program director nomination. Survey domains included baseline perceptions about CBD, attitudes toward implementation, perceived/prompted and unperceived faculty development needs. Microsoft Excel was used to calculate descriptive statistics. This study was reviewed by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board.A multi-site, cross-sectional digital survey was conducted in winter 2018 with a sample of EM faculty and senior residents across RCPSC EM programs in Canada. Recruitment was via program director nomination. Survey domains included baseline perceptions about CBD, attitudes toward implementation, perceived/prompted and unperceived faculty development needs. Microsoft Excel was used to calculate descriptive statistics. This study was reviewed by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board. Results: Between February-April 2018, 47 participants (40 faculty, 7 residents) completed the survey (58.8% response rate). Most respondents (89.4%) thought learner feedback should be provided on each shift; 55.3% believed they provided adequate feedback. Time constraints, learner disinterest and fear of assessment repercussions were the top three barriers to providing good feedback. A majority of respondents (78.7%) thought that the ED provided above average opportunities for direct observation and 91.5% were confident of incorporating WBAs into their practice. 44.7% reported that CBD will not impact patient care; 17.0% perceived it may have a negative impact. 55.3% felt that CBD will lead to improved feedback for trainees. The top areas for faculty development were: feedback delivery, completing WBAs, resident promotion decisions, and receiving feedback on teaching. Only 25.5% were interested in learning about CBD, although the average of correct responses on the CBD knowledge test was 44.6%. Conclusion: EM is well-situated to transition to CBD given clinicians’ positive attitudes towards feedback, direct observation, WBAs, and opportunities for direct observation. Threats to CBD implementation are concerns about effects on patient care and trainee education, and skepticism regarding effects on feedback quality. Faculty development should concentrate on further developing clinical teaching and supervision skills, focusing on feedback and WBAs.
P127: Health information technology and the Ontario emergency department return visit quality program - A population level continuous quality improvement program
Authors: Taher A. , Bunker E. , Chartier L. , Ovens H. , Davis B. , Schull M.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) return visits are used for quality monitoring. Health information technology (HIT) has historically supported return visit programs in the same hospital or hospital system. The Emergency Department Return Visit Quality Program (EDRVQP) is a novel population level continuous quality improvement (QI) program connecting EDs across Ontario that leverages HIT. We sought to describe the EDRVQP HIT architecture, experience of participants, enabling program factors and barriers. Methods: The Informatics Stack conceptual framework was used to describe the HIT architecture. A literature review of peer-reviewed background literature, and stakeholder organization reports was conducted. Purposive sampling identified key informants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until saturation. Common themes were identified by inductive qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-three participants from 15 organizations were interviewed. The EDRVQP architecture description is presented across the Informatics Stack. The levels from most comprehensive to most basic are world, organization, perspectives/roles, goals/functions, workflow/behaviour/adoption, information systems, modules, data/information/knowledge/algorithms, and technology. Enabling factors were a high rate of EHR adoption, provincial legislative mandate for data collection and program membership, use of functional and data standards, local variability, phased deployment, and QI and patient safety culture. Two main barriers were increased case turnaround time and privacy legislation. Conclusion: The Informatics Stack framework provides a robust approach to thoroughly describe the HIT architecture of this population health programs. The EDRVQP is a population health program that illustrates the pragmatic use of continuous QI methodology across a population (provincial) level.
P128: Describing variability in treatment of THC hyperemesis in the emergency department: a health records review
Authors: Teefy J. , Blom J. , Woolfrey K. , Riggan M. , Yan J.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is a new and poorly understood phenomenon with a subset of patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) for symptomatic control of their refractory nausea and vomiting. Curently, there is a lack of agreement and considerable practice variability on initial treatment modalities for CHS. The objective of this study was to describe the treatment modalities for patients presenting to ED with cannabis-related sequelae. Methods: This was a health records review of patients ≥18 years presenting to one of two tertiary care EDs (annual census: 150,000) with a discharge diagnosis including cannabis use with one of abdominal pain or nausea/vomiting using ICD-10 codes. Trained research personnel collected data from medical records including demographics, clinical history, results of investigations, and utilization of treatment options within the ED. Descriptive statistics are presented where appropriate. Results: From April 2014 to June 2016, 203 unique ED patients had a discharge diagnosis including cannabis use with abdominal pain or nausea/vomiting. Sixty-nine (33.4%) received any treatment during their visit with 28 (40.6%) receiving IV fluids, of which 24 (85.7%) received normal saline. Anti-emetics were used in 21 (30.4%) patients with ondansetron being the first-line agent in 11 (52.4%) patients followed by dimenhydrinate in 6 (28.6%) and haloperidol in 2 (9.5%) cases. Six patients required two doses of anti-emetics, favouring ondansetron in 3 cases followed by haloperidol, dimenhydrinate, and metoclopramide each used once. Thirteen (19%) patients required analgesia, with the first-line preference being non-opioid medications in 11 versus opioids in 2 cases. Seven patients required multiple modes of analgesia, favouring opioid medications in 4 patients. Twenty-eight (40.6%) patients required anxiolytics with lorazepam being used primarily in 16 (57.1%) patients followed by lorazepam/haloperidol in 5 (17.9%) cases. Conclusion: This ED-based study demonstrates variability of practice patterns for symptomatic treatment of cannabis related ED presentations. Despite knowledge of haloperidol being useful in patients with suspected CHS, physicians opted for ondansetron as first line anti-emetics. Future research should focus on studying various treatment modalities of patients with suspected CHS in the ED to optimize symptomatic treatment.
P131: An environmental scan of patient emailing and texting practices at Ontario emergency departments
Authors: Abbas K. , Dainty K. , McGowan M. , Vaillancourt S.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Email and text messaging holds the potential to not only contact patients after emergency department (ED) care for clinically important communications such as appointment reminders, but also to solicit feedback for quality improvement and/or participation in research. A necessary first step though is the collection of electronic contact information, but little is known about current practice in Ontario EDs. In this study, we sought to characterize current collection, consent and use of patient email and texting to communicate with ED patients at academic and community hospitals across Ontario. Methods: We developed a questionnaire, with a blend of multiple choice and open-ended questions, targeted at ED registration administrators. The questions focused on if and how EDs collect, store and consent for patient emails, how and what they utilize those emails for and if they text patients. The questionnaire was administered both online and by phone. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling, including facilitated dissemination of the questionnaire via an existing listserv of the Patient Registration Network of Ontario (PRNO). Results: Twenty-two respondents (41% response rate) completed the questionnaire. Seven of the 22 institutions were academic health centres (32%). Nine institutions (41%) collected patient email addresses in the ED and none collected or used text message technology. In all 9, registration staff were tasked with asking, consenting, collecting and storing patient details within their hospital admissions, discharge and transfer system (ADT). For sites with email address collection, respondents estimated 40-60% of ED patients shared an email address. Seven of 9 institutions had a verbal consent process, while 2 used implied consent. Only 2 institutions used email to send patients post-discharge feedback questionnaires and four used email to facilitate access to patient portals. Four institutions were looking at using text messages to direct patients at triage, sometime in the future. Conclusion: Engagement in optimized care and feedback requires communication which is quickly shifting to electronic format. Collection of electronic contact information continues to be slow and uneven in Ontario. There is an immediate need for clearer guidance to accelerate collection, storage, consent and use of email and text messaging technology.
P132: Trampoline park safety perceptions of caregivers of patients presenting to the paediatric emergency department in London, Ontario
Authors: Lynch T. , Van de Kleut C. , Van Aarsen K.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Trampoline injuries are frequent complaints of children presenting to paediatric emergency departments (PED) in Canada. The medical community has recognized the danger of recreational trampoline use, with the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) formally recommending against their use. A new type of trampoline recreation has recently emerged in the form of trampoline parks. Trampoline parks are dangerous, with similar rates of injury as backyard trampolines, and an increased likelihood of injuries warranting hospital admission. No current Canadian governmental or industry regulations exist for trampoline parks. This study aimed to determine the public perspective of trampoline park safety in order to provide a basis for addressing the current lack of safety recommendations around trampoline parks. Methods: Parents/caregivers of children seeking care in the PED were approached to participate in a survey regarding trampoline safety. Parents/caregivers of patients with severe injury/illness were excluded. Survey questions included demographics, safety perceptions of both home trampolines and trampoline parks, as well as awareness of the CPS statement regarding trampoline use. The survey was completed in the Research Electronic Data Capture System. Results: To date, 68 participants have completed the survey. 66% of participants (45/68) were aware of the new trampoline parks recently opening in the community. 31/68 (46%) of participants had allowed their child to visit a trampoline park. A comparison of the perception of the relative safety of trampoline parks found that 31% of participants (21/67) considered home trampolines “safe/very safe” while 39% of participants (26/66) considered trampoline parks “safe/very safe.” The median [IQR] age at which participants thought children could safely play at trampoline parks was 10 [3-15]. 43% of participants (29/67) thought the current CPS statement about backyard trampolines should apply to trampoline parks, and 93% of participants (62/67) thought the Ontario government should institute mandatory standards for trampoline parks. Conclusion: Trampoline parks are a significant emerging source of paediatric injury. Trends in preliminary data suggest that participants consider trampoline parks to be safer than backyard trampolines, and perceive that young children can safely participate in trampoline park activities. Should final survey data analysis support these trends, a call for adjustment of CPS guidelines and public policy should proceed.
P133: Why the emergency department is the wrong place for patients with early pregnancy complications: A qualitative study of patient experience
Authors: Rojas-Luengas V. , Seaton B. , Dainty K. , McLeod S. , Varner C.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Women experiencing complications of early pregnancy frequently seek care in the emergency department (ED), as most have not yet established care with an obstetrical provider. The objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of care of women treated for early pregnancy complications in the ED and early pregnancy clinic (EPC). Methods: We conducted an interpretive phenomenological qualitative study of women who presented to the ED or EPC of an urban tertiary care hospital with early pregnancy loss or threatened loss. We employed purposive sampling to recruit participants for in-depth, one-on-one telephone interviews conducted approximately 6 weeks after the index visit. Data collection and analysis were concurrent and continued until thematic saturation had occurred. Our research team of two qualitative researchers, a clinician, a clinical researcher, and a research student performed a phenomenologically-informed thematic analysis including three phases of coding to identify essential patterns of lived experience and meaning across the sample. Results: Interviews were completed with 30 women between July and August 2018. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 45 years and reflected the diversity of the multicultural city where the study occurred. Four key themes of patient experience were identified: tensions between what is known and unknown by women and ED staff about early pregnancy complications and care in hospital, stigmatization of early pregnancy complications and ED use, normalization of a chaotic experience, and the overwhelm of unexpected outcomes during the ED visit. Conclusion: The perspectives of women attending the ED or EPC for early pregnancy complications highlights the ways in which the current health care system minimizes and medicalizes early pregnancy complications in this setting and fails to adequately support these women. The emotional complexity of this medical situation is often overlooked by ED staff and can produce encounters that are traumatic for patients and families. However, the participants’ negative experiences occurring in the ED were often mitigated with their care in their follow-up with the EPC.
P135: TriagED: A serious game for mass casualty triage and field disaster management
Authors: Wallner C. , Sneath P. , Morgan K. , Chan T.
Published: May 2019

Innovation Concept: Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) are complex events that most paramedics encounter only a few times in their careers. Triaging and managing multiple patients during an incident requires different skills than typically practiced by prehospital providers. Simulation and drills can provide an opportunity to practice those skills, but are costly and resource intensive while only allowing a few providers to be in a triage or leadership role. It is important to find engaging and less expensive methods for teaching MCI triage and initial scene management. Methods: The authors have developed and are testing a card game based on the previously published GridlockED board game. The game was developed utilizing an iterative process previously described. This game was tested with paramedics as well as other emergency medicine learners to determine usability, engagement, fidelity, as well as usefulness in teaching MCI triage and patient-flow concepts. Curriculum, Tool or Material: The card game provides a focused learning experience to allow providers to practice initial triage of multiple injured patients as well as manage patient flow from the scene to area hospitals when faced with limited prehospital resources and capabilities. Players work together in various simulated scenarios to correctly triage injured patients and send them to the correct healthcare facility. Conclusion: Serious gaming has gained momentum in medical education. Developing novel curriculae around low frequency, high stakes situations using a game like TriagED may hold the key to ensure prehospital care providers are trained for these incidents. In the future, games which integrate an element of Incident Command or receiving hosptials (e.g. full integration with GridlockED game) may help to further explore the relationship between scene management and patient flow within receiving hospitals.
P137: Methods for teaching managerial skills in the emergency department: a survey of Canadian educators
Authors: Chorley A. , Welsher A. , Pardhan A. , Chan T.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) crowding and increased patient load has been shown to have an impact on physician decision making and patient mortality. As the volumes in Canadian EDs increase, so does the need to effectively prepare new learners for the challenges ahead. This study aims to determine which level of training varying teaching techniques should be employed to educate Emergency Medicine (EM) residents about ED management and flow in the age of competency based medical education. Methods: We designed a survey that contained a previously derived list of ED flow and management teaching strategies. We piloted and edited the survey based on feedback from operations and educational experts. A total of 21 teaching techniques were included in the final survey ranging from didactic teaching sessions to experiential techniques such as residents running the department with supervision. Then, we invited members of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada EM specialty committee, the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians Education Scholarship Section, and the Canadian EM Simulation Educators Collaborative to participate in our survey. We analysed the results using simple descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 21 EM (38% female, 62% male) educators from 11 programs (78% of Royal College Training sites) responded to the survey, representing 7/10 provinces, with a mean years-in-practice of 15.2 years (SD 9.7). All respondents were involved in resident education; 66% had a current formal educational role, such as Program Director. Results showed a universal trend towards teaching flow and management skills later in residency. Participants endorsed 35.93% of teaching strategies for the “Core of discipline” and 39.65% for the “Transition to practice” stages of training. Didactic and observational techniques were occasionally considered acceptable at earlier training stages, whereas experiential teaching techniques were skewed towards the later stages of residency. Conclusion: EM educators from across Canada believe that most teaching techniques for flow are better suited for the later stages of residency training, with didactic techniques more suitable earlier on. This work will inform faculty development on managerial/leadership skills teaching in the ED.
P140: Investigating volunteer perspectives on leading patient-centred practices in the emergency department
Authors: Witt L. , Oyedokun T. , Goodridge D. , Stempien J. , Graham T.
Published: May 2019

Introduction: Patient satisfaction is an essential component of effective delivery of quality care in the emergency department (ED). Frequent reflection on current practices is required to detect areas in need of improvement. The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) outlined five ‘Leading Practices’ (LPs) targeted to increase patient satisfaction in this setting. The ED volunteers are a group of individuals who have unique perspectives on ED practices that are unbiased by confounders affecting patients and staff. The goal of this study was to explore the unique perspectives of ED volunteers involving what they believe will improve the delivery of patient-centered care, as well as to examine to what extent Saskatoon EDs are embracing the principles outlined in the OHA LPs. Methods: A two-phase mixed methods approach, with a survey followed by interviews that allowed participants to expand on survey findings was used. The pool of 45 ED volunteers was extended the opportunity to participate resulting in 36 survey responses and 6 interviews. The 13 Likert-grade survey questions were generated to align to each of the LPs and allowed room for qualitative feedback. Interview questions were generated following 15 survey responses to expand on the LPs that were rated below average. Results: Analysis of responses identified inefficient ED processes leading to increased waiting times, inefficient patient location, inadequate signage, a lack of physical space, unclean environments, and a lack of staff and volunteer awareness regarding spiritual care and interpreter services, perceptions of received care by patients due to long wait times and level of cultural safety training of ED staff. Themes reduced from interviews yielded common themes such as patient frustration, disorganization, uncomfortable environment, overcrowding, prolonged wait times, and patient misconception of ED processes at Site 1. Themes common to Site 2 included organization, patient-friendly environment, patient misconception of ED processes, and prolonged wait times. Additionally, the volunteers suggested a plethora of interventions that could improve the current processes in Saskatoon's EDs to make them more patient friendly. Conclusion: Saskatoon EDs comply reasonably well to the OHA Leading practices. Surveying ED volunteers provides important insight into current practices and areas for improvement, and should be considered at other sites to improve adherence to the OHA LPs.