scholarly journals Patient Use of Tablet Computers to Facilitate Emergency Department Pain Assessment and Documentation

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette O. Arthur ◽  
Samantha Whiteside ◽  
Loren Brown ◽  
Cynthia Minor ◽  
Stephen H. Thomas

Introduction. The goal of this project is to pilot automated pain tracker (APT) hardware/software system allowing patients to indicate their pain levels and whether they want analgesia, using tablet computers. Methods. Patients in an academic emergency department (ED) used a tablet computer (iPad, Apple Computer Company, Cupertino, CA, USA), programmed to allow them to indicate their pain level, whether pain medication was desired, and prompted the subject at regular intervals to indicate their pain level. The iPad was linked to a monitor in the ED's nursing/physician station. The pain assessment information was printed for scanning and inclusion in the ED's electronic medical records (EMR) system. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to assess the perceptions of patients and nurses about the utility of the APT. Results. The majority of 30 subjects (28 of 30; 93%) agreed or strongly agreed that the number of pain assessments was adequate. All of the subjects indicated the APT was easy to use, and 28 of 30 subjects (93%) thought the APT should be used more in the ED. Conclusions. The benefits of the iPad pain-tracking and reporting-system include patient satisfaction, improved pain care, operational efficiency, and improved pain assessment documentation.

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 470-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiwen Li ◽  
A. Lynn Snow ◽  
Nancy Wilson ◽  
Melinda A. Stanley ◽  
Robert O. Morgan ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Despite pervasive and debilitating pain among elders, it is underassessed and undertreated; and cognitive impairment can add challenges. We assessed the quality of pain care for community-dwelling elderly patients with dementia. Methods: We phone interviewed 203 Veterans Affairs primary care outpatients with dementia and pain and reviewed medical records to score 15 quality indicators of pain assessment and management. Results: Pain assessment was documented for 98%, and a standard pain scale was used for 94%. Modified pain scales were rarely used. Though 70% self-reported pain of ‘quite bad' or worse, charts documented no pain in 64%. When pain was identified, treatment was offered to 80%; but only 59% had a follow-up assessment within 6 months. Nonpharmacological interventions were underused. Conclusion: Community-dwelling elders with dementia are underdiagnosed and undertreated for pain.


Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Kim ◽  
Han Joon Kim ◽  
Soo Hyun Kim ◽  
Sang Hoon Oh ◽  
Kyu Nam Park

Abstract. Background: Previous suicide attempts increase the risk of a completed suicide. However, a large proportion of patients with deliberate self-wrist cutting (DSWC) are often discharged without undergoing a psychiatric interview. Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate the differences in the characteristics and outcomes of patients with DSWC and those with deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) episodes. The results of this study may be used to improve the efficacy of treatment for DSWC patients. Method: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 598 patients with DSWC and DSP who were treated at the emergency department of Seoul Saint Mary's Hospital between 2008 and 2013. We assessed sociodemographic information, clinical variables, the reasons for the suicide attempts, and the severity of the suicide attempts. Results: A total of 141 (23.6%) patients were included in the DSWC group, and 457 (76.4%) were included in the DSP group. A significantly greater number of patients in the DSWC group had previously attempted suicide (p = .014). A total of 63 patients (44.7%) in the DSWC group and 409 patients (89.5%) in the DSP group underwent psychiatric interviews. Conclusion: More DSWC patients had previously attempted suicide, but fewer of them underwent psychiatric interviews compared with the DSP patients.


Author(s):  
Giulio Nittari ◽  
Getu Gamo Sagaro ◽  
Alessandro Feola ◽  
Mattia Scipioni ◽  
Giovanna Ricci ◽  
...  

Violence against women emerges with tragic regularity in the daily news. It is now an evident trace of a dramatic social problem, the characteristics of which are not attributable to certain economic, cultural, or religious conditions of the people involved but affect indiscriminately, in a unanimous way, our society. The study is a survey about the number of hospital admissions due to episodes attributable to violence against women, recorded by the Niguarda Hospital in Milan in the period 1 March–30 May from 2017 to 2020. This period, in 2020, corresponds to the coronavirus Lockdown in Italy. All the medical records of the Emergency department were reviewed, and the extracted data classified in order to identify the episodes of violence against women and the features of the reported injuries and the characteristics of the victims. The data did not show an increase in the number of cases in 2020 compared to previous years, but we did find a notable increase in the severity of injuries.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4901
Author(s):  
Lucjan Setlak ◽  
Rafał Kowalik

Sometimes, it is impossible to conduct tests with the use of the GNSS system, or the obtained results of the measurements made differ significantly from the predicted accuracy. The most common cause of the problems (external factors, faulty results) are interference disturbances from other radio telecommunication systems. The subject of this paper is to conduct research, the essence of which is an in-depth analysis in the field of elimination of LTE interference signals of the GNSS receiver, that is based on the developed effective methods on counteracting the phenomenon of interference signals coming from this system and transmitted on the same frequency. Interference signals are signals transmitted in the GNSS operating band, and unwanted signals may cause incorrect processing of the information provided to the end-user about his position, speed, and current time. This article presents methods of identifying and detecting interference signals, with particular emphasis on methods based on spatial processing of signals transmitted by the LTE system. A comparative analysis of the methods of detecting an unwanted signal was made in terms of their effectiveness and complexity of their implementation. Moreover, the concept of a new comprehensive anti-interference solution was proposed. It includes, among others, information on the various stages of GNSS signal processing in the proposed system, in relation to the algorithms used in traditional GNSS receivers. The final part of the article presents the obtained research results and the resulting significant observations and practical conclusions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Bjorklund ◽  
Emily A. Eismann ◽  
Roger Cornwall

ABSTRACT Background The importance of continuity of care in training is widely recognized; however, a broad-spectrum assessment across all specialties has not been performed. Objective We assessed the continuity of care provided by trainees, following patient consultations in the emergency department (ED) across all specialties at a large pediatric tertiary care center. Methods Medical records were reviewed to identify patients seen in consultation by a resident or fellow trainee in the ED over a 1-year period, and to determine if the patient followed up with the same trainee for the same condition during the next 6 months. Results Resident and fellow trainees from 33 specialties participated in 3400 ED consultations. Approximately 50% (1718 of 3400) of the patients seen in consultation by a trainee in the ED followed up with the same specialty within 6 months, but only 4.1% (70 of 1718) followed up with the same trainee for the same condition. Trainee continuity of care ranged from 0% to 21% among specialties, where specialties with resident clinics (14.4%) have a greater continuity of care than specialties without resident clinics (2.7%, P < .001). Continuity of care did not differ between fellows (4.2%) and residents (4.0%, P = .87), but did differ between postgraduate years for residents (P < .001). Conclusions Trainee continuity of care for ED consultations was low across all specialties and levels of training. If continuity of care is important for patient well-being and trainee education, efforts to improve continuity for trainees must be undertaken.


2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 114-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Morgan ◽  
Sinead Byrne ◽  
Carole Boylan ◽  
Stephen McLearie ◽  
Carol Fitzpatrick

AbstractObjectives: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is the strongest predictor of suicidal behaviour. This retrospective study reviewed all DSH presentations to our Paediatric Emergency Department between 2002-2006.Method: Using database and medical records we profiled these presentations. Data was coded and statistically analysed.Results: There were 253 DSH attendances. Twenty-four percent were living in care, 15% were under 12 years and 14% presented more than once. Overdoses (61%) were more common than cutting (16%) and 56% had a psychiatric condition.Conclusions: DSH presents an ongoing challenge to child and adolescent mental health services and those working in suicide prevention. Identifying the characteristics of these young people is essential to providing appropriate treatment for this high-risk group.


2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew Smalko

Relations Between Safety and Security in Technical Systems The subject of this paper deals with the relationship between safety and security of the man - machine system. In the above system a man can act both as a decision - maker and operator. His desired psychophysical efficiency lies in the undertaking the correct decisions as well as in the skilful machine control and operating.


1979 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 771-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Chen ◽  
Terry L. Fry ◽  
Newton D. Fischer

A new hand-held otoscope photographic system, convenient and suitable for clinical application, is introduced. This instrument allows clear otoscopic examination in stenotic or tortuous ear canals, and photographs the subject in one procedure. The instrument consists of a rodlens optical system, a fiberoptic light source, a camera, and exchangeable speculum and a strobe light. Color photographs of tympanic membranes and middle ear pathology are presented.


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