• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2007

Purpose: Hemorrhagic shock is the leading cause of death in patients with pelvic bone fractures. The majority of blood loss is due to injured pelvic arteries and retroperitoneal veins and to bleeding from the fracture site itself. Pelvic angiography and embolization of injured vessels is an effective way to control continuous bleeding. However, identifying the bleeding focus in hemodynamically unstable patients before diagnostic intervention is difficult. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between fracture patterns in hemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fractures and later pelvic angiography findings. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 21 hemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fractures admitted to our emergency department between April 2001 to April 2006. All 21 patients underwent pelvic angiography. Pelvic fractures were assessed according to the Tile's classification and the degree of injury was assessed using the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Revised Trauma Score (RTS). The hemodynamic status of the patients was defined using vital signs, base excess, and blood lactate. Fracture patterns were compared with hemodynamic status and angiography findings. Results: In the 5year study period, 21 hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fracture patients were admitted; ten were men (47.6%), and 11 were women (52.4%). The mean age was 41.1 years (range: ${\pm}20.1$). Of the 21 embolization was performed in 6 patient (28.6%): 1 patient of the 5 unstable pelvic bone fracture patients (20%), and 5 patients of 16 the stable pelvic bone fracture patients (31.3%). There were no significant differences between the RTS (p=0.587) and embolization rate (p=0.774) for either the stable patients or the unstable patients. Patients with arterial injury on angiography had a lower RTS compared with patients without arterial injury but there was no significant difference in ISS between the two groups. The angiographic injured sites were five internal femoral arteries and one external femoral artery. Conclusion: The findings in this study suggest that the pelvic fracture pattern in hemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fractures does not correlate with pelvic angiography findings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.687-690
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• 2014

Background: Emergency departments are visited by cancer patients for palliation of cancer-related symptoms, management of treatment-related side effects, oncologic emergencies, co-morbidities, and/or end of life care. In this study, we aimed to identify the characteristics of cancer patients admitted to an emergency medicine department in Southwest Turkey. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective descriptive study, a total of 304 emergency department admissions of 102 patients with cancer due to medical conditions were evaluated. Descriptive statistical methods, statistical analysis for correlation, Student's t-test, chi-square tests and logistic regression test were used. Results: The majority of patients visiting to emergency departments were male (n=66, 65%) and over 65 years of age (53, 52%). Some 30% (n=31) had a lung cancer diagnosis, 32% (n=33) presentation with dyspnea, 53% (n=55) with metastasis, 30% (n=16) with multiple metastatic lesions in lung, and 68% (n=70) had a poor ECOG performance status (score 3 to 4). Conclusions: Emergency departments have valuable roles in managing and caring for patients with malignancies.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.71-97
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the development and improvement direction of university education according to job type and investigate the types of knowledge required for employment after graduation for departments of emergency medical technology in preparation for the era of the fourth industrial revolution in a converged society. Methods: From June 3 to June 10, 2019, data were collected through structured questionnaires from 90 paramedics working in firefighting, hospitals, different industries, and emergency patient transportation. Data were analyzed using the software SPSS version 18.0. Results: For employment after graduation in departments of emergency medical technology, character and sincerity education should be strengthened. To prepare for the fourth industrial revolution, educational innovations such as improving the field practice system and devising a convergence curriculum are needed. Preparation for the fourth industrial revolution should be accomplished through the development of convergence subjects such as forensic science, information and communications technology, and safety engineering. Ninety percent of the study respondents indicated their need for convergence subjects. Conclusion: The demands of future society should be responded to flexibly by holding and conducting convergence subjects. Furthermore, preparations should be made in anticipation of a shortage of 120,000 college freshmen for the 2024-2025 school year by increasing the competitiveness of departments of emergency medical technology.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2007

Purpose: Gaining vascular access is difficult and time-consuming in critically ill children, so nowdays, in many countries, intraosseous vascular access is frequently used for rapid vascular access in critically ill children. Its pharmacokinetics is close to that of the peripheral intravenous route, but its infusion flow rate is faster. The purpose of this study was to determine how widely the intraosseous infusion technique was being used in Korean emergency departments. Methods: We telephoned forty-two (42) randomly selected university-affiliated hospitals. We asked physicians if they use the intraosseous infusion technique. Responders were emergency and pediatric residents and emergency faculty. If they responded that they were not using the intraosseous infusion technique, we asked the reason. Also, we asked about their experiences with the intraosseous infusion technique. Results: Forty-two (42) hospitals were enrolled in this study. No hospital used the intraosseous infusion technique on a regular basis. However, 8 hospitals used the intraosseous infusion technique occasionally. None of the responders had experience with the intraosseous infusion technique. Conclusion: The intraosseous infusion technique is currently underrepresented at emergency departments in Korea.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2007

Aconitum is an extremely dangerous plant that contains various toxic diterpenoid alkaloids, primarily concentrated in the roots. We report a case of acute intoxication of a 60-year-old man admitted to our emergency department after ingestion of a large amount of homemade aconitine decoction. At presentation about one hour after intake, the patient was unconscious and electrocardiographic analysis showed a ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation. Several times defibrillation was applied and antiarrhythmic agents were administered, but the patient still exhibited a refractory ventricular fibrillation and failed to return to spontaneous circulation. Sustained cardiopulmonary resuscitation finally produced a pulsatile cardiac rhythm at two hours after intake. The patient was discharged from our hospital on day 8. The authors stress that clinicians must be aware of the possible occurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia in cases of aconitine intoxication and be prepared to persist with prolonged CPR as necessary.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2022

Purpose: This study investigates the characteristics and prognosis of acute poisoning patients visiting nationwide emergency departments before and after the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Data were obtained from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS). Methods: This nationwide retrospective observational study included acute poisoning patients who visited the emergency departments between February 1 to December 31, 2020, which has been determined as the pandemic period. The same periods in 2018 and 2019 were designated as the control periods. The primary outcome assessed was the length of stay in emergency departments (EDLOS). The secondary outcomes examined were intensive care unit admission rate and in-hospital mortality rate before and after the pandemic. A subgroup analysis was performed for inpatients and intentional poisoning patients. Results: A total of 163,560 patients were included in the study. During the pandemic, the proportion of women increased from 50.0% in 2018 and 50.3% in 2019 to 52.5% in 2020. Patients aged 20-29 years increased from 13.4% in 2018 and 13.9% in 2019 to 16.6% in 2020. A rise in cases of intentional poisoning was also noted - from 33.9% in 2018 and 34.0% in 2019 to 38.4% in 2020. Evaluating the hospitalized poisoned patients revealed that the EDLOS increased from 3.8 hours in 2018 and 3.7 hours in 2019 to 4.2 hours in 2020. ICU admissions were also markedly increased (2018, 48.2%; 2019, 51.8%; 2020, 53.2%) among hospitalized patients. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of acute poisoning patients visiting nationwide emergency departments in Korea. The proportion of young adults, women, and intentional poisoning patients has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Prolonged length of stay at the emergency department and an increased rate of intensive care unit admissions were determined in hospitalized acute poisoning patients.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.97-107
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate and compare the usual source of healthcare and frequent visits to emergency departments. Methods: The study subjects were 7,252 individuals with chronic diseases who filled out the questionnaire of the 2013 Korea Health Panel Survey. Data were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: Compared to having a public health center or clinic as a usual source of healthcare, it is 1.341 times more likely for a chronic disease patient to visit an emergency department if the hospital is her/his usual source of healthcare, while it is 1.656 times more likely for the patient to visit a general/tertiary hospital. Conclusion: It is important to investigate visits at the emergency department requiring primary care for diseases.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the occurrence of toxic exposure cases in Korean emergency centers using a toxic exposure surveillance system-based report form and to provide guidelines for the prevention and treatment of toxic exposures. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of toxic exposure patients who had visited emergency centers from January 2009 to December 2009. Epidemiology data points for the toxic exposure cases included age, gender, type of exposure, number and kind of substances involved, reason and route of poison exposure, management of the patients in the emergency departments, and the clinical outcome. Results: A total of 3,501 patients from 12 emergency departments were enrolled in the study. 50.0% of the total exposure patients were male and 63.0% of the total cases were fatal. Acute intoxication occurred in 91.3% of the total patients and suicidal intent was the most common (43.3%) reason for exposure. The most common route of exposure was ingestion (75.9%). Of the total cases, pesticides were involved in 26.3%, sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics were involved in 22.0%, and bites and envenomations were involved in 15.7%. Conclusion: We provided a database of patients who were admitted to emergency departments after poisoning incidents. We recommend that toxicology professionals develop a classification scheme for toxicants which is adequate for Korean domestic circumstances and initiate a toxic surveillance system for all types of exposures. With support of a psychiatric surveillance system for suicidal patients and establishment of social mediation for pesticide poisoning, major reductions in poison exposures can be achieved.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.247-256
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the influence of nurses' resilience and anger expression styles on their nursing work performance in emergency departments. Methods: The study included 107 nurses from 5 hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do who consented to participate. Data ware collected from March to April 2016. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing nurses' performance. Results: Nurses' performance was higher when resilience was high and anger expression was low. The result of the multiple regression indicated that present working years in the emergency room, work satisfaction, anger expression, anger control, and resilience predicted 39.4% (F=7.27, p<.001) of the nursing performance of hospital nurses in emergency departments. The most powerful predictor was resilience (${\beta}=.45$, p<.001), followed by anger-out (${\beta}=-.25$, p=.006). Conclusion: This study showed that the most influential variables of work performance in emergency nurses ware resilience and anger expression. To enhance the nursing performance of hospital nurses in emergency departments, it is necessary to develop and implement mentorship programs that enhance resilience and educational programs that help them manage their anger.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-25
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• 1998

It was enacted 'Emergency Medical Act' in January, 1994 and while it was established the emergency medical department in college providing the agenda and curriculum about EMT but not detailed and the regulation relative to the application of a low on the emergency medical act in 1995. The purpose of this study was to provide basic development of information for the development of field practice discipline and to Improve for the appropriateness and the effectiveness of the field practice though comparison study of satisfaction levels on field practice of E.M.T college students by 5 practice fields. The subjects were EMT college students who had practiced from June first to July 11, 1998, at the fire department and 4 departments (emergency dept., delivery dept., operating dept., and intensive care unit.) in the hospital. The data were collected by Questionnaire from september 7 to 10, 1998. The data were analyzed by percentage, mean, T-test, F-test using SAS program, The result were as follow; 1. Mean satisfaction level of 5 departments was to be low as 2.863 of a total score 5,0. 2. Comparing with other departments, emergency dept. and fire dept. were 3.198, 3.109 respectively revealed to be high (mean=2,863), 3. In field content and environment, emergency dept. is the most satisfactory place(3.480, 3,686) respectively, in practice teaching, fire dept was the most satisfactory place(3,567). 4, Satisfaction level according to the 4 variables (religion vs fire dept. practice, motivation vs intensive care unit practice, place of emergency dept. field vs emergency dept. practice, practice problem vs emergency dept. practice) revealed significant differences. There were a lot of problems that we have to improve and correct the field practice curriculum. Though this study, we could guess what the practical matters were.