• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics in emergency endotracheal intubation between patients with acute drug intoxication and medical disease. Methods: Data for airway registry collected in two emergency departments (ED) between April 2006 and March 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The airway registry data included patient's demographic information and variables such as Cormack-Lehane grade, 3-3-2 finger analysis, success rate, the number of attempts at intubation, complications of intubation, and clinical outcomes after intubation. Results: A total of 1480 patients were enrolled; 62 patients were classified as belonging to the intubation group after the drug intoxication group. No significant differences in Cormack-Lehane grade, 3-3-2 finger analysis, success rate, the number of attempts at intubation, and complications after intubation were observed between patients with acute drug intoxication and medical disease. However, significant difference was observed for indication of emergency endotracheal intubation. While emergency endotracheal intubations were usually performed in medical patients because of failure of airway patency, they were performed in intoxicated patients with the goal of preventing serious complications. Conclusion: Anatomical structures related to endotracheal intubation, the process and clinical outcome of intoxicated patients are not significantly different from those for medical patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2010

Purpose: Trauma is one of the leading causes of death, especially among young people. Life-threatening conditions are very common in multiple-traumatized patients due to concurrent multi-organ injuries. Treating such severely injured patients is time critical. However, in Korea, the transfer of severely injured patients is not uncommon due to the lack of a mature trauma care system. In developed countries, the preventable trauma death rate is very low, but the rate is still very high in Korea. This study's objective was to demonstrate the current serious state in which severely injured patients have to be transferred from a Regional Emergency Medical Center even though it actually serves as a trauma center. Methods: Ajou University Medical Center is a tertiary hospital that serves as a trauma center in Gyeonggido. The medical records at Ajou University Medical Center for a 1-year period from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. A severely injured patient was defined as a patient who showed more than 15 point on the ISS (injury severity score) scale. We investigated the clinical characteristics of such patients and the causes of transfer. Results: Out of 81,718 patients who visited the Regional Emergency Medical Center, 19,731 (24.1%) were injured patients. Among them, 108 severely-injured patients were transferred from one Regional Emergency Medical Center to other hospitals. The male-to-female ratio was about 3.5:1, and the mean ISS was 23.08. The most common mechanism of injury was traffic accidents (41.7%). A major cause of transfer was the shortage of intensive care units (44.4%); another was for emergent operation (27.8%). Most of the hospitals that received the severely-injured patients were secondary hospitals (86.1%). Conclusion: Although the Regional Emergency Medical Center played a role as a trauma center, actually, severely-injured patients had to be transferred to other hospitals for several reasons. Most reasons were related with the deficiencies in the trauma care system. If a mature trauma care system is well-organized, the numbers of transfer of severely injured patients will be reduced significantly.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2023

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) directly affects the survival of patients and can cause long-term sequelae. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether the operation of a trauma center in a single tertiary general hospital has improved emergency care and clinical outcomes for patients with TBI. Methods: The participants of this study were all TBI patients, patients with isolated TBI, and patients with TBI who underwent surgery within 24 hours, who visited our level 1 trauma center from March 1, 2012 to February 28, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: patients who visited before and after the operation of the trauma center. A comparative analysis was conducted. Differences in detailed emergency care time, hospital stay, and clinical outcomes were investigated in this study. Results: On comparing the entire TBI patient population via dividing them into the aforementioned two groups, the following results were found in the group of patients who visited the hospital after the operation of the trauma center: an increased number of patients with a good functional prognosis (P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively), an increased number of surviving discharges (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively), and a reduction in overall emergency care time (P<0.05, for all item values). However, no significant differences existed in the length of intensive care unit stay, ventilator days, and total length of stay for TBI patients who visited the hospital before and after the operation of the trauma center. Conclusions: The findings confirmed that overall TBI patients and patients with isolated brain injury had improved treatment results and emergency care through the operation of a trauma center in a tertiary general hospital.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.27-42
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• 2011

Purpose: This study intended to improve quality of prehospital emergency care for trauma patients by figuring out its current situations and problems based on run-sheets and questionnaires of 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: This study conducted a research of 425 trauma patients transferred to the 3rd hospital in G-city by 119 ambulances from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. We aslo utilized 114 copies with questionnaires of 119 EMTs working in J-province. The data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0. Results: There were 425 trauma patients including 272 men and 137 patients with traffic accident. When it comes to types of 119 EMTs who delivered cares to patients, there were 206 (48.5%) advanced EMTs, 101 (23.8%) basic EMTs, 50 (11.8%) nurses and 43 (10.2%) rescue education receivers. The most frequent measured vital sign was pulse rate (54.1%). Regarding assessment of systolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration rate, there were some significant differences in accordance with type of 119 EMTs. Among the 317 patients evaluated 'emergency' in field, 137 patients returned to their home. Prehospital emergency cares accounted for 861, around 2.0 treatments per a patient. In view of questionnaire, the 74.6% of 119 EMTs hoped supplement of man power for proper prehospital care to trauma patients. Conclusion: This study suggested that it is necessary to develop detailed guidelines for trauma patients so as to improve quality of trauma patient evaluation and prehospital care. Furthermore, improvement of emergency care systems will reduce mortality of trauma patients and lead to their good outcome.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.173-178
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• 2017

Purpose: Most patients with acute low back pain visit emergency room (ER). They mostly need beds, and if their length of stay is longer, it can become difficult to accommodate new patients at the ER. We analyzed the treatment process of patients with back pain and tried to find method for shortening of the length of stay at the ER. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with back pain who visited at our ER for one year. Patients were divided into two groups according to their length of stay at ER and were compared the charateristcs of between two groups. Results: A total of 274 patients were included in the study. Eigthy-nine patients (32.5%) were in the group with less than 3 hours and 185 patients (67.5%) were in the other group. In the comparison of the two groups according to the medical departments, the number of patients who were in group with more than 3 hours were 25 (14.0%) in the emergency department, 94 (50.5%) in neurosurgery, 66 (35.5%) in orthopedic surgery. Length of stay was significantly increased in orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery (p=0.014). In addition, the length of stay was longer when computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed (p=0.000). Regardless of the type of analgesic agent, the median time to the analgesic treatment was shorter in the group with less than 3 hours (p=0.034). Conclusions: In patients with back pain who visit the ER, the emergency medicine doctor will early control the pain and do not unnecessary image examination to reduce a length of stay at the ER.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2003

An analysis was performed to evaluate the prehospital advanced emergency care in Emergency Medical Service system(EMS) through the review of the 119 transfort chart of 190 patients who visited to Jecheon Seoul hospital emergency center at Chungbuk Jecheon via 119 system during the period from October 2002 to September 2003. The results were obtained as follows: 1. Among 190 patients, male were 127(66.8%) and female were 63(33.2%) and nontraumatic patients were 81(42.6%) and traumatic patients were 109(57.4%). 2. The analysis of prehospital care by Emergency Medical Technician(EMT) revealed that Airway maintenance and keeping oral airway(37.7%), oxygen supply(75.9%), Tourniquett or MAST(18.9%), Immobilization of neck or spine(94.7%), Immobilization of extremities (51.4%), wound bandage and dressing(25.0%), BCLS(12.1%) and Application of AED(2 patients). 3. The analysis of prehospital care by EMT revealed prehospital care was limited to keep of intubation or LMA, medication and IV insertion, insertion of gastric tube and ACLS. 4. There was no case of the notification to medical institute or consultation to doctor.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2005

Background: Blunt thoracic trauma in children has a high morbidity and mortality. In this study, we assessed the significance of the injury pattern, mechanism and initial status in emergency department on severity and prognosis in pediatric blunt thoracic trauma patients. Method: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and chest X-ray and CT images of 111 pediatric blunt thoracic trauma patients from October 2000 to June 2005. Data recorded age, gender, season, injury mechanism, injury pattern, associated injury, length of hospital stay and cause of death. Result: Of all 111 patients, 68 patients were injured by motor vehicle accidents, 30 were falls, 5 were motorcycle accidents, 3 were sports accidents and 5 were miscellaneous. In thoracic trauma, single injury of lung contusion were 35 patients and 32 patients had multiple thoracic injuries. Hospital stay in school age group were longer than preschool age group. The causes of death were brain injury in 9, respiratory distress in 4, and hypovolemic shock in 2 patients. Emergently transfused and mechanically ventilated patients had higher mortality rates than other patients. Patients required emergency operation and patients with multiple thoracic injuries had higher mortality rates. Conclusion: In this study, patients with combined injury, emergency transfusion, mechanical ventilation, emergency operation, multiple injuries in chest X-ray had higher mortality rates. Therefore in these pediatric blunt thoracic trauma patients, accurate initial diagnosis and proper management is required.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.405-418
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to describe patients satisfaction with nursing care in the emergency department and factors influencing satisfaction rates. 1. The mean score of patient satisfaction with nursing care in the emergency departments was 2.70. The mean scores of patient satisfaction with different aspects of nursing care services were 3.05 for nursing services for psychological safety: 2.67 for technical competence: 2.49 for information giving: and 1.35 for discharge teaching. 2. Patient satisfaction with nursing care services provided. according to the general characteristics of the patients. was revealed as being significantly high for the groups of patients made up of those who were male. those over 51years of age. married subjects. those with an education level of high school or below level. housewives. Buddhists. and those in the middle economic level. Patient satisfaction with nursing care according to their service utilization in the emergency departments revealed that satisfaction was significantly high for patients who were in internal medicine. neurology or psychiatry. those admitted for the first time. those for whom the distance from the department to home was less than 30 minutes. patients who visited between monday and Friday and between 8AM and 4PM. patients who did not have to wait to be seen and those who stayed in the department less than 24 hours. 3. The correlation between the patients' general characteristics. nursing service utilization of the patients in the department and their satisfaction with nursing care showed that patients with longer waiting time had lower satisfactory scores for nursing service. 4. The registered nurses working in the emergency department reported that the main reasons for low satisfaction rates included 'over worked nurses' and 'too many patients' in the emergency department. In conclusion. the results of this study suggest the necessity of developing relevant nursing interventions for discharge teaching to increase patient satisfaction with nursing care services in emergency departments: and the need for adequate support from hospital administrators to improve patients' service utilization.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-78
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• 2013

Purpose : This study aimed to improve quality of prehospital emergency care for the insect bite patients by figuring out its current situations and problems. Methods : This study was conducted to 219 insect bite patients who were transferred to the hospital by 119 ambulance in D-City from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011. This study was a descriptive study by 119 run sheets. A total of 171 emergency medical technicians(EMTs) working in D-city and C-province completed the questionnaire. All of data were analyzed by SPSS 18.0. Results : Among the 219 patients, bee sting accounted for 62.6% and wasp sting accounted for 20.1%. Some patients complained of dizziness, headache, dyspnea, and disturbance of consciousness. The 119 EMTs initially treated the patients with oxygen supply to 57 patients (31.1%). Knowledge toward insect bite was statistically significant (p=.000) between advanced EMTs and basic EMTs. The obstacle to the prehospital care, many EMTs answered that the obstacle was due to the lack of 119 EMTs. Conclusion : It is necessary to differentiate the patients' symptoms and provide the better prehospital emergency care to verify the exact symptoms and signs.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.123-134
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the number of patients with and without medical history transported to the emergency department due to changes in daily temperature and season. Methods: Data on emergency activity sheet and daily weather were collected from March 2016 to February 2017 in the city of Gyeonggi-do. In total, 13,531 patients were transferred to the emergency department in 119 ambulance. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 21). Results: The daily average number of patients transferred was the highest in August and September, i.e., the summer season. The higher the daily highest and lowest temperatures, higher the daily average number of patients transferred. In contrast, patients with medical history of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and pulmonary disease had a higher incidence of transfers in the winter season and on days with lower temperature. Conclusion: The results indicate that as people become more active during the summer when temperatures are high, the chances of daily emergencies increases, whereas patients with medical history are more likely to experience emergencies when the temperatures were lower. Hence, 119 ambulances will have to be prepared in advance to deal with this trend.