• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2009

Purpose: We performed this study to determine how the emergency trauma team affects the treatment of patients with multiple severe trauma and to discuss the effect and the direction of the emergency trauma team's management. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 518 patients who visited our emergency department with severe trauma from August 2006 to July 2008. We divided the severe trauma patients into 2 groups : patients before and after trauma team management (Group 1 and Group 2). Then, we compared demographic characteristics, mechanisms of injury, and treatment outcomes (lengths of stay in the ED, admission ratio, and in-hospital mortality) between the 2 groups. In the same way, patients with multiple severe trauma were divided into 2 groups, that are patients before and after trauma team management (Group 3 and Group 4) and analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference, except mean age, between groups 1 and 2. In group 4 patients, compared to group 3 patients, the lengths of stay in the ED were lower (p value < 0.001), and the admission ratio were higher (p value = 0.017), but there was no significant difference in the in-hospital mortality between the groups 3 and 4. Conclusion: When patients with multiple severe trauma visit the ED, the emergency trauma team' management can decrease the lengths of stay in the ED and increase the admission ratio, but does not produce a decrease in the in-hospital mortality rate. Further investigations of emergency trauma team management are needed to improve treatment outcomes for patients with multiple severe trauma.

• 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.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2012

Purpose: Although Pokeweed intoxication is relatively less severe, there is little data on the clinical presentation of Pokeweed intoxication in Korea. This study examined the clinical aspects to provide basic data for evaluating Pokeweed intoxication. Methods: A retrospective study by a chart review was performed on 19 patients who ingested Pokeweed and presented to an academic emergency department with an annual census of 40,000 between March 2012 and May 2012. Results: Nineteen patients were identified. All patients were intoxicated unintentionally. The most common symptoms were vomiting with diarrhea and abdominal pain. The onset time varied, but occurs 30 minutes to 5 hours post ingestion of Pokeweed. All patients were discharged without fatal complications. Conclusion: Compared to previous reports, most pokeweed poisoning patients complain of gastrointestinal symptoms. Supportive care is the mainstay of the management of pokeweed intoxication. All symptoms were resolved over a 24 to 48 hour period.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.108-114
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• 2014

Purpose: Alcohol ingestion is a significant risk factor for injuries. However, the influence of high blood alcohol concentration about the severe traumatic injury is controversial. The aim of study was to analyze the injury severity, prognosis in severe traumatic patients according to alcohol ingestion. Methods: This study was performed retrospectively with severe traumatic patients (Injury Severity $Score{\geq}16$) who visited the emergency department at Pusan National University Hospital from January 2013 to December 2013. Results: In total 98 severe traumatic patients, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) positive group (BAC>30 mg/dl) is 42 (42.90%) patients and BAC negative group ($BAC{\leq}30mg/dl$) is 56 (57.10% )patients. Head and neck injury is significantly high in BAC positive group (35 patients, 83.3%) compared to BAC negative group (33 patients, 58.9%). Comparison of injury severity, outcome and mortality is not significantly different between two groups. Conclusion: In severe traumatic patients, head and neck injury occurred high in BAC positive group. Alcohol ingestion did not influence injury severity, outcome in severe traumatic patients. However, effort to decreasing injury related to alcohol ingestion and prospective multi-center study is needed.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2005

Background: Although trauma has been the major cause of death in korea, there are few reports describing the epidemiologic characteristics of trauma victims according to age-group. Thus, this study aimed to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of trauma victims visiting an urban emergency medical center in Korea. Method: This study was conducted with all trauma victims who visited the emergency departments of Asan Medical Center from April 11, 2005 to May 10, 2005. After the subjects were divided into three groups such as child (${\leq}14$ years old), adult(15-64 years old) and elderly(${\geq}65$ years old), the prehospital courses, injury mechanisms, injury severities and clinical results were compared. Result: Among total 5,927 patients who visited the emergency medical center, 896(15.1%) patients were trauma victims. Although child under the age of 15 comprised 28.7% of the total trauma victims, less severe injuries(injury severity score < 9) accounted for 97.7% of the cases. The hospitalization rate for injury among child was 21.5%. however, although elderly aged 65 comprised only 5.9% of the total trauma victims, more severe injuries(injury severity score ${\geq}9$) accounted for 30.2% of the cases. The hospitalization rate for injury among elderly was 56.4%. Conclusion: Patterns of injury and clinical results by age-group were considerably different. less severe and non-hospitalized injuries were more common in child than other age-groups. while severe and hospitalized injuries were common in elderly.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.61-71
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure the inter-rater reliability of Emergency severity index (ESI) version 4 among triage nurse. Methods: This study was carried out from August 11, 2010 to September 7, 2010 in a regional emergency department. Data collection was done by ten triage nurses who trained ESI v.4. Two research nurses and ten triage nurses scored the ESI version 4 to the patients as references, independently. We calculated the weighted kappa between the triage nurses and research nurses to evaluate the consistency of the ESI v.4. Results: A total of 233 patients were enrolled in this study. Classification of ESI level was as follows - level 1 (0.4%), level 2 (21.0%), level 3 (67.8%), level 4 (9.4%), and level 5 (1.3%). Inter-rater reliability by weighted kappa was 0.79 (95% Confidence Interval= 0.74-0.83) and agreement rate was 87.1%. Under-triage rate by triage nurse was 6.0% and over-triage rate was 6.9%. Conclusion: For this study, inter-rater reliability was measured good level between triage nurses and research nurses in Korean single ED.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate current status, indications, and complications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Methods: A retrospective investigation of patients who underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy at a university medical center from September 2004 to August 2013 was conducted based on patients' medical records and results of an email survey for 99 emergency centers. Results: During the study period, a total of 233 patients underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Indications for hyperbaric oxygen treatment of illness or injury were as follows: 1) 151 cases of acute carbon monoxide poisoning(65.4%), 2) flap wound management, including 42 cases(18.2%), 3) skin care transplanted, including 23 cases(10.4%), 4) Burger's disease, including 5 five cases(2.1%), respectively. Total application time$^*$ frequency was 1,088 and total time was 1,239 hours. Among 233 patients who underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy, 32 patients(13.7%) had complications: 1) otalgia in 21 cases(9.0%), 2) mastoiditis?in six cases(2.6%), 3) hemotympanum in five cases(2.1%), respectively. There were only 8 emergency centers that currently had an operational hyperbaric oxygen chamber in 77 emergency centers(10.4%). Conclusion: Indications identified through this study showed difference from current indications worldwide. It seems necessary that physicians' perception regarding application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for more indications be changed and improved. A hyperbaric chamber capable of providing respiratory assistance and intensive care is also needed. A good network for sharing treatment experiences and a specialized team for administration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also required.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.145-162
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• 2021

Purpose: The 2018 General survey of emergency assistance was conducted to examine the working conditions and welfare, including educational direction, interests, and awareness of work, of the fire department emergency medical technicians (EMT). This would be used as basic data for future policy directions. Methods: Among the fire-fighting officers in 16 cities nationwide, emergency rescue workers engaged in first-aid activities were targeted. With prior consent, a survey was conducted through electronic documents. Of the total 1,227 people, responses from 1,151 were finally analyzed, excluding 76 who did not respond appropriately. Results: The working conditions and welfare of 119 firefighters were moderate, but in the fields of education and interest, the learning according to the regulations was high. In particular, satisfaction with the scope of work was found to be below average. However, it was positive that it will play a role as a social safety net in the future and will converge with cutting-edge science. Conclusion: Although this study was a total investigation of the EMT survey, conducting an EMT survey on all fire fighters in Korea is difficult. Further research is needed, particularly on first-class emergency medical personnel who play a major role in 119 paramedics.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.155-165
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• 2019

Purpose: Although emergency care is one of the most important capabilities for novice nurses, many novice nurses have shown difficulty in emergency care in the clinical field. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence data for the future development of educational programs by analyzing the priorities in emergency care of novice nurses using the Importance-Performance Analysis. Methods: This study was designed as a descriptive survey. The participants were 197 novice nurses who worked in general hospitals from August 1 to 31, 2018. The questionnaire consisted of 'common emergency care', 'cardiovascular emergency care', 'nervous system emergency care', 'respiratory system emergency care', 'communication and teamwork competency'. Results: As a result of this study, 'communication and teamwork' among emergency cares was evaluated as the most important capability in the clinical field. In the Importance-Performance Analysis, a total of 12 items were included in the quadrant A, including 5 items related to 'cardiovascular emergency care', 4 items to 'respiratory system emergency care', 2 items to 'nervous system emergency care' and 1 item to 'common emergency care'. The results showed a need for intensive improvement in items included in quadrant A which are the high importance low performance items. Conclusion: In order to improve the emergency care of novice nurses, a variety of emergency care education programs on the nervous system and respiratory system care should be implemented as well as cardiovascular emergency care education.