• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.178-185
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy of combined treatment with local anesthesia and ketamine procedural sedation for pediatric facial laceration repair in the Emergency Department (ED). Methods: Patients aged 1 to 5 years receiving ketamine for facial laceration repair were prospectively enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, and controlled study at an ED. All patients were to receive intravenous ketamine (2 mg/kg). The local anesthesia group (LA group) received a local anesthetic along with ketamine, whereas the no local anesthesia group (NLA group) received only ketamine. The total time of sedation, the patients' movements and groans, adverse events, and the satisfaction ratings of physicians, nurses, and parents were recorded. Results: A total of 186 patients were randomized (NLA group: 90, LA group: 96). The total time of sedation (30.5 minutes for the NLA group, 32.6 minutes for the LA group; p=0.660), patients' groans (26 (28.9%) versus 23 (24.0%); 0.446) and movements (27 (30%) versus 35 (36.5%); p=0.350) was not affected by the addition of local anesthesia. Other adverse events were similar between the two groups. Also, the satisfaction ratings of physicians (median 4 for the NLA group versus 4 for the LA group (p=0.796)), nurses (2 versus 2.5 (p=0.400)), and parents (4 versus 4 (p=0.199)) were equivalent between the two groups. Conclusion: In this study, we found that local anesthesia was not required along with ketamine sedation for pediatric facial laceration repair.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.45-55
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• 2015

This article assesses factors that affect the ability of local fire branch heads in Taiwan to mobilize volunteer organizations in local emergency responses. Data from a survey of local fire branch heads in Taiwan is analyzed by using an OLS model to test three hypotheses regarding the relationship between the dependent variable, perceived ability to mobilize volunteer organizations in emergency response, and three explanatory variables: organizational capacity, quality of communication, and the quality of citizen engagement ex-ante to emergency response. The model indicates a positive relationship between the ability to mobilize volunteer organizations in emergency response, the quality of communications, and the quality of citizen engagement in preparedness. The research suggests that local fire branch heads and volunteer organizations should begin the process of emergency response mobilization in the preparedness stage. The quality of the citizen engagement in preparedness stages should increase the ability of local fire branch managers to mobilize external resources in emergency response.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2006

Purpose: This study aims to examine characteristics and actual conditions of patients using emergency room at farming and fishing villages, solve overcrowding of emergency room at the tertiary hospital and activate local emergency clinics. Methods: It examines department of diagnosis and treatment, vehicles used, sex, age, residential area, visit hour, length of stay, presence or absence of trauma, measures after first aid and degree of severity based on medical records of 6,740 patients using emergency room at farming and fishing villages from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2005. Conclusion : 1. Sex distribution of patients of emergency room was male 54.9% and female 45.1% and age distribution between over 40 and below 50 was most as 15.9%. 2. Transport means to emergency room were 91.4 of private car and others (public transport and going on foot), 7.5 of 119, 129 and police car and 1.0% of ambulance. 3. According to distribution of residential areas of emergency patients, 38.9% were Eup area, 42.1% Myeon area, 11.4% distant area and 7.5% adjacent area. 4. According to distribution of emergency patients by department of diagnosis and treatment, internal medicine was most as 35.8% and 55% of patients visited emergency room from 3:31 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.. 5. According to total hours of diagnosis and treatment of subjects, 51.2% were within 30min. and cases of non-trauma disease were 68.2%. 6. According to degree of emergency of emergency patients, non-emergency cases were 65.3%, urgent cases 27.7% and emergency cases 7.0% and 74.2% of patients returned home after first aid and 20.6% of them hospitalized. In conclusion, characteristics and diversification of patients should be examined and efforts by government and local medical institutions which must organize emergency system and facility and personnel levels suitable to regional conditions are needed in order to prevent overcrowding of emergency center of the tertiary hospital and activate local emergency center.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.595-602
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• 2018

Objective: The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS), which was implemented in 2016, needs to be assessed for its validity and reliability. Here we evaluate the relevance of emergency level assessment by analyzing the validity of KTAS as a Korean standardized triage system. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of adults who presented to a local emergency room (ER) during an 18-month period. We compared medical resources used, life-saving interventions performed, length of stay (LOS) in ER, admission rate, and mortality at each KTAS level. Results: Among a total of 40,339 patients, most patients were at KTAS 4 (n=19,532, 48.4%) and the longest median LOS in ER was 450 minutes at KTAS 2. As the KTAS level increased, the percentage of medical resources used and lifesaving interventions performed increased significantly. The odds of total admission and intensive care unit admission were significantly higher at KTAS 1 through 4 compared to those at KTAS 5. The odds related to admission and mortality were also significantly higher at KTAS 3 than at KTAS 4. Conclusion: We concluded that the KTAS, as a Korean standardized triage system of emergency level assessment, is relevant. Further, KTAS 1-3 and KTAS 4-5 are appropriate criteria to distinguish emergency and non-emergency patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.399-407
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• 2018

Objective: Regionalization is one of the principal subjects for the advancement of rural emergency medical service systems in South Korea. This study shows the characteristics of interhospital transfer and status of the incidence of three major emergency disorders (acute myocardial infarction [AMI], acute stroke, and severe trauma) in one local province. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted for patients with three major emergency disorders who visited emergency medical facilities in one local province from January 2013 to December 2015, on the basis of the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) data. Results: The incidence of three major emergency disorders had increased annually. Patients with each of these disorders tended to choose distinguishing methods of visiting emergency medical facilities. AMI patients tended to visited emergency medical facilities using private cars or on foot, while severe trauma patients usually visited by 119 ambulance, and acute stroke patients used 119 ambulance and private car in similar amounts. Overall, 65% of AMI patients were treated in intraregional medical facilities, but about 70% of acute stoke and severe trauma patients were transferred outside of the region. Conclusion: Because each of these disorders has an individual characteristic, it is difficult to expect a solution for the problems associated with emergency disorders just by assuring the availability of medical resources. Based on regionalization, a policy to provide the optimal treatment for those emergency disorders should be developed by planning public medical service systems based on the individual characteristics of emergency disorders, the standardized transfer plans of emergency patients and the assurance for mobilization and sharing of confined medical resources.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2017

Purpose: Activated charcoal (AC) has been widely used as a universal antidote. Currently, emergency medical centers in Korea cannot administer AC due to discontinuation of the supply of commercial ready-mixed AC suspension. This study was conducted to investigate the proportion of emergency medical centers that administer AC to poisoning patients and provide basic information for emergency physicians and toxicologists. Methods: A prospective telephone survey of all of the included emergency medical institutions was conducted. The type of emergency medical institution, average annual number of patients admitted to the emergency department, annual average number of patients who were poisoned and whether the hospital currently utilizes gastric lavage and administration of AC were determined. Results: AC was administered to poisoning patients in 40% of regional emergency medical centers, 59.3% of local emergency medical centers, and 45.9% of local emergency medical rooms. Overall, 37% of total emergency medical institutions did not administer AC due to discontinuation of the commercial ready-mixed AC suspension. Additionally, 77% of emergency physicians in institutions without AC knew AC is necessary for poisoning patients. The rate of vomiting experienced by the medical staff according to types of charcoal showed that the average rate of vomiting was 33% for commercial ready-mixed activated charcoal suspension and 51% for self-prepared charcoal powder (p=0.02). Conclusion: AC should be secured promptly in emergency medical institutions. Before the supply of commercial ready-mixed AC suspension becomes again it is essential to develop a standardized regimen for self-preparation of charcoal powder and to educate emergency physicians and toxicologists to its use.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2007

Purposes: There have been many efforts to improve the service of emergency centers. In spite of these, no evidence is showing any landmark advancement of emergency services, especially in the hospital stage, exists. We need some efficient standard criteria to evaluate emergency service in the hospital stage, and a useful method might utilize the overcrowding index. We want to know the change in the overcrowding index at a regional emergency center after injury area administration. Injury area means an area in which only an assigned duty physician manages patients with injuries such as those from traffic accidents, falls, assualts, collisions, lacerations, amputations, bums, intoxication, asphyxia, drowning, animal bites, sexual assualts, etc. Methods: We started to operate an injury area in our emergency department from late 2004, and from January to June in 2004 and in 2005, we collected patients' data, age, sex, assigned department, and result from hospital order communication system to figure out overcrowding indices and result indices. We found the daily number of patients, the turnover rate, the admission rate, the ICU admission rate, the emergency operation rate, the ED stay duration, and the ED patient volume to be overcrowding indices. Also we found the withdrawal rate, the transfer rate, and mortality to be result indices. We compared these indices between 2004 to 2005 by using a t-test. Results: There was a significant increase in the daily number of visiting patients in 2005, overcrowding indices, such as the turnover rate, the admission rate, the ICU admission rate, and the emergency operation rate, also showed statistically significant increases in 2005 (P<0.001). As for the result indices, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of withdrawals (11.77/day in 2004 to 4.53/day in 2005). Conclusion: Operating an injury area in a mildly overcrowded local emergency center is beneficial. Evaluating the effect of operating an injury area and it's impact on hospital finances by conducting a similar study analyziing patients for a longer duration would be valuable.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.176-186
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting fall prevention activities of emergency room (ER) nurses based on their health belief factors (perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and cues to action). Methods: The study design was a descriptive survey using questionnaires which were given to 127 emergency room nurses from two regional emergency medical centers, four local emergency medical centers, and two local emergency medical facilities. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA with LSD test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regressions. Results: ER nurses' fall prevention activities had a mean of $3.78{\pm}0.50$. Eight individual characteristics and health belief factors accounted for 30.8% of the fall prevention activities. Fall prevention activities were found to be positively affected by emergency medical facilities, perceived benefits, and cues to action and negatively affected by factors, such as ER career and perceived severity. Conclusion: The results indicate that it is necessary to formulate a plan for enhancing perceived benefits and cues to action to improve fall prevention activities. In addition, fall prevention activities should be encouraged for ER nurses who have worked in local medical institutions for less than 1 year or more than 5 years.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.585-594
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• 2018

Objective: This study was designed to report on the progress of the fire at Jecheon sports complex and to assess the adequacy of Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT)'s activities in response to the fire disaster. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review based on camera recordings and medical records that were recorded at the disaster site for assessment of activities. We cooperated with firefighters, police officers, local hospital medical staffs and public health personnel in Jecheon in order to classify patients in the disaster field and to understand the patients' progress. Results: At 15:53, the first request for emergency rescue came to the 119 general emergency call center, and a request for DMAT activation came at 16:28. DMAT arrived at the site at 17:04 and remained active until the following day at 00:43. The total number of casualties was 60, including 27 minimal (Green) patients, 29 expectant (Black) patients, three delayed (Yellow) patients, and one immediate (Red) patient. There were 32 patients who received on-site care by DMAT. Two patients were transferred from a local hospital to Wonju Severance Christian Hospital for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Conclusion: Twenty-nine victims were found in the sports complex building, and there were 31 mildly to moderately injured patients in this fire disaster. The main cause of death was thought to be smoke suffocation. Although DMAT was activated relatively quickly, it was not able to provide effective activity due to the late rescue and difficulty with fire suppression.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2021

Purpose: Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely available drug responsible for a large part of drug-induced hepatotoxicity in developed countries. Although acetaminophen overdose cases in Korea are being continuously reported, there are no reports related to the level of this drug in the patient's blood or of laboratory analysis at emergency departments (ED). This study sought to analyze the acetaminophen overdose cases at a toxicological laboratory and to survey APAP analysis services offered at select EDs. Methods: We analyzed the demographic and analytic data at a toxicological laboratory run by the National Emergency Medical Center (NMC) in 2019-2020. We surveyed the APAP laboratory service in the 38 regional emergency medical centers (EMCs) and 68 local EMCs near the toxicological laboratory. Results: We studied 175 acute poisoning cases (112 women) with positive blood APAP results (mean age 47.0±24.1 years). Suicide attempts comprised 40.0% of the cases and 30.3% APAP overdose events. In the univariate analysis, we observed that patients were significantly younger, with fewer underlying medical diseases. There were a higher number of APAP overdose events, more favorable initial mental status, more toxic quantity intake in the above treatment line group (p<0.05), In multivariate analysis, the toxic amount intake was significantly more frequent in the above treatment line group (p<0.01). Hospital APAP analysis services were available in six EMCs (3/38 regional and 3/68 local). The hospital blood APAP level reporting intervals were shorter than outside-hospital laboratory services (p<0.01, regional 7.0±3.0 vs. 40.6±27.5, local 5.3±3.1 vs. 57.9±45.1 hours). The NMC toxicological laboratory reporting interval was shorter than the other outside-hospital laboratories (p<0.01, regional 5.7±0.6 vs. 50.2±22.7 local 7.5±3.0 vs. 70.5±41.5 hours). Conclusion: Over the treatment line group, toxic amount intake was significantly more frequent. Only six of 106 EMCs have their own APAP analysis service in their hospitals.