An Evaluation of Post-Concussion Return to School Guidelines: A Survey of Massachusetts School Nurses.

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for students who have experienced a concussion. To address this gap in the legislation, some states and nongovernmental organizations have developed RTL guidelines to advise school personnel, parents, and health care providers on best practices for accommodating students' postconcussion reintegration into academic activity. In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) developed RTL guidelines which were disseminated to school nurses (SNs) at all public and nonpublic middle and high schools in the state.

It is time to rewrite state youth sports concussion laws.

Between 2009 and 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation to improve the recognition and management of youth concussed in sports. These laws can include requirements for concussion training for school athletic personnel, concussion education for children and their parents, return-to-play (RTP) procedures, and medical clearance to for RTP. Concussion can impact academic learning and performance in children and adolescents.

Disparities in baseline neurocognitive testing for student concussion management in Massachusetts high schools.

Purpose: There is evidence of socioeconomic disparities with respect to the implementation of student-sports concussion laws nationally. The purpose of this study was to examine school sociodemographic characteristics associated with the provision of computerised baseline neurocognitive testing (BNT) in Massachusetts (MA) high schools, and to assess whether the scope of testing is associated with the economic status of student populations in MA.

Methods: A cross-sectional secondary analysis of surveys conducted with MA athletic directors (n=270) was employed to investigate school characteristics associated with the provision of BNT.

Evaluation of Implementation of Massachusetts Sports Concussion Regulations: Results of Focus Groups with Athletic Directors.

In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) conducted focus groups with athletic directors (ADs) from Massachusetts middle and high schools to assess the implementation of legislated regulations relative to the management of concussion (mild traumatic brain injuries; mTBI) among students engaged in extracurricular sports. Two tape-recorded focus groups were conducted with a facilitator. Lists of themes were synthesized by investigators.

Perceptions of implementation of Massachusetts sports concussion regulations: results of a survey of athletic directors.

Background: In 2011 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued regulations pursuant to 2010 Massachusetts youth sports concussion legislation that provided policies and procedures for persons engaged in the prevention, training, management, and return-to-activity for students who sustain head injury during interscholastic athletics, including Athletic Directors (ADs).

Methods: A survey instrument was developed with participation from injury prevention experts at the Boston University School of Medicine, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and ADs. An electronic survey was sent to all AD members of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association to assess their perceptions of implementation of the sports concussion law.

Application of Components of the Massachusetts' Sports Concussion Regulations to All Students With Concussion: A Survey of School Nurses.

Appropriate management by schools of all students with a concussion, regardless of the cause, has not received the same attention as sports-related concussions. Focus groups conducted with Massachusetts School Nurses in 2015 found that some had applied protocols required in the state's sports concussion regulations to all students with concussion, not just student athletes. We surveyed high school nurses in Massachusetts to examine (1) the extent of this practice and (2) the extent to which protocols for all students with concussion are included in school policies.

Current Trends in Geriatric Emergency Medicine.

The number of geriatric visits to United States emergency departments continues to rise. This article reviews demographics, statistics, and future projections in geriatric emergency medicine. Included are discussions of US health care spending, geriatric emergency departments, prehospital care, frailty of geriatric patients, delirium, geriatric trauma, geriatric screening and prediction tools, medication safety, long-term care, and palliative care.

Concussion Care Practices and Utilization of Evidence-Based Guidelines in the Evaluation and Management of Concussion: A Survey of New England Emergency Departments.

Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines can facilitate proper evaluation and management of concussions in the emergency department (ED), often the initial and primary point of contact for concussion care. There is no universally adopted set of guidelines for concussion management, and extant evidence suggests that there may be variability in concussion care practices and limited application of clinical practice guidelines in the ED. This study surveyed EDs throughout New England to examine current practices of concussion care and utilization of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in the evaluation and management of concussions.

Vertigo, vertebrobasilar disease, and posterior circulation ischemic stroke.

Dizzy patients present a significant diagnostic challenge to the emergency clinician. The discrimination between peripheral and central causes is important and will inform subsequent diagnostic evaluation and treatment. Isolated vertigo can be the only initial symptom of a posterior circulation stroke.

Time series analysis of emergency department length of stay per 8-hour shift.

Introduction: The mean emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) is considered a measure of crowding. This paper measures the association between LOS and factors that potentially contribute to LOS measured over consecutive shifts in the ED: shift 1 (7:00 am to 3:00 pm), shift 2 (3:00 pm to 11:00 pm), and shift 3 (11:00 pm to 7:00 am).

Setting: University, inner-city teaching hospital.

Impact of an emergency department closure on the local emergency medical services system.

Background: On July 12, 2010, Boston Medical Center (BMC), the busiest emergency department (ED) in Massachusetts, with more than 100,000 adult patient visits per year, consolidated its two fully functional EDs into one. In preparation for this consolidation, BMC implemented systems changes to mitigate potential negative effects on both BMC and emergency medical services (EMS) providers, including Boston Emergency Medical Services (Boston EMS), the provider of 9-1-1 EMS to the City of Boston.

Objective: To examine the impact of the closure of an ED on an urban EMS system in a setting where ambulance diversion is not allowed.

Managing emergency department overcrowding.

Emergency department (ED) crowding and ambulance diversion has been an increasingly significant national problem for more than a decade. More than 90% of hospital ED directors reported overcrowding as a problem resulting in patients in hallways, full occupancy of ED beds, and long waits, occurring several times a week. Overcrowding has many other potential detrimental effects including diversion of ambulances, frustration for patients and ED personnel, lesser patient satisfaction, and most importantly, greater risk for poor outcomes.

Response to hepatitis A epidemic: emergency department collaboration with public health commission.

In 2004, a hepatitis A outbreak occurred in Boston, Massachusetts with an incident rate of 14.8 per 100,000, compared to 4.2 in 2003.

Time series analysis of variables associated with daily mean emergency department length of stay.

Study Objective: We measure the effect of various input, throughput, and output factors on daily emergency department (ED) mean length of stay per patient (daily mean length of stay).

Methods: The study was a retrospective review of 93,274 ED visits between April 15, 2002, and December 31, 2003. The association between the daily mean length of stay and the independent variables was assessed with autoregressive moving average time series analysis (ARIMA).

Brief interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use among military personnel: lessons learned from the civilian experience.

Unhealthy alcohol use is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Among military personnel, service members between the ages 18 and 25 had a 27.3% prevalence of heavy drinking in the previous 30 days, compared to 15.

Emergency Department overcrowding and ambulance diversion: the impact and potential solutions of extended boarding of admitted patients in the Emergency Department.

Emergency Department (ED) crowding and ambulance diversion have been increasingly significant national problems for more than a decade. Surveys of hospital directors have reported overcrowding in almost every state and 91% of hospital ED directors report overcrowding as a problem. The problem has developed because of multiple factors in the past 20 years, including a steady downsizing in hospital capacity, closures of a significant number of EDs, increased ED volume, growing numbers of uninsured, and deceased reimbursement for uncompensated care.

Self-reported safety belt use among emergency department patients in Boston, Massachusetts.

Background: Safety belt use is 80% nationally, yet only 63% in Massachusetts. Safety belt use among potentially at-risk groups in Boston is unknown. We sought to assess the prevalence and correlates of belt non-use among emergency department (ED) patients in Boston.

Elder abuse.

Elder abuse and neglect is a prevalent, underrecognized problem among today's senior citizens. Fortunately, awareness is increasing, and services are being provided to elders on a more ready basis. Still, the emergency care provider must act as a patient advocate and assume responsibility for the detection, treatment, and safe disposition of unfortunate victims.

Diagnosis and management of dizziness and vertigo.

Dizziness and vertigo present in patients of all ages. Particularly in older patients, dizziness is associated with a variety of cardiovascular, neurosensory, and psychiatric conditions and with the use of multiple medications. For the patient, the symptoms can be debilitating.

An observational study of safety belt use among taxi drivers in Boston.

Study Objective: Although safety belt legislation exists for drivers in Massachusetts, there is an exemption for taxicab drivers. According to the most recent data from the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, the observed safety belt use rate of drivers in Massachusetts is 64%. However, the safety belt use among taxicab drivers in Boston is unknown.

Submersion.

Many thousands of individuals are submersion victims each year in the United States. The majority of victims are young, previously healthy people. There have been no recent breakthroughs in medical technology or treatment modalities that have improved survival rates for submersion victims.

Low risk of infection in selected human bites treated without antibiotics.

To assess the need for antibiotics in low-risk human bite wounds, a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 127 patients presenting with low-risk human bite wounds over 2 years to a 40,000 visit per year major academic ED was performed. Low-risk bites penetrated only the epidermis and did not involve hands, feet, skin, overlying joints, or cartilaginous structures. Exclusion criteria included age less than 18 years, puncture wounds, immunocompromise, allergy to penicillin or related compound, or bites greater than 24 hours old.