Use of ultrasound by registered nurses-a systematic literature review.

Background: In Western Australia (WA), most stable patients undergoing haemodialysis receive treatment in a satellite setting where no doctors are on-site during treatment hours, so nurses must make critical decisions about fluid removal. Some patients regularly experience adverse events during dialysis (intradialytic), often due to excessive ultrafiltration goals, with intradialytic hypotension being particularly challenging. Ultrasound of the inferior vena cava has been previously demonstrated being a rapid and non-invasive method for volume assessment on haemodialysis patients, thus could hold valuable information for the treating nurse.

Effects of emergency department Care Coordination Team referrals in older people presenting with a fall.

Objectives: The study aims to describe the characteristics of patients presenting to an ED with a fall and evaluate multidisciplinary Care Coordination Team (CCT) referrals on patient outcomes.

Methods: A single-centred retrospective analysis of electronic data at an adult tertiary hospital was performed using data from 2004 to 2009 of presentations for patients aged 65 years or over with a fall. The primary outcome measure was representation to hospital within 30 days, comparing patients referred to CCT and those not referred.

Analysis of 22,655 presentations with back pain to Perth emergency departments over five years.

Background: Back pain is a significant cause of disability in the community, but the impact on Emergency Departments (EDs) has not been formally studied. Patients with back pain often require significant time and resources in the ED.

Aims: To examine the characteristics of patients presenting with back pain to the ED, including final diagnosis, demographics of those attending and temporal distribution of presentations.

Paediatric frequent attenders at emergency departments: a linked-data population study.

Aim: To characterise the phenomena of paediatric frequent attenders (FAs) to emergency departments (EDs) in Perth.

Methods: A linked data population study of all children (<15 years) attending Perth hospital EDs between 1 July 2000 and 31 December 2006. FAs attending five or more times annually were assessed for demographic characteristics, mode of arrival, urgency, clinical conditions and disposition by frequency of attendance.

Short-term risk of adverse outcome is significantly higher in patients returning an abnormal troponin result when tested in the emergency department.

Objective: Describe short-term mortality and hospitalization outcomes in patients undergoing troponin testing in Western Australia tertiary public hospital ED.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of adults presenting to urban tertiary ED between July 2000 and December 2004, and undergoing troponin inhibitory or tropomyosin binding testing. Patient data relating to ED attendance, troponins, hospitalization and death were linked using probabilistic data linkage.

Emergency Department diagnosis of pulmonary embolism is associated with significantly reduced mortality: a linked data population study.

Objectives: We characterized patients admitted via ED with a principal hospital discharge diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) and compared mortality of those diagnosed in the ED with those diagnosed after admission.

Methods: Patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis ICD 10 I26 presenting to the ED in Perth, Western Australia between 1 July 2000 and 30 December 2006 had records from the Emergency Department Information System linked to the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System and the death registry.

Results: Of 2250 patients (mean age 60.

Use of emergency departments by older people from residential care: a population based study.

Objective: to investigate the differences between emergency department (ED) presentations of older people who do and do not live in residential care facilities (RCFs).

Design: a population-based retrospective cohort study. ED records linked to ambulance and hospital morbidity records.

Frequent attenders at emergency departments: a linked-data population study of adult patients.

Objectives: To examine the characteristics of adult patient attendances to emergency departments (EDs) in Perth hospitals by patients' frequency of attendance.

Design, Setting And Participants: A linked-data population study of adults (aged > or = 15 years) attending all nine Perth hospital EDs between 1 July 2000 and 31 December 2006.

Main Outcome Measures: Proportion of frequent attenders (FAs; those attending five or more times annually); and demographic characteristics, mode of arrival at the ED, disposition (admission, transfer, discharge or death), urgency and clinical conditions by frequency of attendance.