International Emergency Nursing RSS feed: Current Issue. International Emergency Nursing is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to nurses and other professionals involved in emergency care. It aims to promote excellence through dissemination of high quality research findings, specialist knowledge and discussion of professional issues that reflect the diversity of this field. With an international readership and authorship, it provides a platform for practitioners worldwide to communicate and enhance the evidence-base of emergency care. The journal publishes a broad range of papers, from personal reflection to primary research findings, created by first-time through to reputable authors from a number of disciplines. It brings together research from practice, education, theory, and operational management, relevant to all levels of staff working in emergency care settings worldwide. Publication Ethics This journal is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics. This code will guide the editorial board and reviewers in their approach to any ethical issues arising in respect of papers submitted to International Emergency Nursing . http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. International Emergency Nursing1755-599X201January 2012 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11001248/abstract?rss=yesEditorial board10.1016/S1755-599X(11)00124-8International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2012-01-01International Emergency Nursing2012-01-01201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8iihttp://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11001170/abstract?rss=yes‘The more things change...’ A new year always brings the ideas of a fresh start or change in our lives. We make resolutions about the things we want to achieve, how we are going to get fitter, eat better, sort out all those things we have been putting off, start all the things we have been avoiding. And the list goes on. Emergency care is in a constant state of change, whether its new initiatives to bring waiting times down or the introduction of new roles to improve patient flow. Like resolutions some last for weeks before we fall back into our old habits, but others will become embedded and create a long-lasting shift in practice.EditorialHeather McClelland10.1016/j.ienj.2011.11.003International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2012-01-01International Emergency Nursing2012-01-01201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Editorial12http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X10000571/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: The emergency department is an important gateway for the treatment of self-harm patients. Nurses’ attitudes towards patients who self-harm can be negative and often nurses experience frustration, helplessness, ambivalence and antipathy. Patients are often dissatisfied with the care provided, and meeting with positive or negative attitudes greatly influences whether they seek additional help.A quantitative design was utilised to measure emergency department nurses’ attitudes towards deliberate self-harm. The ‘Self-Harm Antipathy Scale’, a validated questionnaire, was administered to a random sample of nurses in four emergency departments in the Republic of Ireland. A total of 87 questionnaires were returned (87% response rate). Results reveal that nurses show slightly negative antipathy overall, indicating positive attitudes towards self-harming patients. Attitudes were significantly different in accordance with a nurse’s age. Education and social judgment also contribute to the way nurses view, interact and make moral decisions regarding self-harm patients.Evidence indicates there is need to improve the training, supervision and support of nurses caring for patients who self-harm, and that practical strategies should be implemented to manage the alienation process and inform practice.Measuring emergency department nurses’ attitudes towards deliberate self-harm using the Self-Harm Antipathy ScaleMary Conlon, Claire O’Tuathail10.1016/j.ienj.2010.08.001International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Regular Articles313http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11000024/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Aim: To assess Jordanian RNs’ perceptions regarding their knowledge, skills, and preparedness for disaster management.Background: Current disaster knowledge, skills, and preparedness levels need to be evaluated to guide plans for effective educational programs. There is also a need to know where RNs received their knowledge, skills, and preparation, to enhance or improve future educational opportunities.Methods: Cross-sectional survey where the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET®) was distributed to Jordanian RNs who work in three randomly selected Ministry of Health hospitals and two university hospitals.Results: Four hundred and seventy-four participants completed the survey. Sixty-five per cent of respondents described their current disaster preparedness as weak: 18% medium: 12% good; and 5% felt their preparation was very good. Thirty-one per cent received disaster education in undergraduate programs; 8% in graduate nursing programs; 31% in facility drills, and 22% in continuing education courses. Eleven per cent had participated in a real disaster. Four hundred and thirty RNs wanted to learn more about RNs role in disasters, including knowledge and skills.Conclusion: Knowledge, skills, and disaster preparedness need continual reinforcement to improve self efficacy for disaster management.Recommendations: There is a need for a consistent national nursing curriculum for disaster preparedness and nationwide drills to increase disaster knowledge, skills, preparedness, and confidence.Jordanian nurses’ perceptions of their preparedness for disaster managementMurad A. Al Khalaileh, Elaine Bond, Jafar A. Alasad10.1016/j.ienj.2011.01.001International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Regular Articles1423http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X10000868/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Aim: The aim of this audit was to evaluate the accuracy of patient information transfer from pre-hospital reports to Emergency Department (ED) documentation.Methods: The records of 100 patients seen in the ED resuscitation room of a UK hospital were compared using a pro-forma designed by the research team. Sections of the ambulance service patient report form and the ED documentation were compared for differences. The history of the event leading to the 999 call, the patient’s previous medical history, prescribed medications, allergies and any treatment carried out by the ambulance crew were analysed.Results: Of the 100 records, 26 had at least one instance where information recorded by the ambulance crew was either omitted or altered during transfer. These fell into various categories including the previous medical history of the patient, the timings of the event bringing them to hospital, frequency of the event occurring, allergies and medications.Conclusion: This audit quantifies the number of patient encounters where written information changes or is lost when care is passed from pre-hospital to hospital staff in the resuscitation room. We have not investigated other parts of the ED or the verbal transfer of information. Further work investigating the causes of these changes in information, any impact on patient care and whether this occurs in other parts of an ED is suggested.Quality of the handover of patient care: A comparison of Pre-Hospital and Emergency Department notesStephen L. Murray, Robert Crouch, Mark Ainsworth-Smith10.1016/j.ienj.2010.09.004International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Regular Articles2427http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X1000087X/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Objective: Nurses are usually the first-responders in cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest. Their competence in Basic Life Support (BLS) is important in improving patient outcome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nurses’ BLS knowledge in a small district hospital.Methods: Data was collected by an anonymous questionnaire, distributed to all nursing personnel in this hospital.Data/results: The failure rate of the BLS theoretical questionnaire was 84%. Regarding self-assessment 10.3% of the participants rated their BLS knowledge as very good, whereas 31.2%, 44.2% and 14.3% of them rated it as good, moderate or not good respectively. This self-assessment did not correlate significantly with the final performance in the written test. No difference regarding the performance in the written test was observed between nurses who had participated in a refresher BLS course after graduation and those who had not. The nurses without any previous personal experience in the BLS had a higher probability to pass the written test.Conclusions: Our results indicate a low level of BLS knowledge among the study participants. Having an occasional refresher BLS course, or prior experience in BLS, does not affect the level of knowledge.Evaluation of nurses’ theoretical knowledge in Basic Life Support: A study in a district Greek hospitalTheodoros Xanthos, Aggeliki Akrivopoulou, Ioannis Pantazopoulos, Fillipia Aroni, Anastasios Datsis, Nicoletta Iacovidou10.1016/j.ienj.2010.11.001International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Regular Articles2832http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11000279/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: The patient’s voice has not been present to the same degree as the professional perspective in caring research in a pre-hospital context. In order to further develop and improve pre-hospital care, it is therefore important to explore patients’ situations not only in life threatening but also in non-traumatic situations. This is especially important as these patients might be defined as inappropriate attendees of ambulance services. The aim of this study was to interpret and explain experiences of caring in pre-hospital care situations that are not defined as traumatic or life threatening.Twenty informants aged between 34 and 82years were interviewed. The design of the study was exploratory, and it used an interpretative approach in order to understand the meaning of pre-hospital caring.The findings show that pre-hospital caring can be understood and explained as a matter of interplay between carer(s) and patient with potentials for positive as well as negative outcomes. Our conclusion is that the initial meeting is of vital importance in how patients experience pre-hospital care. It is suggested that general public information on the development of Swedish pre-hospital care received in turn may facilitate the first encounter between patient and carer(s).To handle the unexpected – The meaning of caring in pre-hospital emergency careCaroline Ahl, Maria Nyström10.1016/j.ienj.2011.03.001International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2012-01-01International Emergency Nursing2012-01-01201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Review Paper3341http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11000097/abstract?rss=yesThe findings and conclusions of were weakened or contradicted by several factors. First, due to the non-probability sampling nature of the survey method, only 87% of the selected participants responded to the survey, with 13% not responding. No reason was given for the 13% who did not participate, so the possibility exists that they had either extremely good or bad experiences with self-harming patients and decided to skip the survey. Although 87% is higher than many studies, the missing 13% could have thus changed the results if they had participated.Antipathy towards self-harm patients and nurse educationChristopher Ryan Mynhier, L. Lee Glenn10.1016/j.ienj.2011.02.003International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-08-08International Emergency Nursing2011-08-08201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Letter to the Editor4242http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11001133/abstract?rss=yesBeardsell I. and Robinson S. (2011) Can emergency department nurses performing triage predict the need for admission? Emergency Medicine Journal, 28, 959–962 The objective of this paper was to investigate whether nurses performing triage were able to accurately predict the need for admission of patients attending the emergency department (ED) and therefore support effective hospital bed management.Research ReviewAlastair Gray10.1016/j.ienj.2011.10.005International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-11-24International Emergency Nursing2011-11-24201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Research Review4344http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11000073/abstract?rss=yesWhile this book is intended as an introductory resource for medical students, junior doctors and new radiologists, it is also appropriate for emergency nurses and nurse practitioners. The introductory chapter provides a very good overview of radiology terminology, with indications and visual explanations of the range of radiology tests available, from plain x-rays, ultrasound, CT, MRI and nuclear medicine tests. Detailed chapters follow on currently available radiology diagnostics for each body system—respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, liver/pancreas, urinary tract and musculoskeletal. There are chapters on specialized radiology tests and interpretations for trauma, paediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology and neuroradiology. Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) Instructors will be particularly interested in the trauma information.Carole Rush10.1016/j.ienj.2011.02.001International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Book Reviews4545http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11000048/abstract?rss=yesNurse prescribing has been a significant development in nursing practice in recent years, with nurses embracing prescribing in different formats such as Patient Group Directions, Supplementary and Independent Prescribing. To fulfil this role safely and competently it is essential that nurses acquire sound pharmacological knowledge, demonstrating understanding of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics.Vidar Melby10.1016/j.ienj.2011.01.002International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2011-05-18International Emergency Nursing2011-05-18201S1755-599X(11)X0005-8Book Reviews4546http://www.internationalemergencynursing.com/article/PIIS1755599X11001340/abstract?rss=yesNews and Notices10.1016/S1755-599X(11)00134-0International Emergency Nursing 20, 1 (2012)2012-01-01International Emergency Nursing2012-01-01201S1755-599X(11)X0005-84747