BMJ

Association between delays to patient admission from the emergency department and all-cause 30-day mortality

Background Delays to timely admission from emergency departments (EDs) are known to harm patients. Objective To assess and quantify the increased risk of death resulting from delays to inpatient ...
BMJ

Observational research methods. Research design II: cohort, cross sectional, and case-control studies

Cohort, cross sectional, and case-control studies are collectively referred to as observational studies. Often these studies are the only practicable method of studying various problems, for example, ...
BMJ

Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes and Study (PICOS) design as a framework to formulate eligibility criteria in systematic reviews

Dear editor, We read with great interest the review entitled ‘Paracetamol vs other analgesia in adult patients with minor musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review’,1 published in the Emergency ...
BMJ

Development of hospital disaster resilience: conceptual framework and potential measurement

Objective Despite ‘hospital resilience’ gaining prominence in recent years, it remains poorly defined. This article aims to define hospital resilience, build a preliminary conceptual framework and ...
BMJ

Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection after sexual assault: When is it indicated?

Accident and Emergency Department, St Thomas's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital Trust, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, UK To date there are no published studies on the effectiveness of ...
BMJ

Uncontrolled before-after studies: discouraged by Cochrane and the EMJ

The simplest way to evaluate an intervention is to compare outcomes before and after implementation of the intervention. This method is known as an uncontrolled before-after study. The term ...
BMJ

Demand and capacity planning in the emergency department: how to do it

1 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Emergency Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK 2 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, UK Correspondence to Dr Ian Higginson, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Level 6, ...
BMJ

Comparison of a long spinal board and vacuum mattress for spinal immobilisation

Objectives: This study was designed to compare the stability and comfort afforded by the long spinal board (backboard) and the vacuum mattress. Methods: Nine volunteers wearing standardised clothing ...
BMJ

Patients’ and ambulance service clinicians’ experiences of prehospital care for acute myocardial infarction and stroke: a qualitative study

Background Patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke commonly present first to the ambulance service. Little is known about experiences of prehospital care which are ...
BMJ

787 Evaluation of the role of anal tone and perianal sensation examination in the assessment of suspected cauda equina syndrome

Methods/Design Consecutive patients with suspected CES presenting over a three-year period to the Emergency Department (ED) of a busy tertiary centre were included in the study. History and ...
BMJ

Critical care in the emergency department: monitoring the critically ill patient

1 Departments of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Prescot, Merseyside, L35 5DR, UK 2 Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath, BA1 3NG, UK ...