STEMI Equivalents and Their Incidence during EMS Transport.

Objective: The management of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is time-critical, with a focus on early reperfusion to decrease morbidity and mortality. It is imperative that prehospital clinicians recognize STEMI early and initiate transport to hospitals capable of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a door-to-balloon time of ≤90 minutes. Three patterns have been identified as STEMI equivalents that also likely warrant prompt attention and potentially PCI: Wellens syndrome, De Winter T waves, and aVR ST elevation. The goal of our study was to assess the incidence of these findings in prehospital patients presenting with chest pain. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review from a large urban tertiary care emergency department. We reviewed the prehospital ECG, or ECG upon arrival, of 861 patients who were hospitalized and required cardiac catheterization between 4/10/18 and 5/7/19. Patients who had field catheterization lab activation by EMS for STEMI were excluded. If a prehospital ECG was not available for review, the first ECG obtained in the hospital was used as a proxy. Each ECG was screened for aVR elevation, De Winter T waves, and Wellens syndrome. Results: Of 278 charts with prehospital ECGs available, 12 met our criteria for STEMI equivalency (4.4%): 6 Wellens syndrome and 6 aVR STEMI. There were no cases of De Winters T waves. Of 573 charts with no prehospital ECG available, 27 had initial hospital ECGs that met our STEMI equivalent criteria (4.7%): 7 Wellens syndrome and 20 aVR STEMI. Again, there were no cases of De Winters T waves. Conclusions: These preliminary data suggest that there are significant numbers of patients whose prehospital ECG findings do not currently meet criteria for field activation of the cardiac catheterization lab, but who may require prompt catheterization. Further studies are needed to look at outcomes, but these results could support the need for further education of prehospital clinicians regarding recognition of these STEMI equivalents, as well as quality initiatives aimed at decreasing door-to-balloon time for patients with STEMI equivalents.

A National Survey of Wilderness Medicine Curricula in United States Emergency Medicine Residencies.

INTRODUCTION: Wilderness medicine (WM) is a growing subspecialty of emergency medicine. In 2018, we surveyed all 240 emergency medicine residencies in the United States to assess the scope of WM education in emergency medicine training programs in light of the nearly 30% increase in the number of residencies since 2015. METHODS: A survey was e-mailed to the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine listserv and individual program directors of each of the 240 residencies. The survey included questions on educational content, format, number of hours taught, availability of conference credit, offering of an elective or fellowship, and several predefined WM curricula. We evaluated differences between 3-y and 4-y residencies using the χ2 test, where P<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: We had a response rate of 57% for completed surveys. Analysis showed 63% of respondent programs teach WM material. The majority (86%) partially or completely developed their curriculum, with 33% offering at least 1 of the predefined curricula. Thirteen percent taught with lecture only, 2% taught by hands-on only, and 85% used a combination of the 2. WM electives were significantly more likely to be offered by 4-y than 3-y residencies (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Almost two-thirds of respondent residency programs teach WM material. Of these, only one-third teach any of the predefined curricula. Four-year residencies are more likely to offer WM electives but are otherwise comparable to 3-y programs.

Return to Sport After Surgical Management of Proximal Hamstring Avulsions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the rates and timing of return to sport for the surgical management of proximal hamstring avulsions (PHAs). METHODS: Three databases, PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, were searched from database inception until October 7, 2017, by 2 reviewers independently and in duplicate. The inclusion criteria were studies reporting return to sport outcomes for surgical management of acute, chronic, complete, and partial PHA. The rate of return to sports was combined in a meta-analysis of proportions using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Overall, 21 studies with a total of 846 patients met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 41.4 years (range, 14-71 years) and a mean follow-up of 37.8 months (range, 6-76 months). Two studies were of prospective comparative design (level II), 2 were retrospective comparative (level III), 8 were prospective case series (level IV), and 9 were retrospective case series (level IV). The overall mean time to return to sport was 5.8 months (range, 1-36 months). The pooled rate of return to any sport participation was 87% [95% confidence interval (CI), 77%-95%]. The pooled rate of return to preinjury level of sport was 77% (95% CI, 66%-86%). CONCLUSIONS: Pooled results suggest a high rate of return to sport after surgical management of PHA; however, this was associated with a lower preinjury level of sport. No major differences in return to sport were found between partial versus complete and acute versus chronic PHA.

The evolution of femoroacetabular impingement surgical management as a model for introducing new surgical techniques.

Introducing new surgical techniques and concepts can be difficult. There are many hurdles to overcome initially, such as the learning curve, equipment and technique development, before a standard of care can be established. In the past, new surgical techniques have been developed, and even widely accepted, before any scientific evaluation has been made. At that stage, it may be too late properly to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments, as the objectiveness and/or randomisation process may be obstructed. Since the introduction of evidence-based medicine (EBM), there have been high standards of scientific rigour to prove the efficacy of treatments. Based on the nature of evidence-based acceptance, innovations cannot be subjected to this final process before their evolution process is complete and, as a result, there is a need for the staged scientific development of new surgical techniques that should be adopted. This paper presents a model for this kind of stepwise introduction based on the actual evolution of FAI syndrome surgery. By following a scientific algorithmic methodology, new surgical techniques and concepts can be introduced in a stepwise manner to ensure the evidence-based progression of knowledge.

GPS Devices in a Simulated Mass Casualty Event.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the staff perception of a global positioning system (GPS) as a patient tracking tool at an emergency department (ED) receiving patients from a simulated mass casualty event. METHODS: During a regional airport disaster drill a plane crash with 46 pediatric patients was simulated. Personnel from airport fire, municipal fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and emergency medicine departments were present. Twenty of the 46 patient actors required transport for medical evaluation, and we affixed GPS devices to 12 of these actors. At the hospital, ED staff including attending physicians, fellows and nurses working in the ED during the time of the drill accessed a map through an application that provided real-time geolocation of these devices. The primary outcome was staff reception of the GPS device as assessed via Likert scale survey after the event. The secondary outcomes were free text feedback from staff and event debriefing observations. RESULTS: Queried registered nurses, attending physicians, and pediatric emergency medicine fellows perceived the GPS device as an advantage for patient care during a disaster. The GPS device allowed multiple-screen real-time tracking and improved situational awareness in cases with and without EMS radio communication prior to arrival at the hospital. CONCLUSION: ED staff reported that the use of GPS trackers in a disaster improved real-time tracking and could potentially improve patient management during a mass casualty event.

Effects of Real-time EMS Direction on Optimizing EMS Turnaround and Load-balancing Between Neighboring Hospital Campuses.

Background: Implemented in September 2017, the "nurse navigator program" identified the preferred emergency department (ED) destination within a single healthcare system using real-time assessment of hospital and ED capacity and crowding metrics. Objective: The primary objective of the navigator program was to improve load-balancing between two closely situated emergency departments, both of which feed into the same inpatient facilities of a single healthcare system. A registered nurse in the hospital command center made real-time recommendations to emergency medical services (EMS) providers via radio, identifying the preferred destination for each transported patient based on such factors as chief complaint, ED volume, and waiting room census. The destination decision was made via the utilization of various real-time measures of health system capacity in conjunction with existing protocols dictating campus-specific clinical service availability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this real-time ambulance destination direction program as reflected in changes to emergency medical services (EMS) turnaround time and the incidence of intercampus transports. Methods: A before-and-after time series was performed to determine if program implementation resulted in a change in EMS turnaround time or incidence of intercampus transfers. Results: Implementation of the nurse navigator program was associated with a statistically significant decrease in EMS turnaround times for all levels of dispatch and transport at both hospital campuses. Intercampus transfers also showed significant improvement following implementation of the intervention, although this effect lagged behind implementation by several months. Conclusion: A proactive approach to EMS destination control using a nurse navigator with access to real-time hospital and ED capacity metrics appears to be an effective method of decreasing EMS turnaround time.

What Makes Suture Anchor Use Safe in Hip Arthroscopy? A Systematic Review of Techniques and Safety Profile.

PURPOSE: To perform a systematic review that assesses the current literature on suture anchor placement for the purpose of identifying factors that lead to suture anchor perforation and techniques that reduce the likelihood of complications. It was hypothesized that suture anchor placement in hip arthroscopy would generally be safe, with the exception of the complications of articular cartilage violation and psoas tunnel perforation. Perioperative factors, related to patient, surgeon, and technical variables, may influence the safety of suture anchor insertion. METHODS: Three databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase) were searched, and 2 reviewers independently screened the resulting literature. The inclusion criteria were clinical and biomechanical studies examining the use of suture anchors in hip arthroscopy. The methodologic quality of all included articles was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria and the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. Results are presented according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: We included 14 studies in this review, comprising 4 case series (491 patients; 56.6% female patients; mean age, 33.9 years), 9 controlled cadaveric or laboratory studies (111 cadaveric hips and 12 synthetic acetabular bone blocks; 42.2% female hips; mean age, 60.0 years) with a mean Quality Appraisal for Cadaveric Studies score of 11, and 1 randomized controlled trial (37 hips; 55.6% female hips; mean age, 34.2 years). Anterior cortical perforation into the psoas tunnel by suture anchors led to pain and impingement of pelvic neurovascular structures. The anterior acetabular positions (3- to 4-o'clock position) had the thinnest bone, smallest rim angles, and highest incidence of articular perforation. Drilling angles from 10° to 20° measured off the coronal plane were acceptable. The midanterior and distal anterolateral portals were used successfully, with 1 study reporting difficulty placing anchors at anterior locations through the distal anterolateral portal. One study showed that curved suture anchor drill guides allow for a better trajectory away from the articular cartilage. Small-diameter (≤1.8-mm) all-suture anchors had a lower in vivo incidence of articular perforation with similar stability and pullout strength to other anchor types in biomechanical studies. CONCLUSIONS: Suture anchors at anterior acetabular rim positions (3- to 4-o'clock position) should be inserted with caution. Large-diameter (≥2.3-mm) suture anchors increase the likelihood of articular perforation without increasing labral stability. Inserting small-diameter (≤1.8-mm) all-suture anchors from 10° to 20° drilling angles may increase safe insertion angles from all cutaneous portals. Direct arthroscopic visualization, the use of fluoroscopy, distal-proximal insertion, and the use of nitinol wire can help prevent articular violation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level I to IV studies.

Correction to: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with concomitant meniscal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes.

Unfortunately, the middle name of Olufemi R. Ayeni was accidentally omitted in the original publication and the author name is corrected here. The original article has been corrected.

Changing trends in the use of cartilage restoration techniques for the patellofemoral joint: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The patellofemoral (PF) joint contains the thickest articular cartilage in the human body. Chondral lesions to this area are often misdiagnosed and can predispose to secondary osteoarthritis if left untreated. Treatment options range from arthroscopic debridement to cartilage restoration techniques such as microfracture (MFx), autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), and osteochondral autograft transplantation. The purpose of this study was to systematically assess the trends in surgical techniques, outcomes, and complications of cartilage restoration of the PF joint. METHODS: This review has been conducted according to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). The electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched from January 1, 2007 to April 30, 2018. The Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) was used to assess study quality. A two-proportion z test was used to determine whether the differences between the proportions of cartilage restoration techniques used from 2007 to 2012 and 2013-2018 were statistically significant. RESULTS: Overall, 28 studies were identified, including 708 patients (824 knees) with a mean age of 39.5 ± 10.5 years and a mean follow-up of 39.1 ± 16.0 months. Majority of patients were treated with ACI (45.5%) and MFx (29.6%). A significant increase in the use of the third generation ACI occurred with a simultaneous decreased usage of the conventional MFx over the last 5 years (p < 0.001). All techniques had significant (p < 0.05) improvements in clinical outcomes. The overall complication rate was 9.2%, of which graft hypertrophy (2.7%) was the most prevalent. CONCLUSIONS: ACI was the most common restoration technique. The use of third generation ACI has increased with a concurrent decline in the use of conventional MFx over the latter half of the past decade (p < 0.001). Overall, the various cartilage restoration techniques reported improvements in patient reported outcomes with low complication rates. Definitive conclusions on the optimal treatment remain elusive due to a lack of high-quality comparative studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Systematic Review of Level-II-IV studies.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with concomitant meniscal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to compare the clinical outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with either meniscal repair or meniscectomy for concomitant meniscal injury. The primary hypothesis was that short-term clinical outcomes (≤ 2-year follow-up) for ACLR concomitant with either meniscal repair or resection would be similar. The secondary hypothesis was that ACLR with meniscal repair would result in better longer term outcomes compared with meniscal resection. METHODS: The authors searched two online databases (EMBASE and MEDLINE) from inception until March 2018 for the literature on ACLR and concurrent meniscal surgery. Two reviewers systematically screened studies in duplicate, independently, and based on a priori criteria. Quality assessment was also performed in duplicate. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) sub-scale scores at 2 years post-operatively were combined in a meta-analysis of proportions using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Of 2566 initial studies, 25 studies satisfied full-text inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up was 2.09 years, with a total sample of 37,087 subjects including controls. The meta-analysis demonstrated equivocal results at 2 years, except for KOOS symptom scores which favoured meniscal resection over repair. Mean KT-1000 side-to-side difference (SSD) scores were 1.51 ± 0.60 mm for meniscal repair, 1.96 ± 0.36 mm for meniscal resection, and 1.58 ± 0.20 for control patients (isolated ACLR). Medial meniscal repair showed decreased anterior knee joint laxity compared to medial meniscal resection (P < 0.001). Patients with meniscal repair had higher rates of re-operation (13.3% vs 0.8% for meniscal resection, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with ACLR combined with meniscal resection demonstrate better symptoms at 2-year follow-up compared to patients with ACLR combined with meniscal repair. ACLR combined with meniscal repair results in decreased anterior knee joint laxity with evidence of improved patient-reported outcomes in the long term, but also higher re-operation rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Outcomes After Arthroscopic Rotator Interval Closure for Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: (1) To systematically assess the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic rotator interval closure (RIC) procedures for shoulder instability and (2) to report the different technical descriptions and surgical indications for this procedure. METHODS: Two independent reviewers searched 4 databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane) from database inception until October 15, 2017. The inclusion criteria were studies that reported outcomes of shoulder stabilization using arthroscopic RIC as an isolated or adjunctive surgical procedure. The methodologic quality of studies was assessed with the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system for randomized controlled trials. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met our search criteria (524 patients). Of the studies, 12 were graded Level IV evidence; 2, Level III; and 1, Level II. Six different RIC technique descriptions were reported, with 2 studies not defining the details of the procedure. The most common method of RIC was arthroscopic plication of the superior glenohumeral ligament to the middle glenohumeral ligament (8 of 15 studies). The most commonly used patient-reported outcome measure was the Rowe score, with all studies reporting a minimum postoperative score of 80 points. The rate of return to preinjury level of sport ranged from 22% to 100%, and the postoperative redislocation rate ranged from 0% to 16%. CONCLUSIONS: The indications for RIC were poorly reported, and the surgical techniques were inconsistent. Although most studies reported positive clinical results, the heterogeneity of outcome measures limited our ability to make definitive statements about which types of rotator interval capsular closure are warranted for select subgroups undergoing arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level II through IV studies.

Emergency medicine summary code for reporting CT scan results: implementation and survey results.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the emergency department (ED) providers' interest and satisfaction with ED CT result reporting before and after the implementation of a standardized summary code for all CT scan reporting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A summary code was provided at the end of all CTs ordered through the ED from August to October of 2016. A retrospective review was completed on all studies performed during this period. A pre- and post-survey was given to both ED and radiology providers. RESULTS: A total of 3980 CT scans excluding CTAs were ordered with 2240 CTs dedicated to the head and neck, 1685 CTs dedicated to the torso, and 55 CTs dedicated to the extremities. Approximately 74% CT scans were contrast enhanced. Of the 3980 ED CT examination ordered, 69% had a summary code assigned to it. Fifteen percent of the coded CTs had a critical or diagnostic positive result. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of an ED CT summary code did not show a definitive improvement in communication. However, the ED providers are in consensus that radiology reports are crucial their patients' management. There is slightly increased satisfaction with the providers with less than 5 years of experience with the ED CT codes compared to more seasoned providers. The implementation of a user-friendly summary code may allow better analysis of results, practice improvement, and quality measurements in the future.

Enhancement of Cricothyroidotomy Education Using a Novel Technique: Cadaver Autografting.

BACKGROUND: Cricothyroidotomy is a lifesaving procedure required in up to 2% of emergent airways. Emergency medicine training programs frequently instruct this procedure via cadaver training, but cadaver cost and availability limit the opportunity for all trainees to perform the critical initial skin incision. Cadaver autografting is a novel way to simulate all steps of the procedure. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether the technique of autografting cadaver tissue improves the experience of cricothyroidotomy simulation education for emergency medicine trainees. The investigators hypothesized that autografted cadaver tissue would be a useful adjunct. METHODS: In this prospective crossover study, volunteers were randomized to first perform cricothyroidotomy on previously incised native neck tissue or on autografted tissue, and then vice versa. The autograft consisted of cadaver iliotibial band covered with lateral thigh skin and subcutaneous tissue to simulate cricothyroid membrane and native anterior neck anatomy. Volunteer emergency medicine residents and sub-interns were included. Twenty-seven residents and nine students participated. Outcomes were evaluated via Likert scale. RESULTS: Thirty of 36 (83%) participants agreed or strongly agreed that they preferred cadaver autografting to the previously incised native tissue. Thirty-two of 36 (89%) agreed or strongly agreed that cadaver autografting was useful vs. 23 of 36 (64%) who answered similarly regarding previously incised native tissue (p = 0.001). Twenty-six of 36 (72%) were more comfortable with cricothyroidotomy in the emergency department after using cadaver autografting vs. 19 of 36 (53%) after using the native tissue (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Autografted cadaver tissue while simulating cricothyroidotomy was perceived to be a useful adjunct by the majority of participating emergency medicine trainees.

Is boarding compromising our residents' education? A national survey of emergency medicine program directors.

Background: Boarding patients in the emergency department (ED) potentially affects resident education. Program director (PD) perceptions of the impact of boarding on their trainees have not been previously described. Methods: We surveyed a cross-sectional convenience sample of emergency medicine PDs using a mixed-methods approach to explore their perceptions of how boarding has affected their residents' training. Descriptive data were reported as percentages and differences were calculated using Pearson's chi-square test, with p < 0.05 considered significant. A framework model was used to qualitatively analyze free-text responses. Results: A total of 170 responses were collected, for a response rate of 63%. Most respondents felt that boarding had at least some effect on resident education with 29%, 35%, 18%, and 12% noting "a little," "a moderate amount," "a lot," and "a great deal," respectively, and 5% noting "no effect at all." Respondents perceived a negative impact of boarding on resident education and training, with 80% reporting a "somewhat" or "extremely negative" effect, 18% feeling neutral, and 2% noting a "somewhat positive" effect. Most noted a "somewhat" or "extremely negative" effect on resident education in managing ED throughput (70%) and high patient volumes (66%). Fifty-four percent noted a "somewhat" or "extremely negative" impact on being involved in the initial workup of undifferentiated patients. Thirty-two percent saw a "somewhat" or "extremely positive" effect on learning the management of critically ill patients. Qualitative analysis of challenges, mitigation strategies, and resident feedback emphasized the lack of exposure to managing departmental patient flow, impact on bedside teaching, and need for flexibility in resident staffing. Conclusions: Most PDs agree that boarding negatively affects resident education and identify several strategies to mitigate the impact. These findings can help inform future interventions to optimize resident learning in the complex educational landscape of high ED boarding.

LGBTQ+ individuals are not explicitly represented in emergency medicine simulation curricula.

Background: Medical educational societies have emphasized the inclusion of marginalized populations, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) population, in educational curricula. Lack of inclusion can contribute to health inequality and mistreatment due to unconscious bias. Little didactic time is spent on the care of LGBTQ+ individuals in emergency medicine (EM) curricula. Simulation based medical education can be a helpful pedagogy in teaching cross-cultural care and communication skills. In this study, we sought to determine the representation of the LGBTQ+ population in EM simulation curricula. We also sought to determine if representations of the LGBTQ+ population depicted stigmatized behavior. Methods: We reviewed 971 scenarios from six simulation case banks for LGBTQ+ representation. Frequency distributions were determined for major demographic variables. Chi-Squared or Fisher's Exact Test, depending on the cell counts, were used to determine if relationships existed between LGBTQ+ representation and bank type, author type, and stigmatized behavior. Results: Of the 971 scenarios reviewed, eight (0.82%) scenarios explicitly represented LGBTQ+ patients, 319 (32.85%) represented heterosexual patients, and the remaining 644 (66.32%) did not specify these patient characteristics. All cases representing LGBTQ+ patients were found in institutional case banks. Three of the eight cases depicted stigmatized behavior. Conclusions: LGBTQ+ individuals are not typically explicitly represented in EM simulation curricula. LGBTQ+ individuals should be more explicitly represented to reduce stigma, allow EM trainees to practice using gender affirming language, address health conditions affecting the LGBTQ+ population, and address possible bias when treating LGBTQ+ patients.

Dose of reduced z-axis length of computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the chest for pulmonary embolism using 64-detector rows and adaptive iterative reconstruction techniques.

The objective of this study is to compare the dose of CT angiography (CTA) for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) performed using a reduced z-axis to conventional CTA for PE, both using adaptive iterative reconstruction technique on a 64-detector row device. The institutional review board approved a waiver of informed consent. A study was performed to consecutive patients having CTA for PE in the emergency department (ED). The patients underwent a reduced z-axis CTA from the top of the aortic arch to the bottom of the heart using the appropriate CT parameters and standard IV contrast injections. All patients had scans performed with 40 % ASIR and had a breast shield placed to limit breast dose. Per ED ordering criteria, the reduced z-axis protocol was appropriate for patients under 50 years old with no significant comorbidity. The control group consisted of patients from the same time period under 50 years of age who received a full z-axis scan. Technical parameters were the same for both groups other than scan length. Dose-length product (DLP) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) were the parameters used to evaluate differences in radiation dose to patients. The average effective dose of the full z-axis group was significantly higher (10.9 mSv (SD 4.7, range = 2.8-22)) compared to the reduced z-axis group (5.5 mSv (SD 3.0, range = 1.6-13, p < 0.001). The average effective dose for the reduced z-axis group was 49 % less than that of the full z-axis group. Reducing the z-axis of a CTA for PE significantly reduces effective radiation dose.

Trends in nursing feedback for emergency medicine residents: A mixed-methods survey analysis of national practices.

Background: Feedback is critical for physician development. Multisource feedback is especially important in a team-based specialty such as emergency medicine (EM) and is required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Nursing assessments provide a unique perspective, but little is known about the current national patterns of their collection and use in EM. Methods: We surveyed EM program directors using a mixed-methods approach to explore the use of nursing assessment of EM residents. Descriptive data were reported as absolute numbers and percentages. An adjunct analysis of free-text responses was done using the framework method. Results: The response rate for our survey was 63% (190 responses), of which 84% currently collect nursing feedback. Respondents from 94% of programs agreed that nursing feedback is useful in assessing professionalism and respondents from 92% of programs agreed that nursing feedback is useful in assessing communication and interpersonal skills, while 44% agreed that it is useful in informing resident medical knowledge. Forty-two percent reported that nursing feedback did not directly influence residents' progression through their training, while 2% indicated that such feedback played a significant role in leading to dismissal or probation. The majority of programs (64%) that do not collect feedback from nurses have done so in the past and hope to do so in the future. Qualitative analysis revealed themes of logistic challenges with data collection, concern regarding quality of feedback, and retributive or gender-disparate feedback. Conclusions: Nursing assessments of EM residents were collected by most responding programs and majority of those who do not collect them presently wish to do so in the future. They were considered particularly useful in the assessment of interpersonal skills, communication, and professionalism. However, lack of uniform methods for collecting assessment that meaningfully informs resident development and progression represents a challenge and direction for future inquiry.

The impact of interviewer characteristics on residency candidate scores in Emergency Medicine: a brief report.

Background: At the conclusion of residency candidate interview days, faculty interviewers commonly meet as a group to reach conclusions about candidate evaluations based on shared information. These conclusions ultimately translate into rank list position for The Residency Match. The primary objective is to determine if the post-interview discussion influences the final scores assigned by each interviewer, and to investigate whether interviewer characteristics are significantly associated with the likelihood of changing their score. Based on Foucault's 'theory of discourse' and Bourdieu's 'social capital theory,' we hypothesized that interviewer characteristics, and the discourse itself, would contribute to score changes after a post-interview discussion regarding emergency medicine residency candidates. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of candidate scores for all candidates to a four-year emergency medicine residency program affiliated with Yale University School of Medicine during a single application cycle. The magnitude and direction of score changes, if any, after group discussion were plotted and grouped by interviewer academic rank. We created a logistic regression model to determine the odds that candidate scores changed from pre- and post-discussion ratings related to specific interviewer factors. Results: A total of 24 interviewers and 211 candidates created 471 unique interviewer-candidate scoring interactions, with 216 (45.8%) changing post-discussion. All interviewers ranked junior to professor were significantly more likely to change their score compared to professors. Interviewers who were women had significantly lower odds of changing their individual scores following group discussion (p=0.020; OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.26-0.89). Conclusions: Interviewers with lower academic rank had higher odds of changing their post-discussion scores of residency candidates compared to professors. Future work is needed to further characterize the influencing factors and could help create more equitable decision processes during the residency candidate ranking process.

Resident Perceptions of a Publicly Disclosed Daily Productivity Dashboard.

INTRODUCTION: Following resident requests, we created a public metrics dashboard to inform residents of their daily productivity. Our goal was to iteratively improve the dashboard based on resident feedback and to measure the impact of reviewing aggregate data on self-perceived productivity. METHODS: A 10-question anonymous survey was completed by our postgraduate year 1-3 residents. Residents answered questions on the dashboard and rated their own productivity before and after reviewing aggregate peer-comparison data. Using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test we calculated summary statistics for survey questions and compared distributions of pre- and post-test, self-rated productivity scores. RESULTS: All 43 eligible residents completed the survey (response rate 100%). Thirteen (30%) residents "rarely" or "never" reviewed the dashboard. No respondents felt the dashboard measured their productivity or quality of care "extremely accurately" or "very accurately." Seven (16%) residents felt "very" or "extremely pressured" to change their practice patterns based on the metrics provided, and 28 (65%) would have preferred private over public feedback. Fifteen residents (35%) changed their self-perceived rank after viewing peer-comparison data, although not significantly in a particular direction (z = 0.71, P = 0.48). CONCLUSION: Residents did not view the presented metrics as reflective of their productivity or quality of care. Viewing the dashboard did not lead to statistically significant changes in resident self-perception of productivity. This finding highlights the need for expanding the resident conversation and education on metrics, given their frequent inclusion in attending physician workforce payment and incentive models.