Rhino-Orbital Cerebral Mucormycosis in a Diabetic Patient: An Emergency Medicine Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare infection caused by an invasive fungus and found predominantly in immunocompromised patients. The presentation of ROCM ranges from a mild headache, fever, and sinusitis to vision loss, altered mental status, and facial disfigurement secondary to local tissue invasion. ROCM can cause significant morbidity and mortality and requires prompt diagnosis with timely evaluation by surgical and infectious disease specialists. Cases of ROCM have been reported extensively in internal medicine, infectious disease, and otolaryngology literature. However, there are very few reports in emergency medicine literature in the United States. CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with altered mental status, 4 days of left-sided facial numbness and weakness, and sudden facial pain, swelling, and erythema. Laboratory analysis was consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis. Noncontrast computed tomography of the head and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated findings indicative of invasive fungal infection of the left sinus and orbit with extension to the cavernous sinus and surrounding cranial nerves. She was initiated on broad-spectrum antifungals, but based on the extent of the infection, was not a surgical candidate. She subsequently transitioned to a comfort-based plan of care and died 6 days after initial ED presentation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Early recognition and initiation of treatment can potentially mitigate the devastating outcomes of ROCM, therefore it is critical to be aware of this condition and have a high level of suspicion in susceptible patients.

Implementation of the SIMPL (Society for Improving Medical Professional Learning) performance assessment tool in the emergency department: A pilot study.

Background: Feedback and assessment are difficult to provide in the emergency department (ED) setting despite their critical importance for competency-based education, and traditional end-of-shift evaluations (ESEs) alone may be inadequate. The SIMPL (Society for Improving Medical Professional Learning) mobile application has been successfully implemented and studied in the operative setting for surgical training programs as a point-of-care tool that incorporates three assessment scales in addition to dictated feedback. SIMPL may represent a viable tool for enhancing workplace-based feedback and assessment in emergency medicine (EM). Methods: We implemented SIMPL at a 4-year EM residency program during a pilot study from March to June 2021 for observable activities such as medical resuscitations and related procedures. Faculty and residents underwent formal rater training prior to launch and were asked to complete surveys regarding the SIMPL app's content, usability, and future directions at the end of the pilot. Results: A total of 36/58 (62%) of faculty completed at least one evaluation, for a total of 190 evaluations and an average of three evaluations per faculty. Faculty initiated 130/190 (68%) and residents initiated 60/190 (32%) evaluations. Ninety-one percent included dictated feedback. A total of 45/54 (83%) residents received at least one evaluation, with an average of 3.5 evaluations per resident. Residents generally agreed that SIMPL increased the quality of feedback received and that they valued dictated feedback. Residents generally did not value the numerical feedback provided from SIMPL. Relative to the residents, faculty overall responded more positively toward SIMPL. The pilot generated several suggestions to inform the optimization of the next version of SIMPL for EM training programs. Conclusions: The SIMPL app, originally developed for use in surgical training programs, can be implemented for use in EM residency programs, has positive support from faculty, and may provide important adjunct information beyond current ESEs.

Initiation of a Lung Protective Ventilation Strategy in the Emergency Department: Does an Emergency Department-Based ICU Make a Difference?

BACKGROUND: Lung protective ventilation (LPV) is a key component in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome and other acute respiratory pathology. Initiation of LPV in the emergency department (ED) is associated with improved patient-centered and system outcomes, but adherence to LPV among ED patients is low. The impact of an ED-based ICU (ED-ICU) on LPV adherence is not known. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective, cohort study analyzed rates of adherence to a multifaceted LPV strategy pre- and post-implementation of an ED-ICU. LPV strategy components included low tidal volume ventilation, avoidance of severe hyperoxia and high plateau pressures, and positive end-expiratory pressure settings in alignment with best-evidence recommendations. The primary outcome was adherence to the LPV strategy at time of ED departure. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A total of 561 ED visits were included in the analysis, of which 60.0% received some portion of their emergency care in the ED-ICU. Adherence to the LPV strategy was statistically significantly higher in the ED-ICU cohort compared with the pre-ED-ICU cohort (65.8% vs 41.4%; p < 0.001) and non-ED-ICU cohort (65.8% vs 43.1%; p < 0.001). Among the ED-ICU cohort, 92.8% of patients received low tidal volume ventilation. Care in the ED-ICU was also associated with shorter ICU and hospital length of stay. These findings suggest improved patient and resource utilization outcomes for mechanically ventilated ED patients receiving care in an ED-ICU.

Emergency Medicine Virtual Conference Participants' Engagement with Competing Activities.

INTRODUCTION: Residency didactic conferences transitioned to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic. This format creates questions about effective educational practices, which depend on learner engagement. In this study we sought to characterize the competitive demands for learner attention during virtual didactics and to pilot methodology for future studies. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational, cohort study of attendees at virtual didactics from a single emergency medicine residency, which employed a self-report strategy informed by validated classroom assessments of student engagement. We deployed an online, two-question survey polling across six conference days using random signaled sampling. Participants reported all activities during the preceding five minutes. RESULTS: There were 1303 responses over 40 survey deployments across six nonadjacent days. Respondents were residents (63.4%); faculty (27.5%); fellows (2.3%); students (2%); and others (4.8%). Across all responses, about 85% indicated engagement in the virtual conference within the last five minutes of the polls. The average number of activities engaged in was 2.0 (standard deviation = 1.1). Additional activities included education-related (34.2%), work-related (21.1%), social (18.8%), personal (14.6%), self-care (13.4%), and entertainment (4.4%). CONCLUSION: Learners engage in a variety of activities during virtual didactics. Engagement appears to fluctuate temporally, which may inform teaching strategies. This information may also provide unique instructor feedback. This pilot study demonstrates methodology for future studies of conference engagement and learning outcomes.

Impact of Providing a Tape Measure on the Provision of Lung-protective Ventilation.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency department (ED) patients are frequently ventilated with excessively large tidal volumes for predicted body weight based on height, which has been linked to poorer patient outcomes. We hypothesized that supplying tape measures to respiratory therapists (RT) would improve measurement of actual patient height and adherence to a lung-protective ventilation strategy in an ED-intensive care unit (ICU) environment. METHODS: On January 14, 2019, as part of a ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle in our ED-based ICU, we began providing RTs with tape measures and created a best practice advisory reminding them to record patient height. We then retrospectively collected data on patient height and tidal volumes before and after the intervention. RESULTS: We evaluated 51,404 tidal volume measurements in 1,826 patients over the 4 year study period; of these patients, 1,579 (86.5%) were pre-intervention and 247 (13.5%) were post-intervention. The intervention was associated with a odds of the patient's height being measured were 10 times higher post-intervention (25.1% vs 3.2%, P <0.05). After the bundle was initiated, we observed a significantly higher percentage of patients ventilated with mean tidal volumes less than 8 cubic centimeters per kilogram (93.9% vs 84.5% P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients in an ED-ICU environment were ventilated with a lung-protective strategy more frequently after an intervention reminding RTs to measure actual patient height and providing a tape measure to do so. A significantly higher percentage of patients had height measured rather than estimated after the intervention, allowing for more accurate determination of ideal body weight and calculation of lung-protective ventilation volumes. Measuring all mechanically ventilated patients' height with a tape measure is an example of a simple, low-cost, scalable intervention in line with guidelines developed to improve the quality of care delivered to critically ill ED patients.

Rapid Dissemination of a COVID-19 Airway Management Simulation Using a Train-the-Trainers Curriculum.

PROBLEM: The most effective way to train clinicians to safely don and doff personal protective equipment (PPE) and perform aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), such as intubations, is unknown when clinician educators are unavailable, as they have been during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proper PPE and airway management techniques are critical to prevent the transmission of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19. APPROACH: In March 2020, the authors implemented a structured train-the-trainers curriculum to teach PPE techniques and a modified airway management algorithm for suspected COVID-19 patients. A single emergency medicine physician trainer taught 17 subsequent emergency medicine and critical care physician trainers the proper PPE and airway management techniques. The initial trainer and 7 of the subsequent trainers then instructed 99 other emergency medicine resident and attending physicians using in situ simulation. Trainers and learners completed retrospective pre-post surveys to assess their comfort teaching the material and performing the techniques, respectively. OUTCOMES: The surveys demonstrated a significant increase in the trainers' comfort in teaching simulation-based education, from 4.00 to 4.53 on a 5-point Likert scale (P < .005), and in teaching the airway management techniques through simulation, from 2.47 to 4.47 (P < .001). There was no difference in the change in comfort level between those learners who were taught by the initial trainer and those who were taught by the subsequent trainers. These results suggest that the subsequent trainers were as effective in teaching the simulation material as the initial trainer. NEXT STEPS: Work is ongoing to investigate clinician- and patient-specific outcomes, including PPE adherence, appropriate AGP performance, complication rate, and learners' skill retention. Future work will focus on implementing similar train-the-trainers strategies for other health professions, specialties, and high-risk or rare procedures.

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis associated with SGLT2i use: Case series.

INTRODUCTION: Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (EuDKA) associated with Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) use has been described but remains poorly understood. Data on Emergency Department (ED) presentation, resource utilization, and safety outcomes for these patients are lacking. We report a case series of patients diagnosed with EuDKA in the ED. METHODS: An electronic medical record search identified adult patients presenting to a large tertiary ED with EuDKA. They were screened for concurrent use of SGLT2i. Clinical presentation, resource utilization, safety, and disposition data were collected and described. RESULTS: Five patients were included for analysis. Median age [range] was 57 [43-73] years. Presenting symptoms included nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and altered mental status. Initial results included: serum glucose 191 mg/dL [176-215], venous pH 7.01 [6.95-7.30], serum HCO3 8 mEq/L [6-13], anion gap 27 [26-31], serum beta-hydroxybutyrate 9.9 mmol/L [9.2-12.3], and urine ketones 150 [150-150]. Patients remained on an insulin infusion for 18.77 h [11.25-56.48]. There were zero episodes of hypoglycemia and one episode of hypokalemia while on insulin infusion. Time to resolution of metabolic acidosis was 23.82 h [15.45-24.77]. DISCUSSION: We report a case series of ED patients with EuDKA associated with SGLT2i use, and describe presentation characteristics, resource utilization, and safety outcomes. Emergency physicians should be aware of the association between SGLT2i use and EuDKA. An appropriate work-up should be pursued for patients taking an SGLT2i who present with symptoms suggestive of DKA, including nausea, vomiting, malaise, and altered mental status, or are noted to have an unexplained elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis.

In-situ Simulation Use for Rapid Implementation and Process Improvement of COVID-19 Airway Management.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents unique challenges to frontline healthcare workers. In order to safely care for patients new processes, such as a plan for the airway management of a patient with COVID-19, must be implemented and disseminated in a rapid fashion. The use of in-situ simulation has been used to assist in latent problem identification as part of a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. Additionally, simulation is an effective means for training teams to perform high-risk procedures before engaging in the actual procedure. This educational advance seeks to use and study in-situ simulation as a means to rapidly implement a process for airway management in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Using an airway algorithm developed by the authors, we designed an in-situ simulation scenario to train physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists in best practices for airway management of patients with COVID-19. Physician participants were surveyed using a five-point Likert scale with regard to their comfort level with various aspects of the airway algorithm both before and after the simulation in a retrospective fashion. Additionally, we obtained feedback from all participants and used it to refine the airway algorithm. RESULTS: Over a two-week period, 93 physicians participated in the simulation. We received 81 responses to the survey (87%), which showed that the average level of comfort with personal protective equipment procedures increased significantly from 2.94 (95% confidence interval, 2.71-3.17) to 4.36 (4.24-4.48), a difference of 1.42 (1.20-1.63, p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in average comfort level in understanding the physician role with scores increasing from 3.51 (3.26-3.77) to 4.55 (2.71-3.17), a difference of 1.04 (0.82-1.25, p < 0.001). There was also increased comfort in performing procedural tasks such as intubation, from 3.08 (2.80-3.35) to 4.38 (4.23-4.52) after the simulation, a difference of 1.30 points (1.06-1.54, p < 0.001). Feedback from the participants also led to refinement of the airway algorithm. CONCLUSION: We successfully implemented a new airway management guideline for patients with suspected COVID-19. In-situ simulation is an essential tool for both dissemination and onboarding, as well as process improvement, in the context of an epidemic or pandemic.

Delivery of end-of-life care in an emergency department-based intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: Intensive care unit (ICU) admissions near the end of life have been associated with worse quality of life and burdensome costs. Patients may not benefit from ICU admission if appropriate end-of-life care can be delivered elsewhere. The objective of this study was to descriptively analyze patients receiving end-of-life care in an emergency department (ED)-based ICU (ED-ICU). METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of patient outcomes and resource use in adult patients receiving end-of-life care in an ED-ICU. In 2015, an "End of Life" order set was created to standardize delivery of palliative therapies and comfort measures. We identified adult patients (>18 years) receiving end-of-life care in the ED-ICU from December 2015 to March 2020 whose clinicians used the end-of-life order set. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were included for analysis; 50.5% were female, and the median age was 73.6 years. The median ED-ICU length of stay was 13.3 hours (interquartile range, 7.4-20.6). Two patients (0.9%) were admitted to an inpatient ICU, 117 (53.7%) died in the ED-ICU, 77 (35.3%) were admitted to a non-intensive care inpatient service, and 22 (10.1%) were discharged from the ED-ICU. CONCLUSIONS: An ED-ICU can be used for ED patients near the end of life. Only 0.9% were subsequently admitted to an ICU, and 10.1% were discharged from the ED-ICU. This practice may benefit patients and families by avoiding costly ICU admissions and benefit health systems by reducing ICU capacity strain.

The ED-SED Study: A Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study of Practice Patterns and Clinical Outcomes Associated With Emergency Department SEDation for Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize emergency department sedation practices in mechanically ventilated patients, and test the hypothesis that deep sedation in the emergency department is associated with worse outcomes. DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective cohort study. SETTING: The emergency department and ICUs of 15 medical centers. PATIENTS: Mechanically ventilated adult emergency department patients. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All data involving sedation (medications, monitoring) were recorded. Deep sedation was defined as Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale of -3 to -5 or Sedation-Agitation Scale of 2 or 1. A total of 324 patients were studied. Emergency department deep sedation was observed in 171 patients (52.8%), and was associated with a higher frequency of deep sedation in the ICU on day 1 (53.8% vs 20.3%; p < 0.001) and day 2 (33.3% vs 16.9%; p = 0.001), when compared to light sedation. Mean (SD) ventilator-free days were 18.1 (10.8) in the emergency department deep sedation group compared to 20.0 (9.8) in the light sedation group (mean difference, 1.9; 95% CI, -0.40 to 4.13). Similar results according to emergency department sedation depth existed for ICU-free days (mean difference, 1.6; 95% CI, -0.54 to 3.83) and hospital-free days (mean difference, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.26-4.32). Mortality was 21.1% in the deep sedation group and 17.0% in the light sedation group (between-group difference, 4.1%; odds ratio, 1.30; 0.74-2.28). The occurrence rate of acute brain dysfunction (delirium and coma) was 68.4% in the deep sedation group and 55.6% in the light sedation group (between-group difference, 12.8%; odds ratio, 1.73; 1.10-2.73). CONCLUSIONS: Early deep sedation in the emergency department is common, carries over into the ICU, and may be associated with worse outcomes. Sedation practice in the emergency department and its association with clinical outcomes is in need of further investigation.

Prospective study of a proactive palliative care rounding intervention in a medical ICU.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of a palliative care intervention on clinical and family outcomes, and palliative care processes. METHODS: Prospective, before-and-after interventional study enrolling patients with high risk of mortality, morbidity, or unmet palliative care needs in a 24-bed academic intensive care unit (ICU). The intervention involved a palliative care clinician interacting with the ICU physicians on daily rounds for high-risk patients. RESULTS: One hundred patients were enrolled in the usual care phase, and 103 patients were enrolled during the intervention phase. The adjusted likelihood of a family meeting in ICU was 63% higher (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.14-2.07, p = 0.01), and time to family meeting was 41% shorter (95% CI 52-28% shorter, p < 0.001). Adjusted ICU length of stay (LOS) was not significantly different between the two groups (6% shorter, 95% CI 16% shorter to 4% longer, p = 0.22). Among those who died in the hospital, ICU LOS was 19% shorter in the intervention (95% CI 33-1% shorter, p = 0.043). Adjusted hospital LOS was 26% shorter (95% CI 31-20% shorter, p < 0.001) with the intervention. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were present in 9.1% of family respondents during the intervention versus 20.7% prior to the intervention (p = 0.09). Mortality, family depressive symptoms, family satisfaction and quality of death and dying did not significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Proactive palliative care involvement on ICU rounds for high-risk patients was associated with more and earlier ICU family meetings and shorter hospital LOS. We did not identify differences in family satisfaction, family psychological symptoms, or family-rated quality of dying, but had limited power to detect such differences.