OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to evaluate whether a single dose of intravenous dexamethasone, when added to standard abortive therapy, reduces relapse of migraine after emergency department (ED) discharge in children and adolescents. BACKGROUND:Migraine is a leading cause of headache presentations to the ED for children and adolescents. Although corticosteroids have been suggested to reduce relapse in adults with acute migraine, their efficacy in children remains unknown. METHODS:We conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial at the tertiary pediatric ED of the CHU Sainte-Justine in Montréal, Canada. Patients 8-17 years old with acute migraine attack requiring intravenous rescue therapy (metoclopramide with diphenhydramine) were randomized to receive dexamethasone (0.6 mg/kg iv, max 15 mg) or placebo before discharge. All participants were discharged on oral naproxen for 48 h. The primary outcome was relapse within 48 h, defined as recurrence or worsening of headache after initial improvement. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, return to school and activities, health care revisits, and adverse events. Analyses were performed using a modified intention-to-treat approach including all children who provided data for the primary outcome. RESULTS:Between July 2013 and February 2025, 116 patients were enrolled, and 87 patients (75%) provided outcome data at 48 h. Median age was 14 years, and 85 patients (73%) were female. Relapse occurred in 39% (16 of 41) of the dexamethasone group versus 44% (20 of 46) of the placebo group (risk difference: -4%; 95% confidence interval, -32% to 24%). Pain scores, return to school, functional recovery, and health care consultations did not differ significantly between groups. Adverse events were infrequent and mild in both arms. CONCLUSIONS:In this small clinical trial of children and adolescents with acute migraine attack treated in the ED, adjunctive dexamethasone did not reduce relapse rates nor improve functional outcomes compared with placebo. Although limited by low statistical power, these findings raise questions about the routine use of dexamethasone in migraine management of children and adolescents.

Abstract Objective Evaluate the effectiveness of a local guideline for managing low-risk febrile children with sickle cell disease using a single emergency department visit and telephone follow-up. Design/Methods This retrospective single-centre observational study included patients aged 6 months to 17 years with sickle cell disease presenting with fever to the emergency department of a paediatric tertiary care hospital before (2015) and after (2019) implementation of a guideline introduced in December 2016 to reduce in-person follow-up. Patients deemed low risk per 2018 Canadian Haemoglobinopathy Association consensus statement received one intravenous ceftriaxone dose and were discharged with a telephone follow-up scheduled the next day. Results Out of 160 patients in each period, 96 (60%) were discharged home in the pre-implementation period and 111 (69%) in the post-period. Among those discharged, 97% (93/96) received in-person follow-up in the pre-period, compared with 10% (11/111) in the post-period, representing a difference of 87% (95% CI: 78 to 92). No serious bacterial infections or bacteremia were reported among discharged patients. The rate of unscheduled return visits within 72 hours did not increase, 9/96 (9%) in the pre-period and 17/111 (15%) in the post-period (difference of 6%, 95%: CI −3, 15). Of the 100 patients scheduled for telephone follow-up, 29% were not reached. Conclusion This study suggests that a single emergency department visit with telephone follow-up is an alternative to in-person visits for low-risk febrile children with sickle cell disease. However, the high proportion of unsuccessful calls highlights the need for improved follow-up strategies to ensure patient safety.

AbstractThe use of a rapid, easy‐to‐use intervention could improve needle‐related procedural pain management practices in the context of the Emergency Department (ED). As such, the Buzzy device seems to be a promising alternative to topical anesthetics. The aim of this study was to determine if a cold vibrating device was non‐inferior to a topical anesthetic cream for pain management in children undergoing needle‐related procedures in the ED. In this randomized controlled non‐inferiority trial, we enrolled children between 4 and 17 years presenting to the ED and requiring a needle‐related procedure. Participants were randomly assigned to either the cold vibrating device or topical anesthetic (4% liposomal lidocaine; standard of care). The primary outcome was the mean difference (MD) in adjusted procedural pain intensity on the 0–10 Color Analogue Scale (CAS), using a non‐inferiority margin of 0.70. A total of 352 participants were randomized (cold vibration device n = 176, topical anesthetic cream n = 176). Adjusted procedural pain scores' MD between groups was 0.56 (95% CI:−0.08–1.20) on the CAS, showing that the cold vibrating device was not considered non‐inferior to topical anesthetic. The cold vibrating device was not considered non‐inferior to the topical anesthetic cream for pain management in children during a needle‐related procedure in the ED. As topical anesthetic creams require an application time of 30 min, cost approximately CAD $40.00 per tube, are underused in the ED setting, the cold vibrating device remains a promising alternative as it is a rapid, easy‐to‐use, and reusable device.

Introduction: There are limited options for pain and distress management in children undergoing minor proce-dures, without the burden of an intravenous line insertion. Prior to this study, we conducted a dose-escalation study and identified 6 mg/kg as a potentially optimal initial dose of intranasal ketamine.Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of intranasal ketamine at a dose of 6 mg/kg for procedural sedation to repair lacerations with sutures in children in the emergency department.Methods: We conducted a single-arm, open-label multicenter clinical trial for intranasal ketamine for laceration repair with sutures in children aged 1 to 12 years. A convenience sample of 30 patients received 6 mg/kg of in-tranasal ketamine for their procedural sedation. The primary outcome was the proportion (95% CI) of patients who achieved an effective procedural sedation.Results: We recruited 30 patients from April 2018 to December 2019 in two pediatric emergency departments in Canada. Lacerations repaired were mostly facial in 21(70%) patients and longer than 2 cm in 20 (67%) patients. Sedation was effective in 18/30 (60% [95% CI 45, 80]) children and was suboptimal in 5 (17%) patients but pro-cedure was completed in them with minimal difficulties. Sedation was poor in the remaining 7 (23%) patients, with 3 (10%) of them required additional sedative agents. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Using a single dose of 6 mg/kg of intranasal Ketamine for laceration repair led to successful sedation in 60% of patients according to our a priori definition. An additional 17% of patients were considered suboptimal, but their procedure was still completed with minimal difficulty.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03053947).(c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Aims Early identification of patients likely to die after acetaminophen (APAP) poisoning remains challenging. We sought to compare the sensitivity and time to fulfilment (latency) of established prognostic criteria. Methods Three physician toxicologists independently classified every in‐hospital death associated with APAP overdose from eight large Canadian cities over three decades using the Relative Contribution to Fatality scale from the American Association of Poison Control Centres. The sensitivity and latency were calculated for each of the following criteria: King's College Hospital (KCH), Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) ≥33, lactate ≥3.5 mmol/L, phosphate ≥1.2 mmol/L 48+ hours post‐ingestion, as well as combinations thereof. Results A total of 162 in‐hospital deaths were classified with respect to APAP as follows: 26 Undoubtedly, 40 Probably, 27 Contributory, 14 Probably not, 25 Clearly not, and 30 Unknown. Cases from the first three classes (combined into n = 93 “APAP deaths”) typically presented with supratherapeutic APAP concentrations, hepatotoxicity, acidaemia, coagulopathy and/or encephalopathy, and began antidotal treatment a median of 12 hours (IQR 3.4–30 h) from the end of ingestion. Among all patients deemed “APAP deaths”, meeting either KCH or lactate criteria demonstrated the highest sensitivity (94%; 95% CI 86–98%), and the shortest latency from hospital arrival to criterion fulfilment (median 4.2 h; IQR 1.0–16 h). In comparison, the MELD criterion demonstrated a substantially lower sensitivity (55%; 43–66%) and longer latency (52 h; 4.4–∞ h, where “∞” denotes death prior to criterion becoming positive). Conclusions Meeting either KCH or serum lactate criteria identifies most patients who die from acetaminophen poisoning at or shortly after hospital presentation.

Objectives To determine the acute pain level associated with request for analgesia by children and their parents in the pediatric emergency department (ED) when pain was assessed by verbal numeric scale (VNS), visual analog scale (VAS), and verbal rating scale (VRS). Methods A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study using a sample of children aged 8 to 17 presenting to the ED with acute pain. Patients and their parents were asked to quantify the child's pain on the VNS, VAS, and VRS. Scores for patients and parents who answered “yes” to the request of analgesia were compared with those responding “no.” Results A total of 202 patients aged 12.2 ± 2.6 years were enrolled. The median levels of pain associated with a request of analgesia and no request for analgesia by the patient were: 6.0 (4.0–7.4) and 5.0 (3.0–6.0) (Δ 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5–2.0) for the VNS; 5.7 (3.9–7.2) and 4.3 (2.6–5.8) (Δ 1.3; 95% CI, 0.6–1.9) for the VAS; and 2.0 (2.0–2.0) and 2.0 (1.0–2.0) (Δ 0.0; 95% CI, 0.0–0.0) for the VRS. Conclusions Children who requested analgesia had higher pain scores on the VNS and the VAS, than those who did not request analgesia. No difference was demonstrated with the VRS. The pain scores between the analgesia request categories could overlap. This suggests that children seen in the ED should be asked if they want analgesia to decrease their acute pain.

Abstract Introduction/Background Lacerations are common in children presenting to the emergency department (ED). Children can be uncooperative and in pain when repair with sutures is performed and may require procedural sedation. There is a growing interest in the intranasal (IN) route of administration for procedural sedation and pain control. In contrast to intravenous (IV) line placement, IN administration is relatively painless for the patient, is simple and rapid to administer by the healthcare provider and requires minimal training. Few studies have evaluated intranasal (IN) ketamine for procedural sedation in children, mostly for brief dental procedures, with doses between 3 to 9 mg/kg. Objectives We sought to determine the optimal IN ketamine dose for effective and safe procedural sedation for laceration repair with sutures in children aged 1 to 12 years presenting to the ED using a two-step (dosINK- 1 trial and dosINK-2 trial) dose-finding clinical trial design. Design/Methods We enrolled otherwise healthy children 1 to 12 years requiring PS for their laceration repair by sutures in the ED. DosINK-1 consisted in a single center 3 + 3 dose escalation trial design with an initial dose of 3 up to 9 mg/kg of IN ketamine. For each dose, 3 patients were enrolled. Escalation to the next dose was performed if sedation was unsuccessful without serious adverse event (SAE). This process was repeated until 6 consecutive patients reached adequate PS with a maximum of 1 SAE. The primary outcome was the optimal dose for adequate PS as per the PERC/PECARN consensus criteria. We subsequently conducted DosINK-2, a multicenter single-arm clinical trial. We enrolled a convenience sample of 30 children who all received the identified dose of IN ketamine from DosINK-1. The primary outcome was the proportion (95% CI) of patients who achieved adequate PS. Secondary outcomes included adverse events and parent, patient and physician satisfaction. Results In DosINK-1, 12 patients were recruited from April 2017 to March 2018 in one pediatric ED. Median age was 2.6 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.9, 3.7) years, 10 (85%) had facial laceration, and in 8 (67%) the laceration was >2 cm long. Sedation was adequate in 1/3 patients at doses of 3 and 4 mg/kg and in 3/3 patients at doses of 5 and 6 mg/kg, all without SAE. The identified dose of IN ketamine was 6 mg/kg. Nausea and vomiting in 4/12 (33%) patients were the only reported side effects. In DosINK-2, we recruited 30 patients from April 2018 to November 2019 in two pediatric EDs. The median age was 3.2 (IQR 1.9, 4.7) years; 21 (70%) had facial laceration, and in 20 (67%) the laceration was longer than 2 cm. Sedation was adequate in 18/30 (60% [95% CI 45, 80]) children, was suboptimal (procedure completed with minimal difficulties) in 6 (20%), was poor (struggle that interfered with procedure, competed with difficulty) in 3 (10%) and required additional sedative agents in 3 (10%) patients. Twenty-one (70%) physicians were willing to reuse IN ketamine at the same doses and 25 (83%) parents would agree to the same sedation in the future. Median time to return to baseline status was 58 min (IQR 33, 73). Two patients, including one who received supplemental IV ketamine, desaturated during the procedure and required oxygen by-mask and repositioning. After the procedure, 1(3%) patient had nausea, and 2(7%) vomited. Conclusion A single dose of 6 mg/kg of IN ketamine for PS during laceration repair by sutures in children in the ED was adequate in 60%(95% CI 45, 80). In an additional 20% PS was suboptimal, but procedures were completed with minimal difficulties only. IN ketamine, which saves painful IV insertion, was acceptable by most physicians and parents. An additional IN ketamine dose may further increase the proportion of adequate sedation, but its safety and efficacy should be examined.

Introduction: Lacerations are common in children presenting to the emergency department (ED). They are often uncooperative when sutures are needed and may require procedural sedation. Few studies have evaluated intranasal (IN) ketamine for procedural sedation in children, with doses from 3 to 9 mg/kg used mostly for dental procedures. In a previous dose escalation trial, DosINK-1, 6 mg/kg was found to be the optimal IN ketamine dose for procedural sedation for sutures in children. In this trial, we aim to further evaluate the efficacy of this dose. Methods: We conducted a multicentre single-arm clinical trial. A convenience sample of 30 uncooperative children between 1 and 12 years (10 to 30 kg) with no cardiac or kidney disease, active respiratory infection, prior administration of opioid or sedative agents received 6 mg/kg of IN ketamine using an atomizer for their laceration repair with sutures in the ED. The primary outcome was defined as the proportion (95% CI) of patients who achieved an adequate procedural sedation evaluated with the PERC/PECARN consensus criteria. Results: Thirty patients were recruited from April 2018 to November 2019 in 2 pediatric ED. The median age was 3.2 (interquartile range(IQR), 1.9 to 4.7) years-old with laceration of more than 2 cm in 20 (67%) patients and in the face in 21 (70%) cases. Sedation was effective in 18 out of 30 children 60% (95%CI, 45 to 80), was suboptimal in 6 patients (20%) with a procedure completed with minimal difficulties, and unsuccessful in the remaining 6 (20%), all without serious adverse event. Similarly, 21/30 (70%) physicians were willing to reuse IN ketamine at the same doses and 25 parents (83%) would agree to the same sedation in the future. Median time to return to baseline status was 58 min (IQR, 33 to 73). One patient desaturated during the procedure and required transitory oxygen and repositioning. After the procedure, 1 (3%) patient had headache, 1 (3%) patient had nausea, and 2 (7%) patients vomited. Conclusion: A single dose of 6 mg/kg of IN Ketamine for laceration repair with sutures in uncooperative children is safe and facilitated the procedure in 60% (95%CI, 45 to 80) of patients, was suboptimal in 20% and unsuccessful in 20% of patients. As seen with IV ketamine, an available additional dose of IN ketamine for some children if needed could potentially increase proportion of successful sedation. However, the safety and efficacy of repeated doses needs to be addressed.

Objectives Intravenous (IV) procedures cause pain and distress in the pediatric emergency department (ED). We studied the feasibility and acceptability of virtual reality distraction for patient comfort during intravenous procedures. Methods Children were randomized to a control (standard care) or intervention group (standard care + virtual reality). Thresholds for feasibility and acceptability (primary outcomes) were determined through a priori established criteria. The level of procedural pain (principal clinical outcome) and distress, as well as memory of pain at 24 h were collected and reported as medians (Q1, Q3) for each group. Results 63 patients were enrolled, with a high rate of recruitment (78.8%) and game completion (90.3%). Patients, parents and, healthcare providers reported high satisfaction levels. There were no serious adverse events. Five of the 30 patients (16.7%) exposed to virtual reality reported mild side effects. Self-reported procedural pain (verbal numerical rating scale: 3 (1, 6)/10 vs 3 (1, 5.5)/10, p = 0.75) was similar between groups. Further exploratory clinical measures were reported for the intervention and control groups, respectively: self-rated distress during the procedure (Child Fear Scale: 1 (0, 2)/4 vs 2 (0, 3)/4); distress evaluated by proxy during the procedure (Procedure Behavior Check List: 8 (8, 9)/40 vs 10 (8, 15)/40); memory of pain at 24 h (VNRS: 2 (1, 3)/10 vs 4 (2, 6.5)/10). Conclusion The addition of virtual reality to standard care is feasible and acceptable for pain and distress management during IV procedures in the pediatric ED. Occasional mild, self-resolving side effects were observed in the intervention group. Self-reported pain during the procedure was similar between groups. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03750578.

Introduction: The ways in which Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians interact with the medical literature has been transformed with the rise of Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAM). Although nearly all residents use FOAM resources, some criticize the lack of universal quality assurance. This problem is a particular risk for trainees who have many time constraints and incompletely developed critical appraisal skills. One potential safeguard is journal club, which is used by virtually all EM residency programs in North America to review new literature. However, EM resident perspectives have not been studied. Our research objective was to describe how residents perceive journal club to influence how they translate the medical literature into their clinical practice. Our research question was whether FOAM has influenced residents’ goals and perceived value of journal club. Methods: We developed a semi-structured interview script in conjunction with a methods expert and refined it via pilot testing. Following constructivist grounded theory, and using both purposive and theoretical sampling, we conducted a focus group (n = 7) and 18 individual interviews with EM residents at the 4 training sites of the University of British Columbia. In total, we analyzed 920 minutes of recorded audio. Two authors independently coded each transcript, with discrepancies reconciled by discussion and consensus. Constant comparative analysis was performed. We conducted return of findings through public presentations. Results: We found evidence that journal club works as a community of practice with a progression of roles from junior to senior residents. Participants described journal club as a safe venue to compare practice patterns and to gain insight into the practical wisdom of their peers and mentors. The social and academic activities present at journal club interacted positively to foster this environment. In asking residents about ways that journal club accelerates knowledge translation, we actually found that residents cite journal club as a quality check to prevent premature adoption of new research findings. Residents are hesitant to adopt new literature into their practice without positive validation, which can occur during journal club. Conclusion: Journal club functions as a community of practice that is valued by residents. Journal club is a primary way that new evidence can be validated before being put into practice, and may act as quality assurance in the era of FOAM.

INTRODUCTION:Needle-related procedures are considered as the most important source of pain and distress in children in hospital settings. Considering the physiological and psychological consequences that could result from these procedures, management of pain and distress through pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods is essential. Therefore, it is important to have interventions that are rapid, easy-to-use and likely to be translated into clinical practice for routine use. The aim of this study will be to determine whether a device combining cold and vibration (Buzzy) is non-inferior to a topical anaesthetic (liposomal lidocaine 4% cream) for pain management of children undergoing needle-related procedures in the emergency department.METHODS AND ANALYSIS:This study will be a randomised controlled non-inferiority trial comparing the Buzzy device to liposomal lidocaine 4% cream for needle-related pain management. A total of 346 participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of the two study groups. The primary outcome will be the mean difference in pain intensity between groups during needle-related procedures. A non-inferiority margin of 0.70 on the Color Analogue Scale will be considered. A Non-inferiority margin of 0.70 on the Color Analogue Scale will be considered. The secondary outcomes will be the level of distress during the procedure, the success of the procedure at first attempt, the occurrence of adverse events, the satisfaction of both interventions and the memory of pain 24 hours after the procedure. The primary outcome will be assessed for non-inferiority and the secondary outcomes for superiority.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:This study protocol was reviewed and approved by the institutional review board of the study setting. Findings of this trial will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:NCT02616419.

BackgroundVaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is one of the most frequent causes of emergency visits and admission in children with sickle cell disease (SCD).ObjectivesThis study aims to evaluate whether the use of a new pain management pathway using intranasal (IN) fentanyl from triage leads to improved care, translated by a decrease in time to first opiate dose.MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of patients with SCD who presented to the emergency department (ED) with VOC, in the period pre- (52 patients) and post- (44 patients) implementation period of the protocol. Time to first opiate was the primary outcome and was evaluated pre- and postimplementation. Patients received a first opiate dose within 52.3 minutes of registration (interquantile range [IQR] 30.6, 74.6), corresponding to a 41.4-minute reduction in the opiate administration time (95% confidence interval [CI] -56.1, -27.9). There was also a 43% increase in the number of patients treated with a nonintravenous (IV) opiate as first opiate dose (95% CI 26, 57). In patients who were discharged from the ED, there was a 49% decrease in the number of IV line insertions (95% CI -67, -22). There was no difference in the hospitalization rates (difference of 6 [95% CI -13, 25]).ConclusionsThis study validates the use of our protocol using IN fentanyl as first treatment of VOC in the ED by significantly reducing the time to first opiate dose and the number of IVs.

Needle-related procedures are considered as the most important source of pain and distress in children in hospital settings. Time constraints, heavy workload, busy and noisy environment represents barriers to the use of available interventions for pain management during needle-related procedures. Therefore, the use of a rapid, easy-to-use intervention could improve procedural pain management practices. To determine if a device combining cold and vibration (Buzzy) is non-inferior (no worse) to a topical anesthetic (Maxilene) for pain management in children undergoing needle-related procedures in the Emergency Department (ED). This study was a randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial. We enrolled children aged between 4–17 years presenting to the ED and requiring a needle-related procedure. Participants were randomly assigned to the Buzzy or Maxilene group. Primary outcome was the mean difference in pain intensity during the procedure, as measured with the CAS (0–10). Secondary outcomes were procedural distress, success of the procedure at first-attempt and satisfaction of parents. A total of 352 participants were enrolled and 346 were randomized (Buzzy=172; Maxilene=174). Mean difference in procedural pain scores between groups was 0.64 (95%CI -0.1 to 1.3), showing that the Buzzy device was not non-inferior to Maxilene according to a non-inferiority margin of 0.70. No significant differences were observed for procedural distress (p=.370) and success of the procedure at first attempt (p=.602). Parents of both groups were very satisfied with both interventions (Buzzy=7.8 ±2.66; Maxilene=8.1 ±2.4), but there was no significant difference between groups (p=.236). Non-inferiority of the Buzzy device over a topical anesthetic was not demonstrated for pain management of children during a needle-related procedure in the ED. However, considering that topical anesthetics are underused in the ED setting and require time, the Buzzy device seems to be a promising alternative as it is a rapid, low-cost, easy-to-use and reusable intervention.

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement between the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and other anxiety scales to determine whether these shorter to administer scales could replace the STAI. Methods This was a prospective cohort study on a convenience sample of children, aged 9 to 17 years, presenting to a pediatric emergency department. Patients were divided into 2 groups: preteens (PT) (aged 9-12 years) completed the pediatric STAI and teens (T) (aged 13-17 years) completed the adult STAI. Participants also completed a visual analog scale (0-100 mm), a Likert scale (1-5), and a short version of the STAI. Intraclass correlation (2-way mixed model, average measures) was used to evaluate agreement between the STAI and the other scales. A sample size of 100 patients per group was estimated as sufficient. Results The median (interquartile range) STAI state anxiety scores were 33 (28.25-36.75) and 37.5 (32-44), in the PT (n = 100) and T (n = 100) groups, respectively. The median (interquartile range) STAI trait anxiety scores were 33.5 (28-38.75) and 36 (31-44), in the PT and T groups, respectively. Agreements between the STAI and the other scales were poor for all scales. At best, the intraclass correlation was 0.71 for the agreement between the STAI and the short version of the STAI. Conclusions There appears to be poor agreement between the STAI and the other scales designed to measure anxiety in children 9 to 17 years presenting to the pediatric emergency department.

Introduction: Despite revolutionary changes in the medical education landscape, journal club (JC) continues to be a ubiquitous pedagogical tool and is a primary way that residency programs review new evidence and teach evidence-based medicine. JC is a community of practice among physicians, which may help translate research findings into practice. Program representatives state that JC should have a goal of translating novel research into changes in clinical care, but there has been minimal evaluation of the success of JC in achieving this goal. Specifically, emergency medicine resident perspectives on the utility of JC remain unknown. Methods: We designed a multi-centre qualitative study for three distinct academic environments at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna). Pilot testing was performed to generate preliminary themes and to finalize the interview script. An exploratory, semi-structured focus group was performed, followed by multiple one-on-one interviews using snowball sampling. Iterative thematic analysis directed data collection until thematic sufficiency was achieved. Analysis was conducted using a constructivist Grounded Theory method with communities of practice as a theoretical lens. Themes were compared to the existing literature to corroborate or challenge existing educational theory. Results: Pilot testing has revealed the following primary themes: (1) Only select residents are able to increase their participation in JC over the course of residency and navigate the transition from peripheral participant to core member; (2) These residents use their increased clinical experience to perceive relevance in JC topics, and; (3) Residents who remain peripheral participants identify a lack time to prepare for journal club and a lack of staff physician attendance as barriers to resident engagement. We will further develop these themes during the focus group and interview phases of our study. Conclusion: JC is a potentially valuable educational resource for residents. JC works as a community of practice only for a select group of residents, and many remain peripheral participants for the duration of their residency. Incorporation of Free Open-Access Medical Education resources may also decrease preparation time for residents and staff physicians and increase buy-in. To augment clinical impact, the JC community of practice may need to expand beyond emergency medicine and include other specialties.

Background Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is one of the most frequent causes of emergency visit and admission in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Objectives This study aimed to evaluate whether the implementation of a protocol promoting the use of oral morphine as a primary intervention has led to improved care of SCD. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with SCD who presented to the emergency department (ED) and hematology outpatient clinic (HOC) with VOC, in the year pre and postimplementation of the protocol. The primary outcome was the hospitalization rate. Results The protocol resulted in a significant 43% reduction of hospitalization rate (95% confidence interval [CI] -53.0, 26.5). Results also showed a 35% increase in the use of oral morphine as first-line opiate treatment (95% CI 17.9, 45.2), a 28% increase in the use of pain scales (95% CI 17.3, 43.2) and a 30% net increase in patients eventually not requiring intravenous (IV) line placement (95% CI 16.0, 39.9). While we did observe an overall decrease in length of stay in ED of -55 min (95% CI -100.6, -12.0), there was a nonsignificant decrease of 7 minutes (95% CI -26, 3) in the opiate administration time. Conclusions This study validates the use of our oral morphine protocol for the treatment of VOC by significantly reducing the admission rate and decreasing the number of IVs.

Introduction: Laceration is common in children presenting to the emergency department (ED). They are often uncooperative related to pain and distressed during repair. Currently, there are wide variations regarding sedation and analgesia practices when sutures are required. There is a growing interest in the intranasal (IN) route for procedural sedation and pain control because of its effectiveness potential and ease of administration. Few studies have evaluated IN ketamine for procedural sedation in children with reported doses ranging from 3 to 9 mg/kg. The objective is to evaluate the optimal IN ketamine dose for effective and safe procedural sedation for laceration repair in children aged 1 to 12 years. Methods: A dose escalation clinical trial with an initial dose of 3 mg/kg of IN ketamine up to a maximum dose of 9 mg/kg in children 1 to 12 years old, using a 3+3 trial design. For each tested dose, 3 patients are enrolled. Escalation to the next dose is permitted if sedation is unsuccessful in at least one patient without serious adverse event (SAE). Regression to prior dose is warranted in the occurrence of two or more SEAs. This process is repeated until effective sedation for 6 patients at two consecutive doses is achieved with a maximum of 1 SAE or if regression occurs. The primary outcome is the optimal dose for successful procedural sedation as per the PERC/PECARN consensus criteria. Secondary outcome, namely, pain and anxiety levels, parent, patient and provider satisfaction, recovery time, length of stay in the ED, side effects and adverse event are recorded. Results: Nine patients have been recruited from March to December 2017 with median age of 2.9 years-old and with laceration length of 2 to 5 cm and with facial involvement in 55% of cases, respectively. Sedation was successful in 1/3, 1/3 and 3/3 of patients at doses of 3, 4, 5 mg/kg respectively, without any SAE. Median time from ketamine administration to return to baseline status and discharge were 35 and 98 min, respectively. We expect to complete patient recruitment in March 2018. Conclusion: The results from our trial is a groundwork for future dose-finding study. Pending study completion, a multicentric dose validation trial, is set up to further validate the optimal dose from dosINK1 trial. IN ketamine has the potential to improve the field of procedural sedation for children by introducing an effective IN agent with respiratory stability but without the need for an IV line insertion not otherwise needed.

Background Paediatric clavicle fractures are commonly seen in the emergency department (ED), and the current standard of care is to obtain a radiograph for all suspected clavicle fractures. We are yet to determine whether radiographs add valuable information to clinicians’ assessment and therefore if they are necessary in the management of paediatric clavicle fractures. Objective To determine whether clinicians can manage paediatric clavicle fractures without radiographs, first by determining the accuracy of clinicians in identifying the presence of a clavicle fracture, and second by evaluating the level of agreement (kappa (κ)) between the ultimate management of children with suspected clavicle fractures and clinicians’ blinded prediction prior to the radiograph. Methods This prospective study enrolled patients presenting to a paediatric ED with a suspected clavicle fracture. Prior to requesting a radiograph, clinicians completed a standardised form, where they predicted the presence of a fracture and their ultimate management based on their clinical findings, and rated their confidence. Results Of the 50 patients aged 7.2±3.9 years included, 40 (80%) had a radiologically proven clavicle fracture, and clinicians were able to accurately identify them (sensitivity 93%, positive predictive value 88%). There were five (50%) patients without a radiological fracture that were treated with broad arm sling. Clinicians’ prediction of ultimate management had the highest agreement with the ultimate management of the patient on leaving the ED, compared with clinicians’ prediction of the presence of fracture and the final radiograph findings: κ of 0.88 (95% CI 0.64 to 1), 0.67 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.98) and 0.62 (95% CI 0.30 to 0.94), respectively. Thirty-six (72%) of the clinicians felt comfortable treating without radiographs, and this was dependent on their level of training. Conclusions Clinicians can identify the presence of a fracture and tend to be overconservative in their management. Despite negative radiological findings, some patients were treated as though they had a fracture, based on clinical judgement. This adds evidence that radiographs are not routinely required for uncomplicated paediatric clavicle fractures.