IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Author "House, Darlene R."

Browsing by Author "House, Darlene R."

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Availability of mobile phones for discharge follow-up of pediatric Emergency Department patients in western Kenya
(PeerJ, 2015-03) House, Darlene R.; Cheptinga, Philip; Rusyniak, Daniel E.; Department of Emergency Medicine, IU School of Medicine
Objective. Mobile phones have been successfully used for Emergency Department (ED) patient follow-up in developed countries. Mobile phones are widely available in developing countries and may offer a similar potential for follow-up and continued care of ED patients in low and middle-income countries. The goal of this study was to determine the percentage of families with mobile phones presenting to a pediatric ED in western Kenya and rate of response to a follow-up phone call after discharge. Methods. A prospective, cross-sectional observational study of children presenting to the emergency department of a government referral hospital in Eldoret, Kenya was performed. Documentation of mobile phone access, including phone number, was recorded. If families had access, consent was obtained and families were contacted 7 days after discharge for follow-up. Results. Of 788 families, 704 (89.3%) had mobile phone access. Of those families discharged from the ED, successful follow-up was made in 83.6% of cases. Conclusions. Mobile phones are an available technology for follow-up of patients discharged from a pediatric emergency department in resource-limited western Kenya.
Bedside lung ultrasound for the diagnosis of pneumonia in children presenting to an emergency department in a resource-limited setting
(BMC, 2023-01-09) Amatya, Yogendra; Russell, Frances M.; Rijal, Suraj; Adhikari, Sunil; Nti, Benjamin; House, Darlene R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an effective tool for diagnosing pneumonia; however, this has not been well studied in resource-limited settings where pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of bedside LUS for diagnosis of pneumonia in children presenting to an emergency department (ED) in a resource-limited setting. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of children presenting to an ED with respiratory complaints conducted in Nepal. We included all children under 5 years of age with cough, fever, or difficulty breathing who received a chest radiograph. A bedside LUS was performed and interpreted by the treating clinician on all children prior to chest radiograph. The criterion standard was radiographic pneumonia, diagnosed by a panel of radiologists using the Chest Radiography in Epidemiological Studies methodology. The primary outcome was sensitivity and specificity of LUS for the diagnosis of pneumonia. All LUS images were later reviewed and interpreted by a blinded expert sonographer. Results: Three hundred and sixty-six children were enrolled in the study. The median age was 16.5 months (IQR 22) and 57.3% were male. Eighty-four patients (23%) were diagnosed with pneumonia by chest X-ray. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios for clinician's LUS interpretation was 89.3% (95% CI 81-95), 86.1% (95%CI 82-90), 6.4, and 0.12 respectively. LUS demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for pneumonia with an area under the curve of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83-0.92). Interrater agreement between clinician and expert ultrasound interpretation was excellent (k = 0.85). Conclusion: Bedside LUS when used by ED clinicians had good accuracy for diagnosis of pneumonia in children in a resource-limited setting.
Establishing a Low-Resource Simulation Emergency Medicine Curriculum in Nepal
(Association of American Medical Colleges, 2020-07-15) Wang, Alfred; Saltarelli, Nicholas; Cooper, Dylan; Amatya, Yogendra; House, Darlene R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Introduction High-fidelity medical simulation is widely used in emergency medicine training because it mirrors the fast-paced environment of the emergency department (ED). However, simulation is not common in emergency medicine training programs in lower-resourced countries as cost, availability of resources, and faculty experience are potential limitations. We initiated a simulation curriculum in a low-resource environment. Methods We created a simulation lab for medical officers and students on their emergency medicine rotation at a teaching hospital in Patan, Nepal, with 48,000 ED patient visits per year. We set up a simulation lab consisting of a room with one manikin, an intubation trainer, and a projector displaying a simulation cardiac monitor. In this environment, we ran a total of eight cases over 4 simulation days. Debriefing was done at the end of each case. At the end of the curriculum, an electronic survey was delivered to the medical officers to seek improvement for future cases. Results All eight cases were well received, and learners appreciated the safe learning space and teamwork. Of note, the first simulation case that was run (the airway lab) was more difficult for learners due to lack of experience. Survey feedback included improving the debriefing content and adding further procedural skills training. Discussion Simulation is a valuable experience for learners in any environment. Although resources may be limited abroad, a sustainable simulation lab can be constructed and pot
Estimating the weight of children in Nepal by Broselow, PAWPER XL and Mercy method
(Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 2018) Shrestha, Karun; Subedi, Prakriti; Pandey, Oshna; Shakya, Likhita; Chhetri, Kailash; House, Darlene R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
BACKGROUND: Resuscitation of a critically-ill child requires an accurate weight for fluids and medication dosing; however, weighing children on a scale while critically ill is not always practical. The objective of this study is to determine the accuracy of three different weight estimation methods (Broselow, PAWPER XL and Mercy tape) of children presenting to Patan Hospital, Nepal. METHODS: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study that included children presenting to the emergency department and under-fourteen outpatient clinic at Patan Hospital. Measured weight was compared to estimated weight of Broselow, PAWPER XL, and Mercy tapes. The mean percentage error and percentage of estimated weights that were within 10% (PW10) and 20% (PW20) of actual weight were calculated. Acceptable accuracy was determined as a PW10>70% and PW20>95%. A Bland-Altman analysis was done to determine agreement between each weight estimation method and actual weight. RESULTS: The study included 813 children. The mean age was 4.2 years (ranging from 4 days to 14 years) with 60% male. The mean percentage error (MPE) for Broselow, PAWPER XL and Mercy were -1.0% (SD 11.8), 0.7% (10.5) and 4.2% (11.9) respectively. The predicted weight within 10% was highest for the PAWPER XL (71.5%) followed by Broselow (63.2%) and Mercy (58.1%). The predicted weight within 20% of actual weight was 95.2%, 91.5% and 91.3% for PAWPER XL, Broselow and Mercy respectively. CONCLUSION: The PAWPER XL tape was the only method found to be accurate in estimating the weight of Nepalese children.
Feasibility Assessment of the ICF Minimal Generic Set as a Disability Screening Tool in Rural Nepal
(University of Gondar, 2021) Witte, Paul; Tamang, Suresh; Groves, Christine C.; House, Darlene R.; Khadka, Laxman; Bhotia, Thorang; Hartman, Jeff; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Purpose: Nepal’s 2017 Disability Rights law provided a new national definition of disability consistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Updated measurement methods are now indicated to assess disability, suitable for use in populations where self-report tools may be sub-optimal. This study describes the development and field testing of a screening methodology using a clinical assessment conducted by trained non-professionals to score the ICF Minimal Generic Set (MGS). Method: A prospective, 2-stage assessment of disability was conducted over an eight-month period among a convenience sample of individuals aged ≥ 18, admitted to a rural District Hospital in Northeastern Nepal. After 30 hours of training, non-professional assessors completed Stage 1 screening during hospital admission, with positive screening thresholds set on the basis of MGS scores. A physiotherapist completed Stage 2 assessments in the homes of participants with long-term disability, after their hospital discharge. Results: Data from 161 participants was analysed, with 159 (98.8%) screening positive for either temporary or long-term disability. Stage 1 screening was completed independently by assessors in 8-12 minutes. Of the 35 participants (21.7%) with positive screening for long-term disability, 13 (37.1%) underwent Stage 2 detailed evaluation. Disability was confirmed in all Stage 2 assessments, indicating feasibility of the screening process. Conclusion: Disability screening conducted by trained non-professional assessors using clinical assessment to score the MGS appears to be a promising methodology, and warrants further investigation. If it is found to be valid, it could provide a powerful tool to increase the visibility of disability among some of the most vulnerable populations.
Impact of bedside lung ultrasound on physician clinical decision-making in an emergency department in Nepal
(BMC, 2020) House, Darlene R.; Amatya, Yogendra; Nti, Benjamin; Russell, Frances M.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background Lung ultrasound is an effective tool for the evaluation of undifferentiated dyspnea in the emergency department. Impact of lung ultrasound on clinical decisions for the evaluation of patients with dyspnea in resource-limited settings is not well-known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of lung ultrasound on clinical decision-making for patients presenting with dyspnea to an emergency department in the resource-limited setting of Nepal. Methods A prospective, cross-sectional study of clinicians working in the Patan Hospital Emergency Department was performed. Clinicians performed lung ultrasounds on patients presenting with dyspnea and submitted ultrasounds with their pre-test diagnosis, lung ultrasound interpretation, post-test diagnosis, and any change in management. Results Twenty-two clinicians participated in the study, completing 280 lung ultrasounds. Diagnosis changed in 124 (44.3%) of patients with dyspnea. Clinicians reported a change in management based on the lung ultrasound in 150 cases (53.6%). Of the changes in management, the majority involved treatment (83.3%) followed by disposition (13.3%) and new consults (2.7%). Conclusions In an emergency department in Nepal, bedside lung ultrasound had a significant impact on physician clinical decision-making, especially on patient diagnosis and treatment.
In Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Which Fibrinolytic Agent Is the Safest and Most Effective?
(Elsevier, 2018) Shrestha, Ashis; House, Darlene R.; Welch, Julie L.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Incidence and risk factors for carbon monoxide poisoning in an emergency department in Nepal
(Taylor & Francis, 2022) Acharya, Samita Pant; Purpura, Andrea; Kao, Louise; House, Darlene R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Incidence of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Nepal has not been studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate baseline carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentrations, population risk factors, and incidence of CO poisoning at a single hospital in Nepal. This was a prospective, observational study of patients presenting to Patan Hospital Emergency Department from April 2019 to March 2020. Demographics, risk factors for CO poisoning, symptoms, and clinical pretest probability of CO poisoning was documented. COHb concentration was obtained using a noninvasive co-oximeter. Significant CO exposure was defined as COHb concentration > 10%. CO poisoning was defined as COHb > 10% coupled with symptoms. Of 1,040 patients, 745 patients had a recordable COHb concentration. Median age was 40 years (IQR 33) with 407 (55%) females. Average COHb was 7.2%. Warm months were associated with higher COHb concentrations (8.1% vs 6.0%, p < 0.05). Firewood use had higher COHb concentrations compared to gas heating (8.6% vs 7.0%, p < 0.05). Overall, 228 (31%) patients had a COHb concentration > 10% indicating significant CO exposure. Sixteen patients had CO poisoning. We found a significant baseline incidence of COHb > 10% (31%) in patients presenting to a hospital in Nepal. Risk factors for higher baseline COHb concentrations included warm months and cooking with firewood.
Lower extremity weakness: A rare case of extrapulmonary tuberculosis
(Elsevier, 2019-01) Rijal, Suraj; Adhikari, Sunil; House, Darlene R.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Lung ultrasound training and evaluation for proficiency among physicians in a low-resource setting
(Springer, 2021-06-30) House, Darlene R.; Amatya, Yogendra; Nti, Benjamin; Russell, Frances M.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is helpful for the evaluation of patients with dyspnea in the emergency department (ED). However, it remains unclear how much training and how many LUS examinations are needed for ED physicians to obtain proficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the threshold number of LUS physicians need to perform to achieve proficiency for interpreting LUS on ED patients with dyspnea. Methods: A prospective study was performed at Patan Hospital in Nepal, evaluating proficiency of physicians novice to LUS. After eight hours of didactics and hands-on training, physicians independently performed and interpreted ultrasounds on patients presenting to the ED with dyspnea. An expert sonographer blinded to patient data and LUS interpretation reviewed images and provided an expert interpretation. Interobserver agreement was performed between the study physician and expert physician interpretation. Cumulative sum analysis was used to determine the number of scans required to attain an acceptable level of training. Results: Nineteen physicians were included in the study, submitting 330 LUS examinations with 3288 lung zones. Eighteen physicians (95%) reached proficiency. Physicians reached proficiency for interpreting LUS accurately when compared to an expert after 4.4 (SD 2.2) LUS studies for individual zone interpretation and 4.8 (SD 2.3) studies for overall interpretation, respectively. Conclusions: Following 1 day of training, the majority of physicians novice to LUS achieved proficiency with interpretation of lung ultrasound after less than five ultrasound examinations performed independently.

Browsing by Author "House, Darlene R."

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