Abstract
Introducition Early splinting of long bone fractures reduces pain, facilitates patient transport and helps prevent further soft tissue injury. Experience suggests that the rate of splinting is low. This study aims to quantify this rate and determine whether it could be improved with a simple educational intervention.
Methods Radiographs ordered in the Emergency Department over an eight week control period were examined for fractures and presence of splints. The junior doctors responsible for these patients completed a questionnaire to assess how highly they rated early splinting. At the beginning of the next emergency term, new junior doctors were given the same questionnaire followed by an information sheet relating to fracture splinting. The questionnaire was repeated after reading the information sheet to confirm comprehension. Radiographs performed over the following eight weeks were examined.
Results Ninety-six long bone fractures amenable to splinting were x-rayed in the control period, and of these 15 were splinted (16%). After the intervention this rose to 28 out of 98 fractures (29%, p< 0.05). The intervention group prior to reading the information sheet ranked splinting in a similar manner to the control group (p> 0.20). Splinting ranked significantly more highly after reading the information sheet (p< 0.01).
Conclusions We have shown that a simple and concise teaching session to junior doctors in the Emergency Department significantly improves the rate of splinting in the early management of fractures. We suggest that similar training should be applied to all emergency staff.
The abstracts were prepared by Mr Jerzy Sikorski. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Australian Orthopaedic Association, Ground Floor, William Bland Centre, 229 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.
None of the authors have received any payment or consideration from any source for the conduct of this study.
