FACEMs at Night: A Mattress Stuffed with Flaw

This is the second of two perspectives on whether FACEMs should work night night shifts, for the first, see Anand Swaminathan’s ‘FACEMs at Night: An American Perspective‘. Let us take ourselves one fact. One, simple, undeniable fact. One cannot, after all, dispute a fact. A fact, according to most reputable definers of words (and a few, which are my more preferred sources, disreputable ones) is a truth. A thing that is universally known to be true. Merriam-Webster (American, I know, but in light of it’s lexicographically poetic etymology, we must forgive its murderous spelling) defines it as ‘a true piece of information.’ So I offer you a fact. Patients presenting to the Emergency Department at night are safer if there is a FACEM present. A simple statement, you will agree, and entirely plausible to you, dear reader, if this is the first time you have given the matter consideration. But, as luck would have it, you have evidence with which to securely back it up. There is not quite a wealth, rather a comfortable income of data to support it. The supply of this evidence, has, most fortunately, been done by somebody else who finds pleasure in the collation of such material, and I refer you to the references outlined in the article below.(1) Although there are no numbers upon which to convert this ‘fact’ into a NNT at this point, the balance of current evidence, opinion, and basic plausibility can safely move this idea well into fact territory. It has...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Australia Emergency Medicine consultant emergency physician FACEM night-shift Source Type: blogs