POEM aims to assess the adequacy of pain management in patients presenting to the ED with confirmed long bone fracture and/or dislocation isolated to a proximal or distal limb.
It is projected that the sample captured within the study will be representative of the UK and therefore provide insight into factors that may influence the standard of acute pain management nationally.
Recruitment: The study is estimated to continue for 26 consecutive weeks. It is estimated that our ED sees approximately 10 patients presenting with long bone fractures each week. We are therefore aiming to enrol between 20-30 participants each month.
Posters regarding the POEM study will be clearly displayed (24 hours prior to recruitment) in different areas in the ED alerting patients that a clinical research is being carried out and that information regarding their clinical care may be used for research purposes. Patients are advised in the poster to contact the EMERGE team if patients do not wish for their information to be used.
Eligibility Criteria: All patients with confirmed long bone fracture and/or dislocation isolated to a single proximal or distal limb presenting in the ED.
Ethical Consideration: No Consent required as no sensitive patient data will be collected and all data will be anonymised.
Approved by the Research Ethics Committee (Ref 14/SC/0167). Reviewed by Patient and Public Involvement Officer and The National Institute for Health Research’s Research and Design Service South Central.
Funding: The Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Research Team: Professor Alasdair Gray, Mia Paderanga, Rachel O’Brien, Miranda Odam, Emma Ward.
