ED Nursing articles from August 2004

ED Nursing archives from August 2004

Psychiatric patients are flooding EDs: ensure safety with these solutions: problem has reached crisis level in emergency departments nationwide.
August 1, 2004... (Editor's note. This is the first of a two-part series on psychiatric patients in the ED. This month, we cover ways to improve care, ensure safety, and maintain throughput. Next month, we give strategies for reducing risks of chemical and...

Take these steps to keep staff and patients safe.
August 1, 2004... In light of increasing numbers of psychiatric patients at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, NV, the following steps were taken to ensure safety of ED patients and staff: --A hotline links the ED with the police department for...

Want to stop IV drug errors? Use these proven strategies.
August 1, 2004... A nurse pulls out a 10,000 units per cc concentration of heparin for a cardiac patient--double the correct dosage. Did this patient get twice the dose of heparin, resulting in bleeding complications? No, because the dosage was...

Are your ED staff at risk for needlestick injury? OSHA citations have increased dramatically.
August 1, 2004... Are potential violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act high on your "worry list?" Here's another high-risk area that you should add to your list: Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) citations for violations of...

One ED was fined $9K for these unsafe practices.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Here are some of the alleged violations of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard that occurred at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY, which resulted in several citations and $9,000 in fines, according to Occupational Safety & Health...

Stroke treatment to widen time window to 8 hours.
August 1, 2004... How many times have you carefully assessed a stroke patient in your ED to determine time of symptom onset, only to find out that this individual is not eligible to receive thrombolytics? New treatment options on the horizon will give you other...

Cut door-to-doctor delays by 60 minutes.
August 1, 2004... It's more important than a comfortable waiting room with VCRs and fish tanks, or even an attentive triage nurse. In fact, it's often the single most important factor impacting patient satisfaction: door-to-doctor times. "After all, the...

Wisconsin ED cuts $50,000 a year off its staffing costs.
August 1, 2004... Have you ever wished that you could instantly adjust your staffing based on the current census in the ED? An "off-with-benefits" program at St. Vincent Hospital's ED in Green Bay, WI, saves approximately $50,000 per year by doing exactly that,...

Audio conference prepares you for influenza season.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Flu season is right around the corner. Are you prepared? If an influenza pandemic hits, the entire U.S. population could be at risk. The annual impact of influenza on the United States is staggering: 10%-20% of the population will get the...

Use site to improve care of trauma patients.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Is your ED practicing according to current guidelines for trauma patients? Do you need images for use during trauma inservices? The www.trauma.org web site has become an invaluable resource for many emergency nurses. "The site has a...

Kane BG, Degutis LC, Sayward HK, et al. Compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Kane BG, Degutis LC, Sayward HK, et al. Compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Acad Emerg Med 2004; 11:371-377. EDs are not adhering...

CE questions.
August 1, 2004... After reading this issue of ED Nursing, the CE participant should be able to: * Identify clinical, regulatory, or social issues relating to ED nursing (See Are your ED staff at risk for needlestick injury? and Stroke treatment to widen...