ED Nursing articles from August 2008

ED Nursing archives from August 2008

Take these steps if your trauma patient was assaulted or abused.
August 1, 2008... Take these steps if your trauma patient was assaulted or abused Probe further if injuries are suspicious (Editor's note: This is a three-part series on trauma care in the ED. This story will focus on violence-related trauma, including...

When you suspect abuse, ask the right questions.
August 1, 2008... When you suspect abuse, ask the right questions Patients won't reveal abuse unless asked A simple fall in a healthy person shouldn't result in multiple facial injuries, except if the patient was intoxicated, says Regina Curry, RN, an...

Will your patient be safe after the ED visit?
August 1, 2008... Will your patient be safe after the ED visit? Once a patient with violence-related traumatic injuries is stable and about to be discharged, you have to consider something equally important: Will he or she be safe after they leave your ED?...

Suspect child abuse if you see these injuries.
August 1, 2008... Suspect child abuse if you see these injuries Here are some examples of suspicious injuries in children, according to Thomas Tryon, RN, an ED nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia: -- a spiral fracture, which...

You'll soon be using new 80-lead EKG to ID MIs.
August 1, 2008... You'll soon be using new 80-lead EKG to ID MIs 15% more patients are diagnosed If a patient complains of chest pain, you probably suspect a myocardial infarction (MI) and obtain an immediate electrocardiogram (EKG). But it doesn't show...

New 80-lead EKG is easy to interpret.
August 1, 2008... New 80-lead EKG is easy to interpret Recently, ED nurses at University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville were given a two-hour in-service on the Prime ECG (manufactured by Columbia, MD-based Heartscape Technologies), reports...

What to do immediately for infants with seizures.
August 1, 2008... What to do immediately for infants with seizures Causes range from sepsis to hypoglycemia If panicked parents bring in a seizing infant, the underlying cause could be life-threatening, but it also could have resulted from something as...

Ask these questions if an infant is seizing.
August 1, 2008... Ask these questions if an infant is seizing "Undiagnosed or new-onset seizure in infants is always a critical emergency, mostly because we need to figure out the underlying cause and treat it before it worsens," says Jennifer Anders, MD, an...

Are heart attack symptoms due to cocaine use?
August 1, 2008... Are heart attack symptoms due to cocaine use? Treatments can be life-threatening if not known Has your patient used cocaine? Not knowing the answer to this question could be life-threatening for your patient because the wrong...

Know risk factors for youngest MI patients.
August 1, 2008... Know risk factors for youngest MI patients Young people with a history of Type I diabetes, juvenile obesity, hypertension, sickle cell anemia, smoking, or recreational drug use are at considerable risk for myocardial infarction (MI), even...

When should you ask about cocaine use?
August 1, 2008... When should you ask about cocaine use? Always ask about recent cocaine use when a younger individual presents to the ED with possible cardiac symptoms, says Pamela Tokarski, RN, an ED nurse at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "Young...

How to get an honest answer on cocaine use.
August 1, 2008... How to get an honest answer on cocaine use Patients may be hesitant to admit cocaine use, either because they fear legal consequences or because they don't want family members to know, says Pamela Tokarski, RN, an ED nurse at Henry Ford...

Is there a fentanyl patch hidden on your patient?
August 1, 2008... Is there a fentanyl patch hidden on your patient? Patients may not mention transdermal patches Because a woman with chronic pain failed to tell ED nurses about the fentanyl patch she was wearing, she was given a second fentanyl patch...

Always ask patients about transdermal patches.
August 1, 2008... Always ask patients about transdermal patches All patients should be asked about any medication, prescribed or over-the-counter, that they are taking, including transdermal patches, says Cindy Vanek, MS, RN, director of emergency and...

EDs seeing an increase in gymnastics injuries.
August 1, 2008... EDs seeing an increase in gymnastics injuries Nearly 27,000 gymnastics-related injuries are treated in EDs each year for children 6 to 17 years old, says a new study based on data obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance...

These 3 trauma injuries are easy for you to miss.
August 1, 2008... These 3 trauma injuries are easy for you to miss Young gymnasts may be more stoic than other kids you treat. "So you really have to use all your clinical tools: History, physical exam and X-rays to determine whether it's something more...

Don't forget to prepare kids for ED procedures.
August 1, 2008... Don't forget to prepare kids for ED procedures EDs often fail to manage pain of children undergoing painful procedures, which might mean the procedure can't be performed or the child might suffer needless discomfort, says Steven J. Weisman,...

CNE objectives/questions.
August 1, 2008... CNE objectives/questions Participants who complete this activity will be able to: *identify clinical, regulatory, or social issues relating to ED nursing; *describe how those issues affect nursing service delivery; *integrate...