ED Nursing articles from February 2005

ED Nursing archives from February 2005

Are cardiac patients waiting too long in your ED? Cut dangerous delays now: you may have an AMI sitting in your waiting room.(treatment times for acute myocardial infarction)
February 1, 2005... You already know overcrowding in your ED leads to lower patient satisfaction and higher stress levels. But crowded waiting rooms can be deadly to heart attack patients due to longer waits to receive lifesaving clot-busting medications,...

Dramatically improve care of peds with bronchiolitis.(child bronchiolitis)
February 1, 2005... The sound of a small child breathing in gasps and wheezes can alarm even experienced ED nurses, and your assessment of this vulnerable patient is key to ensuring a good outcome, says Lynn Daum, RN, BSN, special projects coordinator for...

Identify patients at high risk for heparin reaction: condition often is missed in the ED.(heparin-induced thrombocytopenia)
February 1, 2005... If a patient came in with obvious symptoms of a stroke or myocardial infarction (MI), would you rush to start a heparin drip? If this patient's symptoms are caused by heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), you could be putting his or her life...

ED nurses use ultrasound to place difficult IV lines: in 5 years, 50% of EDs may use them.
February 1, 2005... Imagine a woman in sickle cell crisis coming to you crying and writhing in pain. Now imagine being unable to start intravenous (IV) access for more than two hours, with the IV finally being placed in her lower calf after multiple sticks. ...

Ease the switch to bedside registration: here's how to overcome obstacles.
February 1, 2005... Has your ED switched to bedside registration yet? This is without question one of the most effective ways to reduce delays and improve patient flow, but a multitude of obstacles can arise during implementation, says Denise Proto, RN, MS, CEN,...

Consider patient use of OTC medications.(over the counter drugs)
February 1, 2005... When you take a patient's medication history, do you specifically ask about over-the-counter (OTC) drugs? A new study underscores the importance of this question. According to a case report, OTC decongestants containing pseudoephedrine can...

Save $37,000 a month by creating a 'float pool'.(Cost-Saving Tip)
February 1, 2005... How would you like to have a pool of reliable nurses to fill your staffing holes--without incurring astronomical agency nursing costs? At Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, GA, a "float pool" of ED nurses cut agency usage in half in only...

Prepare your hospital for a very unusual flu season; vaccine shortages may wreak havoc.(Hospital Influenza Crisis Management)
February 1, 2005... With the unprecedented shortage of influenza vaccine this flu season, hospitals are scrambling to prepare for what may be a record number of flu patients presenting to their already overcrowded EDs and for staff shortages due to record...

CE questions.(continuing education for emergency department nurses)
February 1, 2005... 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 cardiac patients waiting too long in your ED? Cut dangerous delays now and...