ED Nursing articles from January 2002

ED Nursing archives from January 2002

Emergency department nurses may be first to notice a smallpox outbreak: do you know what to do with your suspicions? Here are exact steps to take.
January 1, 2002... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY You should have a high index of suspicion for smallpox, and the major red flag to watch for is a patient with flulike symptoms, a rash, and altered mentation. * A chickenpox rash starts on the trunk with lesions in...

Do you know how to use PAPRs?(positive-air pressure respirator)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... You should use a positive-air pressure respirator (PAPR) to protect against bacteria and viruses up to 0.3 microns in length if you suspect a patient has smallpox, recommends Darlene Matsuoka, RN, BSN, CEN, CCRN, ED clinical nurse educator at...

Use these tips for giving medications to children. (Pediatric Corner).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY When giving medications to pediatric patients, allow parents to soothe them, avoid threats, and warn children if something will be painful. * Give oral medicines to infants using a dropper or small syringe without...

Educate parents about medications.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... One evening, a 15-month-old weighing 22 pounds was brought to the ED by ambulance after having a febrile seizure. "The child was post-ictal on arrival with a temperature of 103.6 [degrees] rectally," recalls Theresa Cromling, RN, an...

Here are 10 ways to retain nursing staff.
January 1, 2002... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A recent report from the General Accounting Office says that the national unemployment rate for nurses is at its lowest level in more than a decade. It also reports regional nurse shortages. * Decrease ED nurses'...

Children need adult advocates in the ED. (Guest Column).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Infants and young children don't have a vote. That's why they need adult advocates to represent their needs in an emergency setting. In an unnamed hospital, an example of how a child advocate can make a difference was seen recently when a...

Joint Commission report spotlights disaster planning.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... During your next survey with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, you'll notice surveyors paying extra attention to your disaster plan. The Joint Commission has issued a special report on preparation for...

Use this checklist to assess if you're prepared.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... To demonstrate your disaster preparedness during a survey with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, use the following checklist of questions developed by Michelle H. Pelling, MBA, RN, president of the ProPell...

Teach patients to rinse after use of steroid inhaler. (Tip Of The Month).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Inhaled corticosteroid therapy is the most effective controlling medication used for the treatment of asthma, says Steven D. Glow, RN, MSN, FNP, CEN, EMT-P, nursing faculty at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT, and former ED nurse at...

Web site offers tools for culturally diverse care. (Web Alert).(www.erc.msh.org)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Are you looking for resources to improve care of culturally diverse populations? If so, The Manager's Electronic Resource Center web site developed by Management Sciences Health, a nonprofit public health education organization based in Boston,...

Factors associated with older patients' satisfaction with care in an inner-city emergency department. (Journal Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Nerney MP, Chin MH, Jin L, et al. Factors associated with older patients' satisfaction with care in an inner-city emergency department. Ann Emerg Med 2001; 38:140-145. Older patients want specific things from an ED visit, say researchers...

Calendar.
January 1, 2002... * ENA Leadership Challenge -- Feb. 28-March 3, 2002, Charlotte, NC. Sponsored by Emergency Nurses Association. Contact: Emergency Nurses Association, 915 Lee St., Des Plaines, IL 60016. Telephone: (800) 243-8362. Fax: (847)460-4001. E-mail:...

CE questions.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... 1. Which of the following is true of the rash characteristic of smallpox, according to Maureen Titus, RN, CIC, director of infection control at Carolinas Medical Center? A. The rash progresses uniformly, and all lesions have the same...

Anthrax outbreak forces closer focus on patient safety: facilities may have to revisit preparedness plans.
January 1, 2002... The recent anthrax bioterror attacks have been a rude awakening for health care professionals across the country; they now know that what they once considered a dim possibility now is a reality. And while the threat seems to have died down,...

HHS commits $50 million to better patient safety.(Department of Health and Human Services )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released $50 million to fund 94 new research grants, contracts, and other projects to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety. This initiative, the...

Leapfrog compliance pays off for hospitals.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Hospitals will begin to reap monetary rewards if they implement some specific patient safety initiatives backed by the Washington, DC-based patient safety improvement organization, The Leapfrog Group. A consortium of Fortune 500 companies...

NPSF taps Diamond as interim director.(National Patient Safety Foundation)(Louis H. Diamond)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) in Chicago has appointed board member Louis H. Diamond, MB, ChB, FACP, as interim director of programs. Diamond is medical director and vice president at The MEDSTAT Group, providing clinical...

IPECAC follow-up.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... AfterCare[R] Instructions WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Your child may have swallowed a substance that could be harmful to the body. The caregiver gave your child ipecac to cause vomiting and to empty the stomach. For a short time after...

Febrile seizure in children.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... AfterCare[R] Instructions WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: * A febrile seizure (c-zure) or convulsion (kun-vull-shun) is an attack caused by a high fever. During a seizure, the electrical activity in the brain is not normal. The brain seems to...

Excerpt: vaccinia (smallpox) vaccine recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2001.
January 1, 2002... Summary These revised recommendations regarding vaccinia (smallpox) vaccine update the previous Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations (MMWR 1991; 40; No. RR-14:1-10) and include current information regarding...