ED Nursing articles from June 2003

ED Nursing archives from June 2003

Pediatric psychiatric cases are coming in record numbers: don't risk tragedy: many EDs report 'doubling and tripling' of pediatric psychiatric patients.(a discussion of treating children with psychiatric emergencies in the emergency department)
June 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EDs nationwide are experiencing a dramatic increase in children with psychiatric emergencies, including psychosis, hallucinations, schizophrenia, and violent outbursts. * Create a protocol for pediatric psychiatric...

Do you know how to de-escalate children?(a discussion of how to de-escalate children with psychiatric emergencies)
June 1, 2003... You may be familiar with pediatric advanced life support training, child abuse screening, and ensuring accurate medication dosages for children. But do you know how to de-escalate children with psychiatric emergencies? If not, obtain...

Painkiller overdoses are rising dramatically.(emergency room nurses should be prepared for the growing problem of narcotic analgesic overdoses)
June 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ED visits related to narcotic analgesic overdoses have risen dramatically in recent years, according to a report from the Drug Abuse Warning Network. * Ask patients about over-the-counter drugs. * Acetaminophen...

Boost morale of ED nurses with these novel incentives.
June 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Incentives to boost morale of nursing staff include paying for the certification for emergency nurses exam and review course and awarding an ED employee of the month. Other ideas are: * Ask nurses to name three things...

Is your care of pediatric poisonings outdated? Knowing the correct interventions can save lives. (Pediatric Corner).
June 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Have a high index of suspicion for accidental ingestions in pediatric patients. * Two common life-threatening poisonings are deliberate ingestions by suicidal adolescents, and small children who ingest potent...

Use these tips to assess and treat ingestions. (Guest Column).(in the emergency room)
June 1, 2003... One busy afternoon in the ED, a mother brought her 3-year-old daughter to triage after an ingestion of an unknown quantity of the brother's clonidine tablets. The mother stated that the daughter could have ingested up to 10 pills, since the...

Save money with 'Price is Right' contest. (Cost-Saving Tip).(a contest can help nurses stop wasting supplies)
June 1, 2003... Do you ever see nurses in your ED misusing or wasting supplies, and wish they knew what these items actually cost? Here's a solution: Ask nurses to guess what the ED pays for various common items, suggests Patricia Carroll, RN,BC, CEN, MS,...

Laposa JM, Alden LE, Fullerton LM. Work stress and post-traumatic stress disorder in ED nurses/ personnel.(a discussion of a study of work stress in hospitals)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... J Emerg Nuts 2003; 29:23-28. Most respondents to a survey about work stress thought they had received inadequate support from hospital administrators after a traumatic incident, according to this study from University of British Columbia...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2003... An incorrect dosage formula was listed in the "Pediatric Worksheet" form inserted in the April 2003 issue of ED Nursing. Under the "Emergency Drugs" section, the correct Phenobarbital Loading Dosage is 10-20 mg/kg.

CE questions.
June 1, 2003... 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 "Painkiller overdoses are rising dramatically and Is your care of pediatric...