ED Nursing articles from March 2002

ED Nursing archives from March 2002

Do you offer rape victims emergency contraception? Liability is an issue: you need strategies to avoid malpractice and lawsuits.
March 1, 2002... Executive summary. Although emergency contraception (EC) is the standard of care for rape victims, many EDs do not offer patients this option. * Guidelines from the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians...

What if your ED won't offer EC?(emergency contraception)
March 1, 2002... Do you offer emergency contraception (EC) to all rape victims who come to your ED? In 1989, a Los Angeles Court of Appeal gave rape victims the right to sue hospitals if "information concerning and access to EC" isn't given. Unfortunately,...

Use these strategies when you suspect elder abuse. (Guest Column).
March 1, 2002... When an exasperated daughter brought her elderly mother to the ED for treatment, the daughter began to vent frustration about caring for her mother who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In doing so, she divulged to the nurse that her mother...

Watch for red flags that may signal abuse.
March 1, 2002... An abused elder may be hesitant to talk openly or appear to be fearful, angry, depressed, or withdrawn, says Lorey Ridge, MSW, GSW, ED social worker at East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, LA. "These are all red flags that something...

You can cut delays with wireless registration.(patient registration)
March 1, 2002... Executive summary. By registering patients at the bedside using a wireless system, you can reduce delays by five to seven minutes per patient. * Registration is a common "bottleneck" that increases a patient's overall length of stay....

Use job action sheets for your disaster plan.
March 1, 2002... When ED managers at Brandon (FL) Regional Hospital set about revamping their hospital's disaster plan, one major change was made: The ED is now using the "Hospital Emergency Incident Command System" (HEICS) during any mass-casualty incident,...

Health status and intimate partner violence: a cross-sectional study. (Journal Reviews).
March 1, 2002... Brokaw J, Fullerton-Gleason L, Olson, et al. Health status and intimate partner violence: A cross-sectional study. Ann Emerg 2002; 39:31-38. Women with a recent history of intimate partner violence self-reported a poorer health status than...

A system of analyzing medical errors to improve GME curricula and programs. (Journal Reviews).(graduate medical education)
March 1, 2002... Battles JB, Shea CE. A system of analyzing medical errors to improve GME curricula and programs Acad Med 2001; 76:125-133. Researchers at the Rockville, MD-based Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality performed a root-cause analysis of...

Audio conferences target disasters, medical disclosure.(emergency management conferences)
March 1, 2002... Have you,missed one of American Health Consultants (AHC) recent audio conferences? If so, two upcoming conference replays offer another opportunity to take advantage of excellent continuing education opportunities for your entire facility. ...

Hospital preparedness for weapons of mass-destruction incidents: an initial assessment. (Journal Reviews).
March 1, 2002... Treat KN, Williams JM, Furbee PM, et al. Hospital preparedness for weapons of mass-destruction incidents: An initial assessment. Ann Emerg Med 2001; 38:562-565. Hospitals are not prepared to handle disasters involving weapons of mass...

Report: EDs treated 31 million injuries in 2000.
March 1, 2002... According to a new report, approximately 31 million patients (one out of every 10 patients seen in the ED) in the United States were treated in EDs for nonfatal injuries in 2000. (1) Data was collected from EDs nationwide, using the...

CE questions.(continuing medical education questions)
March 1, 2002... Please save your monthly issues with the CE questions to take the two semester tests in June and December. A Scantron form will be inserted in those issues, but the questions will not be repeated. 9. Which of the following is true regarding...

Anthrax aftermath: adverse drug reactions, vaccine controversy undercut CDC extended treatment offer: some 8,000 people say thanks but no thanks.
March 1, 2002... Despite the lingering possibility of late-onset anthrax infection, more than 8,000 people potentially exposed in the bioterrorism attacks of 2001 have turned down offers of additional antibiotics and immunization with the controversial vaccine,...