ED Nursing articles from March 2009

ED Nursing archives from March 2009

Break down these dangerous barriers to medication safety.
March 1, 2009... Break down these dangerous barriers to medication safety Take an in-depth look at your own ED A patient's chart is unavailable. Verbal orders are not yet written in the patient's chart. The identification bracelet is not yet on your...

Pediatric Corner: These factors ID children at high risk for acidosis.
March 1, 2009... These factors ID children at high risk for acidosis Interventions can be started earlier A 3-year-old boy with gastroenteritis presents with dry mucous membranes, and his mother tells you he has been sick for several days. This child...

Is a dehydrated child's life possibly in danger?
March 1, 2009... Is a dehydrated child's life possibly in danger? Use these assessment tips Severely dehydrated children are "in imminent danger" due to cardiovascular collapse, increased acidosis, and metabolic abnormalities, all of which can lead to...

Get a better med history - A life may be at stake.(Report)
March 1, 2009... Get a better med history -- A life may be at stake Nearly half of older patients use prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications together, says a new study, and one in 25 is at risk for a major potential drug-drug interaction. The...

Visits for abuse rise 44% for prescriptions/OTC drugs.(Clinical report)
March 1, 2009... Visits for abuse rise 44% for prescriptions/OTC drugs Potential for overdose is 'high and could be deadly' Abuse of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is bringing more patients to the ED, according to a new report from the...

Give this diagnostic test if appendicitis is suspected.
March 1, 2009... Give this diagnostic test if appendicitis is suspected Early acute appendicitis may be difficult to diagnose The results of a CT scan changed the treatment plan for almost one-third of ED patients with suspected appendicitis, says a new...

Study says chronic pain is poorly managed in ED.
March 1, 2009... Study says chronic pain is poorly managed in ED Care is 'very different from acute pain' When 103 ED patients, 34 ED physicians, and 44 ED nurses were surveyed, they all agreed on one thing: Treating chronic pain in the ED is a "low...

Could performing an MSE get an ED nurse sued?
March 1, 2009... Could performing an MSE get an ED nurse sued? Nurses potentially can 'get into some serious trouble' [Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series on medical screening examinations (MSEs) performed by emergency nurses. This...

CNE objectives/questions.
March 1, 2009... 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...