ED Nursing articles from May 2003

ED Nursing archives from May 2003

Report every case of suspected child abuse--or face criminal charges; Missouri case serves as a wake-up call for all ED nurses.
May 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An ED nurse has been charged criminally for failing to report suspected child abuse, highlighting the need to report all suspicions. * Nurses are legally required to report suspected abuse and neglect. * Always...

SARS cases are growing--prepare with these steps.(severe acute respiratory syndrome)
May 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases underscores the need to review proper isolation procedures. * Avoid aerosol-generating procedures such as bronchoscopy, airway suctioning, and...

Are you putting spinal cord injury patients in danger?(follow recent guidelines for acute cervical spine and spinal cord injuries to prevent further injury in these patients)
May 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Follow recent guidelines for acute cervical spine and spinal cord injuries to prevent further injury in these patients. * The complete spine should be immobilized until injury has been ruled out. * Perform a...

Triage switch could fail without these steps.(advice for switching to a five-level triage system, including the need to examine one's processes first)
May 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Before you switch to a five-level triage scale, you should review your entire front-end systems. * Identify existing problems with triage, such as bottlenecks and delays. * Ask for input from a wide variety of...

Boost morale with `core team' of ED nurses.(patient morale, flow, and vacancy rates can benefit by having a 'core team' of experienced emergency department nurses)
May 1, 2003... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A "core team" of experienced ED nurses can have a major impact on patient flow, morale, and vacancy rates. * Inservices are provided to staff to supplement education budget cuts. * The nurses came up with...

Are you giving aspirin to stroke patients?(the American Academy of Neurology and the American Stroke Association promote using aspirin to treat acute ischemic strokes)
May 1, 2003... If you fail to give aspirin to stroke patients in your ED, you're not following recommendations of a recent report from the St. Paul, MN-based American Academy of Neurology and the Dallas-based American Stroke Association. According to the...

SARS: what U.S. hospitals can learn from Canada.(treating and controlling severe acute respiratory syndrome)
May 1, 2003... Hospital clinicians in the United States are watching with grave concern as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)--a rapidly emerging infection with unclear treatment options--strikes the health care system of their Canadian colleagues....

CE questions.
May 1, 2003... After reading this issue of ED Nursing, the CE participant should be able to: 1. Identify clinical, regulatory, or social issues relating to ED nursing. (See "Are you putting spinal cord injury patients in danger?" "Triage switch...

Emergency Department evaluation form for Competency Day.
May 1, 2003... Presenters: -- -- Please take a moment to evaluate the ED unit-specific Competency Day. 1. Coverage of the topics: Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent 2. Speakers: Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent ...

Update on wound closure: evidence-based strategies for optimizing outcomes.(advice for treating wounds in the emergency department)
May 1, 2003... Introduction Collectively, wounds are the third most common problem seen in the emergency department (ED). (1) In 2000, more than 7 million wounds were treated in EDs in the United States. (2) Although the ultimate aims in wound treatment...

CE questions.
May 1, 2003... CE Questions 1. Would infection may be decreased by: A. leaving devitalized tissue in the wound. B. extending the length of the wound. C. decreasing tissue contamination. D. making an effort to minimize only the worst...

Wound management.
May 1, 2003... Wounds Managed with Secondary or Delayed Primary Closure * Wounds that already are infected * Wounds that are heavily contaminated and/or with visible debris * Those with extensive tissue damage involving both the wound and...