ED Nursing articles from October 2005

ED Nursing archives from October 2005

Are dangerous errors occurring during change of shift? Use these strategies.
October 1, 2005... Are dangerous errors occurring during change of shift? Use these strategies 'Handoffs' are most dangerous time in EDs (Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series on improving "handoff" communication in EDs. This month's...

Are you giving poor care to sickle cell patients?
October 1, 2005... Are you giving poor care to sickle cell patients? Complications can occur A 33-year-old man with sickle cell disease complains of severe pain in his right arm and reports that attempts to treat the pain at home were unsuccessful. Since...

Discharge instructions adequate? Don't risk a suit.
October 1, 2005... Discharge instructions adequate? Don't risk a suit If a patient claimed that you never told him how to care for a wound that became infected, would you be able to prove otherwise? "I have seen many malpractice cases where there is good...

2 lawsuits for poor ED care have different outcomes.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... 2 lawsuits for poor ED care have different outcomes These cases illustrate the impact that discharge instructions given to ED patients have on the outcome of a malpractice lawsuit: *After a man with abdominal pain was diagnosed with...

Do you put CAP patients at risk in your facility?
October 1, 2005... Do you put CAP patients at risk in your facility? New antibiotic can improve compliance If an elderly patient with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) came to your ED and left with a prescription for antibiotics, would you expect the...

Study: 5-level triage scale is safe for pediatrics.
October 1, 2005... Study: 5-level triage scale is safe for pediatrics New research focuses on children Has your ED switched to a five-level triage system, or are you in the process of doing so? If so, you're probably familiar with ample research showing...

Be on the lookout for signs of sepsis in female patients.
October 1, 2005... Be on the lookout for signs of sepsis in female patients Cases may present without fever Due to five deaths from serious bacterial infection and sepsis after use of mifepristone (Mifeprex, manufactured by New York City-based Danco...

Can you quickly identify patients at risk of falls?(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Can you quickly identify patients at risk of falls? Assessing patients for fall risk is an accreditation requirement and a 2005 National Patient Safety Goal, but this is difficult for EDs because time is limited, unlike at other hospital...

Use checklist for fall assessment in your ED.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Use checklist for fall assessment in your ED At Lenoir Memorial Hospital in Kingston, NC, ED patients that meet one or more of these criteria are to be considered as at risk for falls and have a red band placed on the wrist: *ages 80...

CE questions.
October 1, 2005... CE questions 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 Are dangerous errors occurring during change of shift? Use these...