ED Nursing articles from October 2008

ED Nursing archives from October 2008

ED nurses vulnerable during chemical exposure incident.
October 1, 2008... ED nurses vulnerable during chemical exposure incident Protect yourself and your patients (Editor's note: We sent an e-mail alert about the recent incident of chemical exposure at EDs in the St. Louis area. If you didn't receive it, we...

Likely chem exposure? Do this immediately.
October 1, 2008... Likely chem exposure? Do this immediately Although ED nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital didn't wind up caring for victims of a recent chemical exposure directly -- the only patient they received went directly to the intensive care...

ED nurses attend decon skills camp.(decontamination)
October 1, 2008... ED nurses attend decon skills camp You need 'across-the-room' recognition Almost the entire ED staff at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, MN, just went through a contamination recognition "skills camp" given by Joan Somes, PhD, MSN,...

See or hear this? Suspect exposure.
October 1, 2008... See or hear this? Suspect exposure History is key After ED nurses received an emergency medical services call of an "asthma attack" in a pregnant woman, suddenly multiple patients arrived in respiratory distress. It turned out that...

Follow these steps if decon is needed.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Follow these steps if decon is needed Patients with chemical exposure "should be quarantined from the rest of the department, medically stabilized, and decontaminated," says Theresa Patrick, RN, BSN, clinical resource nurse for the ED at...

EDs were ready during Republican convention.
October 1, 2008... EDs were ready during Republican convention Police officers spraying pepper gas at protesters. Anarchists throwing urine at police officers. Worrying about the possibility of food served at parties stored at the wrong temperatures causing...

Is trauma self-inflicted? You can do these 3 things.
October 1, 2008... Is trauma self-inflicted? You can do these 3 things Don't be judgmental, ED nurse advises (Editor's note: This is the third of a three-part series on trauma care in the ED. This story covers self-inflicted trauma. Previous issues...

Take these steps if you suspect pericarditis.
October 1, 2008... Take these steps if you suspect pericarditis If a patient presents with sharp, stabbing chest pain, this doesn't necessarily mean a myocardial infarction. Your patient might have pericarditis, which can be life-threatening if myocarditis or...

What to look for on your patient's EKG.
October 1, 2008... What to look for on your patient's EKG There are two distinct differences seen on an electrocardiogram (EKG) that can tell you whether your patient has an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or pericarditis, says Dee Fontana, RN, MSN,...

'Clock' form scores 100% compliance for pneumonia.
October 1, 2008... 'Clock' form scores 100% compliance for pneumonia Nurses use clock logo for timely antibiotics More than 1.2 million Americans were hospitalized for pneumonia in 2006, with 71% of those cases admitted through the ED, according to a new...

Unlikely symptoms just might be pneumonia.
October 1, 2008... Unlikely symptoms just might be pneumonia An elderly man says he's "not quite himself." Would you suspect pneumonia if this was your patient's only symptom? Even if your patient doesn't have a respiratory complaint, that does not mean they...

You now have 2 extra hours for antibiotics.
October 1, 2008... You now have 2 extra hours for antibiotics Diagnosis sometimes takes time In 2004, The Joint Commission issued a standard requiring that ED patients be given an antibiotic within four hours of presentation if they are discharged with a...

Steps to take immediately in order to treat pneumonia.
October 1, 2008... Steps to take immediately in order to treat pneumonia When assessing whether a pneumonia patient's condition may be life-threatening, begin with the "A, B, C, Ds," says Amanda Person, RN, an ED nurse at Methodist North Hospital in Memphis,...

Do this if you suspect life-threatening condition.
October 1, 2008... Do this if you suspect life-threatening condition As soon as the triage nurse suspects life-threatening pneumonia, the ED nurse stops his or her assessment, moves the patient to a treatment room, and notifies the ED physician, says Amanda...

CNE objectives/questions.
October 1, 2008... 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...