Pediatric shock carries a high morbidity and mortality, making early recognition key. Recently, pediatric critical care and resuscitation has been the focus of emergency department care improvement.

Case managers make a difference in the lives of their patients, even when patients are only in the hospital briefly. This is especially true when a patient is undergoing a life-changing or traumatic event, like limb amputation. Case managers can help guide the patient on what to expect during recovery and after. In some cases, they might be the only person who can help a vulnerable patient find help for a successful and less traumatic experience.

Part I of this article reviewed nonpenetrating ocular trauma that presents a severe threat to vision. Part II will discuss potential vision threats of nonpenetrating ocular trauma, including burns, corneal abrasions, corneal foreign bodies, and hyphemas. 

This article will focus on nonpenetrating eye injuries that are severe threats to vision. 

Blunt abdominal trauma is commonly encountered in any acute care center. Prompt recognition, assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and disposition are critical aspects that must be a part of every clinician’s expertise.

One department changed its processes to reduce the number of patients who left without being seen — specifically, working to put a patient in front of a clinician faster. When the ED fixed this issue, door-to-doctor times and door-to-disposition times shortened significantly, and leave without being seen rates declined sharply.

Trauma to the mouth and throat is very common. Fortunately, the majority of the injuries are minor, but early and timely recognition of critical, potentially devastating injuries is essential. The authors provide a thorough review highlighting critical injuries and their management.

The fast-paced, unpredictable environment of emergency nursing can lead to trouble. Safety is an ongoing concern, considering the increasing incidence of workplace violence and the continuous flow of patients with infectious diseases. But there is another kind of stress emergency nurses may be reluctant to discuss: that which results from exposure to others’ trauma.

If left unaddressed, secondary traumatic stress can negatively affect mood, relationships, job satisfaction, and patient care.