ED Nursing Archives – February 1, 2010
February 1, 2010
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Will your next emergency patient obtain a hospital-acquired infection?
(Editor's note: This is a two-part series on prevention of hospital-acquired infections in the ED. This month's issue provides information on avoiding infections when invasive procedures are performed, reducing the risk of infection with peripheral IV insertion, using alternatives to invasive procedures, giving central line education to ED nurses, and decreasing the use of central lines and urinary catheters. Next month, we'll cover how to determine if your patient has arrived at the ED with an infection, tips for cleaning the equipment you use, and strategies to improve compliance with hand hygiene.) -
With narcotics, avoid potentially fatal mistake
ED nurses gave 2 mg of intravenous (IV) hydromorphone to a 40-year-old man with severe throat pain. After two additional doses were given in an inpatient unit, the man suffered respiratory arrest. He was resuscitated, but sustained permanent central nervous system impairment and died. -
Perform these interventions for congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) patients often wait too long to seek medical treatment and arrive in the ED in an acutely exacerbated state, says Eileen Swailes, RN, nurse manager of the ED overflow unit at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, NY. -
Half of ED asthma patients receive delayed meds
You might be waiting for a physician to order the appropriate steroid for your asthma patient, or you might have difficulty prioritizing due to a heavy patient load. -
Sepsis screening is success for the ED
ED nurses at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City answer this question about every patient using an electronic medical record (EMR): "Does the patient have two or more systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria?"