Emergency Medicine Topics
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Tachycardia in the Emergency Department: Part II
This issue completes the two-part series on tachycardia. This issue will finish the discussion of additional causes of tachycardia, address management, and conclude by covering some challenging issues with this arrhythmia.
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Poll: Many Americans Delay Emergency Care Over Boarding Concerns
A survey by the American College of Emergency Physicians reveals nearly half of U.S. adults worry they will have to wait many hours before admission or transfer.
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Tachycardia in the Emergency Department: Part I
This issue is the first of a two-part discussion of tachycardia, the most common rhythm abnormality seen in the emergency department. Part I will discuss the epidemiology, etiology, and characteristics of the different tachycardic arrhythmias. Part II will discuss conditions affecting other organ systems that can produce tachycardia, then finish by reviewing the assessment and management of these patients. We hope these two issues will be useful to your clinical practice.
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Clinicians Consider Many Factors When Deciding on Mechanical Ventilation After Sepsis
Identifying patients at high risk and crafting timely, targeted interventions can improve outcomes.
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CDC Unveils Sepsis Core Elements Initiative to Address Gaps in Care
Agency leaders believe sepsis programs in every hospital — regardless of size, location, and resources — can strengthen the quality of care delivered to patients and ensure their survival.
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Paramedicine Program Chips Away at High ED Use, Links Patients to Appropriate Care
Chicago-based Medical Home Network is partnering with community paramedics at the Chicago Fire Department on a program aimed at helping patients manage their chronic conditions and appropriately navigate the health system. The program is focused on steering patients away from calling 911 or presenting to EDs with nonurgent care needs.
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Housing Instability Increases Likelihood of Discharge Against Medical Advice
It is important for emergency medicine providers to recognize that patients facing housing instability might be more inclined to self-discharge, even when dealing with severe medical conditions.
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EDs Can Make Discharges Against Medical Advice Safer
Recognizing a discharge as higher risk could encourage physicians and care providers to engage in risk assessment and risk reduction.
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Was Child Brought to ED by EMS? Medication Dosages May Be Incorrect
ED personnel should ensure a good handoff report is received from EMS providers, and that the dose of any medications administered by EMS is recorded. ED personnel should be mindful in carrying out weight-based dosing calculations, and should follow recommendations of national guidelines.
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Onsite Pharmacies Can Boost Medication Access to Patients, Surrounding Communities
There are some other possible workarounds, such as leveraging electronic prescribing from the ED so providers will know quickly whether medications are available in a specific outpatient pharmacy, administering first antibiotic doses in the ED, and providing a few days’ worth of medication to patients about to be discharged.