ED Nursing Archives – July 1, 2008
July 1, 2008
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Will a drug error harm the next child you treat? Study: It happens to 1 in 3
Medications given that weren't ordered. Medications ordered, but not given. Drugs given for the wrong condition and incorrect dosages. -
New recommendations for pediatric medication safety
Medications specifically made for adults and given to children put young patients at greater risk for drug errors, according to a Sentinel Event Alert from The Joint Commission. (Editor's note: To access the Alert, go to www.jointcommission.org. Under "Sentinel Event," click on "Sentinel Event Alert," then "Issue 39 April 11, 2008: Preventing pediatric medication errors.") -
Update on controversy over ED nurses sedating patients
It seems like a no-brainer: When ED nurses perform procedural sedation, patients get pain relief quicker. However, several organizations, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, have approached state nursing regulators looking to put a stop to this practice. -
Don't assume your patient is too young to have an MI
A 30-year-old man complained of chest pain to ED nurses at Cleveland Clinic and reported no history of cardiac disease or hypertension, but he said he was a current smoker. -
Study: Use this test for shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is a common complaint in the ED, but often is misdiagnosed, according to a new study of 592 patients.1 For 185 patients, there was clinical indecision as to the correct diagnosis, and 103 of this group had acutely destabilized heart failure. -
Is your patient short of breath? Don't miss CHF
A patient complaining of shortness of breath may "look good," but the history and pulse oximetry reading may tell a different story, warns Angela Westergard, RN, manager of emergency services at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, WI. -
Are you misjudging your culturally diverse patients?
A Hispanic 13-year old girl with abdominal pain is accompanied by her father, who offers to act as a translator. An Asian woman says she has severe pain, but her facial expression and body language appear calm and serene. An African-American woman is experiencing pressure across her chest, but only tells you that she has a feeling of dread.