ED Nursing Archives – November 1, 2006
November 1, 2006
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Take steps, avoid self-harm, lawsuits from long waits by psych patients
Longer wait times than ever before and dramatic increases in numbers of psychiatric patients. These two trends are a dangerous combination, say experts interviewed by ED Nursing. -
Cut delays by 50 minutes with triage pulse oximetry
Most ED nurses don't measure pulse oximetry levels at triage, but this assessment can have a dramatic impact on patient flow, says a new study. Researchers found that length of stay for bronchiolitis patients in a pediatric ED decreased by 50 minutes after pulse oximetry was implemented at triage. -
New anticoagulants are revamping care in EDs
New anticoagulants, including low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) and nonheparin compounds, are changing the way ED nurses care for patients with acute thrombotic disorders. -
Overuse of pain meds can be life-threatening
A 35-year-old man told ED nurses at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver that he had severe back pain and reported taking three or four 500 mg acetaminophen tablets every two hours for the previous week. -
Surveyors focus on disaster planning, medication safety
During a recent Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) survey at Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX, surveyors walked into the ED's main entrance and saw every bed full, with nurses moving patients to nonmonitored beds to free up monitored beds for other patients. -
Pediatric Corner: Which trauma patients need fluid resuscitation?
The rules for which trauma patients require fluid resuscitation are different for children than adults, says a new study. -
Most ED nurses aren't getting the flu shot
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 40% of health care workers are vaccinated each year for influenza. -
Be sure your EMTALA education is up to par
Knowledge of the requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is lacking in the emergency department, according to a recent study.