ED Nursing Archives – February 1, 2007
February 1, 2007
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Abdominal pain is often misdiagnosed in the ED: Take steps to protect patients
Gastrointestinal (GI) bleed. Cancer. Myocardial infarction (MI). Constipation. These are just some of the conditions that could present as abdominal pain in ED patients. -
Make your most common ED nursing tasks mobile
It's a common source of frustration in many EDs: leaving patients in the waiting room until a "specialty" room is available, or placing the patient in a room that doesn't have the right equipment, which delays care. That's why many EDs are investing in mobile workstations on laptops or wheeled carts. -
Cut LOS for your patients who don't speak English
When a Spanish-speaking man approached ED nurses at Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare in Memphis, TN, pointing to his chest, nurses immediately called for translation services, but the interpreter was tied up with another patient elsewhere in the hospital. -
Pediatric Corner: Obese children at risk for wrong weight estimation
Many emergency nurses routinely use the color-coded Broselow Pediatric Emergency tape to obtain medication dosages for pediatric patients who can't be weighed. -
ED nurses check off tasks when JCAHO comes
The minute you learn that accreditation surveyors are on site, you probably have a "wish list" of tasks that should be done immediately. At Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, OR, ED nurses created checklists for technicians, nurses, physicians, and health unit coordinators to use. -
Journal Review
When ED patients watched an educational video or read a brochure about pain assessment, the patient's self-report of pain often was lower compared to previous self-reports, says this study from St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, OH. -
Tip of the Month: Give patients an extra thank you after a long wait
Long waits are the most common cause of patient complaints in many EDs, so why not give patients a special "thank you" when wait times are long? -
A FREE white paper for you
AHC Media appreciates the faith you have placed in us to provide you with practical, authoritative information. As a token of our gratitude for your support, we would like to provide you with the free white paper, "The Joint Commission: What Hospitals Can Expect in 2007."