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The emergency physician (EP) and nurse often may encounter patients with the chief complaint of eye pain or visual problems. Generally, the diagnosis easily is obtained and quickly treated. Unfortunately, a subset of patients will present with an illness that threatens permanent vision loss or impairment. EPs must have a broad differential diagnosis and structured approach in evaluating these patients to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
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Pulmonary artery catheters (PACS) are widely used in critically ill patients. Proponents of the catheter, introduced into the clinical arena more than 30 years ago, argue that physiologic data provided by the use of the PAC permit clinicians to target treatment and improve patient outcomes.
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Sepsis and its consequences are common causes of death in the United States. Detection of infection and its proper treatment are essential for survival in all patients, but especially those in the ICU.
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Low intensity warfarin therapy effectively prevents recurrent venous thromboembolism, according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Bispectral index (BIS) monitoring has received a generally favorable reception since its formal introduction at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition last spring.
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In guidance that should spell millions of dollars saved for the nations hospitals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is calling a halt to routine changes of ventilator breathing circuits.
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In the constantly shifting landscape of drug resistance, antibiotic options, and pharmacoeconomic considerations, urinary tract infection continues to be one of the most frequently diagnosed conditions in patients presenting to the emergency department.
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Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed several changes to EMTALA that attempt to clarify hospital and physician duties. Undoubtedly, this new legislation will have an impact upon the care of emergency patients and the emergency physicians caring for them.
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If your ED already is experiencing high vacancy rates for nursing staff, decreased morale, and increased patient volume, try this on for size: What if you suddenly lost several nurses, technicians, and physicians without notice for an undetermined period of time?
This is the scenario many EDs may face in the coming months as a result of losing staff due to military call-ups.
