ED Nursing Archives – May 1, 2008
May 1, 2008
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Emergency nurses care for 30 badly burned patients in one night
Imagine treating 30 severely burned patients in a single night. That was what ED nurses faced at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, GA, after an explosion at a local sugar plant. -
Avoid complications with pediatric burn injuries
(Editor's note: This month's issue of ED Nursing features a special pediatric package. We cover burn injuries, treatments for cellulitis, interventions to speed care of asthma patients, and overdoses of cold and cough medications.) -
Do these interventions for cellulitis in children
At Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, ED nurses typically give cephalexin for children with straightforward cellulitis without an abscess, says Inge Morton, RN, CPN, education manager for the ED. "However, nowadays with MRSA [methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus] being prevalent in the community, clindamycin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole are the choice especially with repeated cellulitis or if there is an abscess involved," she says. -
Use preprinted orders to speed asthma treatment
If your ED doesn't use preprinted order sheets for asthma, children are more likely to return within 72 hours, according to a new study. -
ED visits rising for ODs of cold and cough meds
More than 7,000 children visit EDs each year with symptoms such as hives, drowsiness, or unsteady walking caused by taking over-the-counter and prescription cough and cold medications, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. -
New heart attack guidelines target lower risk patients
If you suspect a possible ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), get an immediate electrocardiogram (EKG). That's the key take-away message for emergency nurses from new guidelines from the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology for stable and lower-risk patients. -
ED nursing standing orders for meds in jeopardy?
Any ED protocols involving emergency nurses administering medications as standing orders are under scrutiny, as a result of interpretive guidelines issued Feb. 8, 2008, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).