ED Nursing Archives – October 1, 2009
October 1, 2009
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It's official: More stroke patients must now be given thrombolytics in your ED
The day started out routinely: A 77-year-old man had breakfast with his wife, who left at 8:45 a.m. to run errands and returned at 11 a.m.Don't assume your patient's stroke history is correct
Next time you ask an older adult about a history of stroke, consider that the response might not be accurate. Older adults might deny a history of stroke, when in fact they have had one.In pediatrics, don't miss abnormal blood pressure
The complex chart used to identify hypertension in children might be one reason why nearly 75% of cases of hypertension in children and adolescents go undiagnosed, according to David C. Kaelber, MD, PhD, MPH, chief medical informatics officer at The MetroHealth System in Cleveland.Getting a verbal order? Take these precautions
Have you ever disagreed with a physician about the exact words that were used with a verbal order he or she gave?Put a stop to dangerous practices for ED transports
An ED patient with an intravenous line with heparin medication being administered by pump was brought for an X-ray, but not by an ED nurse. The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) transporting the patient inadvertently opened the pump to remove the patient's gown.Give some privacy to hallway hold patients
Is your patient better off in the ED waiting room, or in the hallway?In over your head with a critically ill inpatient?
More and more, emergency nurses are being put in a dangerous position when caring for inpatients, says Deborah M. Dixon, RN, MSN, APN, ED educator at Summa Health System in Akron, OH.Don't underestimate fall injuries in elderly
ED nurses see 47,000 elderly patients each year for injuries from falls involving use of walkers and canes, says a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that examined six years of ED medical records.1 Most (87%) of the injuries involved walkers. Older women were more likely to be injured than men; they sustained 78% of walker-related injuries and 66% of cane-related injuries.Should you document a patient's exact words?
An emergency nurse was named in a malpractice lawsuit, accused of failing to protect a patient by allowing her fall out of a geriatric chair.With HIN1 vaccine shortage expected, highest-risk groups go to front of line
With a vaccine shortage projected for novel H1N1 influenza A, only the highest priority groups are likely to be offered the shot when initial lots are cleared for distribution this fall.