Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
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Negligence or Innocent Mistake? Either Can Trigger Investigation of ED Nurse
The best way for an ED nurse to protect his or her license against both disciplinary action and malpractice allegations? Practice according to the standard of care with every patient encounter.
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Is EMR to Blame for Bad Outcome? Possible Liability Exists for EP, Hospital, and Vendor
Not uncommonly, an ED patient’s bad outcome can be traced back in some way to the EMR. If so, multiple parties may find themselves defendants in malpractice litigation. Insiders break down some factors one can use when determining who is ultimately found liable.
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New E-Triage Tools Unlikely to Face Standard of Care Challenge
New e-triage tools have produced some solid data demonstrating their validity. But what are the liability implications for EDs who are early adopters?
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Shared Decision-Making in ED Mitigates Malpractice Risk
Three groups of participants read a conversation and were asked to imagine they had been part of that conversation and then experienced an adverse outcome. In the two groups' conversations that included some level of shared decision-making, participants were 80% less likely to report a plan to contact a lawyer.
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ED Communication Breakdowns True Cause of Many Malpractice Lawsuits
According to the authors of a recent analysis, risk-reducing tactics include conveying uncertainty to patients (if appropriate), ensuring incidental findings are communicated, and auditing compliance with policies on critical findings.
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Pediatric Cardiothoracic Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Part II
Ultrasound has emerged as a critical tool for use at the bedside to guide both diagnosis and treatment strategies. In this article, the authors discuss cardiac arrest, congenital abnormalities, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and pneumonia.
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Code Melancholia: A Review of Depression for Emergency Physicians
Although the formal diagnosis of depression seldom is made in the emergency department (ED), emergency clinicians must understand the nature of depression and be prepared to deal with its complications, including suicidality and the toxicity of many antidepressant medications.
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Suicide Assessment and Disposition
During the past 20 years, suicide has become recognized as a major public health concern. Focused medical assessment and suicide risk assessment in the emergency department can help determine whether a mental health consultation is required and whether patients need hospitalization.
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Pediatric Cardiothoracic Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Part I
Ultrasound has emerged as a critical tool for use at the bedside to guide not only diagnosis but treatment strategies as well. The first part of this article focuses on the uses and limitations of cardiac ultrasound in the acute setting. Part II will include discussion of cardiac arrest, congenital abnormalities, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and pneumonia.
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High Altitude Medicine: A Review for the Practicing Emergency Physician
The recognition and treatment of high altitude illness is within the core content of emergency medicine practice. High altitude illness represents a spectrum of clinical entities, ranging from common and benign acute mountain sickness to life-threatening high altitude pulmonary edema and rare but potentially lethal high altitude cerebral edema.