Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
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ED Staffing Scrutinized if Patient Experiences Bad Outcome in Waiting Room
Plaintiff attorneys allege inadequate ED staffing contributed to patients’ bad outcomes in medical malpractice cases. Typically, accusers allege the hospital allowed dangerously low staffing levels despite concerns and that triage nurses were inadequately trained.
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The Fourth Amendment: Coming to an ED Near You
ED staff work closely with municipal and state law enforcement officials as well as in-house security workers. That relationship is critical to patient, public, and provider safety. The maintenance of a cordial and functional relationship is imperative. However, it cannot happen at the expense of patients’ health, dignity, and constitutional rights.
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Wound Care Review
Traumatic lacerations are a common ED presentation. Although managing most ED lacerations is routine, some cases are complex, requiring physician judgment for effective treatment. This review will discuss the principles of laceration management, incorporating recent research in wound care.
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Recognizing Pediatric Sepsis: Early Diagnosis Critical to Recovery
Identifying pediatric sepsis and treating it quickly can be a matter of life and death.
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Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock
Pediatric sepsis is a high-stakes diagnosis that requires vigilance to make an early, timely diagnosis. Aggressive resuscitation, including fluids, antibiotics, and vasoactive agents, may be necessary. Rapidly changing standard of care also makes sepsis a critical diagnosis for clinicians.
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Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Large Vessel Occlusion
Acute stroke reperfusion therapies have led to significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with ischemic strokes due to large vessel occlusion. This article will discuss the prevalence, mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment options of acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion.
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ED Providers’ Documentation Clashes Help Plaintiffs Prove Negligence
If ED providers’ documentation conflicts in any way, plaintiff attorneys will use this to bolster a malpractice case. Conflicting documentation makes it difficult for either side to determine what really happened.
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‘Gotcha’ Deposition Questions Can Devastate Even Well-prepared EPs
Deposition questions are designed to elicit damaging testimony from EPs. A “yes” response to a seemingly innocuous question about the standard of care can lead to a world of trouble for the defense team.
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Sparse Neurology Exam Complicates ED Defense of Missed Stroke
Sparse or inaccurate charting allows plaintiff attorneys to allege inadequate neurological examination in missed stroke cases against EPs. However, documentation that includes a thorough description of all the aspects of the exam, an explanation of why the EP didn’t think stroke was likely, and an indication that the EP consulted a neurologist can help the defense.
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Late Electronic Medical Record Entries Create Indefensible ED Malpractice Claims
Malpractice cases may become indefensible if the forensic IT expert can prove the ED chart was altered in some way. Data regarding physical examination or history can appear self-serving. The veracity of altered information will be questioned. Even if the EP’s motive was valid, it may appear otherwise.