Emergency Publication
RSSArticles
American Academy of Pediatrics Offers Solutions to Ease ED Crowding
Group says “coordinated effort across the healthcare delivery system” needed to ensure continuity of care.
‘Medical Clearance’ of Psychiatric Patient Can be Legally Risky
What does "medical clearance" really mean? Does it indicate a patient has no acute issues, or that all the patient’s chronic issues are stable? Or is it both? The answer depends on who you ask.
Novel Bedside Procedure Improves Tracheostomy Outcomes
Nurse-driven initiative led to zero incidents of tracheostomy medical device-related pressure injuries for three years.
Confusion Abounds Over Emergency Codes
In a survey, healthcare employees struggled to recall which emergency corresponded to which code.
Real-Time Capacity Data Help Cut LWBS Rates, Speed Care
Some adverse outcomes in ED patients could be prevented if actions had happened faster — if someone had been moved to the cardiac catheterization lab faster, secured an inpatient bed sooner, or undergone stroke treatment swiftly. If the patient or families sue for malpractice, plaintiff attorneys will scrutinize those time frames.
In Med/Mal Cases for Missed Central Nervous Pathology, Dizziness Is Factor
After reviewing dozens of malpractice claims, researchers learned patients who reported dizziness often were discharged home or admitted without anyone diagnosing central nervous system pathology. Patients presented to an ED and were diagnosed with migraine or other conditions. The correct diagnoses only became clear later. The subsequent lawsuits revolved around the first emergency physician missing the diagnosis at the initial visit.
Some Acute Chest Pain Patients Can Be Discharged Safely
Guideline authors recommend implementing high-sensitivity cardiac troponins and clinical decision pathways to safely discharge low-risk patients without additional testing. However, the decision pathway is not meant to replace the emergency physician's clinical judgment.
Nurse Practitioners Working in ED Pose Unique Legal Risks
If a malpractice claim is filed, and a nurse practitioner was involved in the patient’s care, his or her liability exposure will depend on how closely the practitioner was involved in the care. Is the care the practitioner provides and submits bills for within the scope of practice? Does the care reflect what the providers are credentialed to do based on their competencies?
Researchers Study Imaging Use Rates Among Nonphysician Practitioners
Researchers recently discovered nonphysician practitioners, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, ordered imaging tests 5.3% more often than physicians, potentially pointing to an opportunity to improve decision-making regarding judicious use of healthcare resources.
Organizations Take Issue with Data Regarding Nurse Practitioner Care in the ED
Professional nurse groups are pushing back against a working paper in which the authors suggested care delivered in the ED by nurse practitioners who are not operating under the supervision of physicians actually results in more resource use and higher costs than care provided by emergency physicians working in the same setting.