It’s August, 90s greats are hitting the Cincinnati music scene, the Olympics are starting (August 5th), and we are all beginning to settle into our new roles. The beginning of a new year with new responsibilities can be exciting, terrifying, and exhausting, often all at the same time.
Read MoreThis week Dr. Knight taught us about the management of seizures and about how to manage our own fear. We were schooled on the hypotensive LVAD patient by Drs. Boyer, DeVries and Winders. We learned about oncologic emergencies from Dr. Continenza. Dr. Gorder tamed the SRU and taught us about chemical asphyxiation and burn injuries in the process.
Read MoreThis week we got an operations update with some new markers of quality and new guidelines on HIV testing. We were reminded about patient literacy and the advantages of keeping it simple. Dr. Hill also taught that every shift our biases and decision making do affect patient care, it is our duty to recognize and use them to our patients' advantage.
Read MoreCase #1: 28 yo M who was poked in the eye while wrestling. Small periorbital ecchymosis, conjunctival erythema, reactive pupils, consensual photophobia, fluorescein negative. Normal IOP bilaterally.
Read MoreStroke Chameleons
“Go outside!” These words rang through my childhood. My brother and I were explorers of every creek and cave on our wooded mountain property. We were allowed in for a quick lunch and bathroom breaks only. I find myself doing the same thing with my kids now.
Read MoreThis week the airway guru Dr. Steve Carleton outlines trends in airway management and makes a compelling case for keeping blind nasotracheal intubation in the toolkit of your aircraft. Dr. Plash gives us a difficult case of LVAD complications. Dr. Lagasse discusses acute aortic complications and Drs. Thompson and Gorder discuss their protocol for post-ROSC care.
Read MoreThis week we take a look at those rare procedures we need to have in our back pockets with facility and without hesitation and head to the procedure site to discuss cricothyrotomy, lateral canthotomy, and chest tubes.
Read MoreIt is a beautiful sunny Memorial Day and you arrive early for your C-pod shift, energized by the knowledge that you will be getting out early with time to enjoy the day. Your patients are an enjoyable mix of pathology and acuity and everyone is quite polite and gracious. The tones drop just before it is time to hand over the radio to the dedicated flight doc and you can’t but marvel at your good fortune. You grab the blood and head up to the helipad for your flight...
Read MoreEarly in the morning, you begin your day in your local emergency department. After getting yourself situated, a slow trickle of patients begin to appear on the board. It appears to be a normal morning, all except for the fact that five patients appear, one after the other, who have the same chief complaint: “Knee pain”. It is a good thing you brushed up on reading knee x-rays recently!
Read MoreIt’s that time in every Emergency Department: the academic year has come to a close. In our shop, interns are spending their last few shifts in B Pod, and the R2s are testing their taming skills in the SRU. The R3s are stepping up to the educator role, and the R4s are looking onward to their future careers. We spend these last few weeks balancing the excitement of our transitions and the purpose of our job: somewhere between the hustle and noise of B Pod, there is a critical illness waiting to be found, #beneaththesurface.
Read MoreFingertip injury is a common presentation with a lot of practice pattern variation. we tapped the guru himself, Dr. Trott, to teach us the latest in caring for nailbed injuries.
Read MoreAnother month, another M&M, where this month we learned despite a great clinical rationale, there will always be cases that are a wolf in sheep's clothing. Also be sure to check out a review of chest CT indications in pregnancy, pregnancy-induced hypertension, lactate utilization in the ED and a basics course of ECMO - coming soon to an ED near you...
Read MoreApproximately 1 month ago we presented and talked through a particularly challenging patient flight scenario. As a refresher, if you don’t recall, check out the post here. Following the posting of the case, I sat down with ACMC Medical Director Dr. Bill Hinckley and Resident Assistant Medical Director for Air Care, Dr. Andrew Latimer, and recorded a podcast with their reaction to the case and to some of the curveball scenarios posed in the question and discussion section.
Read MoreIt’s nearing the end of the year, when the fourth years are moving on to real paychecks or slightly improved with fellowship, and everyone else is preparing for their new roles ahead. The end of the academic year can feel like a period of stagnation and possibly regret. Fear not, however, there are easy solutions and ways to prevent burn-out, the term people like to say frequently to EM physicians. I’m not burned out! I’m just toasty sometimes!
Read MoreSRU (pronounced "shrew") = Shock Resuscitation Unit
Training in, and managing, the SRU is one of the crown jewels of our residency. It is where the sickest of the sick patients are found in our ED. It is a crucible, a test of knowledge and strength, and a true manifestation of the tripartite mission of our department: Leadership, Excellence, and Opportunity.
Training in, and managing, the SRU is one of the crown jewels of our residency. It is where the sickest of the sick patients are found in our ED. It is a crucible, a test of knowledge and strength, and a true manifestation of the tripartite mission of our department: Leadership, Excellence, and Opportunity.
