There are many demands in the emergency department, some of which come from patients and their families. This post in the Art of Medicine series looks at those situations in which patients/parents are wondering whether or not you are qualified to be caring for their child. As I noted in the last post in this series the ED is a stressful environment. Parents are legitimately, and rightfully [...]
Umbilical granulomas are often an incidental finding on physical exam, but can be the reason a patient presents to the ED. These fleshy pink masses represent incomplete epithelialization of tissue that persists after the cord separates. It has the honor of being the #1 belly button mass in newborns. On exam they are soft, wet and pink and can be [...]
There are multiple topical anesthetics that we use in the ED. The common theme is that all of these drugs with -caine cause sodium channel inhibition in nerves, which blocks axonal transmission leading to the typical numbness and and localized weakness. I admit that it can be a bit confusing as to which one you should use and when. The aim [...]
Check out this video that I made that reviews basic splinting technique. This can be applied to any number of splints.
There are many demands in the emergency department, some of which come from patients and their families. Ultimately I see many children that have previously visited a number of different providers, including their primary doctor, urgent care staff, another Emergency Department etc,. It takes real effort to visit that many medical facilities in a short time period. So, I'm sure you'd agree [...]
This edition of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast, reviews the safety and comparative efficacy of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. If you work in a Pediatric Emergency Department you'll certainly have broken a sweat over this hot debate time and time again. The main goal of this podcast is to help you discuss these medications more effectively with your patients and their [...]
Getting more than 3 people to agree to a date and time for a meeting is a Herculean task. The easiest way I've found to find an agreed upon date is to use Doodle. No doubt many of you have already used this helpful service. If you haven't then give it a try the next time you have to get [...]
CPR can save a life. But, it has to be effective. The recent move to compressions only CPR has simplified matters for the lay provider, but are we actually seeing improved outcomes. Essentially, is asking someone to just "push hard and fast" on the chest of a patient with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) sufficient? I just read an [...]
Here's another site that I think you should all check out. It's Don't Forget the Bubbles, a collaborative effort run by Tessa Davis (@TessaRDavis) a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician in Sydney, Australia. If you like the content here on the PEMBlog then I'm sure you'll get a kick out of Don't Forget the Bubbles as well. A recent post that I [...]
This edition of PEMCurrents echoes the recent post here on the PEMBlog and reviews the use of ondansetron in acute gastroenteritis. Specifically highlighting the reduction in risk of further episodes of emesis, need for intravenous fluids and immediate admission to the hospital. No matter how you like to learn I aim to please. Check out the podcast via: iTunes Or, via the [...]
