You've just arrived for your first ED shift, excited to be allocated to resus. The red phone rings. A 45-year-old female, amitriptyline overdose, P120, BP85/45, GCS 5, ETA 5 minutes.
Gynae presentations to the emergency department are fairly common, yet fill everyone with dread. The management is similar to any other medical problem
With the advent of urgent care centres, your exposure to orthopaedics won't be what it used to be. However, if you follow some of the basic tips here, your orthopaedic surgeons and patients will be happy!
The emergency department is a unique working environment. It will throw you in the deep end, testing your diagnostic and risk juggling skills, whilst being the most supported environment you're likely to work in.
You are about to embark on one of the most challenging rotas of your career. I mean, let’s be honest, for many of you, you will consider this the worst rota of your career
This is a very common but also very varied ED presentation. A triage of “collapse ?cause” can mean anything from a young patient having fainted in phlebotomy to an elderly patient being found on the floor
Can I...ummm...refer...umm...a 52, no a 55, no, a 69-year-old lady presenting with chest pain. Well, she said it was chest pain, but it's actually a wierd tightness, with a bit of epigastric pain
The nurse at triage comes to speak to you: "There’s a pregnant 28year old with vaginal bleeding in the waiting room. She’s been here nearly four hours – can you go and sort her out quickly please?"
Working in the emergency department, you are guaranteed to see and treat patients from all specialties of medicine and surgery. Most will prove to be interesting but also challenging at the same time.
It's your second day on the 'shop floor' and your next patient is handed over as a 51 year old man who has been brought in by ambulance with sudden onset generalised abdominal pain and vomiting
