Evidence and Practice
Expanding the emergency nurse role to meet demand: nurse and physician perspectives
Analysing ambulance data to ascertain the prevalence and demographics of individuals...
Management of cardiac arrest following blunt trauma
Clinical
Expanding the emergency nurse role to meet demand: nurse and physician perspectives
Attitudes towards an expanded role for registered nurses in the emergency department
Analysing ambulance data to ascertain the prevalence and demographics of individuals...
Service evaluation data collected by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust
Management of cardiac arrest following blunt trauma
A critical evaluation of resuscitative thoracotomy
Medicine wastage in a thromboprophylaxis protocol for ambulatory trauma patients
Investigating the waste and cost with suggestions for changing dispensing practice
Treating buckle fractures in children with a soft cast and home removal
A quality improvement initiative introduced by advanced nurse practitioners
Exploring patients and family members’ experiences of care in the emergency department
An investigation of patients and family members’ experiences of care in one ED in Iran
CPD articles
Meeting the needs of homeless people attending the emergency department
The care needs of homeless people attending EDs are frequently misunderstood
Mallet finger injuries: the signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management
CPD article on the pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management of mallet finger injuries
Sepsis: an overview of the signs, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and pathophysiology
Sepsis is a medical emergency that should always be considered in acutely unwell patients
Nursing patients with acute aortic dissection in emergency departments
This article aims to increase emergency nurses’ knowledge of acute aortic dissection
Nursing management of paediatric asthma in emergency departments
Childhood asthma is a complex disease which may be resistant to treatment and varies in its clinical presentation. The number of children admitted to emergency departments (EDs) with acute exacerbation of asthma is high and many are managed solely in the department. The correct assessment of the severity of an exacerbation can be achieved through competent history taking, examination and accurate recording of observations. Nurses working in EDs should be able to recognise the clinical signs and symptoms of acute asthma, assess severity and advise on appropriate management. Nurses should have some knowledge of first-line management and how and when to help deliver these therapies. They should also be able to guide patients in discharge and follow-up care, develop a rapport with families and educate them on topics such as trigger avoidance. The assessment and management of these patients as outlined in this article is based on the British Thoracic Society/Scottish Intercollegiate Network guidelines ( BTS/SIGN) (2016) .
Lyme disease: recognition and management for emergency nurses
Over the past ten years there has been a significant rise in the number of people who present to emergency departments with Lyme disease. Although some patients remain asymptomatic many present with a rash around a previous tick bite and others may present with a range of debilitating symptoms that can be problematic if left untreated. Due to the growing prevalence of Lyme disease in the UK and the US this article gives an overview of the vector-borne condition and provides emergency nurses with information about the pathophysiology, prevention, presenting signs and symptoms and management.
How to
How to improve patient care by learning from mistakes
Mistakes made in healthcare settings and the challenges to staff that arise from them can harm service users, consume time and money, and often receive bad publicity. However, by learning from these mistakes and meeting these challenges, practitioners can improve the quality of the care they provide. This article explores what is meant by mistakes and challenges in the context of health care. It suggests that front line managers are best placed to prevent and learn from mistakes, and thereby improve care for patients.