Musings on the point of equipoise for investigating and discharging chest pain patients in light of a new paper in the Lancet describing a rapid rule-out protocol for acute coronary syndromes (the ASPECT trial).
Emergency Christmas Gifts
December 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
It may feel like the sands of time are fast running through your fingers, but there is still time to buy emergency Christmas gifts for your favourite emergency physician. Here is the official list of UCEM-approved ‘Christmas Gifts for the Emergency Department’.
St. Crispin’s Day in ED
February 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Ever started a night shift in the emergency department and felt like you were a hapless conscript at Agincourt on St. Crispin’s day, about to be run down by an army of charging knights? Have you seen fear and powerlessness in the eyes of your colleagues, overwhelmed by the carnage around them and the disarray that surrounds them? If only you had the words to invigorate the team and urge them to battle on…
Top ED iPhone Apps
January 5, 2010 By 2 Comments
Now that pretty much everyone on the ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ team has an iPhone (some of us more belatedly than others) its time to throw out a few of our favourite Apps… In no particular order. Some more obvious than others. Some more medical than others!
Managing the Busy ED (2)
November 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Here are some more tips and strategies for managing the turbulent flow of life in a busy emergency department, continuing on from Part 1. 6. Manage your time Use slow times to recharge Eat, drink, and tell a few jokes. Plan procedures Pick times when the right people, the right equipment and the right space [...]
Managing the Busy ED (1)
November 23, 2009 By 1 Comment
Working in the ED environment is unlike most other areas of medicine. Stress levels can be high, maintaining patient flow in the face of access block and exit block can seem futile, and a chaotic environment where you are forced to multi-task and do ‘more with less’ becomes a breeding ground for medical errors that threaten patient safety. Here are some tips and strategies for managing the turbulent flow of life in a busy emergency department.
