Northwestern EM Blog

MARCH 1, 2025

In this study, they found that prone positioning resulted in significant improvement in oxygenation, as well as a 50% decrease in mortality at 28 days (Guerin et. Position arms in a comfortable position, avoiding any position that could cause a brachial plexus injury, and ensure they are well-supported to avoid pressure ulcers.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department Fractures EKG/ECG Wellness 52

Don't Forget the Bubbles

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Do not obtain abdominal radiographs for suspected constipation The parents of 4-year-old Matthew bring him into the Emergency Department with abdominal pain. Functional constipation and nonspecific, generalized abdominal pain are common presenting complaints for children in emergency departments. 2022;251:127-133.

Pediatrics 133

Pediatrics Emergency Department Radiology Radiology 133

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

JULY 8, 2023

Case: A 57-year-old woman with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and type-2 diabetes mellitus presents to the emergency department (ED) with fever, cough, myalgias, headache and congestion. Wallach et al JAMA Intern Med 2017 , previously reported that subgroup claims are often not corroborated by subsequent studies and rarely confirmed.

CDC 108

CDC Hospitals EMS Emergency Department 108

ALiEM

OCTOBER 30, 2024

The Wounds Common among patients who use xylazine, the necrotic and exudative wounds are still not fully understood [5-8], but are likely due in part to direct cytotoxic effects of the drug and its impurities, as well as possible nutritional deficiencies common in those with dependence. 2017 Jun;32:660-6. JAMA Network Open.

Emergency Department 64

Emergency Department Operations Psychiatric Hospitals 64

ACEP Now

JULY 11, 2024

2 Although the opiate epidemic is certainly worthy of attention, it accounts for only about half of the number of deaths annually and only around a quarter of the number of emergency department visits annually relative to alcohol use. He returned to the emergency department, and you had the great privilege of saving his life.

Emergency Department 98

Emergency Department Psychiatric Outcomes Wellness 98

ALiEM

APRIL 12, 2023

The thin alcohol layer serves to eliminate any air bubbles under the adhesive cover as well as minimizes residual adhesive material sticking to the probe when removing the cover. emDOCs.net – Emergency Medicine Education. The adhesive cover itself serves as a sterile barrier and a slick surface to improve probe maneuverability.

Ultrasounds 103

Ultrasounds Emergency Department Resuscitation Wellness 103

Pediatric EM Morsels

JULY 21, 2023

Interrater reliability of Glasgow Coma Scale scores in the emergency department. Ann Emerg Med. J Surg Res. 2019 Sep;241:112-118. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.03.038. 2019.03.038. Epub 2019 Apr 22. PMID: 31022676. Gill MR, Reiley DG, Green SM. 2004;43:215-223. Rowley G, Fielding K. 1991;337:535-538.

Head Injuries 246

Head Injuries Pediatrics Outcomes Shock 246

EMDocs

AUGUST 22, 2024

12 How do we address these disparities in the emergency department? Well-meaning providers who are not highly fluent may contribute to miscommunication and diagnostic errors. Providers should respect and utilize this mode of communication, as well as document the patient’s request for a non-certified interpreter.

Documentation/Coding 104

Documentation/Coding Emergency Department Federal Emergency Management Agency Best Practices 104

Taming the SRU

DECEMBER 11, 2023

1,2] Patients at risk for suicide often interact with emergency medical care. Suicide-related behavior (SRB) accounts for 1% of all Emergency Department (ED) visits; additionally, greater than 8% of patients visiting emergency departments are likely experiencing suicidal ideation at the time of the encounter.[3-5]

EMS 97

EMS Psychiatric Emergency Department Poisoning 97

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 12, 2024

A man in his 90s with a history of HTN, CKD, COPD, and OSA presented to the emergency department after being found unresponsive at home. Vital signs were within normal limits on arrival to the Emergency Department. 2017 Sep-Oct;50(5):561-569. Epub 2017 Apr 19. Blood glucose was not low at 162 mg/dL.

EKG/ECG 116

EKG/ECG Documentation/Coding Emergency Department COPD 116

EMDocs

JUNE 2, 2023

You should always follow your local practice guidelines and recommendations as well as adhere to approved medications in your facility. Document what you gave and why, as well as the impact. If a patient has a PRN on their med list do that! Route of administration If the patient is cooperative, offer oral medications first.

Psychiatric 93

Psychiatric Pediatrics Emergency Department Administration 93

ACEP Now

MAY 10, 2024

Patients often seek care in the emergency department (ED) setting when flares of pain affect their ability to ambulate, climb stairs, or even stand up from sitting. We prefer an in-plane, superior to inferior approach, but an out-of-plane technique can be performed, as well. 2017 Dec 22;31:277-284. J Emerg Med.

Ultrasounds 92

Ultrasounds Emergency Department Hospitals Wellness 92

Don't Forget the Bubbles

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

7-year-old Tilly is brought to your emergency department at 11 p.m. Abdominal pain in children is common, accounting for over 1 in 20 attendances to paediatric emergency departments [1]. Tilly is normally fit and well, with no significant past medical history. by her father. She is obviously uncomfortable.

Emergency Department 105

Emergency Department Ultrasounds Pediatrics Best Practices 105

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 3, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: September 2nd, 2017 Reference: Caputo et al. EmergeNcy Department use of Apneic Oxygenation versus usual care during rapid sequence intubation: A randomized controlled trial (The ENDAO Trial). display_podcast] Date: September 2nd, 2017 Reference: Caputo et al. Reference: Caputo et al.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department Resuscitation Operations EMS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 18, 2023

If you were working in a busy emergency department, would you like to be interrupted to interpret these ECGs or can these patients safely wait to be seen because of the normal computer interpretation? Acad Emerg Med. 2017 ; 24 ( 1 ): 120 - 124 2. Am J Emerg Med. Am J Emerg Med. Am J Emerg Med.

EKG/ECG 119

EKG/ECG Documentation/Coding Emergency Department Outcomes 119

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

NOVEMBER 18, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: November 11th, 2017 Reference: Sundén-Cullberg et al. Fever in the Emergency Department Predicts Survival of Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Admitted to the ICU. Critical Care Medicine 2017. display_podcast] Date: November 11th, 2017 Reference: Sundén-Cullberg et al.

Sepsis 52

Sepsis Emergency Department Seizures Pediatrics 52

EMDocs

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

These clinically challenging intubations prompted emergency clinicians to turn to a KOBI technique and forgoing the use of an NMBA, which are not without risk. Additionally, many if not most emergency physicians do not receive adequate training on topical awake intubations (TAI) (11). Int J Emerg Med. 2017 Dec;10(1):1.

Emergency Department 92

Emergency Department Soft Tissue Injuries Airway Management Operations 92

EMDocs

MAY 25, 2023

Study included children, as well as adults. population at large Enrollment was terminated at an interim analysis due to predefined futility criteria that suggested that there was a 1% chance that carrying the trial to completion would demonstrate a most effect or least effective treatment. This increases applicability or ED care.

Seizures 89

Seizures Administration Anaphylaxis Outcomes 89

ACEP Now

JULY 7, 2023

emergency departments (EDs), with statistics reporting more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per year. Adult cardiac arrest in the emergency department – A Swedish cohort study. Heart disease and stroke statistics-2017 update: A report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018;137(12).

Resuscitation 98

Resuscitation Shock Stroke Hospitals 98

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

OCTOBER 28, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: October 24th, 2017 Reference: Harrison et al. Pediatrics 2017 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Anthony Crocco is a Pediatric Emergency Physician and is the Medical Director & Division Head of the Division of Pediatric Emergency at McMaster’s Children’s Hospital. Anthony is also the creator of SketchyEBM.

Pediatrics 52

Pediatrics Documentation/Coding Emergency Department Hospitals 52

EMDocs

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

DGA concentrates in the kidney tissue and causes nephrotoxicity, as well as neurotoxicity. Elimination half-life data is not well established but increases in larger overdoses and as renal injury begins to occur. “Fomepizole” in Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies , 11e Eds. JAMA , vol. 15, 15 Apr.

Poisoning 92

Poisoning CDC Administration Emergency Department 92

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

JANUARY 20, 2018

BMJ 2017 Guest Skeptic: Meghan Groth is an Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. BMJ 2017 Guest Skeptic: Meghan Groth is an Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. In the US, adults accounted for 6.6

Academics 52

Academics Emergency Department EMS Administration 52

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

MAY 14, 2022

Sergey Motov is an Emergency Physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center in New York City. He is also one of the world’s leading researchers on pain management in the emergency department and specifically the use of ketamine. His twitter handle is @PainFreeED.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department Research Wellness 52

Northwestern EM Blog

APRIL 15, 2024

Critical care nursing clinics of North America 29 2 (2017): 251-258. Multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of tracheostomy and laryngectomy airway emergencies. As emergency physicians, we need to be familiar with the nuances of these devices so we can safely manage the airway just as we would any sick patient.

Emergency Department 98

Emergency Department Resuscitation Pediatrics Outcomes 98

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: September 12th, 2017 Reference: Sinert et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2017. Guest Skeptic: Dr. Anand Swaninathan is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at NYU/Bellevue Hospital in the Department of Emergency Medicine. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2017.

Anaphylaxis 52

Anaphylaxis Administration EMS Emergency Department 52

Cook County EM Blog

MAY 1, 2023

The Case: A 56-year-old male with no significant past medical history presents to the emergency department with worsening swelling, pain, and erythema of the right elbow. Patient Course: In the emergency department, the patient received lab work that was remarkable for WBC 11.8, J Emerg Med. and ESR 26. emDocs.net.

Ultrasounds 52

Ultrasounds Emergency Department Hospitals Outcomes 52

EB Medicine

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Jeff: Welcome back to Emplify, the podcast corollary to EB Medicine’s Emergency Medicine Practice. I’m Jeff Nusbaum, and I’m back with my co-host, Nachi Gupta and we’ll be taking you through the September 2018 issue of Emergency Medicine Practice - Emergency Department Management of North American Snake envenomations.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department Poisoning Anaphylaxis Allergic Reactions 40

Don't Forget the Bubbles

JANUARY 22, 2024

Choosing Wisely in Paediatric Car e A trainee-led project in a UK tertiary paediatric emergency department looked at the usefulness of blood tests in 101 children. You receive a referral for a 7-year-old Josh, who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 5-day history of fever, cough, and borderline oxygen saturation.

Emergency Department 90

Emergency Department Best Practices Radiology Radiology 90

EB Medicine

JULY 8, 2019

This month, we are sticking in the abdomen for another round of evidence-based medicine, focusing on Emergency Department Management of Patients With Complications of Bariatric Surgery. Jeff: Well that’s kind worrisome. Which again reiterates why this is such an important topic for us as EM clinicians to be well-versed in.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department Sepsis Operations Dehydration 40

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 30, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: September 26th, 2017 Reference: Kaufman, et al. display_podcast] Date: September 26th, 2017 Reference: Kaufman, et al. Case: You are working the afternoon shift in the paediatric emergency department. Your shift is almost over and the department finally seems to be under control.

Pediatrics 52

Pediatrics Emergency Department Sepsis Wellness 52

ALiEM

DECEMBER 18, 2023

A 19-year-old female with a past medical history of epilepsy presented to the emergency department for evaluation of rash and fever. 2017 Jun 9;18(6):1243. Two days prior to presentation she began to experience fevers with a Tmax of 103°F. The patient endorsed associated pruritus and cervical lymphadenopathy with the rash.

Academics 70

Academics Emergency Department Wellness 70

Northwestern EM Blog

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Written by: Diana Halloran (NUEM ‘24) & Andrew Long (NUEM ‘25) Edited by: Nick Wleklinski (NUEM ‘22) Expert Commentary by : John Bailitz, MD Introduction The Emergency Department is a challenging work environment for a variety of reasons.

Resuscitation 52

Resuscitation Emergency Department Academics Wellness 52

ACEP Now

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

A 77-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) with hip pain following a fall. See below: Fascia iliaca Serratus anterior Erector spinae The risks of opioid medications, especially in the elderly, has been well described. Opioid-Prescribing Patterns of Emergency Physicians and Risk of Long-Term Use.

Ultrasounds 52

Ultrasounds Emergency Department Hospitals Wellness 52

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

NOVEMBER 25, 2017

[display_podcast] Date: November 24th, 2017 Reference: Roldan et al. AEM November 2017 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Justin Morgenstern is an emergency physician and the Director of Simulation Education at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Ontario. display_podcast] Date: November 24th, 2017 Reference: Roldan et al. AEM November 2017.

Psychiatric 40

Psychiatric Emergency Department Operations Hospitals 40

EB Medicine

MAY 3, 2019

This month, we’re moving into uncharted territories for the podcast… we’re talking psychiatry Nachi: Specifically, we’ll be discussing Depressed and Suicidal Patients in the emergency department. The PSS-3 assesses for depression/hopelessness and suicidal ideations in the past 2 weeks as well as lifetime history of suicide attempt.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department Psychiatric Documentation/Coding Outcomes 40

EB Medicine

APRIL 30, 2017

Hosts Jeff Nusbaum, MD, and Nachi Gupta, MD, cover all aspects of the acute management of this condition, from initial diagnosis and treatment in the emergency department to novel biomarkers and new and controversial therapies.

Outcomes 40

Outcomes Burns Best Practices Ultrasounds 40

EB Medicine

AUGUST 6, 2019

Nachi: Well, I’m sure more of those studies are still coming. Nachi: Next we have Betrixaban, the latest Factor Xa inhibitor to be approved, back in 2017. Because it’s utility is limited to venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in mostly medically ill inpatients, it’s unlikely to be encountered by emergency physicians very frequently.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department Stroke Wellness Outcomes 40