Algorithms for Emergency Medicine

Description

Delivering Emergency Medicine involves constant challenges to the emergency clinician, seen in the frequency of severely unwell patients, the wide breadth of conditions encountered, and the urgency required in diagnosis and treatment. Concise, and, critically, accessible, Algorithms for Emergency Medicine supports the key decision-making requirements of clinicians working in the Emergency Department. Designed to support rapid problem solving, this resource covers everything from common non-life-threatening emergencies such as headaches to life-threatening acute events such as major traumas. Each topic is divided into two; the left page provides essential knowledge, and on the right, an algorithm which guides the clinician in a step by step process in managing these conditions. Evidence based and up-to-date, this book follows the College of Emergency Medicine Curriculum, making it an invaluable resource for Emergency Nurse Practitioners, new doctors starting their placement in the Emergency Department, and trainee doctors working towards specialising in Emergency Medicine. Cover Algorithms for Emergency Medicine Copyright Preface Contents Detailed Contents Contributors Abbreviations SECTION 1 Practical procedures 1 Basic life support 2 Airway protection 3 Rapid sequence induction 4 Cricothyroidotomy 5 Needle thoracocentesis 6 Pleural aspiration—pneumothorax 7 Intercostal drain—​seldinger 8 Intercostal drain—​open 9 Arterial blood gas sampling 10 Peripheral venous cannulation 11 Central venous cannulation 12 Intraosseous access 13 Urinary catheterization 14 Nasogastric tube insertion 15 Arterial cannulation and arterial pressure monitoring 16 Lumbar puncture 17 Abdominal paracentesis/​ascetic tap 18 DC cardioversion 19 Temporary pacing (external) 20 Knee aspiration 21 Fracture manipulation 22 Procedural sedation SECTION 2 Airway and breathing 1 Anaphylaxis 2 Apnoea, stridor and airway obstruction 3 Pneumothorax/​haemothorax 4 Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 5 Pulmonary embolism 6 Acute heart failure 7 Cough 8 Cyanosis SECTION 3 Cardiovascular 1 Cardiorespiratory arrest—​adult life support (ALS) 2 Cardiorespiratory arrest—​advanced paediatric life support (APLS) 3 Chest pain 4 Palpitations 5 Tachyarrhythmias 6 Bradyarrhythmias SECTION 4 Abdominal 1 Acute abdominal pain 2 Rectal bleeding 3 Dehydration in children 4 Diarrhoea 5 Dysuria 6 Ectopic pregnancy 7 Haematemesis and melaena 8 Jaundice 9 Nausea and vomiting SECTION 5 Neurological 1 The unconscious patient 2 Aggressive/​disturbed behaviour 3 Alcohol and substance abuse 4 Acute confusion/​delirium 5 Dizziness and vertigo 6 Fits/​seizures 7 Headache 8 Syncope and pre-​syncope 9 Weakness and paralysis 10 Stroke 11 Subarachnoid haemorrhage SECTION 6 Trauma 1 Primary survey 2 Secondary survey 3 Head injury 4 Major trauma—​chest injuries 5 Major trauma—​abdominal trauma 6 Major trauma—​spinal injuries 7 Major trauma—​maxillofacial 8 Major trauma—​burns 9 Traumatic limb and joint injuries 10 Wound assessment and management 11 Shoulder examination 12 Elbow examination 13 Hand examination 14 Hip examination 15 Knee examination 16 Ankle examination SECTION 7 Environmental emergencies 1 Heat stroke and heat exhaustion 2 Drug-​related hyperthermias 3 Hypothermia and frostbite 4 Electrical burns/​electrocution 5 Drowning SECTION 8 Other medical 1 The septic patient 2 The shocked patient 3 Abnormal blood glucose—​diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) 4 Abnormal blood glucose—​hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) 5 Sickle cell crisis 6 Anaemia 7 Purpura and bruising in children 8 Leukaemia/​lymphoma in children 9 Bruising and spontaneous bleeding 10 Fever 11 The oliguric patient 12 Oncology emergencies 13 Poisoning/​self-​harm 14 Rashes 15 Acute red eye 16 Acute visual loss 17 Hyperkalaemia 18 Rhabdomyolysis 19 High INR SECTION 9 Other surgical 1 Acute back pain 2 Epistaxis 3 Falls 4 Non-​traumatic limb pain and swelling 5 Acute neck pain 6 Painful ear (otalgia) 7 Sore throat 8 Scrotal pain 9 Acute urinary retention 10 Per-​vaginal bleeding SECTION 10 Miscellaneous 1 Suicidal ideation 2 Needlestick injury 3 Pain management Index