We are frequently asked to check the lactate on Venous Blood Gases (VBG’s), by the nursing staff. However, remember to look at the first result (pH) it is the most important.
Acidosis: Unless you have a good reason (e.g. you know its due to DKA) you should be investigating and performing an Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
At reception ask them to go outside to designated area and staff will be with them shortly. Inform Nurse in Charge!
Use the disrobing card to get the patient to safely remove and bag up clothes. Do your best to maintain privacy. CARD HERE
If we have ample warning or the number of patients will be significant, it may be worth deploying the decontamination tent but remember setting this up is time consuming.
Domestic abuse can affect anyone and often its not readily disclosed on an ED admission. We must be alert to the fact some of our patients may be attending with domestic abuse. Please explore concerns and escalate if you’re unsure. Our colleagues in the Pennine Domestic Violence Group have kindly drawn this a guidance up for us.
Getting some of the rarer antidotes has recently been clarified across Yorkshire (Accessing rarely used antidotes-SOP)
In our trust we don’t have paediatric critical care beds. However, in our region we use EMBRACE (a paediatric critical care transport team), who can transfer critically ill children to specialist centers (in or out of region).
A new burns referral pathway has been developed with Mid Yorks to securely send images of the patients burn. Allowing the burns team to arrange the most appropriate follow-up for your patient.
This requires BOTH online referral & phone call
Like tension pneumothorax the biggest step is deciding to do it – Remember it it sight saving and they heal well
Retrobulbar Haematoma secondary to blunt eye injury is a a rare but potentially sight threatening injury.
However, this may only be recognised on CT if there is significant facial injury and altered conscious level.
Call Ophthalmology immediately to attend. If there is going to be any significant delay, it may be necessary for ED to preform a Lateral Canthotomy, to allow the eye to move forward, reduce the orbital pressure & preserve the patients sight.
Simple pre-intubation checklist for the whole team to be aware of so we can make intubation in ED as safe as possible.
PDF: Full Version (included tracheostomy displacement algorithm)
On rare occasions you may receive a pre-alert, where you want blood available for the patient when they arrive (for example in major haemorrhage). This process has been agreed with transfusion so this can be done safely and responsibly. Read more
