An essential skill of any innovative troubleshooter in the Emergency Department is the ability to recognize when one piece of equipment may be used elsewhere. For instance, what’s your go-to approach when looking for a spare guidewire? Let’s say you are trying to salvage an ultrasound-guided basilic vein IV catheterization.
Here’s where I go for guidewires:
As a followup to the blog on the Captain Morgan technique for hip dislocations, I’d like to throw out another similar technique that also does NOT involve climbing up on the gurney.
Scalp lacerations are apparently a hot topic these days. This is the third post now on how to apply a bandage to a scalp laceration.
Relocation of a hip joint is often quite a sight to see in the ED. A commonly taught technique is the Allis maneuver (watch the first 45 seconds of the above video from the Medical College of Georgia). It has always seemed a bit precarious to me having someone stand on the patient’s bed.
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Scalp lacerations are one of the most common injuries which present to the Emergency Department. Applying a dry bandage over the staples or sutures can be a challenge because the tape just has nothing to adhere to.
We reviewed the use of tubular cotton gauze to create a beanie hat, but what should you do if you can’t find any tubular gauze? Ever since I wrote about the beanie hat trick, people in the ED have been using the tubular gauze more and we’re always out of stock whenever I look for it!
Patients can become extremely diaphoretic with high fevers or if under the influence of PCP or a stimulant. Slippery, sweaty skin can pose a problem when securing peripheral IV’s. Adhesive tapes that are typically designed for securing these IV’s often slip off… immediately followed by the IV falling out.
How can you secure the IV … without using staples and sutures?
Your next patient has heavy dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). She is tachycardic and pre-syncopal. While you establish an IV, resuscitate her, and wait for the gynaecology team to arrive, is there any trick you can use to stem the bleeding?