I am Dr. Rob Orman, Executive Editor of EM:RAP: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Rob Orman is an emergency physician from Bend, Oregon. When he’s not in the ED, he can be found creating and working on podcasts for the EM:RAP series, for which he is the Executive Editor. From using mindfulness techniques to stay active, Dr. Orman ensures he is mentally in check at the start of each day. Here’s how he stays healthy in EM! [+]
My EpiPen expired! Can I still use it?
The above question is common from patients with a history of an allergic reaction seen for a repeat emergency department visit. The manufacturers of EpiPen caution not to use the pen beyond the expiration date, and if the drug solution becomes discolored (oxidation). But EpiPens are expensive! Is there harm in using the pen beyond the expiration date? What should we tell our patients?1 [+]
PEM Pearls: Treatment of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis and the Two-Bag Method
Insulin does MANY things in the body, but the role we care about in the Emergency Department is glucose regulation. Insulin allows cells to take up glucose from the blood stream, inhibits liver glucose production, increases glycogen storage, and increases lipid production. When insulin is not present, such as in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM), all of the opposite effects occur. [+]
I am Dr. Richard Shoemaker, Emergency Physician and American Ninja Warrior: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Richard Shoemaker is an emergency physician from Philadelphia. Primarily working overnight shifts in the ED, Dr. Shoemaker has learned how to master the “shift world”. He maintains his fitness by training as an American Ninja Warrior and is an avid rock climber. Here’s how he stays healthy in EM! [+]
MEdIC Series: The Case of the Competency Conundrum
Welcome to season 4, episode 9 of the ALiEM Medical Education in Cases (MEdIC) series! Our team (Drs. Tamara McColl, Teresa Chan, John Eicken, Sarah Luckett-Gatopoulos, Eve Purdy, Alkarim Velji and Brent Thoma) is pleased to welcome you to our online community of practice where we discuss the practice of academic medicine! This month, we present a case of a residency competency committee that has competing opinions surrounding competency based medical education (CBME) advancement principles when faced with a superstar resident who has met the requirements of his program and may complete his training ahead of the usual trajectory. [+]
PECARN Pediatric Head Trauma: Official Visual Decision Aid for Clinicians
The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) collaborative has teamed up with the ALiEM and CanadiEM teams to introduce the official PECARN visual decision rule aid for pediatric blunt head trauma! This has been a 6 month collaboration focused on bringing evidence-based research to the bedside in pediatric emergency medicine (EM). [+]
AIR Series: Toxicology Module (2017)
Welcome to the Toxicology Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts from the top 50 sites of the Social Media Index the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality toxicology content. Below we have listed our selection of the 6 highest quality blog posts within the past 12 months (as of January 2017) related to Toxicologic emergencies, curated and approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically in this module, we identified 0 AIRs and 6 Honorable Mentions. We recommend programs give 2 hours (about 20 minutes per article) of III credit for this module. As of June 2017, the AIR [+]
Envenomations: Initial Management of Common U.S. Snakebites
Nothing says “emergency” like a bite from a venomous reptile. If you work in an area populated by snakes, which covers most of the United States and the world, then chances are good that you will see a patient with a snake bite in the Emergency Department (ED). The severity of the symptoms and the treatment vary greatly with different snakes. In this post, we will outline the ED approach to and management of common U.S. snake envenomation. [+]
Academic Primer Series and Curated Collections for Educators: Important Papers for Medical Educators
Members and mentors of the inaugural, 2016-17 ALiEM Faculty Incubator authored 9 narrative reviews in the Academic Primer Series and Curated Collections for Educators on several important medical education topics, which highlight the most important literature and their defined importance for junior educators and faculty developers. To ensure broad compendiums of articles were obtained on each subject, collections of papers were augmented via an open call for additional papers using Twitter. Subsequently, a selection panel comprised of both junior and seasoned educators utilized a 3-round modified Delphi process to identify the best, most relevant papers for medical educators. [+]
I am Jesse Spurr, ED Nurse Educator: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Staying well in the Emergency Department is not only important for physicians, but for the entire healthcare team. This week we are branching out, and taking a look at How Our ED Colleagues Stay Healthy in EM! Jesse Spurr is an Emergency Department Nurse Educator in Brisbane Australia. Jesse is the creator of injectableorange.com and co-creator of simulationpodcast.com, a Teaching Course faculty, and a organising committee member for SMACC. In addition to his “professional hobbies”, Jesse is kept grounded and content with his two kids and superhero wife. [+]