I am Dr. Ben Smith, Director of Emergency Ultrasound at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga: How I Work Smarter
If anyone in this series deserves the title of true “life hacker”, it’s Dr. Ben Smith (@UltrasoundJelly). A nuclear engineer turned emergency physician, you’ll see it is apparent he takes an engineer’s approach to productivity. In the clinical/education world, he is the Director of Emergency Ultrasound and the Associate Residency Director at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He’s a contributing member of FOAM via several websites, including ultrasoundoftheweek.com and 5minsono.com. Although we may not all have the braun to manage our own server infrastructure to host FOAM sites (which Dr. Smith does), he breaks down some simple tips you can use to [+]
I am Dr. Melody Ong, Emergency Medicine Resident: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Melody Ong is an emergency medicine resident finishing up her first year of residency. I had the pleasure of meeting her while on residency interviews last year and we hit it off! As we share similar interests, personalities, and opinions on wellness, I knew she would have something to contribute to say about staying healthy. Whether it be traveling to the World Cup to indulge in her favorite sport, or trekking through Patagonia in Southern Argentina, Dr. Ong strives to practice wellness even on her days off. Within her PGY-1 year, she has been able to consistently make time for all the [+]
MEdIC Series | The Case the FOAM Faux Pas – Expert Review and Curated Commentary
The Case of the FOAM Faux Pas has stimulated interesting discussion over the past week. The FOAM community clearly was interested in discussing this issue, and it most definitely showed. We are now proud to present to you the Curated Community Commentary and our two expert opinions. Thank-you again to all our experts and participants for contributing again this week to the ALiEM MEdIC series. [+]
AIR Series: GU/Renal Module 2015
Welcome to the eighth ALiEM Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) Module! In an effort to reward our residents for the reading and learning they are already doing online we have created an Individual Interactive Instruction (III) opportunity utilizing FOAM resources for U.S. Emergency Medicine residents. For each module, the AIR board curates and scores a list of blogs and podcasts. A quiz is available to complete after each module to obtain residency conference credit. Once completed, your name and institution will be logged into our private database, which participating residency program directors can access to provide proof of completion. [+]
Four reasons not to order a Rapid Flu test
Every year emergency departments are inundated with cases of influenza-like illness. Rapid flu testing (RFT) offers the promise of a quick and relatively noninvasive rapid diagnostic test. However, the use of this test has significant limitations that can lead to increased risk for both the patient and the provider. [+]
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I am Dr. Sean Fox, Star Educator and Creator of Peds EM Morsels: How I Work Smarter
When I first contacted Dr. Sean Fox (@PedEMMorsels) regarding participating in the How I Work Smarter series he described his work style as “a bull in a china shop”, questioning if he was a worthy participant. This, in fact, makes him an ideal contributor as most of us can relate to the difficulties of achieving organizational zen. But Dr. Fox is also being humble. He is double boarded in Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics. In his young career, he has already received several teaching awards including the ACEP National Faculty Teaching Award. He’s also embraced teaching through FOAM via his great [+]
MEdIC Series | The Case of the FOAM Faux Pas
The use of online open access secondary has increased recently. Many clinicians are turning to these resources for continuing education. There is debate about these resources that can occasionally result in conflict between early adopters and those with a more traditional approach. Please join us in discussing the case this of the FOAM Faux Pas. We would love your thoughts and advice. [+]
Hyperkalemia Management: Preventing Hypoglycemia From Insulin
Insulin remains one of the cornerstones of early severe hyperkalemia management. Insulin works via a complex process to temporarily shift potassium intracellularly. Though insulin certainly lowers plasma potassium concentrations, we often underestimate the hypoglycemic potential of a 10 unit IV insulin dose in this setting. The purpose of this post is to highlight the need for proper supplemental glucose and blood glucose monitoring when treating hyperkalemia with insulin. This is such an important medication safety issue, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) highlighted it in a February 2018 Safety Alert. [+]
Trick of the Trade: TRUST ultrasound confirmation of pediatric endotracheal tube placement
Following intubation the confirmation of endotracheal tube placement and depth is essential. While dynamic etCO2 monitoring has revolutionized the confirmation of endotracheal placement, there are still several circumstances in which this modality may be misleading (e.g. prolonged arrest, severe status asthmaticus/PE/pulmonary edema, etCO2 detector contamination with drugs/gastric contents). Additionally, EtCO2 detectors cannot confirm appropriate endotracheal tube depth, leading to delayed recognition of mainstem placement. [+]
Diagnose on Sight: Lip Swelling
Case: A 24 year old male presents with right sided lip swelling that began several hours ago. This is the second time he has had this type of swelling. His mother has also had this before. He currently has no urticaria, dyspnea, wheezing, or stridor. What is the cause of this patient’s symptoms? [+]