Intravenous lidocaine for renal colic
Pain management in the ED has become a balancing act. EPs must continually balance adequate pain management with the risks of opioids prescribing. As providers reach into their pain management toolbox it is always nice to have as many options as possible because one size does not fit all. Specifically for the management of acute renal colic, IV preservative-free (cardiac) lidocaine has been gaining popularity as a potential alternative when opioids are unable to get job done or are contraindicated due to co-morbidities or a history of addiction. Is it safe? Does it work? [+]
Perspectives on Program Evaluation: Interview with Drs. Megan Boysen-Osborn, Dara Kass, and Andrew King
As part of the ALiEM Faculty Incubator Professional Development Program, Drs. Megan Boysen-Osborn (Program Director at University of California-Irvine), Dara Kass (Editor-in-Chief FeminEM), and Andrew King (Assistant Program Director at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) participated in a Google Hangout where they provided perspectives and expert advice on program evaluation. Their perspectives and wisdom are summarized below. [+]
I am Dr. Noah Kaufman, American Ninja Warrior: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Noah Kaufman is an emergency physician from Fort Collins, CO, who you may have spotted on a recent TV episode of American Ninja Warrior. We could not have thought of a better exemplar guest to share some insights on this Healthy in EM series. Spoiler alert: Staying active, living the adventure, and laughing as much as possible are a few key secrets on how Dr. Kaufman keeps well. Here is how he stays healthy in EM! [+]
MEdIC Series: Case of the Technologically-Challenged Academic – Expert Review and Curated Community Commentary
Our fourth case of season 5, The Case of the Technologically-Challenged Academic, presented the scenario of a budding clinician-scientist who is encouraged to develop a social media and online presence to highlight and disseminate his research achievements. His barrier, however, is his perceived lack of knowledge and technical skills for the growing online FOAM and social media movement. The MEdIC team (Drs. Tamara McColl, Teresa Chan, Sarah Luckett-Gatopoulos, Eve Purdy, John Eicken, Alkarim Velji, and Brent Thoma), hosted an online discussion around the case over the last 2 weeks with insights from the ALiEM community. We are proud to present to [+]
PEM Pearls: Pediatric Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral IV Access
Pediatric patients are not just little adults. Placing peripheral IVs in young patients can be challenging and comes with its own set of challenges. Presented are some basic and advanced tips to maximize success in establishing peripheral IV access in pediatric patients using ultrasonography. [+]
William White, MA MD
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Ultrasound For The Win! Case – 64M with Fever and Scrotal Pain #US4TW
Welcome to another ultrasound-based case, part of the “Ultrasound For The Win!” (#US4TW) Case Series. In this series, we focus on a real clinical case where point-of-care ultrasound changed the management or aided in the diagnosis. In this case, a 64-year-old man presents with acute onset scrotal pain and fever. [+]
I am Dr. Christopher Hicks, Simulation/Resuscitation Fellowship Director: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Christopher Hicks, is an emergency physician from Toronto, Canada. For Dr. Hicks, staying well is worked into every element of his day. When he’s not at work, he enjoys spending time with loved ones, and keeping active. His strategies for keeping mentally in check and being academically happy are something you’ll definitely not want to miss! Here’s how he stays healthy in EM! [+]
IDEA Series: Trapped as a Group, Escape as a Team | Applying Gamification to Team-Building Skills
The Problem Providing high-quality healthcare in the busy, often chaotic world of EM requires teamwork. Team members must overcome varied levels of training, expertise, and conflicting personalities to function as a unit. Effective teamwork and collaboration, particularly in high-stakes, high-acuity environments, can improve patient outcomes and the cost of care.1,2 Although the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) includes “interpersonal and communication skills” (ICS) as a core competency, there is no consensus as to how to effectively teach these skills. Further, military literature identifies “trust” as critical to effective communication within teams.3 To improve trust, communication, and collaboration, authors suggest [+]
Winners of the 2018 ALiEM-EEM Fellowship Contest: Drs. Puja Gopal, Liz Fierro, and Natasha Li
After receiving numerous high-quality submissions, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Essentials of Emergency Medicine (EEM) Education Fellowship Contests! Dr. Puja Gopal from the University of Illinois at Chicago has won the blog post competition. Her winning post, selected by a blinded EEM voting panel, highlights a mnemonic for taking care of patients with tracheostomies, and is featured on the blog today! Dr. Liz Fierro and Dr. Natasha Li have co-won the visual design competition for their submission, Pocket PEM. They were among 4 worthy semifinalist submissions selected by a blinded EEM voting panel, and the winners were ultimately [+]
Troubleshooting the Crashing Patient with a Tracheostomy
Patients presenting to the ED with respiratory distress and a tracheostomy can unnerve almost any provider, and management is often fraught with preventable errors.1,2 This recognition has led to the development of treatment algorithms from groups including the U.K. National Tracheostomy Safety Project to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies.3 Use the ABC-Ts mnemonic to help you perform a focused tracheostomy evaluation and troubleshoot in a stepwise, systematic manner while waiting for your ENT consultant to arrive. [+]