As part of the Arts PRN series, we will intermittently be featuring pieces of historic art that hint at an underlying medical condition. They say a picture is worth 1000 words… can you Spot the Diagnosis after examining only a painting? Read on to learn not only about the art, but about these fascinating medical conditions. Who knows, maybe they’ll help you make a diagnosis some day (or at least help you out on Jeopardy)! …
Reporting QI Results Part 1 – Run Charts
You are attending your first Quality Committee meeting in your ED. The team is discussing a project they have been working on to decrease unnecessary urine cultures at the urgent care centre associated with the ED. The team has already created a project charter with an appropriate aim statement1. They have engaged the appropriate stakeholders and found the best practices for ordering urine cultures in uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs)2. The team found …
Testicular Torsion
Case: 18-year-old Arthur comes to the emergency department complaining of sudden onset pain in his testicles that woke him up at 4 am. Arthur had noticed that part of his testicle appeared swollen when he awoke. This concerned him, since he didn’t remember an injury. He tried applying ice, but after a while of no relief, his parents drove him to the local ED. His pain has increased and is now (at 7 …
Special HiQuiPs Post – Choosing Wisely Canada and Quality Improvement
Welcome to another HiQuiPs post! This is the first in a series of posts highlighting Choosing Wisely, an international movement that addresses unnecessary tests and treatments, which has spurred many local, national, and international QI initiatives. In our last post, we discussed variation in the efficiency of medical processes and how this can be attributed to random or non-random (special cause) variation. Variation can be seen throughout different processes in the ED. For …
Substance use in the ED: Alcohol Use Disorders and the Emergency Department
Think back to your last three shifts. Did you see an alcohol related condition? You might even notice a pattern— the same patient, the “regular” who returns time and time again with the same presentation. You may even find yourself writing “discharge home when ambulatory” as you’ve “reached your wits end” and don’t know what to do anymore. The use of alcohol is common and the emergency department is often where we see …
CRACKCast E207 – Dizziness and Vertigo
This updated episode of CRACKCast covers Rosen’s Chapter 016, Dizziness and Vertigo (9th Ed.). Dizziness and Vertigo are terms that send shutters down the spines of most Emergency Physicians. This podcast will give you the tools to discern the difference between Vertigo and Lightheadedness and help guide your management of the underlying cause. Shownotes – PDF here Rosen’s in Perspective We are back at it again in Saskatchewan, serving up a tasty teaching …