The ABCDE approach applies to the initial assessment of critically ill patients. For each step, appropriate treatment should be started regardless if there is a definitive diagnosis. Airway1–3 Fatal in minutes. Think of this separately from breathing! Consider what would you do if the airway became threatened, e.g. Have you assessed for predictors of difficult airway management? Assessment Management ● Determine if patient can speak.● Inspect for secretions or foreign bodies.● Check for …
How to Study Effectively: Powering Up Your Study Habits
Kuldeep is a 29 yo medical student who has been studying daily but can’t seem to keep up with the content. His friends seem to be scoring higher than him on tests. How can Kuldeep add some new habits and learn how to study more effectively? When it comes to studying, we are often poor judges of when we are learning well and when we are not. Evidence shows that information sticks better …
Clinical Question – How Do I Approach Agitation and Aggression in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Emergency Department?
A 7-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder presents to the emergency department (ED) with upper respiratory infection symptoms. He starts becoming agitated as you try to auscultate his lungs and aggressively comes towards you. You are unsure of the best method to approach this situation. Research has demonstrated that almost one third of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who present to the emergency department had negative experiences or unwanted outcomes.1,2 Children with …