General ED principles (5)
Digital blocks should be done with what anesthetic?
Lidocaine without epi
Hematoma block in the ER
Done into hematoma immediately after a fracture to help limit pain before reduction, does not block entire nerve still resulting in pain during reduction but decreases it significantly
Field block in the ER
Injection under the skin and around at different sites to numb a site
Regional blocks in the ER
Can be done on toes, fingers, ankles, inject around the nerve deep and then superficial but put the entire digit/space to sleep that will last an hour or so but need to do vascular check and motor check beforehand
Nail avulsion in the ER
Need to get nail tucked underneath in the matrix to prevent closure of the matrix to allow the nail to continue to grow
Dental repair box
Located in every ER for handling emergency dental repairs when dentists not open or available
FAST exam definition
Focused assessment with sonography for trauma exam, diagnostic exam for internal bleeding checking the heart (pericardial), liver/kidney (perihepatic), spleen (perisplenic), and bladder (pelvic) regions
Glasgow coma scale
Tool utilized to establish level of consciousness and compare over course of treatment, 3 components including eye opening (spontaneous 4, to speech 3, to pain 2, none 1), verbal response (oreinted 5, confused, 4, inappropriate 3, incomprehensible 2, none 1), and motor response (obeys commands 6, localizes pain 5, withdraws from pain 4, flexion to pain, 3, extension to pain 2, none 1) for a max score of 15, correlates inversely with aspiration risk, GCS equal or less than 8 indicates ET intubation
Empiric management of decreased mental status patient (4 things)
EM approach to acute MI/ACS (11)
Benign causes of appearing melena or hematochezia (2)
Recall the physical exam for the abdomen order
Inspection, auscultation, perussion, palpation (in all 4 quadrants)
Perforated viscus (peptic ulcer often) common presentation (4)
Acute appendicitis imaging (2)
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Ectopic pregnancy definition
Pregnancy implanted out of the uterus, presents with positive hCG with ultrasound showing absence of intrauterine pregnancy, or presence of adnexal mass, surgical emergency for treatment
Choledocholithiasis/ascending cholangitis charcot’s triad
IBD (UC/crohn’s) presentation symptoms (3)
Bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss
IV vancomycin for C diff is useless because…
….it is not absorbed that way into the gut and therefore must be taken orally
Pelvic inflammatory disease diffrentiation from gastroenterological disease (2)
- abnormal vaginal discharge
Ovarian torsion definition and how is it ruled out?
Twisting of the ovary around its axis along the fallopian tubes with lower abdominal pain being the only presenting symptom, may resolve spontaneously but if not can infarct, can only be ruled out with ultrasound
What is intravenous access used for? (5)
Reasons for an arterial line (3)
Goal catheter size gauge for adequate flow rate upon catheterization
20 gauge, ideally 18 (easier for IV contrast)