Can virtual reality make venepuncture and cannulation less painful for children? Natalie May appraises a 2019 randomised study, examining pain scores, differences between clinical settings and feedback from children and carers, while considering the limits and practicalities of this distraction technique.
What happens when a work event leaves you unsure how to carry on? Liz Crowe and Iain Beardsell discuss preparing for a crisis, seeking support, coping with its aftermath and rebuilding a sense of identity beyond the event and the job.
What can an animal study tell us about chest compressions in traumatic cardiac arrest? This 2019 appraisal examines a haemorrhage model in pigs, the role of blood resuscitation and the substantial limits of applying those findings to patients with different causes of arrest.
Must stable patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation undergo immediate cardioversion? This 2019 appraisal compares early cardioversion with a rate-control and delayed approach, examining a non-inferiority trial’s outcomes, spontaneous conversion and the questions it leaves about complications and practical care.
Emergency Department Management
When exit block leaves patients in the emergency department for many hours, their care needs extend beyond the initial plan. Rich Carden draws on military prolonged field care to offer a checklist covering hygiene, hydration, infection, tubes, medication, analgesia and nutrition.
Appraisal and reflections on the recently published ConSEPT and EcLiPSE trials - what do they mean for the treatment of paediatric status epilepticus?
Practical perspectives on trauma care and team leadership.
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