What does a crowded emergency department feel like to patients and their families? Liz Crowe reviews a small qualitative interview study exploring loss of autonomy, unmet expectations and vulnerability, then considers practical ways to improve communication, comfort and attention to basic needs.
Emergency Department Management
How do you keep track of an entire emergency department while leading a shift? This personal account offers a mental model for the emergency physician in charge, using circles of care, the four S's, bookmarking and partnership with the nurse in charge.
How do experienced prehospital clinicians decide when to give blood? This appraisal explores a qualitative study of physicians at two UK air ambulance services, examining the role of experience and uncertainty, and what these decisions can teach us about training and reflection.
How do you prepare a whole team for high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures? The third HALO article explores shared mental rehearsal, simulation, role clarity and debriefing, including how to support colleagues who encounter these procedures without prior preparation.
Day two of the Intensive Care Society's 2023 State of the Art Congress brings research updates on kidneys, the gut and airway management. The report also covers patient communication, acute respiratory distress syndrome, debriefing, trauma and trainee-led research.
Personal preparation for high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures goes beyond learning the physical technique. Part two of the HALO series explores decision triggers, managing stress, self-talk, mental rehearsal and focus, with an emphasis on deliberate practice before a crisis.
Practical perspectives on trauma care and team leadership.
Explore the series →