Chest drain insertion involves more than getting a tube into the chest. This 2016 teaching post discusses patient selection, analgesia, ultrasound, drain size and secure fixation, combining published evidence with the author’s practical experience and acknowledging important uncertainties.
Why did emergency medicine examination and training outcomes vary by ethnicity, region and training pathway? This 2016 discussion of GMC data examines differential attainment, challenges easy explanations and asks educators to reflect on bias, supervision and their responsibilities to trainees.
Does open cardiac massage outperform closed chest compressions in traumatic cardiac arrest? This 2016 appraisal examines a small study using end-tidal carbon dioxide measurements, explaining why limited numbers and differences between patient groups leave the treatment question unresolved.
How can simulation develop the relationships and attitudes that shape clinical teamwork? Drawing on a EuSEM 2016 talk, this post explores training in the workplace, involving the whole team in debriefs and using learning conversations to understand behaviour under pressure.
Emergency Department Management
Ambition, setbacks and fatigue can all affect a career in emergency medicine. This reflection explores realistic training goals, fear of failure, the move to consultant practice and life outside work, with attention to colleagues both within and outside formal training programmes.
Conference ReportsPhilosophy of Emergency Medicine
A report from EuSEM 2016 in Vienna, covering trauma, cardiac diagnostics, decision-making, education and clinician wellbeing. Alongside the clinical sessions, the post reflects on interactive debate, international connections and the value of meeting emergency medicine colleagues beyond the lecture hall.
Practical perspectives on trauma care and team leadership.
Explore the series →