What distinguishes body packing, pushing and stuffing, and why does it matter in the emergency department? This 2023 overview covers presentations, imaging and toxicity, alongside consent, communication with police and the guidance discussed for managing concealed drugs.
Packers, Pushers and Stuffers – Drug Concealment in the ED Read More
An introduction to the Global Emergency Care Collaborative’s July 2023 event in Edinburgh. The post outlines its speakers and themes, exploring global health projects, programmes and research, and opportunities for collaboration across emergency care settings.
GECCo: UK global health projects, programmes & research – who does what in emergency care? Read More
A review of the May 2023 NICE head injury guideline update for adults and children. It discusses CT decisions for patients taking anticoagulants or antiplatelets, tranexamic acid in isolated head injury, hypopituitarism and the implications for emergency department practice.
NICE Head Injury Guidelines 2023: Now who do we scan? Read More
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.
Training for HALO procedures. Part 2: Personal Preparation. St Emlyn’s Read More
A collection of evidence, guidelines and resources accompanying Dan Horner’s 2023 RCEM CPD talk on the physiologically difficult airway. Links cover cardiovascular collapse, hypoxaemia, ultrasound, checklists and improving emergency airway care outside the operating room.
The Physiologically Difficult Airway Read More
This Critical Appraisal Nugget introduces sensitivity and specificity as ways to describe diagnostic test accuracy. Aimed at medical students and doctors preparing for exams, the podcast explores how these concepts help clinicians choose and interpret investigations in emergency care.
Podcast – Sensitivity and Specificity: Critical Appraisal Nugget 10 Read More
How did trauma transfusion move from whole blood to crystalloid and component therapy, then back towards whole blood? This 2023 narrative review follows the key studies behind that evolution and considers prehospital transfusion, different injury patterns and the questions still unanswered.
A refresher on blood transfusion in trauma Read More
Part one of the HALO series examines how to learn the physical skills needed for high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures. It compares training models, including task trainers and cadaver courses, and stresses the importance of practising what happens after the initial incision.
Training for HALO procedures. Part 1: Background and psychomotor skills. St Emlyn’s Read More
