When clinical findings and test results conflict, how should we rethink a diagnosis? Natalie May uses a case and thought experiments to explore heuristics, cognitive bias and probability, showing why more tests alone cannot resolve uncertainty in emergency medicine.
When is a Door Not a Door? Bias, Heuristics & Metacognition Read More
Does diazepam add anything to naproxen for acute low back pain? This 2017 trial appraisal examines the lack of additional benefit in a selected group without radicular symptoms, alongside questions about blinding, follow-up and how well the results fit everyday ED patients.
JC: Turn it Down to 11 – Benzos for Back Pain Read More
Moving a critically ill patient from the ED can be a high-risk part of their care. Natalie May and Simon Carley’s podcast notes explore patient preparation, equipment, team selection and handover, with contingency plans for delays, deterioration and airway problems.
The Emergency Department Transfer: Patient, Preparation and People. St.Emlyn’s Read More
Should selected cardiac arrest patients bypass their nearest hospital for a specialist centre? This 2017 review examines a London pilot trial, explaining its narrow patient group and why demonstrating feasibility is different from establishing an improvement in survival.
JC: Cardiac arrest centres and bypass. St.Emlyn’s Read More
Small interpersonal habits matter when teams work under pressure. In the second Sydney HEMS reflection, Natalie May explores introductions, shared plans, checklists, fatigue and learning from mistakes, showing how everyday communication can support colleagues during demanding retrieval work.
101 Reflective Lessons from a Year with Sydney HEMS. Part Two: Human Factors. Read More
What does critical illness feel like to a child? Eimear and her mother Rachel share their experience in a smaccMINI conversation, with written takeaways about fear, clear explanations, the ICU environment and preparing patients and families for recovery and discharge.
Critically Ill in PED – the Patient Perspective at #smaccMINI #smaccDUB Read More
Can a rude comment disrupt clinical teamwork? This 2016 appraisal examines a randomised neonatal simulation study in which rudeness impaired performance and information sharing, then considers the limits of transferring those findings to real care and the implications for everyday professional behaviour.
JC: The Impact of Rudeness on Medical Team Performance Read More
What can UK registry data tell us about traumatic cardiac arrest? This 2016 appraisal examines survival and injury patterns in TARN, while explaining why observational associations cannot establish which interventions work and why different causes may require different approaches.
JC: UK traumatic cardiac arrest stats. St.Emlyn’s Read More
