How do our minds steer us towards diagnostic mistakes and unfair judgments? This introduction to cognitive bias uses emergency medicine examples to explore anchoring, availability, oversimplification and assumptions about others, while emphasising that recognising bias in ourselves takes practice.
This 2016 companion to the upper gastrointestinal bleeding podcast covers recognition, resuscitation, transfusion, risk assessment and referral for endoscopy. It also discusses variceal bleeding and rescue measures, reflecting the guidance and unresolved research questions available at the time.
Upper Gastro Intestinal Bleeding at St.Emlyn’s. Read More
Can a single very low high-sensitivity troponin T result, combined with a non-ischaemic ECG, rule out myocardial infarction? Rick Body discusses a 2016 TRAPID-AMI analysis, its promising diagnostic performance and why excluding infarction does not automatically make discharge appropriate.
One high sensitivity troponin test to rule out acute myocardial infarction Read More
Recreational nitrous oxide use can be easy to overlook when taking a drug history. This 2016 overview examines acute hypoxia and the neurological and haematological consequences associated with disrupted vitamin B12 function, drawing attention to presentations that may initially seem unrelated.
What should we make of a frightening episode in a baby who now looks well? This 2016 teaching post explores the change from ALTE to BRUE terminology, careful history-taking, alternative explanations and risk assessment, with attention to parents’ concerns and safety-netting.
Apparent Life Threatening Events in Babies – Trouble BRUEing Read More
Ashley Voss-Liebig reflects on how research into conference speakers challenged her assumptions about women’s participation in emergency medicine. This 2016 commentary moves beyond speaker numbers to ask how mentoring, visible role models and removing barriers might support women’s careers in the specialty.
Gender, conferences and careers in EM. St.Emlyn’s Read More
Better communication begins with understanding how others experience us. Drawing on the SMACC communication workshop, this post and accompanying podcast explore listening, signposting, silence, manageable chunks of information and responding compassionately when people struggle to absorb difficult news.
Strengthening Your Communication: St.Emlyn’s Read More
How should new information change a clinical diagnosis? This introduction to Bayesian thinking uses a chest-pain example to explore updating probabilities, reconsidering alternatives after negative tests and avoiding the false reassurance of ruling out only the first diagnosis considered.
I’m all about the Bayes, ’bout the Bayes, no treble Read More
