Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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Case Reports
A Grade Ⅲ Severe Hypersensitivity Caused by Gadopentatic Acid Injection: A Case Report.
Gadopentetic acid is a common contrast agent for enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Adverse reactions due to gadolinium-based contrast agents are rare and easily overlooked by medical staff. A patient developed a rash as the first symptom and quickly developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving gadopentetic acid. ⋯ This case stresses the importance of being equipped with the medicines, items, supplies, and equipment needed for emergency treatments in all departments where contrast agents are used. Patients with apparently mild adverse reactions to contrast agents should not be overlooked.
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This study aimed to explore nonurgent pediatric interhospital transfers through the lens of nurses' experiences and perceptions when undertaking these transfers. ⋯ By exploring the stories and experiences of emergency nurses who undertake pediatric interhospital transfers, a deep investigation of the risks and challenges has been described, an area often underrepresented in the literature. Findings from this study highlight important learnings for pediatric interhospital transfer that add value to the wider body of evidence.
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Influenza is highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, and may result in significant morbidity and mortality. While vaccination is the primary protection against influenza, vaccination rates remain low. Traditionally, primary care clinics, retail pharmacies, and public health departments offer influenza vaccines. However, offering influenza vaccines in new settings may increase their availability to the public and increase community uptake. This project aimed to add emergency departments as a new influenza vaccine location to increase the number of vaccines distributed during the 2020 to 2021 influenza season. ⋯ The project demonstrated that delivering influenza vaccinations in emergency departments is challenging yet achievable. Educational offerings were valuable resources to increase nurses' knowledge and positive attitudes about providing influenza vaccines to patients. Further studies regarding how vaccinations could be provided in more emergency departments and alternative care sites, such as urgent care and clinics other than primary care providers, are needed.
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The purpose of this quality improvement study was to reduce nonemergent visits to the emergency department attendance within a multistate Veterans Health Affairs network. ⋯ Telephone triage services augmented by virtual provider visits may reduce emergency department disposition rates, resulting in fewer nonemergent patient presentations to the emergency department and reducing unnecessary emergency department overcrowding. Reducing nonemergent attendance to emergency departments can improve outcomes for patients with emergent dispositions.
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A 30-year-old female presented to their local emergency department with an active, unprovoked generalized tonic-clonic seizure in progress. Past medical and family history of the patient did not include inflammatory or autoimmune conditions nor epilepsy or seizure. The patient's toxicology screen was negative, along with neurological and infectious differentials assessed for rule-outs. This case report includes updated guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus for advanced practice providers.