ED management : the monthly update on emergency department management
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Because pediatric patients are at high risk for inadequate pain management, ED staff should be vigilant about identifying painful conditions, treating them quickly with adequate analgesics, and ensuring adequacy of outpatient pain management. Studies have shown that analgesia was given to pediatric patients less frequently than adults in the ED. ⋯ Often, parents feel that their child's pain management is inadequate. Staff education, including regular lectures or informal inservicing, can lead to better management of pain.
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Demand respect when consultants second-guess your clinical decisions or behave rudely. Address consultants' specific complaints and don't respond to generalizations about the ED. Establish credibility by having radiologists confirm your X-ray readings in front of consultants. If consultants are rude, don't hesitate to confront them.