Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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Guidelines were developed at the Whittington Hospital paediatric emergency department (ED) for a nurse-led discharge pathway, initially for children presenting to the department having accidentally ingested a substance that was potentially toxic. Following the new pathway led to cuts in average time in hospital, time to treatment, and costs. Patients' experience of the emergency service was reported to be improved.
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The benefits of family-witnessed resuscitation (FWR) have been described in research, yet many healthcare professionals express reservations about the practice. This article considers the attitudes of staff, relatives and patients towards FWR, and the reasons why the practice is not implemented routinely in emergency departments. It also describes elements of best practice in FWR, including the development of guidelines, provision of staff training programmes and support for families.