Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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Emergency departments (EDs) in the UK are facing unprecedented increases in attendance, and the ability to safely assess, diagnose, treat, refer or discharge patients is a national challenge. This article discusses one component of a comprehensive ED strategy created to address serious concerns identified by regulators and develop and improve services in the department at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Kent.
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This book documents the experiences of two healthcare workers who volunteered at an Ebola management centre in Kailahun, Sierra Leone, during the world's biggest ever outbreak of the virus in 2014-15.
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Victims of violence often seek assistance from emergency departments, so emergency nurses are ideally placed to identify them, and other 'forensic' patients, and protect the evidence that could support any ensuing legal process. Emergency nurses who are trained to identify, collect and preserve forensic evidence can support the identification, elimination and prosecution of suspects. This article gives an overview of forensic evidence, and explains how emergency nurses can preserve and collect samples effectively.
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Children with acute musculoskeletal pain caused by traumatic injury often present to emergency departments (EDs). However, there is a tendency for practitioners to underestimate the level and intensity of children's pain, and there is variation in pain assessments and management. This article discusses the assessment and management of pain in children who attend EDs following acute traumatic limb injury. It uses a case study to illustrate some of the points raised, and offers evidenced-based guidance on assessment and management of children's pain following acute traumatic limb injury.
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Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, in civilian environments and on the battlefield. Trauma-induced haemorrhage is the principal cause of potentially preventable death, which is generally attributable to a combination of vascular injury and coagulopathy. Survival rates following severe traumatic injury have increased due to advanced trauma management initiatives and treatment protocols, influenced by lessons learned from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. ⋯ All are quantified by trauma governance processes, including a robust trauma registry. Some of the lessons learned in combat are equally applicable to civilian environments, and this article describes several of the most important of these. It also gives an overview of advancements in UK military trauma management of severely injured combat casualties, honed over a decade of conflict.