Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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The tourniquet as a method of catastrophic haemorrhage control on the battlefield has been in and out of favour over the centuries. However, the recent increase in incidence of blast injuries, in Afghanistan for example, has led to its recent reintroduction in the UK military as a potential treatment at the point of injury, and all UK soldiers are trained in its use. This article discusses the benefits and risks of using tourniquets, and considers whether they have a place in civilian practice in certain circumstances.
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About 340 infants die suddenly and unexpectedly in the UK every year (Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths 2005a), and one of the recommendations made in the Bristol Royal Infirmary inquiry final report (Kennedy 2001) was that infants found dead or moribund at home must be taken to emergency departments (EDs) for attempted resuscitation or further investigation. Sudden and unexpected infant death is one of the most stressful events that ED staff can experience, however, and they often lack training in this area even though they are keen to undertake such preparation (Levetown 2004, Ross-Adjie et al 2007). This article therefore discusses the guidelines on providing bereavement care to parents and best practice in EDs.