Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association
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A chemical incident can happen anytime, anywhere and is often complex in nature. Henrietta Wheeler advises on the necessary precautions staff must take to avoid the risk of poisoning and contamination to both staff and casualties.
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With the current emphasis on reducing patient waiting times, accident and emergency nurses may be tempted to close the doors on what they consider to be 'inappropriate attenders'. The author warns that public perceptions of A&E are often at odds with the nurses view, and that all patients should have access to accident and emergency services. This article takes a critical look at triage since its inception as a means of assessing wounded soldiers during the first world war. He explores patient assessment in accident and emergency departments and nurses' attitudes towards the 'inappropriate attender', highlighting the need for caution when dealing with enquiries from the general public.