Week 4.1 – Chest Pain Emergencies
This week we explore the variety of chest pain emergencies that present to our Emergency Department via ambulance, dinghy, helicopter or even sometimes by bicycle. Taking a targeted chest pain history and performing an efficient examination is a skill that develops over time. This skill is essential, particularly in...
Professional Burn Out – Am I Enough?
Behind every committed professional is the quietly disconcerting question “Am I enough?” Our profession is full of them; harm avoidant, reward dependent, goal orientated individuals. However in remote practice, these effective traits can lead to frustration and burn out. Supporting systems are still in development, recruitment and retention is...
A 40-year-old Male with a Serpiginous Foot Rash
This case has been inspired by events in the Torres Straits and details have been changed to ensure patient anonymity. History A 40-year-old male presented to his primary health care practice during the wet season somewhere in the Torres during the wet season. He had an intensely itchy rash to his...
Week 3.1 – Airway
This week we get acquainted with airways. Airway almost always comes before breathing and circulation in the life support algorithm, for good reason. Being able to assess and manage an airway is a core critical skill for an emergency doctor. The first excellent post to read today relates to...
Week 2.1 – Anaphylaxis
This week we covered the important and life saving treatment of anaphylaxis. There are no tricks, the answer is adrenaline. Know your doses, know your adrenaline dilutions and know what to do next. Important readings for this week are below. Anaphylaxis: Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis in children: https://www.rch.org.au/clinicalguide/guideline_index/Anaphylaxis/ Pediatric Anaphylaxis Lastly...
Week 1.1 – Vascular Access
Establishing vascular access urgently in the emergency department can be critical and life saving. This week we discuss and practice the variety of ways you may establish access in urgent and non-urgent situations (including peripheral intravenous cannulas, rapid infusion catheters, intraosseous and central venous catheters/PICC lines). Can’t get IV...
Week 1.0 – Welcome to the ED Teaching Program
The Island Docs ED Teaching program occurs twice a week at flexible times to suit our ED resident, medical students and the SMO. Teaching sessions are a two way learning process for our juniors and seniors. As we will not even begin to cover the essentials of emergency medicine in these...
Q. Is bed rest an effective treatment for anything?
Meta-analysis on 39 randomised control trials for 15 different conditions (5777 patients) Following a medical procedure: Out 24 RCTs-No outcomes improved significantly 8 worsened significantly in some procedures Lumbar puncture – vertigo, nausea and vomiting (no significant improvement in headache) Spinal anaesthesia – headache, back pain Radiculography – headache,...
What is the appropriate mode of delivery after a previous shoulder dystocia?
The rate of SD in women who have had a previous SD has been reported to be 10 times higher than the rate in the general population.There is a reported recurrence rate of SD of between 1% and 25%.May be an underestimate due to selection bias,as CS may...
Does induction of labour prevent shoulder dystocia?
Early IOL for women with suspected fetal macrosomia,who do not have gestational diabetes,does not improve either maternal or fetal outcome.(Evid level 4) In women with gestational diabetes, the incidence of SD is reduced with early IOL.(Evid level 2+) The NICE diabetes guideline recommends that pregnant women with diabetes who...