Week 6 - Start Exam 2 - ER Flashcards
Emergency management traditionally refers to urgent and critical needs, but …
the emergency dept (ED) has increasingly been used for non urgent problems and emergency management has broadened to include the concept that an emergency is WHATEVER THE PT OR FAMILY CONSIDERS IT TO BE
It is important that the ED staff works…
as a team
What is one of the few places where a co-pay is not needed first and you cannot be turned away for care
the emergency room
Emergency Care
the care of all encompassing injuries and sudden illnesses
Trauma Nursing
this can be described as a continuum of nursing care from resuscitation through to rehabilitation
Trauma typically is a ___ problem
surgical (so overall trauma is referring to surgical needs and specialties)
What are 5 important issues in emergency nursing?
- Legal Issues - Antidumping laws/EMTALA
- Occupational health and safety risks for ED staff
- Challenge of providing holistic care in context of fast paced, technology driven environment
- Treat patients exposure to biologic and other weapons
- Mass casualty incidents from natural causes or terrorist events
EMTALA/Anti Dumping Law
Federal Law in 1980s
Dictates that anyone who comes through the door wanting a medical screening has to get one - hospitals taking from CMS required to provide a medical screening exam, stabilization, and transport by a provider
___ is the first priority in the ED
safety
What are some sentinel events in the ED
delay in care
medication error
What greatly influences incidence of sentinel events in the ED
patient volume
What should be done for interventions that are patient and family focused in the ED
actions to relieve anxiety and provide a sense of security
allow family to stay with the patient if possible to alleviate anxiety
provide explanations and information
additional interventions are provided depending on stage of crisis
(All of these make a safe and confident environment)
TRIAGE
sorting patients by hierarchy based on the severity of health problems and the immediacy with which these problems must be treated
Triage means “To sort” in french
What things does the triage nurse do
collects patient data and classifies the illnesses and injuries to ensure that the patient most in need of care does no needlessly wait
How does ED triage differ from Disaster Triage
Patients that are most critically ill receive the most resources, REGARDLESS of potential outcome
IN a disaster the focus is saving as many people as possible
TRIAGE is a ___ not a __
process not a place - patient priorities and conditions change so constantly be traiging
In the Basic Triage System what are the 3 categories
- Emergent - highest priority
- Urgent - serious health problems but not life threatening
- Nonurgent - episodic illness
ESI
Emergency Severity Index
Assigns patients to one of 5 levels
Depends on condition of patient and allocation of resources
How does ESI level 1 compare to level 5
As you head toward one it is more urgent with 5 being least urgent
What ESI level is someone requiring immediate life saving intervention
level 1
What ESI level is someone not needing immediate life saving intervention but is in a high risk situation, confused/lethargic/disoriented, or in severe pain/distress?
Level 2
If someone is not level 2 ESI but requires many resources, one resource, or no resources - what level are they?
5 - no resources needed
4 - one resource needed
3 - many resources needed and stable vitals
What ESI level is someone if they need many resources but have danger zone vitals?
level 2 (not 3)
Often waiting rooms are sites where feelings of what kind occur?
feelings of dissatisfaction, fear, and anger are channeled violently
Clinicians caring for patients in the ED should act how?
Confidently and competently to relieve anxiety and promote a sense of security
ED Nurse should provide comfort, action, advice, and project a calm comfort - Be an expert to the patient - but do not be dishonest
What 2 things are done immediately for every new ED patient
A primary and secondary Survey
What is included in the Primary Survey
ABCDE
A- Airway
B - Breathing
C - Circulation
D - Disability (neuro status, AVPU mnemonic)
E - Exposure (undress and assess wounds or injury)
What does AVPU mnemonic stand for and mean
Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive
Done in D of the primary survey of triaging ED patients
“Deneuro”
What is included in the secondary survey
FGHI
F - Full set of VS, Family
G - Get adjunctive testing like diagnostics and labs, ECG, arterial lines, urinary catheters
H - Head to toe assessment: reassess airway, breathing, VS
I - Inspect POSTERIOR SURFACE
What are the priority emergency conditions where measures should be taken immediately
- Airway obstruction and establishing an airway and ventilation - anoxic brain injury only takes 3 minutes
- Hemorrhage
- Hypovolemic Shock (stop bleeding)
- Wounds
- Trauma and multiple trauma
What are some ways ED reestablishes airway and ventilation
Oropharyngeal or Nasopharyngeal Airway Insertion
ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION (definitive airway in ED)
King tube or laryngeal mask (more so on ambulance)
Cricothyroidotomy
Ventilation
Cricothyroidotomy
Opens airways below the upper airway
If someone has no airway or breathing what is the serious procedure to be done to help
Laryngoscope and Endotracheal intubation
What important aspects of the ET tube are there to note
- A suggested vocal cord marker
- Internal diameter in mm marked on the tube
- Depth markers in cm to indicate position at the level of the teeth to monitor and document slipping
Hemorrhage may present how on reassessment
changes in VS or LOC
What is the key to ED hemorrhage treatment
Fluid replacement (give isotonic solutions somewhat and then blood products as to not change the pH too much)
Trauma is housed in surgery - how does this apply to bleeding
internal bleeding requires surgery to fix
The goal of treating hemorrhage is
prevent improper volume and prevent hemorrhagic shock - cardiac events happen quick from hypovolemia so we want fluid and blood resuscitation
Belmont/Level 1 Mass Transfusion Device
a device that can put liters of fluid and blood into the body in moments