Emergency Care — Archives — General BroadCAST

Posts in Emergency Care

Burns

Burns

Burns represent a special form of severe trauma which can negatively affect nearly every organ system. Despite huge advances in the care of these patients, severe burns are still associated with high morbidity and mortality long term….. and due to long hospitalization, rehabilitation, and extensive scar treatment, severe burn injuries rank among the most expensive traumatic injuries with regard associated health care costs. They are also conditions where the early and effective emergency care we deliver can be incredibly impactful to outcomes, function and survivability.

This month we look at the treatment and assessment of burns for emergency clinicians and paramedics. We also cover the evidence behind certain areas of practice, like do you get ECG changes from electrical burns? and which symptoms are most likely to be features of airway burns

Emergency Care, Paediatrics, TraumaJoshua BarkerDecember 7, 2024burns, fire, trauma, burn, scald, flame, injury, fluid, childrenComment

Hypoglycaemia

Hypoglycaemia

This month we look at managing hypoglycaemia, the perfect episode to listen to if you're just starting your educational journey as a student paramedic! But don't think this is only for newbies, theres loads of information in there for experienced medical students and qualified emergency practitioners alike. Learn about the physiology of Diabetes mellitus, how drugs like glucagon work as well as when we might need to consider refering a patient to the DVLA because of their hypo's.

Emergency Care, Chronic Conditions, NQPJoshua BarkerSeptember 5, 2024hypoglycaemia, diabetes, hypo, glucose, glucagonComment

Nitrate Poisoning

Nitrate Poisoning

This month we take a look at nitrate poisoning. It may not be the most common emergency case to present to prehospital clinicians, but cases of it do appear to be on the rise.
So join us as we talk about methaemoglobinemia, safety on scene, protecting rescuers and the assessment and care of these patients.

Breathing, Emergency Care, ToxidromesJoshua BarkerJuly 26, 2024Nitrate poisoning, methemoglobinemia, cyanosis, nitrite poisoningComment

Traumatic Cardiac Arrest

Traumatic Cardiac Arrest

Prehospital Traumatic Cardiac Arrest (TCA) is a rare and particularly stressful presentation to paramedics and emergency clinicians.
We should be comfortable with the different algorithm rescusers should use in resuscitation and understand the reasonings for modifications in these low output states in trauma.
So, why dont we do chest compressions in a traumatic cardiac arrest? Should TCA's be given adrenaline and what does HOTT Stand for? We've got the answers to all this and more.

Cardiac Arrest, Trauma, Emergency CareJoshua BarkerJanuary 14, 2024Traumatic, Cardiac Arrest, Trauma, TCA, LOST, HypotensionComment

Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary Embolism is a common emergency presentation to paramedics and emergency medicine clinicians.
We discuss why PEs cause right ventricular strain, the types of PE from massive, to submassive and subsegmental, how to work up and diagnose pulmonary embolism, how do D-Dimers work? and what are the high risk pulmonary embolism criteria.

Breathing, Cardiac Arrest, Emergency CareJoshua BarkerOctober 11, 2023PE, Pulmonary Embolism, Clots, Hypoxia, D-DimerComment

Diving Emergencies

Diving Emergencies

All diving represents a hazard, as humans we're not designed to live under water. The deeper divers go and the longer they dive for, the greater the potential risks. Although the bends or decompression sickness, arterial gas embolisims and other diving related emergencies arent the most common presentation to emergency care clinicians. We thought it would be good to revise this medical presenation.
In partnership with our colleagues at HM Coastguard we've developed this CPD podcast. We talk to a Deepwater technical dive instructor from purpleturtle diving, and a dive doctor from DDRC healthcare.

With thanks to Toni from www.purpleturtlediving.com/
and Felix from www.ddrc.org/

Breathing, Critical Care, Emergency Care, Exposure, EnvironmentalJoshua BarkerOctober 11, 2023Diving, The Bends, Decompression Sickness, Oxygen, Divers, Water, Drowning, GasComment

Hanging

Hanging

**This podcast features discussion of suicide and hanging**

Hanging is one of the most common methods of suicide in the western world. Ambualnce crew are likely to come across these cases in the course of their work and so it is important that we understand the pathophysiology and managment of them.

This month we discuss how hanging causes cardiac arrest, clarrify commonly used terms, discuss the managment as well as emotional support for family and staff involved in these cases.
Make sure you debrief the incident, take care of your own emotional and mental health after incidents such as these. The ambulance staff crisis phone line is 0300 373 0898. Look after your health and that of your colleagues.

Emergency Care, Cardiac Arrest, Critical CareJoshua BarkerApril 20, 2023Hanging, Suicide, Strangulation, Hypoxia, Cardiac ArrestComment

Asthma

Asthma

Asthma is the most common lung pathology in the UK. Managing exacerbations of the disease is something paramedics and emergency teams should be well versed in. In this months episode we review the pathophysiology, look at the different severities of exacerbation that may present to ambulance crews, discuss what types of patient are suitable for discharge as well as looking at the treatments we can offer from the mild asthma attack to the life threatening.

Breathing, Chronic Conditions, Emergency CareJoshua BarkerFebruary 17, 2023Astha, Asthma, Breathing, difficulty in breathing, wheeze, salbutamol, magnesiumComment

Remote clinical support and top cover

Remote clinical support and top cover

Seeking remote clinical advice is a cornerstone of advanced decision-making. Shared decision-making for the benefit of patients is becoming more common within ambulance practice, this month we look at how to get the most out of phoning a friend.

Advice, Emergency Care, NQPJoshua BarkerDecember 21, 2022remote advice, phone call, clinical adviceComment

Headache

Headache

This month we're looking at headaches, this is a condition with a wide range of causes, from the seemingly benign migraines and tension headaches to more sinister causes such as Sub-aracnoid bleeds and the infamous "thunder clap” headache presentation.

Emergency Care, Primary CareJoshua BarkerNovember 3, 2022Headache, migrane, tension headahce, cluster headache, brain tumour, SAH, SDH, Sub Aracnoid, thunderclapComment

Epistaxis

Epistaxis

This month we're taking a look at Epistaxis. It's a common presentation with a varied degree of severity.
You might not thing there's much to learn about managing a nose bleed, but that's where you'd be wrong. There's a number of things we need to consider when assessing these patients and several treatment options to consider.

Emergency Care, Geriatrics, TraumaJoshua BarkerOctober 1, 2022Nose Bleed, Epistaxis, Elderly, Bleeding, Trauma, Silver TraumaComment

Silver Trauma

Silver Trauma

Silver trauma is the term that is most commonly used to describe trauma in older patients. It is often used to refer to major trauma in this patient group and rates of major trauma in the over 65s are rising.
This month we're looking at the physiological changes that occur with ageing and trying to understand how these impact our older patients who suffer trauma.

Emergency Care, Trauma, Chronic Conditions, GeriatricsJoshua BarkerApril 17, 2022Trauma, Geriatrics, Silver Trauma, Primary Survey, TARN, ISSComment

COPD Pt 2: Treatment and Managment Plan

COPD Pt 2: Treatment and Managment Plan

This is the second episode in a two-part series on COPD.
In this episode, we look at the differential diagnosis to consider to a simple exacerbation, the ambulance management as well as recent changes to national paramedic guidelines, and the management options

Breathing, Chronic Conditions, Emergency Care, Geriatrics, InfectionsJoshua BarkerApril 6, 2022COPD, Breathing, Infection, Chest Infection, Salbutamol, NebulisersComment

Safe Discharge

Safe Discharge

Discharging a patient is one of the riskier areas of practice for paramedics and ambulance clinicians, so it is essential that we appropriately safety net our patients and do this well, to protect them and ourselves. In This months podcast we look at how we can make discharging out patients safer.

Primary Care, Emergency Care, InfectionsJoshua BarkerDecember 11, 2021Discharge, Safety net, patient consultation, memoryComment

Overdose: Cocaine

Overdose: Cocaine

Cocaine might be a drug you associate with the 1980s, however, a 2018 audit found that it was still the 2nd most used recreational drug within the UK. Deaths associated with cocaine doubled between 2015 and 2018. 2019 marks the highest deaths on record linked to cocaine use after 8 years of successive increase.

This month we’re looking at the pathophysiology of cocaine, the symptoms involved with toxicity and what we need to do to manage these patients.

Toxidromes, Emergency CareJosh Barker & George Bell-StarrFebruary 17, 2021Comment

Lower Back Pain

Lower Back Pain

Affecting an estimated 80% of the population at some time in their lives, Lower back pain is a common presentation to ambulance crews. Often this will be muscular in origin, however there are many serious conditions that is im portant ambulance staff are able to recognise and diagnose. This month we’re looking at the assessment and managment of these varied differential diagnoses from Cauda Equina Syndrome to Discitis.

Emergency Care, Primary CareNovember 17, 2020Back pain, AAA, Medical, back, pain, Sciatica, CES, Cauda Equina, Diskitis, OsteomyolitisComment

Road Traffic Collision: Injury Experience Pt2

Road Traffic Collision: Injury Experience Pt2

In this episode we discuss to assess the scenes of Road Traffic Collisions, how car safety features work and how thinking about the injury experience during a collision can support our practice and care for injured patients.

Emergency Care, Critical Care, Trauma, RTCJoshua BarkerOctober 21, 2020Comment

Road Traffic Collision: Injury Experience

Road Traffic Collision: Injury Experience

In this episode we discuss to assess the scenes of Road Traffic Collisions, how car safety features work and how thinking about the injury experience during a collision can support our practice and care for injured patients.

Emergency Care, Critical Care, Trauma, RTCJoshua BarkerOctober 21, 2020 Comments

Adult Head Injury

Adult Head Injury

Every year in England and wales 1.4 million people attend A+E with a head injury.
Ultimately, 90% of people end up being diagnosed with a minor head injury and are discharged.

This week we’re tackling the assessment of Adult head injuries, we’ll go through some red flags to be aware of as well as how to appropriately safety net our patients.

Emergency Care, Primary CareJoshua BarkerAugust 17, 2020Comment

Transient Loss of Conciousness

Transient Loss of Conciousness

In this episode we are going to be covering the assessment of Transient Loss of Conciousness (T-LOC) and discussing some of the differentials that could be responsible, from the easily discharged to the potentially life threatening

Emergency Care, Critical CareJoshua BarkerApril 1, 2020Comment