Top 10 Teaching Tips! (August)
Since the introduction of mEDistation to the Emergency Department in Leicester we've had many learning moments submitted by keen staff. Here's a round-up of some of the best tips we've come across that were worth sharing. No. 2 is my personal favourite! What's yours?
Brilliant pearl from the Med Reg: "increased ambient temperature reduces insulin requirements" – this was the mechanism behind a hypo in a patient. Diabetologists will often recommend patients to holiday in warm countries to help reduce their insulin. Even the ED Professor didn't know that one!
Keep calm and ask for help. Also, I learned that I enjoy ED!
Consider Pabrinex for patients with eating disorders.
Hypocalcaemia can cause pins and needles, tetany, purpuric rash, reduced HR/contractility, hyperreflexia and intermittent prolonged QT on ECG.
Cancer risk from a chest x-ray is 1 in a million, and for an abdo CT scan it is 1 in 2000.
Incidence of epilepsy in Sturge-Weber syndrome is up to 90%. Usually resistant to drugs and leads to progressive hemiparesis. Typical seizures are focal.
No evidence that ibuprofen causes harm in chickenpox. Expert opinion. Evidence shows association not causation!!
For paediatric DKA fluid calculations, use an online calculator. Having a PHD in maths doesn’t count.
You have to check for peanut allergy before prescribing Naseptin cream.
Frail patients with illness compared to fit patients take a harder and bigger dip in functional baseline and do not return to baseline after illness.
Bonus Tips!
- I learnt about stuffing, packing and parachuting in drug use.
- Never forget a patient's Parkinson's medication. A single missed dose can worsen their symptoms.
Any questions or queries? Feel free to drop me an email or via Twitter @edtimestories.
