Emergency Department News

Incorrect or missing prescriber information was the most common prescribing error identified in a recent analysis involving a large inner-city emergency department. The study was published online in the journal Emergency Nurse.  “On their discharge from the emergency department, many patients are…

Pharmacists that are part of a trauma team have been found to be an increasingly important component to the team, according to a recent study. Not only do they offer a clinical benefit, they also offer support during regular activities of a trauma program.   According to the study, published…

Opioids are often prescribed to individuals with acute gout who are discharged from an emergency department (ED), according to study findings. The researchers evaluated data from the Lifespan electronic health records system on 456 individuals with a primary diagnosis of gout who were discharged…

By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Black and Hispanic patients in U.S. emergency rooms are less likely to receive medication to ease acute pain than their white counterparts, a study suggests. Researchers examined data from 14 previously published studies of pain management in American emergency…

A patient shows up at the emergency department for treatment and says he’s on medical marijuana. How should the patient care team handle the situation? Click here to find out how this case should be handled    

Citing an ongoing shortage of injectable drugs used in critical care, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on November 9, 2017 that a number of drugs manufactured by Hospira Inc., a Pfizer company, could be used beyond the expiration date on their labels. Extended use dates have…

Case study: A 28-year-old man shows up at the emergency department with severe calf pain after exercising. The patient was on prescription sertraline and said he took dietary supplements before working out. What was causing his pain? To learn about this case, read more.

How long past the expiration dates can medications retain full potency? a. 10 years b. 20 years c. 30 years d. 40 years To learn the answer, read more. 

Case study: A patient is treated for a prescription opioid overdose in the emergency department of a major medical center. What can the pharmacist do to limit the likelihood that the patient will overdose again? To learn about this case, read more. 

How many prescribed opioid pills does it take to increase the likelihood that patients treated at emergency departments for ankle sprains will fill additional scripts for the addictive painkillers? a. 10 b. 20 c. 30 d. 40 To learn the answer, read more.