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Stroke Scales You Can Use
Stroke is the third leading killer in the United States.1 Stroke is an emergency and has recently been an initiative for many quality teams, emergency departments, and public health education programs.2,3 The mantra “time is muscle” for myocardial infarctions has been adapted to “time is brain” for stroke. The crux of both of these ailments is tissue perfusion.Triage, Diagnose, Treatment, and Disposition (‘2 TDs’)
When I am asked to talk about what the emergency department does, I say it is “2 TDs.” Breaking down complex concepts into an acronym occurs throughout science and health care (think E = mc2 or ABC). The other piece of explaining the emergency department in this manner is to relate it to popular terms, such as football terms; I believe “2 TDs (touchdowns)” works best. The 2 TDs are triage, diagnose, treatment, and disposition.Safe Haven Laws
Recent national news has persecuted the state of Nebraska for its handling of the safe haven law to protect children from parent abandonment, neglect, and most horribly, infanticide. Emergency departments are the largest gateway for parents to use the safe haven laws. The need to understand the state’s laws and hospital’s policies is very important to emergency nurses, especially the triage nurse. This article will provide a brief recent history of the safe haven efforts, along with practical tips for emergency nurses being asked to implement the laws.
