Emergency Relief
2010; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 32; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1097/01.eem.0000389763.07662.1f
ISSN1552-3624
Autores Tópico(s)Disaster Response and Management
ResumoIt's Hip, and Gaining FollowersImageA few years ago, emergency physicians from Emory University reported that moonshine consumption was bringing more people to Atlanta EDs than they expected. But maybe these docs just weren't hip to the trend. After all, how many research-oriented physicians are invited to frat parties or tailgate gatherings? But such events are creating part of the growing market for un-aged whiskey among young adults, who share the brew by passing out jars of it that make “wine glasses and plastic party cups lose their appeal,” according to a Nashville newspaper. Note to the simply not-in-vogue: The drink is a “swagger that's sure to get a party started.” OK, Emory researchers, your study was way ahead of the curve, so why didn't you know about this way-cool jar-passing thing? (“Moonshine Goes Mainstream in Tennessee,” The Tennessean, July 4, 2010; http://bit.ly/TNmoonshine.) Ode to AnatomyImageO' ceaseless organ dissection, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways … so I won't go crazy memorizing structures and tracing vessels. Actually, it's the need for detachment from encountering the dead as part of regular course work that apparently inspires poetry about body parts, according to authors of a book that includes such expressions by residents, ranging from free-floating Haiku to iambic sonnets. But perhaps the coping power of a simple verse was demonstrated best by Vinita Jain, MD, at UC-Irvine, who wrote these memorable lines, apparently inspired by her dinner: “Somehow things aren't as gross as they used to be since I started anatomy. Isn't it funny how this steak looks like a pectoralis major? But it sure does have some great flavor.” (Shapiro J, Stein HF. The Inner World of Medical Students: Listening to Their Voices in Poetry. New York: Radcliffe Publishing; 2009.) Emergency Care with Lewis & ClarkImageThe Corps of Discovery sure hit the trail with a lot of spirit: Barrels of wine and whiskey were part of the onboard medicine cabinet. Alas, all too soon the explorers ran completely out of the latter, but there were opiates to relieve pain and an ipecac derivative for quick stomach-emptying, medications familiar to EDs. The same cannot be said for other concoctions, which were used to incite blistering for cleansing and to evacuate bowels for the same reason. No big surprise that countermeasures were utilized for these “cathartics,” including nutmeg and cloves. And apparently there was a need for some local specialty care, too. By the time the expedition stopped to trade with a tribe along the Columbia River, the transaction included an exchange for “medical services” with some of the Native Americans who lived along the river basin. (Peck DJ. Or Perish in the Attempt. Helena, MT: Far Country Press; 2010.) How to Jinx a Quiet Night in the EDImageMany emergency physicians believe that all it takes to draw a crowd to the ED is to mention that there isn't one. This, they say, is a virtual guarantee that chaos will soon ensue, the serenity shattered by some clueless individual who carelessly comments upon it, triggering a stampede. Now comes an essay from the British Medical Journal that says it is not abnormal to fear tempting fate by calling it “a quiet night.” “Given that actors say, ‘Break a leg,’ sportsmen swear by lucky footwear, and gamblers stake their fortunes on symbolic numbers, why should doctors be any different?” posits the BMJ article. Well, you might answer that maybe it's because physicians are trained in science classes, not at roulette wheels. The superstition that a patient rush starts when someone says it's a quiet night in the ED actually arose — surprise! — in America. (Davies P, Fox A. “Never Say the ‘Q’ Word.” Student BMJ 2002;10:353; http://bit.ly/QuietNight.) Tell Patients to Take a HikeImageDespite the soothing landscapes and courtyard ponds of some medical centers — tropical plants! gurgling fountains! — many hospitals simply don't want patients walking around. One tree-studded medical campus in Southern California, for instance, expressly forbids wandering about under its shady palms. So what is an ambulatory patient who wants a little rehabilitative stroll to do? Take a hike along the corridors, recommends Kansas University Medical Center, which instituted a half-mile trail through some of its buildings. Starting at its green-and-leafy Hixson Atrium, the course winds through the School of Nursing. The center's “Health Walk” is well marked, but a map of the path can be downloaded to some cell phones. Strictly no texting while trekking! (http://bit.ly/HospitalTrek.) Cheerleading is not for JocksImageInjuries that land cheerleaders in the ED have been rising right along with the growth in pep-squad competitions, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). But these aches and breaks apparently aren't sports-related. Despite warnings from the AAP that modern-day cheering involves “an athletic pursuit with a risk of injury,” the activity has been ruled out as an actual sport by a federal judge. Comments from opponents to the ruling assert that the typical attractiveness of cheerleaders works against them in court. “But of course, there is a particular form of cheerleading distinguished by halter tops and pompoms, and is simply titillation,” stated sports analyst Frank Deford in a published commentary. “In schools, though, there are cheerleading matches, with scores, not pompoms,” he wrote in his counterargument to the judicial finding, which also aired on public radio. A sis-boom-bah to you, Mr. Deford, even though you misspelled pompons. (Sports Illustrated, July 28, 2010; http://bit.ly/SisBoomBah.) No-Frills Loo Low on Fashion, Big on Preventive HealthImageWere you ever awakened in the middle of the night with the thought: What can I recommend to my patients to keep them from possible bathroom hazards that might send them to the ED? No? Well, here is some reassuring news anyway. Just tell them to buck the current toilet-seat fad. Hand-hewn, highly varnished wooden toilet seats are making a comeback, and they're linked to dermatitis of the derriere in kids. Parents are not making this connection, and apparently neither are doctors. The cause can elude diagnosis for years, according to Johns Hopkins University. It may seem exotic and even ecofriendly to have a toilet made of timber, but plain old plastic is linked to less skin irritation, the researchers found. (“‘Poop’ Dermatitis Linked to Fashionable Toilet Seats.” January 25, 2010; John's Hopkins Children's Center News; http://bit.ly/ToiletSeatRash.) Missing Link DiscoveredImageYou know those snakes that little boys are supposedly made of, along with snails and puppy dogs tails? Well, legless reptiles may indeed be in their genes, or at least the propensity to get up close and personal with creatures that slither. It turns out young men really are more prone to snake encounters that send them to the ED. First of all, boys are more likely to be bitten by poisonous, fanged snakes than girls. And second, boys are more likely to be bitten by them on the arms and hands. “What's that say to you? It means these guys are picking up poisonous snakes,” stated one wilderness expert who was interviewed for a government update on the matter. Other reports back this up, suggesting that some boys aren't dissuaded by rattling or hissing from the animal itself. In fact, some of them seemed genuinely gratified by the experience of capture even after injury has occurred. So can you guess the No. 1 prevention tip from the CDC? That's right; the centuries-old advisory: “Do NOT play with snakes.” (http://bit.ly/SnakesBoys.) Return to EM-News.com
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