Tactical Medicine News Blog

Rate control with IV medications is recommended for atrial fibrillation in the acute setting in patients without preexcitation. This was a Class 1 recommendation (Level of Evidence B) per the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [1]. What does the evidence say? Are calcium channel blockers or beta blockers better?

One advantage of simulation as an educational tool is the re-creation of cognitive and emotional stresses in caring for patients. Doing this for a high fidelity scenario is relatively easy – add additional patients, make a them loud, combative, or otherwise cantankerous, and add interruptions for good measure. However, when training for procedures in the simulation lab, we practice the procedure in isolation on a “task trainer” without cognitive and emotional stress for context. An off-the-shelf task trainer can do a superb job of teaching the mechanics of performing a procedure, but they lack complexity necessary to train for performing the procedure under stress.

“Transitions of care” has become a hot topic in the care of older adults. It is usually applied to the transition from the hospital to home or the hospital to a nursing facility. But what about the transition from the ED to an inpatient service? It turns out there are plenty of things we could be doing (or not doing) to help smooth that transition and improve patient care. Here are some thoughts from admitting physicians with geriatrics training.

Socratic questioning, a dialectic approach to acquiring knowledge, has been around for ages. If done appropriately, it’s a rigorous method of learning. Questioning reveals our knowledge base, reasoning, and want for clarification; invites a dialogue; and establishes a relationship with others. Socratic questioning can also aid in the development of critical thinking.

Image credit: wstera Teaching in the emergency department can be a challenge. Distractions and interruptions are everywhere and there always seem to be more things to do than there are people to do them. These challenges are magnified when our learners are struggling. In The Case of the Exasperated Educator, we will discuss these issues and how we, as educators in emergency medicine, can address them as effectively as possible.