We are excited to introduce the Sixth edition of The Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine. Your bedside guide for approaches to various Emergency Medicine presentations.
Highlights of the Sixth edition include the addition of: Oncologic emergencies, approach to the pregnant patient, geriatrics and more!
Video versus Direct Laryngoscopy for Tracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 3.5/5 Prekker ME et al. N Engl J Med. 2023 Aug 3;389(5):418-429. Question and Methods: Authors aimed to determine if video laryngoscopy improves rates of first pass success compared to direct laryngoscopy. They performed a pragmatic,...
Implementation of a standardized pregnancy screening process to address gender disparities in radiology turn-around-time and ED length of stay
Methodology: 1.5/5 Usefulness: 1.5/5 Loke DE, et al. CJEM. 2022 Mar;24(2):206-213. Question and Methods: Trying to quantify gender disparities in CT turnaround time and ED LOS and determine if intervention in the form of protocolized point-of -care pregnancy testing...
Lactation – A brief guide for the emergency provider
You are seeing your next patient in urgent care, a 35-year-old female with a wrist injury who has been waiting for 6-hours. After sending her for an x-ray and offering pain control in the ED, she tells you she is 3-months post-partum and is currently nursing. She asks...
Transforming Canada’s Healthcare Landscape with Paramedics
Canada's healthcare system, once a source of national pride, is now facing critical challenges that have led many to view it as "unwell" or "sick." Access to healthcare services has become a pressing concern, sparking a call for change and revitalization. The 911...
Experiential learning with a TWIST: Ovarian Torsion
I was in the OR for the first day of my anesthesia rotation when suddenly the pain hit me. It was in my left flank, radiating to my back — so much pain I could hardly think. A flurry of tests later, my ultrasound showed good doppler flow, and my lab work was pristine....
Little People, Big Updates: Updates in Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Do you remember when every newborn under 30 days with a fever needed an LP/admission/blood cultures? Well.. times are a little different but its nuanced. The goal of this update is to provide a practical update in pediatric emergency medicine to the average Canadian...
Taking A Dive Into Diverticulitis
You are treating a 43-year-old male with two days of left lower quadrant abdominal pain, a documented fever of 38.4 and malaise. He has no urinary or bowel symptoms. His past medical history is unremarkable. He looks well by ED standards. After a focused history and...
BHP Corner: Respecting Patient Preferences
Emergency medicine is a fast-paced realm where paramedics and medical professionals must make split-second decisions that often mean the difference between life and death. In this high-stakes environment, understanding and respecting patient preferences while...
Traumatic Cardiac Arrests
According to WHO and CDC: more than nine people die every minute from injuries or violence, and 5.8 million people die every year. It is the leading cause of death in people 1-44 years of age in developed countries (unintentional injuries, homicide, suicide). The...
The Donut of Truth (ahh that CT scan)
In Korea where I (hi!) originally trained, because of fewer human resources (like radiologists), and an abundance of technological resources,(like CT and MRI) emergency physicians often are expected to read their own imaging. There are next-day overreads from...