Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS).. It’s Backkkk (Part 1)

In Fall 2023, I was working an evening shift at a community hospital when we got a patch. A 3-year-old girl was being brought in by EMS with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. CPR was ongoing, and their ETA was 10 minutes. We prepared the ED for the patient’s arrival....

Mechanical Ventilation Basics

Mechanical ventilation has a lot of nuance associated with it, but a lot of reference guides focus on care in the ICU. There is certainly a need for more practical application for the ED doc or initial setup of patients on the vent. With both ER and ICU experience,...

By the Hammer of Thora: Pleural Effusions in the ED (part 1)

Assessing patients with pleural effusions in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging and unclear. This is largely due to the lack of guidelines around pleural effusions in the ED. In this post, I’ve tried to highlight some key information about an approach to...

These are the ‘Roids you are looking for – Steroids in the ED

In the acute care setting, steroids have various usages and indications, but their usage can often be nuanced. From adrenal crises to septic shock, severe community-acquired pneumonia, and even acute pharyngitis, steroids play a pivotal role in managing a variety of...

Posterior Circulation Strokes

Posterior circulation ischemia accounts for approximately 20-25% of all ischemic strokes and is a significant cause of patient disability. The diagnosis can be extremely challenging as findings are often not typically focal. Posterior strokes are misdiagnosed more...

Stable Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy

A common Emergency Department (ED) presentation, vaginal bleeding in pregnancy affects approximately 30% of pregnancies in the 1st trimester and 1-2% in the 2nd trimester. About half of these result in pregnancy loss. Here we will use cases to highlight an ED approach...

Functional Neurologic Disorders

Note: This grand rounds presentation and summary had contributions from Dr. Anne-Marie Abe, a neuropsychiatrist specializing in functional neurological disorders in Ottawa.   Patients living with functional neurologic disorders (FND) have been deeply stigmatized...

Lung Protective Ventilation

In our first part, we talked about the basics of mechanical ventilation and how to set up the ventilator for the busy ED doc! In part two, we discuss lung protective ventilation and go through a few cases to help solidify what we've learned. If you haven't read part...

Delirium revisited

Delirium is a medical emergency. It is characterized by acute disturbance of consciousness, with changes in perceptual disturbances and fluctuation of symptoms. Delirium is often the initial manifestation of an underlying acute illness and can be present before fever,...

Nailed it! A guide to Fingertip Injuries

A stable and functional fingertip is essential for sensation, fine motor skills, grip strength, and the overall durability and cosmetic appearance of the hand. Fingertips, often the first point of contact during daily activities, are particularly susceptible to...
Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine

 

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! 

Flow Hacks: The First two Hours

Flow Hacks: The First two Hours

In baseball, managers will often talk about "setting up an inning". You know, if a player gets on base, they'll send in a pinch runner and try to steal a base to advance a runner, and so on. Clinically, setting up a shift in your mind at the star and throughout, will...

New PTM Blog: Prehospital and Transport Medicine

New PTM Blog: Prehospital and Transport Medicine

#EMOttawaPTMBlog    The EMOttawa Blog is excited to announce a new series joining our Blog Family : The Prehospital and Transport Medicine [PTM] Blog Series.   In conjunction with the Prehospital and Transport Medicine Fellowship program at Emergency Medicine Ottawa,...

Managing Complications of Acute Stroke Therapy

Managing Complications of Acute Stroke Therapy

Acute stroke care is integrated into emergency medicine in many emergency departments across Canada. Whether you are involved in acute stroke care through consultation with neurology or through tele-stroke, understanding the complications of acute stroke therapy and...

Is this the Era of Pandemics?

Is this the Era of Pandemics?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most globally disruptive event of a generation. But is COVID a once in a lifetime event, or just another in a long line of infectious threats? Human history has been marked by new and re-emerging illnesses often on a global scale....

HIV in the ED : Part 2

HIV in the ED : Part 2

In PART 1 of our HIV in the ED Blog series, we explored the importance of diagnosing HIV in the ED, and the approach to the diagnosis.  In PART 2, we hope to address the following:  Indications for occupation & non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)...

HIV in the ED : Part 1

HIV in the ED : Part 1

When it comes to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the ED, the most medically interesting pathology is in the acute presentation of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections. However, due to advances in anti-retroviral therapies (ART), you're much less likely to...

Patient Safety in the ED

Patient Safety in the ED

What is patient safety? Patient safety is a discipline developed in response to the rise in hospital adverse events over the years. Aims to take lessons learned from prior unfavourable outcomes and make improvements that mitigate risks, prevent errors, and reduce...

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World-Class Emergency Medicine: To provide outstanding compassionate emergency care through practice-changing research and innovative medical education. For more about our department, visit us at EMOttawa.

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Mission Statement

World-Class Emergency Medicine: To provide outstanding compassionate emergency care through practice-changing research and innovative medical education. For more about our department, visit us at EMOttawa.

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