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!
Measles… its backkkk (again)
In the past year, there's been a growing concern about the rising number of measles cases globally, including in Canada. This resurgence of measles cases in major centers has sparked worry. But is it something we should truly be alarmed about? How concerned should we...
Ottawa POCUS Symposium – 2025
Ottawa POCUS Symposium - Mastering the Pulse FEB 14, 2025 7:30AM-5PM University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre, 725 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa, Ontario Who should attend: Staff and resident physicians and other practitioners who take care of acutely unwell...
By the Hammer of Thora: Pleural Effusions in the ED (Part 2)
Assessing patients with pleural effusions in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging and nuanced. This is largely due to the lack of guidelines around pleural effusions in the ED. In part one we focused on imaging, diagnosis, and management of parapneumonic...
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...
Rotating Around the Cuff of Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries are a common yet complex presentation in emergency medicine, presenting a unique challenge due to the intricate anatomy and diverse range of potential pathologies, where imaging may not always be helpful. In this post, we will explore the various...
Is Shift Work Shortening your Life?
Social media headlines and evolving literature have highlighted the abysmal life expectancy of emergency room doctors. For example, Dr. Ken Milne, the creator behind The Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine, recently shared this post on sobering life-expectancy data...
Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS).. It’s Backkkkk (Part 2)
In case you missed it, in part 1 of this series, Dr. Zworth discussed the increasing prevalence of invasive Group A Strep (iGAS), the mounting public health concern, recognition, and diagnosis. In this post, we focus on management, the treatment of (strep)...
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....
Drugs: the problem, the solution, the interactions!
We all know medications can help us feel better and stay healthy but as we are all familiar, sometimes drug interactions can be overlooked and cause significant adverse health outcomes. Drug interactions are common clinical problems that can occur in several different...
Spinal Immobilization: a Twisted Tale
For decades, "spinal immobilization", or spinal motion restriction (SMR) using backboards and cervical collars has been a "cornerstone of EMS protocols, aimed at minimizing secondary spinal cord injuries during trauma patient management. Originating in the 1960s, this...