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I just finished a string of 5 nine-hour shifts, and kept track of every patient I saw, every admission, all diagnoses, all procedures, who I suspected COVID in, etc. This is a thread simply reporting what I saw so people can see what a week in the life of an ER doc is like
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On these 5 shifts I cared for 103 patients and admitted 39, not including psych admits. This 38% admission rate is up from baseline, but average for the past few months. I admitted 10 to the ICU (9.7%) and one patient died in the ED.
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I took care of
-7 patients with major trauma
-7 patients with chest pain
-20 patients with respiratory distress
-5 psych patients (admitted)
-22 patients with known or suspected COVID (21% of my patients overall)
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-7 patients with major trauma
-7 patients with chest pain
-20 patients with respiratory distress
-5 psych patients (admitted)
-22 patients with known or suspected COVID (21% of my patients overall)
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My diagnoses included
-lightning strike
-STEMI
-NSTEMI
-gunshot wound
-taser wound
-bear spray exposure
-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage
-episcleritis
-septic arthritis
-3rd cranial nerve palsy
-Fournier& #39;s gangrene
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-lightning strike
-STEMI
-NSTEMI
-gunshot wound
-taser wound
-bear spray exposure
-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage
-episcleritis
-septic arthritis
-3rd cranial nerve palsy
-Fournier& #39;s gangrene
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I performed or supervised the following:
-3 codes
-4 intubations
-2 fracture reductions
-4 splints
-1 laceration
-1 paracentesis
-1 arthrocentesis
-1 subclavian line
-end of life discussions
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-3 codes
-4 intubations
-2 fracture reductions
-4 splints
-1 laceration
-1 paracentesis
-1 arthrocentesis
-1 subclavian line
-end of life discussions
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I discussed cases with
-hospitalists
-trauma surgeons
-neurologists
-intensivists
-toxicologists
-orthopedists
-cardiologists
-general surgeons
-psychiatrists
-otolaryngologists
-gastroenterologists
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-hospitalists
-trauma surgeons
-neurologists
-intensivists
-toxicologists
-orthopedists
-cardiologists
-general surgeons
-psychiatrists
-otolaryngologists
-gastroenterologists
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I supervised and participated in teams consisting of
-nurses
-med students
-residents
-PA students
-respiratory therapists
-chaplains
-techs
-paramedics
-pharmacists
-social workers
-case manager
-security
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-nurses
-med students
-residents
-PA students
-respiratory therapists
-chaplains
-techs
-paramedics
-pharmacists
-social workers
-case manager
-security
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This is what I love about emergency medicine -- the acuity, variety, breadth, stories, and non-stop excitement. And I know if I picked another random 5 days, this list would look completely different.
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