Month: January 2019

Sunday Scaries

Urine-time – Sunday Scary

What do you really know about the Urine Analysis? Daily Questions on Shift: This UA shows negative nitrites, negative leuks but TNTC bacteria. "WHAT?!" UA shows multiple epithelial cells. "okay this patient didn't listen to my request for a clean catch". (or my recent favorite) my inbox: urine culture shows "why the hell did i order a culture and now i'm the only one to respond to this!?!?" Urine has been really pissing me off lately. Things we might have forgotten about Urine: -Bedside Analysis: Color, Transparency, Odor, DipstickColor: As much as kno

by Alyssa Cocchiara, DO
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The Blakemore/Minnesota Tube – Sunday Scary

Controlling the Upper GI Bleed...DROP THE TUBE! The Case: 40-something yr old female, known alcoholic with history of esophageal varices presents to the ED with upper GI bleed. Pt is unstable and you gain control of the airway, place a left femoral cordis and start MTP with the rapid infuser. While GI, Surgery, ICU are all at bedside debating what to do, you make numerous suggestions to place a Blakemore (or in our beloved Coney ED a Minnesota) with everyone looking at you in bewilderment on how to place one. Indications to place the tube: -The unstable pa

by Alyssa Cocchiara, DO