St. Paul's Hospital Emergency Department The Continuous Pursuit of Excellence in Patient Care and Academic Emergency Medicine

Ecstasy Alert (January 3, 2012) from Dr C Dewitt and Poison Control

We have had at least 8 serious cases of ecstasy toxicity in B.C. in the last 2 months, 3 of whom have died and 2 who are currently in critical condition. Hyperthermia (high body temperature) is the most serious symptom associated with ecstasy and can lead to seizures, brain damage, or death in some cases.

A review of the recent cases shows the following:

Our own Dr Simon Pulfrey recently was recently crowned Canadian National Champion (40-44 Age Group) at the 2011 XTERRA Canadian Open Trail Running Triathalon Championships in Whistler, BC.  He placed 8th overall, one of only 2 amateurs in the Top 10 (the other, 10th overall, placed 2nd behind Simon in the 40-44 Age Group). He travels to Maui later this month to compete in the World Championships.

Click on the pictures to Enlarge!

As part of the Emergency Department’s ongoing commitment to improving Hand Hygiene practices, the ED has agreed to support this pilot project for Hand Hygiene Peer Review. In the last quarter, the ED Hand Hygiene Compliance rate increased from 44% to 58%. Congratulations!

Goal of this project:

To increase staff awareness and understanding of the why when and how of hand hygiene and to decrease hospital acquired infections (VRE, MRSA, CDI etc) as a result.

How do I participate in this project?

Using the pilot PHC – Hand Hygiene Peer Review Tool, you observe a colleague while they practice hand hygiene and provide them with feedback.  Ideally each staff member will have the opportunity to observe and be observed.

There will be 4 binders of blank peer review tool forms for use. There will be staff lists in the binders located in the Acute and Fast Track areas.  Please check off your name when you have been observed and each time you have been the observer. Once the forms are completed, please slide them under the CNL’s office door (room 134) or place them in Kirsten Fuller’s mailbox. 

What is the benefit to me?

Each time you observe a colleague, your name will be entered into a monthly draw for an iTouch – once you have been observed try to observe more than one colleague per shift.

Allows you to be professionally supported and learn from others to improve your practice.

Obtaining peer feedback during this project will help you meet your professional practice standards.

 Where can I learn more?

You can also contact Kirsten Fuller or IPAC for details (IPAC 69357).

In October the UBC Dept of Emergency Medicine will kick off our monthly Provincial Department of Emergency Medicine Grand  Rounds. This is an exciting step in the amalgamation of the Department across the province and will be an important component of our Knowledge Translation initiative.
 
During the first year we will be highlighting certain aspects of our strategic initiatives. Since we  have very accomplished leaders of those initiatives, I hope that these rounds will be of great  interest to you from an academic department perspective but also from a clinical or  departmental management perspective. Many of you may not know that we have over 250  faculty in the Department, scattered across the province.

The rounds will be scheduled on the first Wednesday of each month (excluding July and August).   They will be videoOlinked to all medical school sites and any other sites where there is  significant interest. The capacity to link in via a personal computer is growing and we hope to  add that capacity in the not too distant future.

Deb Watts CNL found this article after a harrowing day in the trauma room with a ruptured AAA.  Check it out! 

Principles of Fluid and Blood Warming in Trauma