Unfortunately under 1 year olds are at a higher risk of NAI and this needs to be considered in ALL presentations. But remember if the child can’t Crawl/Stand/Cruise/Walk they shouldn’t injure themselves.
Category: Safe-Guarding
Patients at risk of harming themselves or others
Ligature cutters are keep at the Nurse-in-Charges station
Remember to complete ReACT or CAMHS assessment tools on EPR Read more
Are You CO Aware?
With the onset of colder weather, many households in the UK are turning on their heating for the first time in months. Heating appliances need chimneys and flues to work safely – and these can block up over the summer months. So autumn is traditionally the period when people get poisoned by carbon monoxide (although it can happen any time of the year!)
Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when anything containing carbon burns or smoulders. For practical purposes, this means the burning of any kind of fuel, commonly:
- Gas
- Coal
- Wood/Paper/Card
- Oil/Petrol/Diesel – (All UK cars have a ‘catalytic converter’ in the exhaust system, which converts carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is less poisonous. However, these converters need to warmed up – a cold car produces fatal amounts of CO in the exhaust)
CO is very poisonous. Exposure to as little as 300 parts per million (that’s just 0.03%) can prove fatal.
Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse can affect anyone and often its not readily disclosed on an ED admission. We must be alert to the fact some of our patients may be attending with domestic abuse. Please explore concerns and escalate if you’re unsure. Our colleagues in the Pennine Domestic Violence Group have kindly drawn this a guidance up for us.
iNFANT – user guide
the iNFANT is truly a design enigma, it is simple yet complicated, amazing yet frustrating, beautiful yet disgusting. And due to a unique production method, each iNFANT has its own variations and special features. Read more
Paeds Liaison Form
The Paediatric Liaison Form has been updated
This form alerts the Paediatric Liaison Team to your concerns so that they can investigate and provide appropriate support to the child & family.
You SHOULD inform the family that you are completing the form as the Paeds Liaison Team or other agencies (e.g. social services or school nurse)may contact them.
You SHOULD NOT use this form for patients who have either suffered or at risk of significant harm. In this case you should discuss directly with the paediatric consultant on-call.
Underage Sexual Activity
This applies to all children/young people under 16 years old and those 16-18 years who are considered vulnerable, engaging in sexual activity. Getting this right is immensely challenging, as it is impossible to cover all variables influencing decision making within this guidance, further more you need to carefully weight the often conlicting needs of the child. (Involve seniors early if you have any doubts) Read more
Rape & Sexual Assault
Don’t
Preform intimate examinations on Sexual assault/Rape patients
- Unless life-threatening injuries are suspected e.g Haemorrhage.
- As our examination will inevitably destroy evidence that may aid this patients case
Do’s
- Consider contamination injury (HIV, HepB, HepC) – Guide
- Consider emergency contraception
- Children must have police referral for safeguarding
- Refer to The Sexual Assault Referral Centre, either via Police or Self referral
Drugs & Alcohol misuse in young people
Ending up in the ED as a result of alcohol and or substance use is NOT normal behaviour
- Children who use alcohol or other substances are hugely vulnerable to sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse.
- The use of alcohol or drugs can be encouraged as part of the grooming process, or as a means of coping with a difficult situation for the young person.
- It is also likely that friends and close acquaintances of the young person are equally vulnerable.
Sex, Bites, and Needle Sticks
First Aid (ALL)
- Encourage bleeding
- Wash with copious amounts of water or saline
- Don’t Suck
- Don’t use Caustic agents