SonoKids AID IN SONO

BACKGROUND: Well-managed pain is associated with faster recovery, fewer complications, and decreased use of resources. In children, pain relief is also associated with higher patient and parent satisfaction. Studies have shown that there are deficiencies in pediatric pain management. LET gel (lidocaine 4%, epinephrine 0.1%, and tetracaine 0.5%) is a topical anesthetic that is routinely used before laceration repair. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if educational initiatives as part of a quality improvement initiative lead to increased rates of early topical anesthetic usage in a large urban pediatric emergency department...

OBJECTIVES & BACKGROUND: The safety of intravenous ketamine in procedural sedation is well described.(1 2) Guidelines produced by NICE(3) and the College of Emergency Medicine(4) are used by Emergency Departments (ED) nationwide. To avoid cannulation, opioids are frequently administered to children intranasally(5), avoiding first-pass metabolism.(6) Intranasal ketamine (INK) is an effective analgesic in children(7) and has been successfully utilised in prehospital and military settings...

With the exception of oral medications, most traditional forms of drug delivery outside the operating suite require an injection with a needle-a process that is painful and anxiety-provoking, risks needle stick injury, and consumes valuable staff time. In addition, intravenous access in pediatrics may be difficult for inexperienced providers. Intranasal medication delivery offers an alternative method of drug delivery that is often as fast in onset as intravenous medication, usually painless, inexpensive, easy to deliver, and effective in a variety of acute pediatric medical conditions...

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Mobile apps are increasingly being used at the bedside as a part of clinical care. With almost 300 emergency medicine-related apps available in the Apple App Store, it can be overwhelming deciding which are most useful for emergency department providers. A Top 10 list of apps is highlighted which illustrate the many ways that quality apps can positively impact the care of emergency department patients.

Intranasal medication administration in the emergency care of children has been reported for at least 20 years and is gaining popularity because of ease of administration, rapid onset of action, and relatively little pain to the patient. The ability to avoid a needle stick is often attractive to practitioners, in addition to children and their parents. In time-critical situations for which emergent administration of medication is needed, the intranasal route may be associated with more rapid medication administration...