Tag: video

Real ED Stories

I can probably help – Dr Venita Munir

I’m on my knees in the wet sand, leaning over a woman younger than me. She’s clothed in jeans and a t-shirt, which has been pulled down to expose her chest. She is cold and grey. Her eyes stare, pupils huge and cloudy. My impression is she’s dead. I insert the airway tube and frothy pink water gushes out of her windpipe. She has no pulse. We strip off her wet clothes, trying to let the sun warm her.
The rip dragged her out. Continue reading I can probably help – Dr Venita Munir

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Real ED Stories

Everything we can – Dr Simon Judkins

A needle goes into her leg for medications while we continue with CPR. The monitor shows no heartbeat at all. It’s a well-practised drill. We know what to do and we do it: chest compressions, adrenaline in, a tube in the airway to breathe for her, more adrenaline. A bit more of this, more of that. We go for twenty minutes, maybe thirty, there’s no heartbeat; we’re not winning. Ten more minutes . . . this is bad, very bad. Continue reading Everything we can – Dr Simon Judkins

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Real ED Stories

Through the curtain – Dr Joe-Anthony Rotella

I meet them in the ED and wait with them in the line for triage. There’s an odd mixture of embarrassment and urgency when you wait in line in your own ED. You don’t want to be noticed, even though you are dressed in normal clothes and there isn’t a sign over your head saying ‘I work here!’, but that being said, you know what’s going on; you know there’s a real chance your loved one is sick and your ED will be able to care for them. Continue reading Through the curtain – Dr Joe-Anthony Rotella

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Popular, Real ED Stories

No movement – A/Prof David Mountain

It’s 8 a.m. and once again, I’m back in paradise. As expected, I see the patient I met at the door last night – he is actually calm and settled this morning; the amphetamines washed out quickly. Unfortunately one of the security boys had his nose smashed over night – this patient thought he was being attacked by aliens and took a swing at him. Continue reading No movement – A/Prof David Mountain

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Real ED Stories

Places of refuge – Dr Georgina Phillips

She’s withdrawn and closed when I bluster in to the cubicle, and instantly I have to change demeanour. Close the curtain, low lighting, soft voice. Her friend is sitting quietly in the corner busily fiddling with her mobile phone, but listening intently.
‘What happened?’ Her partner assaulted her. They had been drinking; it was the early hours of the morning. Continue reading Places of refuge – Dr Georgina Phillips

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