18 - Clinical Pearls
from Section 2 - Clinical Pearls
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2025
Summary
Be curious. Always be a skeptic and confirm what you read and hear. Don’t fall prey to confirmation bias. The best work a physician can do is at the patient’s bedside. If initial synthesis of information doesn’t make sense, get up and gather more data, including from the patient, family/friends, EMS, and/or nurses. Consider this the second H&P. Ask the patient about the biggest concern that brought him/her to the ED at this moment. It’s incredible what you’ll learn. Their reason for being there may not match the chief complaint. Review the triage note(s) and nursing documentation during the patient’s stay. Nursing notes can make or break a case. Always acknowledge and explain discrepancies. Review prehospital information. Even better: take time to listen to their focused report. They were at the scene and may have picked up on other important information. Thank them and highlight positive behaviors. Listen, don’t anchor, and confirm data offered.
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- Emergency Medicine ThinkerPearls for the Frontlines, pp. 141 - 173Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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