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“The Impact of Alcohol on Trauma”

On 24 March I am speaking at the Michigan Trauma Symposium in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Every year, the symposium rotates between the three major cities/trauma centers in West Michigan: Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing. A few months ago, our trauma coordinator called the hangar wondering if we had any good case studies to present related to alcohol and trauma. Knowing I am a sucker for such a request, my manager asked if I had any ideas . . .

. . . I said no . . .

As the fickle hand of fate would have it, I was GIVEN a case study about 3 weeks later. Quite honestly, this one is going down as #1 in my medical career of all patient’s I have had the honor of caring for. And then to be able to speak to a crowd of a few hundred people about it? Sorry, BRAG to a few hundred people about how awesome the 50+ people who cared for him in the first 2 hours post injury were?

Priceless.

I must, on an almost hourly basis (or even more frequently!), remind myself that planning my work day is neigh unto impossible. Not only is it impossible, but even after starting on a project or task that being interrupted too many times to count is to be expected.

Take for example a normal shift. Today, I was expecting to arrive at our main base and travel by ground (get in a car and drive for you land lubbers) to our second base after meeting the rest of the crew. Normally, the aircraft is left overnight at our second base and we meet it there.

Today, however, the aircraft was at our primary base. And the weather is crap. (Or IFR for you air lubbers). So, instead of being in a quiet office with space to work and expected interruptions like shift briefings and flight requests, I found myself discombobulated, without quiet work space, and constantly pulled in so many directions I was feeling like rubber girl. (get your mind outta the gutter) Yup, I am working out of our primary base. Read–work plans foiled.

Did I get a lot done? Arguably. Am I straight exhausted from the chaos? Absolutely.

And my presentation is still not getting done. Now I am so overwhelmed I am having difficulty concentrating. Oh, yeah. I was planning on arriving at our second base, doing my daily flight nurse duties and sitting down to about 8 hours of book/computer work.

Heh, even my post is disjointed and chaotic.

How does a girl who has a bunch to do, but works in disorder and chaos get anything done? Heh, and to think I am here to FLY!!!

I need a nap.

Instead I am going to work on my PowerPoint presentation while hiding on our mezzanine with the intubation heads and stretchers.

So many times when flying a very ill or injured patient, finding the alcohol swabs is monumentally difficult. As with everything else we do, how incredible when we are able to remove steps from a simple, but essential process.

Hmmm, but what I really wonder about is the cost. And if they can figure out a way to use these things on the absolutely worthless IV tubing that still requires some sort of needle-less whatcha-ma-jig to pierce a membrane.

My solution to part of the healthcare money crisis?

MAKE ALL TUBING/CONNECTORS COMPATIBLE!

But I digress, as I so often do.

See more on Medgadget.

Excelsior Medical has received FDA clearance for its SwabFlush IV catheter flush syringe.

It is basically a standard syringe pre-filled with saline for flushing IV lines after delivering medications. However, in the plunger it features a disinfection cap (the SwabCap) for needleless IV connectors. When applied, the cap covers the connector, protecting it from contamination. Furthermore, as the cap is twisted onto the threads, a foam pad inside the cap is compressed, releasing 70% isopropyl alcohol bathing the connector’s top and threads. The integrated cap should make it easier and more convenient to follow protocols and reduce IV catheter related infections. It comes as a 10mL flush syringe pre-filled with 3 ml, 5 ml or 10mL of saline. Video explaining the SwabCap mechanism: