As emergency physicians, we are very familiar with giving naloxone to patients with concern for opioid overdose. Our EMS colleagues give naloxone all the time in the prehospital setting. We know it works well for patients who are obtained due to opioids, but what about for patients who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest? Our expert on todays ep…

Acetaminophen overdose is one of the most common medication concerns we see in the ED. It is important to know when to be concerned and when to treat as true overdoses can cause liver failure and death. UC Davis medical toxicologist, Dr. Hoan Nguyen, joins us in this episode to discuss a new consensus statement published in JAMA Network Open in Aug…

This is the next episode of our Push Dose Pearls miniseries with ED Clinical Pharmacist, Chris Adams. In this ongoing series we’ll dig into some of the questions we all have about medications we commonly see and use in the ED. This episode focuses on naloxone. Naloxone is a staple in every ED docs toolbox but it can save more lives if it’s immediat…

In this special episode, we celebrate the incredible 19-year tenure of Dr. Nate Kuppermann as Chair of the UC Davis Emergency Department. As he transitions to his new role as Executive Vice President, Chief Academic Officer, and Chair of Pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., Dr. Kuppermann reflects on the growth and evolut…

Many of our ED patients come in because they were told to. Whether it’s by an advice nurse, primary care provider, urgent care, call center, specialty coordinator, etc., it often feels to us like the default is “go to the ED”. But, of course, that’s not the case. There are myriad reasons why patients may be sent to the ED. In this episode, we talk …

Oncologic Emergencies: Part 2 In this two-part series, we dive into the world of oncological emergencies with guest expert, Dr. Monica Wattana. In part 1, we covered everything from making new cancer diagnoses in the ED, to hypercalcemia, febrile neutropenia, and tumor lysis syndrome. We also discussed some of the tricky complications that often ac…

In this two-part series, we dive into the world of oncological emergencies. Our guest expert, Dr. Monica Watana, an emergency physician specializing in this area. In part 1, we cover everything from making new cancer diagnoses in the ED, to hypercalcemia, febrile neutropenia, and tumor lysis syndrome. We also talk about some of the tricky complicat…

In this episode of Push Dose Pearls, we delve into the use of push dose pressors in emergency medicine. Dr. Chris Adams talks about their use, potential side effects, and the importance of a clear plan for the administration of push dose pressors. Did this episode change your practice? Let us know on social media @empulsepodcast or at ucdavisem.com…

Managing pregnant patients in the ED can be stressful – especially because you have (at least) two patients to think about! Emergency physicians are generally comfortable managing first trimester emergencies but are less familiar with complications in the later stages of pregnancy. It is these complications that contribute in part to the maternal h…

In this episode we talk with Dr. Julie Leonard about the PECARN C-spine Rule that was just officially published! Dr. Leonard is the senior author of the study and walks us through the findings, why its important, and how she uses the rule in her own clinical practice. Host: Dr. Julia Magaña, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Gue…

In this episode of our ongoing miniseries "Push Dose Pearls," we discuss the use of intranasal medications in the emergency department with Chris Adams, an ED clinical pharmacist at UC Davis. We talk about the benefits of intranasal administration, intranasal medications, and advantages for pediatric patients.Did this episode change your practice? …

Navigating breastfeeding as an EM physician In the previous two episodes, we explored some of the challenges related to fertility and pregnancy for EM physicians. In the final episode of our three part series, we take it one step further to discuss yet another challenge: breastfeeding. Of course, fed is always best, and there are many reasons to fo…

In this episode, we delve into a pivotal multi-center study validating the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) prediction rules for using CT imaging in children with blunt abdominal and minor head trauma. We discuss with the authors the study’s impact, how these validated rules can optimize pediatric trauma care, minimize rad…

Pregnancy is common during medical training and in the early years as an attending physician, as these stages often align with individuals’ reproductive potential. The experience can vary widely depending on factors such as workplace dynamics, scheduling, and the physical demands of the job. But let’s be real – running around a busy ED while carryi…

This the first episode in our three part series on infertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding as an Emergency Physician. In this installment, we shine a light on the often unspoken struggles of infertility among physicians, specifically focusing on the emergency medicine community. Join us and expert, Dr. Melissa Parsons, as we delve into the persona…

If you practice in emergency medicine you probably live on the look out for sepsis. You likely follow the 2016 Sepsis-3 guidelines for adults which really was a paradigm shift from an infection-associated SIRS, to infection-associated organ dysfunction with the SOFA score or sequential organ failure assessment score of at least 2 points in patients…

People living with sickle cell disease can experience severe “pain crises”, or vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE), and are at increased risk for infections, strokes, heart failure, and other serious disease processes. When patients are out sickle cell present to the ED, it is crucial to initiate their evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. So wha…

People living with sickle cell disease can experience severe “pain crises”, or vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE), and are at increased risk for infections, strokes, heart failure, and other serious disease processes. In this 3 part series, we’re talking with experts to learn more about sickle cell disease and its complications and how we can best advoc…

People living with sickle cell disease can experience severe “pain crises”, or vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE), and are at increased risk for infections, strokes, heart failure, and other serious disease processes. When patients are out sickle cell present to the ED, it is crucial to initiate their evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. So wha…

This is the next episode of our Push Dose Pearls miniseries with ED Clinical Pharmacist, Chris Adams. In this ongoing series we’ll dig into some of the questions we all have about medications we commonly see and use in the ED. This episode focuses on RSI (rapid sequence intubation) meds – stuff every ED doc needs to know! What has changed and what …

If you work in an ED, you’ve probably heard of EMTALA, or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. But how much do you really know about this law? When does it apply and when does it not? EMTALA expert, Dr. Sophie Terp, helps us understand the history of EMTALA and what we need to know to ensure we provide the best care for our ED pati…

We first explored the world of Telehealth back in February of 2021 in parts 1 and 2 of our telemedicine series. Telehealth has exploded since then, even after hospitals and clinics opened fully again when COVID restrictions loosened. Drs. Jenny McCormick and Kelly Owen join us to give an update on our very successful telehealth program at UC Davis,…

This is the next episode of our Push Dose Pearls miniseries with ED Pharmacist, Chris Adams. In this ongoing series we’ll dig into some of the questions we all have about medications we commonly see and use in the ED. This episode again focuses on common antibiotics we use in the ED. What has changed and what are the latest recommendations? We’ll a…

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. This decision, known as the Dobbs decision, Overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the right to abortion that had been upheld for decades. In the wake of this decision, many states have passed laws banning or severely restricting abortion. So how does this af…

***Trigger warning: this episode includes discussion of child abuse***In our last episode, Identifying abuse: the LCAST app, we talked about recognizing subtle signs concerning for child abuse and how to use the new LCAST app to determine the risk of non-accidental trauma. But identifying potential abuse is just the first step in a long and often e…

In March of this year, we published a Rebeat of one of our most powerful episodes, It Could Have Been Different. We took a deep dive into one of the most difficult aspects of our jobs as emergency physicians - recognizing and managing child abuse, or non-accidental trauma (NAT). Signs of abuse can often be subtle, but there are some very specific f…

It’s been a while since we talked about social media in emergency medicine and a LOT has changed! We first explored this topic in 2019 with Dr. Meghan Ranney in our episode With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. The following year, the pandemic hit and digital platforms exploded while many people isolated themselves or worked from home. Add i…

Insulin EM Pulse PodcastThis is the next episode of our Push Dose Pearls miniseries with ED Pharmacist, Chris Adams. In this ongoing series we’ll dig into some of the questions we all have about medications we commonly see and use in the ED. This episode again focuses on insulin. Should everyone with hyperglycemia get regular insulin? Is IV better …

In the last episode, we replayed one of our most powerful episodes, Sold for a Chrysler 300. The episode featured Annika Huff sharing her story as a survivor of human trafficking, as well as recommendations on how to address trafficking from experts in the field. If you haven’t listened to that episode, we recommend checking it out! In this follow …

It’s time for another Repeat! This is one of our earliest episodes and it is a favorite because of one woman’s powerful story. Annika Huff (formerly Annika Mack) is a survivor of human trafficking. She speaks with us about her experiences in the life, how she got out, and how she was able to move on with her life. Then, Dr. Bryn Mumma takes us thro…