EMERGENCY

_________
undifferentiated patient
shortness of breath
chest pain
abdominal pain
altered level of consciousness
acute trauma
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Undifferentiated patient
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Demonstrate a systematic approach to the clinical assessment of the
undifferentiated patient presenting to the emergency department. By
undifferentiated we mean a patient with a problem the cause of which is not known
at the time of presentation.

o Discuss the initial management of the undifferentiated patient using the DR

ABCDE approach

o Describe the time-line for performing resuscitation, secondary care and tertiary
care in the ongoing delivery of care to the undifferentiated patient o Discuss the
importance of repeated and timely reassessment of the undifferentiated patient

o Demonstrate the principles of essential life support for a collapsed/arrested

patient in the emergency department - BLS/ALS

Structured Case
(a) Summarise the initial stabilization of your patient presenting with an
undifferentiated problem
(b) List the initial investigations you would like to perform in this patient and
include a rationale for performing each of the investigations in your list
(c) Outline your initial management, including resuscitation, supportive and
specific treatment, of this patient in the ED. Consider the following in your
response:
I. List 5 potential life-threatening problems to consider in this patient
II. For each of these life-threatening problems give a brief clinical
description of how they present
III. For each of these life-threatening problems give a brief description of
any specific treatment interventions
(d) Describe the progress of your patient including the results of relevant
investigations, consults by specialty teams and final disposition of the patient.
Consider the following in your response:
I. List alternative diagnoses to consider in this patient
II. Describe for each of these alternative diagnoses how the relevant
investigations assisted in reaching a definitive diagnosis
III. In the case where a definitive diagnosis is not possible, list 5
important disposition principles that will potentially prevent patient misadventure

IV. Describe the process of repeated assessment and its application to this
patient
(e) Outline 3 things you have learned from this case
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Life support
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(a) Summarise the history and examination of your patient presenting with
collapse/cardiac arrest to the emergency department
(b) List 5 factors that result in the highest potential survival rate in
collapse/cardiac arrest patients presenting to the emergency department I. List the
2 most vulnerable organs to collapse/cardiac arrest II. What strategies can be used
to protect these organs from further damage in those patients who respond post
cardiac arrest?
(c) List the signs of impending airway obstruction
I. List available airway devices commonly used in the emergency department
II. Describe 5 problems that may commonly arise when managing an airway in
the emergency department
(d) List 3 causes of cardiac arrest
a. Describe the algorithms used to treat these conditions
b. Describe the role of chest-compression CPR in the treatment of these
clinical situations
c. Describe the indications for and use of the defibrillator. Use the
defibrillator model that is available in your emergency department

(e) Outline your initial management, including resuscitation, supportive and

specific treatment, of this patient in the ED

(f) Describe the progress of your patient including the results of relevant
investigations, consults by specialty teams and final disposition of the patient

(g) Outline 3 things you have learnt from this case