Publications by authors named "Jean Pearce"

Introduction: Ketamine and propofol are commonly used agents for sedation in the pediatric emergency department (PED). While these medications routinely provide safe sedations, there are side effects providers should be able to recognize and manage. Currently, no pediatric sedation simulations exist in the literature.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mass casualty incidents (MCI), especially those involving children, are rare but complex situations that require thorough preparation and specialized emergency protocols.
  • Medical personnel must quickly and efficiently assess and prioritize patients based on their medical needs when responding to an MCI.
  • The report introduces a new training program for pediatric emergency providers that emphasizes the JumpSTART triage algorithm to enhance their skills in managing secondary triage during these critical incidents.
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Children exposed to the manufacture of illegal drugs are at risk for multiple medical problems. Providers need to be able to recognize and manage the complications from these exposures because early intervention can be crucial to decreasing morbidity and mortality. In this simulation case, a 3-year-old patient is brought to the emergency department (ED) after a house fire due to a methamphetamine lab explosion.

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Severe, uncontrolled epistaxis in a pediatric patient can lead to a compromised bloody airway and the potential need for significant volume resuscitation secondary to hemorrhagic shock if not managed emergently. In this report, a simulated 11-month-old patient with underlying liver disease presents to the emergency department setting. The goal was to familiarize advanced pediatric emergency medicine trainees and experienced providers with immediate bedside interventions and clinical management steps for a patient with severe, difficult-to-control epistaxis to increase preparedness for future clinical scenarios.

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Introduction: Hyperleukocytosis, an infrequent presentation of new-onset leukemia, is a medical emergency requiring prompt recognition and treatment. It can include altered mental status, fever, critical electrolyte derangements, and coagulopathies. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this simulation was created as a telesimulation in order to adhere to mandatory physical distancing guidelines while addressing learning objectives.

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Introduction: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening illness which classically presents with polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia that can rapidly progress to severe dehydration and altered mental status from cerebral edema. Younger patients may present with subtle or atypical symptoms that are critical to recognize and emergently act upon. Such patients are often cared for by teams in the emergency department (ED) requiring multidisciplinary collaboration.

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Introduction: Lidocaine is a common local anesthetic used during minor procedures performed on pediatric patients. A rare but toxic and life-threatening side effect of lidocaine is methemoglobinemia. It should be considered in children who are hypoxic after exposure to an oxidizing agent.

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Introduction: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends vitamin K prophylaxis at birth for all newborns to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). Despite a lack of evidence for serious harms, barriers to prophylaxis, including parental refusal, are rising, as are cases of VKDB.

Methods: This simulation involved an infant presenting to the emergency department who decompensated due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by VKDB and was treated by pediatric and emergency providers.

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Introduction: Serotonin syndrome is caused by an accumulation of serotonin in the body from drug interactions or overdose of serotonergic medications, including commonly used antidepressants. Symptoms can be life-threatening and encompass both neurologic and cardiovascular toxicity, including agitation, seizure, tachycardia, rhabdomyolysis, and hyperthermia.

Methods: This simulation case was developed for pediatric emergency medicine fellows and emergency medicine residents in the pediatric emergency department and can be altered to accommodate other learners.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of children undergoing procedural sedation for fracture reduction in the emergency department (ED) observed to experience negative postdischarge behaviors. Predictors of negative behaviors were evaluated, including anxiety.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of children receiving intravenous ketamine sedation for ED fracture reduction.

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