Assessing and investigating patients with a suspected bone tumour.

Bone tumours can present a diagnostic challenge for healthcare professionals working in the emergency department (ED). They are often asymptomatic and therefore not detected until an injury, such as a fall or trauma, prompts the patient to present to the ED. Nurses working in the ED are likely to encounter patients with a bone tumour in the course of their professional life, so they need to have the knowledge and skills to adequately assess, manage and refer these patients.

Importance of debriefing following critical incidents.

Working in emergency departments (EDs) is inherently stressful, and stress caused by events such as witnessed death, elder or child abuse, and aggression and violence can have profound effects on staff. One strategy that can be effective in helping staff deal with such events is critical incident stress debriefing but, as the literature suggests, this is poorly established in ED settings. This article reports the results of a study in three EDs in Ireland of nurses' and doctors' perceived needs for debriefing and makes recommendations to improve this area of practice.

Stress in emergency departments: experiences of nurses and doctors.

The effects of stressful incidents on emergency department (ED) staff can be profound. Witnessing aggression, violence or the death of patients, or participating in resuscitation, can be emotionally and physically demanding. Despite the frequency of these events, ED staff do not become immune to the stress they cause, and are often ill prepared and under supported to cope with them.