Chemical Agents in Disaster: Care and Management in the Intensive Care Unit.

Chemical agents of warfare are divided into lung agents, blood agents, vesicants, and nerve agents. Intensivists must familiarize themselves with the clinical presentation and management principles in the event of a chemical attack. Key principles in management include aggressive supportive care and early administration of specific antidotes, if available.

Mite and Bed Bug Infections.

Patients with suspected bites or skin rashes regularly present to their primary care physician. Common mite infections encountered in the primary care office include scabies, chiggers, grain itch, and allergic responses from dust mites. In fact, scabies is one of the 50 most prevalent diseases worldwide.

Medication reconciliation in a community, nonteaching hospital.

Purpose: A medication reconciliation program involving physicians, pharmacists, nursing staff, and other personnel at a community hospital is examined.

Summary: The Joint Commission required hospitals to have a procedure in place for reconciling patient medication across the continuum of care by January 1, 2006. A multidisciplinary team was formed to address reconciliation of medications at DuBois Regional Medical Center.