Intern Guide

Here is a suggested reading guide during your attachment with the ED.  Mastery of these topics would be considered a necessary pre-requisite for a person of your level.

RESUSCITATION

• Shock

ANAESTHESIA

• Acute pain management

GENERAL MEDICINE

• Clinical approach to chest pain
• Causes of chest pain
• Causes of Pleuritic Chest pain
• Unstable angina
• 'Collapsed patient'  
• ECG and syncope
• Leg swelling
• Dyspnoea
• Oxygen Therapy
• Asthma (Adults and Children)
• Acute asthma/Status Asthmaticus
• COAD
• Vertigo
• Altered conscious state / Confusion
• Mini Mental State Examination
• Headache
• Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding (Haematemesis, Malaena, Haematochezia)
• Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding (Haematochezia)
• Acute Renal failure
• Febrile neutropenia
• Pulmonary embolus  
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Blood cultures  
• Assessment for infective foci
• Meningitis

• The acute abdomen
• Abdominal pain - Assessment checklist
• Diagnosing abdominal pain - Simple rules
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• Renal Colic
• Back pain

• Criteria for Trauma Team Call Out
• Assessing head injuries
• Minor head trauma
• Describing fractures
• Ankle Injuries
• Wound Management
• Tetanus Prophylaxis

• Assessment of burns

• Minor Burns

• Burns Dressings

OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

• Early pregnancy bleeding
• Anti-D Administration

PAEDIATRICS

• Assessing children/infants  
• Paediatric vital signs  

TOXICOLOGY

• General principles of toxicology
• Paracetamol

BIOCHEMISTRY

• Acid Base disturbances
• Principles of electrolyte disturbance
• Clinically significant electrolyte disturbances

DENTAL

• Dental assessment

EYES

• Eye Emergencies - principles
• Red Eye

MENTAL HEALTH

ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

• Cause of abnormal mental state - organic versus functional
• Delirium
• Dementia
• Violence/Suicide risk assessment (as used by Western ACIS)
• Diagnosing psychiatric illness
• Mental Status Examination
• Determining competency
• Mini-mental examination

• Blood Alcohol Testing
• Consent
• Complaints
• Child abuse (Non-Accidental injury)
• Discharge against medical advice