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Emergency Medicine guides
17 plain-English, evidence-linked guides in Emergency Medicine, with clinical review status shown on each page.
Acute back pain assessment (Clinical assessment of acute low back pain)A clinical check of sudden back pain to confirm it is not serious, rule out red-flag conditions, and guide simple treatment and recovery.Acute illness triage and referral (Triage, initial assessment and referral in urgent and emergency care)The process of quickly assessing someone with a sudden illness or injury to judge how urgent it is and decide where and how they should be treated.Allergic reaction and anaphylaxis treatment (Acute management of allergic reaction and anaphylaxis)Emergency and same-day care for an allergic reaction, from antihistamines for a mild reaction to adrenaline for anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening 999 emergency.Burns and scalds treatment (Treatment of burns and scalds (thermal, chemical and electrical injury))First aid and treatment for burns and scalds — cooling the burn, protecting the skin and managing pain — with clear guidance on which burns need A&E or a specialist burns service.Cuts and wound closure (stitches / glue) (Wound closure (sutures, tissue adhesive or adhesive strips))A small procedure to clean a cut and hold its edges together with stitches, skin glue or adhesive strips so it heals well and the risk of infection and scarring is reduced.Dehydration and IV fluids (Management of dehydration, including oral rehydration and intravenous fluid therapy)Treatment to replace lost water and salts when you are dehydrated, ranging from drinking and oral rehydration salts to a fluid drip into a vein for more severe cases.Dressings and wound care (Wound assessment, cleaning and dressing)Cleaning a cut, graze, or other minor wound and covering it with the right dressing so it heals well and is less likely to get infected.ECG and rapid blood tests (Electrocardiogram and point-of-care / urgent blood tests)Quick tests used in urgent care: an ECG records the heart's electrical activity, and rapid blood tests give fast results to help assess sudden symptoms.Foreign body removal (Removal of a foreign body (skin, eye, ear or nose))A minor procedure to safely take out an object stuck in the skin, eye, ear or nose, when it cannot be removed at home or is causing problems.Fracture and suspected broken bone assessment (Assessment of a suspected fracture (including X-ray))An examination and usually an X-ray to find out whether a bone is broken after an injury, and to decide how it should be treated.Insect bites and stings (Assessment and treatment of insect bites and stings)Care for bites and stings from insects and ticks — most settle with simple self-care, but some reactions, infections and severe allergic reactions need medical help.Minor injuries treatment (Treatment of minor injuries (minor injuries unit / urgent care))Same-day treatment for minor injuries such as small cuts, grazes, sprains, minor burns, bruises and minor head knocks, with advice on care at home and what to watch for.Plaster cast and splinting (Application of a plaster cast or splint for a fracture or soft-tissue injury)Putting a hard cast or a supportive splint on an injured limb to hold a broken bone or bad sprain still so it can heal.Same-day diagnostic scans (Urgent diagnostic imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI))Imaging tests such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI arranged quickly to look inside the body and help assess sudden or worrying symptoms.Sprains and strains (Soft tissue injury (ligament sprain or muscle strain))Care for a twisted or overstretched joint or muscle, using rest, ice, support and pain relief, with advice on when an injury needs checking for a more serious problem.Tetanus and emergency vaccination (Tetanus prophylaxis after injury (tetanus-containing vaccine and tetanus immunoglobulin))A tetanus booster, and sometimes an injection of ready-made antibodies, given after certain injuries to protect against tetanus, a rare but serious infection.Urgent care / walk-in assessment (Urgent care assessment (urgent treatment centre, walk-in centre or minor injuries unit))A same-day assessment for minor injuries and sudden minor illness, where a clinician examines you, may arrange simple tests, and advises on treatment or onward care.
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