RCEMLearning

Asked and Answered Who is this day for? SBA Writing Day 2026 This day is for those who want to Practice their SBA writing Get published on RCEMLearning Spruce up their CV Connect with their peers in the medical field Revise for an upcoming exam Strengthen your speciality

Asked and Answered - Who is the SBA Writing Day for?

If you're revising for an exam, wanting to connect with your peers in the medical field or looking to spruce up your CV; the SBA Writing Day is for you!

Spaces are running out fast, sign up to avoid missing out: www.rcemlearning.co....

Bleeding in Pregnancy, Learning Session/Reference. UPDATE

UPDATE: Antepartum haemorrhage (APH) is defined as vaginal bleeding occurring from the 24th week of pregnancy and prior to the birth of the baby

APH has an incidence of 3.5% of all pregnancies

#LearningSession: www.rcemlearning.co....
#Reference: www.rcemlearning.co....

Itchy Rash in Pregnant Woman Clinical Case What is the likely diagnosis for this pregnant woman? NEW

NEW: A 25-year-old pregnant lady in her first full term pregnancy at 37 weeks with previous miscarriage presents to A&E with worsening itchy rash which starts in her abdomen and has now spread to her arms, back and feet.

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#Pregnant #EmergencyDepartment #Rash #Diagnosis

UPDATE, A Broken Heart, SBA

UPDATE: A recently widowed 60-year-old female presents with chest pain and shortness of breath. Her ECG features diffuse ST elevation.

Which is the most appropriate immediate management in the Emergency Department?

#SBA

The Blurry Border: You’ve Found Papilloedema, Now What? NEW Blog

You go back to your notes and carefully document, “papilloedema” but then what next??

www.rcemlearning.co.... [2/2]

The Blurry Border: You’ve Found Papilloedema, Now What? NEW Blog

NEW: It’s 4:00 AM. You’ve just managed to find a working ophthalmoscope and after wrestling with it and staring through the gloom, you spot the optic disc. The disc appears as an egg dropped from the roof, no margins and engorged vessels. You notice tachycardia, it’s yours not the patient! 😉 [1/2]

Who decided to dip this child’s urine? Clinical Case, UPDATE

UPDATE: A 12-year-old girl is brought to your ED with abdominal pain and a urine dip is done.

What would your next course of action be? #ClinicalCase

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Ramadan in the ED - RCEMLearning This blog is about how to support colleagues who may be fasting, not putting your foot in it and clinical issues.

www.rcemlearning.co.uk/foamed/ramad...

@rcem.ac.uk @rcemlearning.bsky.social #MedSky #FOAMed

Which of the following interventions has been shown to reduce mortality for patients with pneumonia if administered within 8 hours of the patient’s arrival at hospital? a). Antibiotics b). Chest physiotherapy c). NIV/CPAP d). Steroids

The first SUNDAY QUESTION of March!

What's the correct answer?

Cloudy Hypoxia After Foreign Travel. NEW. Clinical Case

NEW: Cloudy Hypoxia after foreign travel; a flashback of a pandemic or a rare home-grown complication of a childhood illness in an adult. #ClinicalCase

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February 2026, Podcast, NEW

NEW: Should we pursue higher BP targets in those with acute spinal cord injury?
Have you heard of the National chest injury guideline
Did you know 81% of women have had their pain dismissed/ignored by a healthcare professional?

The RCEMLearning #podcast is out now!

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Vertigo, Learning Session/Reference. UPDATE

UPDATE: Patients frequently present to the emergency department (ED) complaining of dizziness. This term is used by patients to refer to a range of different symptoms and also includes patients with vertigo.

#LearningSession and #Reference

LS: www.rcemlearning.co....
Ref: www.rcemlearning.co....

My eyes have gone funny! SBA NEW

There is no eye pain, redness or trauma history. The red reflex is present bilaterally, and bedside ophthalmoscopy reveals no obvious pathology in the anterior chamber.

What is the most likely diagnosis? #SBA

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My eyes have gone funny! SBA NEW

NEW: A 65-year-old man presents to the Emergency Department (ED) with a 2-day history of flashes and floaters in his right eye. He describes a few black spots and “lightning streaks,” but his central vision seems fine.

Visual acuity is 6/9 in the right eye and 6/6 in the left.

08:30 - 08:55 Join the virtual meeting space 08:55 - 09:00 Introduction to the day Dr Liz Herrieven and Dr Lizzie Binham, Sheffield Children’s Hospital 09:00 - 09:30 Are we making progress on health inequalities for people living with learning disabilities? Prof. Andrew Lee, ScHARR, University of Sheffield 09:30 - 10:00 How to perform an excellent acute assessment for adults with a learning disability in 5 easy steps Dr Charly Annesley, learning disability physician at North Middlesex University Hospital 10:00 - 10:30 Postural Care in Emergency Departments and Acute Hospitals: Principles and Practical Con- siderations Ms Sarah Clayton, Simple Stuff Works 10:30 - 10:40 Panel Q&A 10:40 - 10:55 Refreshment break 10:55 - 11:25 Humanity and healthcare Mr Stephen Unwin, theatre director and author of Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong 11:25 - 11:55 We deserve better - health inequalities and ethnic minoritised communities Ms Ramandeep Kaur, learning disability campaigner and parent activist 11:55 - 12:25 Complex disabilities and the ED: Little Things that make a Big Difference to families Ms Rachel Wright, Born At The Right Time 12:25 - 12:35 Panel Q&A 12:35 - 13:20 Lunch 13:20 - 13:40 Lived experience of ED visits - learning from Sam and Gavin Mr Gavin Howcroft and Mr Sam Prowse, Hertfordshire County Council 13:40 - 14:10 Considering sensory needs when delivering Urgent and Emergency Care Ms Jess Howe, registered occupational therapist, and learning disability and autism lead at London Ambulance Service 14:10 - 14:40 Individualised care - examples of reasonable adjustments from a sedation pathway Dr Alice Munro, Newham University Hospital 14:40 - 14:50 Panel Q&A 14:50 - 15:05 Refreshment break 15:05 - 15:35 Autism, what it is, how to tell if your patient has it and why it matters in the ED Dr Sam Porter, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 15:35 - 16:05 Disabled, difficult or different? Dr Kirsty Challen, Lancashire Teaching Hospital…

How’s this for a programme?Relevant facts, clinical tips, essential info, patient & family experiences, thought-provoking topics & a whole host of expert speakers. Come & join us online on May 19th rcem.ac.uk/virtual-even...
@rcem.ac.uk
@rcemevents.bsky.social
@rcemlearning.bsky.social
@rcn.org.uk

RCEMLearning, Journal Club: Ketamine or Etomidate for Tracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults, Journal, NEW

NEW: We're back with the Journal Club! This week's session is Ketamine or Etomidate for Tracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults

Interested? Read the full journal here: www.rcemlearning.co....

A breathless boy with bruising. Clinical Case. UPDATE.

UPDATE: A 14-year-old boy presents with a one week history of lethargy, shortness of breath on minimal exertion such as climbing stairs, palpitations, recurrent spontaneous epistaxis lasting 10-15 minutes and easy bruising. #ClinicalCase

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Which of these would be a high-risk factor requiring medical admission? a). Glucose 3.4mmol b). Heart rate of 48bpm c). Potassium 2.8mmol d). Temperature of 35.6

SUNDAY QUESTION: Which of these would be a high-risk factor requiring medical admission?
a). Glucose 3.4mmol
b). Heart rate of 48bpm
c). Potassium 2.8mmol
d). Temperature of 35.6

Alt Text: Decompression Illness Learning Session/Reference

Check out our #LearningSession (LS) & #Reference (Ref) on our website

LS: www.rcemlearning.co....
Ref: www.rcemlearning.co....

#MedEdu #Medical #EmergencyMedicine #EMlearning

Alt Text: Decompression Illness Learning Session/Reference

UPDATE: These modules covers decompression illness, explaining the scientific principles behind its pathophysiology, identifying major risk factors for its development & exploring the critical role of oxygen in early management. Also provides an overview of other important diving-related conditions

A 60-year-old man walks into the ED carrying a small ambulatory infusion pump connected to his chest port. He appears anxious and tells the triage nurse that “the chemo bag is leaking.” The patient is currently receiving continuous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as part of his chemotherapy regimen for colorectal cancer. The infusion started approximately 24 hours ago and was scheduled to finish later today. He reports that earlier this afternoon, he noticed dampness around the tubing connection site and observed a few drops of clear fluid dripping from the line. He attempted to contact the oncology helpline but was unable to reach anyone, prompting him to attend the ED for assessment. He reports no systemic symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea. On arrival, the chemotherapy bag still contains a significant amount of fluid, and the pump appears to be operating. There is mild redness and irritation on the skin near the port site where the leak occurred

The patient’s medical history includes colorectal cancer currently being treated with combination chemotherapy, and he has a central venous access port inserted for this purpose. He has no known allergies and is otherwise hemodynamically stable. A small amount of the leaked fluid is visible on his clothing and on the chair where he was seated. Several relatives and members of the public are nearby, and the triage nurse quickly recognises the potential cytotoxic hazard, alerts the ED team and begins to isolate the affected area.

NEW: A 60-year-old man walks into the Emergency Department (ED) carrying a small ambulatory infusion pump connected to his chest port. He appears anxious and tells the triage nurse that “the chemo bag is leaking.”

What is your first priority in managing this patient?
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A 63-year-old female presents to the Emergency Department (ED) complaining of piercing pain in her right eye and blurred vision with an associated right sided headache. She is vomiting at triage. She cannot read any line on the Snellen chart with her right eye and can only appreciate hand movements. The patient’s eyes are as shown in the image below. Her right pupil is mid-dilated and non-reactive. She has no known medical history.

UPDATE: A patient presents with sudden, painful loss of vision. Can you diagnose the problem and provide emergency management?

#SBA

Bites and Infestations Blog, NEW

NEW: This #blog will focus on some of the finer details in bite management, or complications that may be seen. (Apologies in advance for any itching caused by this blog).

#Foamed

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Happy Lunar New Year 2026 Year of the Horse

Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate! 🐎

A 45-year-old regular Emergency Department (ED) attender brought in by paramedics after being found unresponsive, GCS 11 (E2, M5 V4), in a lay-by near a local garage. The gentleman appears intoxicated. He does not smell of alcohol. Initial VBG indicates: pH 7.33, PaCO2 3.8, glucose 7.0, lactate 4.5, BE -5 Whilst waiting to be assessed the GCS drops to 9 and a repeat gas show pH 7.10, Lactate 6.2, BE -12. What is the most likely suspected cause of the abnormal VBG result?

UPDATE: Tis the season …. - #ClinicalCase

Regular attender is brought to ED with low GCS with suspicion of intoxication in cold winter season.

What is the most likely suspected cause of the abnormal VBG result?

www.rcemlearning.co.uk/modules/tis-...

Key points from the Review Article "Mucormycosis"

Mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive and frequently lethal invasive fungal disease of the lungs, sinuses, orbits, and brain in immunocompromised hosts. Among the invasive mycoses, mucormycosis is widely considered to be the most rapidly invasive and destructive. Learn more: nej.md/3ZsLZ21

Happy Chinese New Year

We wish a happy Lunar New Year to all our colleagues, patients and visitors who are celebrating.

The Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is a two-week festival marking the beginning of a new lunar year. This year, it takes place between 17 February and 3 March 2026.

Not the Usual Limping Child, NEW, Clinical Case

NEW: A 5-year-old boy is brought to the ED by his parents due to refusal to walk this morning. He experiences coryzal symptoms over the preceding days and develops a mild fever

What is the most likely diagnosis?

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RCEMLearning, The Aspirin Overdose, UPDATE, SAQ

While taking your initial history, you build up a rapport with him and he eventually admits to being very unhappy since his mother left. Further direct questioning reveals that he took an overdose of aspirin tablets with the intention of killing himself.

#SAQ www.rcemlearning.co....

RCEMLearning, The Aspirin Overdose, UPDATE, SAQ

UPDATE: [TW: Suicide] Paul, a 52-year-old electrician, has been in your department for three and a half hours with a presenting complaint of abdominal pain.

He has no previous medical history, medications or allergies. He normally resides with his mother but she has recently been taken into care.