Emergency Medicine

Generic Job Families

Specialist Areas

Functional Requirements

Details/Health and Safety Indicators

Inpatient work

 

 

See general inpatient work

Outpatient work

 

 

See general outpatient work

 

The following specialist activities:

Require good manual dexterity, use of the hands, wrists and upper limbs, good hand eye coordination and occasional upper body strength

May present difficulties for doctors with advanced arthritic/ bone conditions which limit dexterity

Emergency Department shop floor clinical duties

Chest Drains/pleural tap and aspiration

 

 

 

Use of ultrasound for emergency echocardiogram or for insertion of chest drain

Use of wrists in hyperextended or flexed position

 

 

Arterial Blood gases

 

 

 

Airway management including bag and mask ventilation

use of upper body strength

 

 

Reduction of fractured bones/Dislocation of large joints.

Large joint examination

 

use of upper body strength. Will also require ability to engage in manual handling

 

 

DC cardioversion

 

 

 

Incision and drainage of abscess

good hand eye coordination

 

 

Suturing of wounds

use of good hand eye coordination

 

 

ECGs

 

 

 

Lumbar Puncture

 

 

 

Major Trauma/incident

Advanced Trauma Life support

Psychological resilience to cope with the aftermath of major incident. In addition to requiring use of any of the skills mentioned above.

Requires use of both upper limbs and substantial application of force, repetition and awkward movements and adopting awkward static postures. May require ability to sustain for long periods

Risk of post traumatic stress in vulnerable individuals

 

Ability to engage in manual handling

 

May present difficulties for doctors with advanced arthritic/ bone conditions, which limit dexterity

 

Exposure prone procedures specific to emergency medicine

Pre-hospital trauma care

Acute trauma patients with open tissues

Rectal examination in presence of pelvic fracture

Internal cardiac massage

Deep suturing to arrest haemorrhage

See exposure prone procedures

 

 

Transfer of patient to operating table/log rolling/spinal immobilization

Will require ability to engage in manual handling

 

 

 

Catheter insertion