Debunking Covid Vaccine Myths - Do they cause miscarriages? Are they altering periods? Paid Members Public
I've come across a number of anecdotal reports of women with menstrual disturbances following COVID-19 vaccination. From viral TikTok videos, where the comments are filled with similar stories of menstraul disturbance - to a few of my own patients who have asked me about it. As a family doctor (GP)
Venepuncture Paid Members Public
Venepuncture involves taking blood from a patient's vein. This is often very useful in the acutely unwell patients; pneumonia, pancreatitis or cholecystitis as it gives an indication of the severity of the conditions. There are a number of ways to do this; vacutainer system, needle and syringe or butterfly. Please
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) Paid Members Public
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) or peak flow measures how fast a person can exhale from their lungs. It is measured with a device called a peak flow meter, and is useful in measuring the degree of obstruction in the airways. Patients with airway disease such as asthma can often
Nasogastric (NG) Tube insertion Paid Members Public
Nasogastric tube (NG) insertion essentially involves placing a plastic tube in through the patient's nose and in to their stomach. The main purposes of this are for feeding/medication or for free drainage. Often patients who have bowel obstructions will be kept nil by mouth and given an NG tube
Intravenous (IV) Cannulation Paid Members Public
Intravenous (IV) cannulation is a technique that involves the placement of a small plastic tube (cannula or venflon) in to a patient's vein to provide venous access. Having venous access is often important in hospitals for example to initiate IV antibiotics or for a blood transfusion. This is a key
Inhaler Technique Paid Members Public
An effective inhaler technique is one of the cornerstones of asthma and COPD treatment. This allows the medication to get to the lung where it can help control the patient's symptoms. It is also important to have an understanding of all the different inhalers available e.g. metered dose inhaler,
Electrocardiography Paid Members Public
Electrocardiography (ECG) is a technique that detects the electrical signals from a patient's heart and then records it on to a strip of paper. An ECG is a basic investigation that all junior doctors have to be comfortable at doing. It allows the clinician to see the electrical activity of
Urethral Catheterisation Paid Members Public
Catheterisation is an invasive practical procedure that all junior doctors must be confident with before their first on-call. It involves passing a small plastic tube through the urethra and in to the bladder. Often you will get called to the difficult ones that the nurses have not been successful with.
