Urgent Bite 290 – Epistaxis blood loss estimation
An epistaxis can be severe enough that a patient becomes anaemic and develops shock. How good are estimations, by patients and clinicians, of blood loss during an epistaxis?
Urgent Bite 289 – DDH pick up in Urgent Care
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips (DDH) in newborns is screened for by midwives, Plunket nurses, and GPs. While not a routine part of UC practice, spotting signs and referring appropriately is something we should be aware of in urgent care.
Urgent Bite 288 – The Jahss Manoeuvre
The Jahss Manoeuvre is a technique used for reducing metacarpal neck fractures with unacceptable molar angulation.
Ode to Urgent Care – Christmas Eve 2025
This is a re-upload of the poem released last Christmas Eve. The message still stands, so it warrents another listen this year.
Thank you to all the staff working in urgent care clinics over the holidays.
Urgent Bite 287 – Andrographis Paniculata as a cause of angioedema
In this month’s prescriber update there are a couple of interesting pieces on causes of anaphylaxis and angioedema, including a supplement that many may use after indulging at Christmas.
DPD update December 2025
This update includes information about the Essential Knowledge Quiz and where to find it. 2021 saw all Colleges introduce revised recertification programmes, in line with recommendations from the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). One of the new components in our programme brought about by these recommendations was the Essential Knowledge Quiz (EKQ). The EKQ…
Falls risk assessment
You may have recently read in the media recommendations from a coroner’s report regarding the death of a man in the Taranaki Emergency Department. While these recommendations apply to the Emergency Department setting, now is a good time for urgent care to remember our role in preventing falls, particularly in the elderly. The risk of…
Urgent Bite 286 – Sliding Doors
The movie, Sliding Doors, shows how a simple act like missing getting on a train can result in two different storylines unfurling.
Considering sliding door moments in your practice is a good way to reflect on practice and allows for recognising ways to improve practice.
Urgent Bite 285 – Adventitious Bursae
Adventitious bursae arrive throughout life and are not present at birth.
Urgent Bite 284 – Coryza and Catarrh
When considering the broad topic of the upper respiratory tract infection, catarrh and coryza is mentioned. What are they and why do old and outdated medical terms still persist.