Critical thinking in acute care

Every shift presents new challenges that demand immediate action. I recently had a patient come in with severe respiratory distress, and I had to make split-second decisions about intubation versus CPAP. I’m curious how others handle those high-pressure moments — what’s your approach to ensure you’re making the best calls under pressure?

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It’s all about trusting your instincts when the pressure’s on — i find that taking a second to breathe and run through the ‘ABCs’ can really help clarify the best approach. How do you manage to keep that calm in the chaos?

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