EM Pulse Podcast

05/05/2026

It’s one of the most common—and most frustrating—complaints: the patient covered head-to-toe in hives, miserable, itching, and desperate for relief. We welcome back ED Clinical Pharmacist Haley Burhans to tackle the "uncomfortable" topic of urticaria. Its a good one!

08/04/2026

“Time can only be spent. Think of it as your most valuable currency.”

In the second half our interview, we move beyond the career stages and into the daily habits that protect our time, our energy, and our sanity.

19/03/2026

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/03/18/micro-skills-macro-impact-part-1/

Dr. Lewiss defines Micro Skills as the small, actionable behaviors and steps that serve as the building blocks for achieving massive goals. Whether it’s tackling an overwhelming project or building a habit you thought was “just for other people,” almost everything can be broken down into these manageable units. For Dr. Lewiss and her co-author, Dr. Adaira Landry, these skills are the “missing playbook” they wish they’d had earlier in their careers.

Micro Skills are the small, actionable behaviors and steps that serve as the building blocks for achieving massive goals.

18/03/2026

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/03/18/micro-skills-macro-impact-part-1/

In part one of this special two-part series, we sit down with Dr. Resa Lewiss and talk about why the "workplace playbook" isn't always handed to us and how breaking down overwhelming professional goals into small, actionable behaviors can transform your trajectory.

10/03/2026

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/03/10/do-cts-reduce-bias-dftb-collab/

How much do implicit biases influence pediatric trauma imaging decisions—even in the era of evidence-based clinical rules?
In this special EM Pulse collaboration with Don’t Forget the Bubbles, experts from around the world unpack a landmark study on perceived race and ethnicity, CT use, and the role of PECARN imaging rules in pediatric head and abdominal trauma. The discussion explores how structured decision tools may help reduce disparities and support more equitable care at the bedside. This episode features Dr. Nate Kuppermann from Children’s National Hospital, Dr Nisa Atigapramoj from UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, and Dr Spyridon Karageogeorgos from Aghia Sophia Children’s’ Hospital in Athens, Greece.

19/02/2026

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/02/17/penicillin-allergy-delabeling/

Delabeling isn’t just for the allergist’s office. In EM Pulse, ED Clinical Pharmacist Haley Burhans makes the case that the ED is an ideal place to clarify low-risk penicillin allergy histories—using PEN-FAST and a supervised oral challenge when appropriate. Plus: why later-generation cephalosporins are often reasonable and how to document tolerance (like ceftriaxone) to help future care.

17/02/2026

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/02/17/penicillin-allergy-delabeling/

We’ve all seen it: “Penicillin allergy” in the chart, but the story doesn’t hold up. In this episode of EM Pulse, ED Clinical Pharmacist Haley Burhans explains why questionable allergy labels are more than an inconvenience—they can drive inferior antibiotic choices, higher failure rates, and downstream harms. Learn a fast, validated approach using the PEN-FAST score, plus practical tips for ED oral challenges and how to document beta-lactam tolerance clearly for the next clinician.

10/02/2026

Throwback episode alert! “Non-lethal” or “less lethal” crowd-control weapons—pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bag rounds—can still cause serious injury and even death.

In this episode, emergency physician and toxicologist Dr. James Chenoweth explains how these weapons affect the body, what injuries clinicians are seeing, and practical tips for treating exposures and trauma.

We’re also joined by Dr. Kara Toles, who worked as a street medic during recent protests in Sacramento, sharing what she carries in her pack and what it’s like when a peaceful protest turns chaotic.
Physicians should be attentive to both the physical injuries and the psychological fallout.

“Less Lethal” Crowd Control You may have heard of “non-lethal” or “less lethal” weapons used for crowd control. These include things such as pepper spray, tear gas, bean bags, and rubber bullets. B…

05/02/2026

“Families don’t mind their babies being admitted… They do not want the lumbar puncture. It is the single most anxiety-provoking aspect of care.” — Dr. Brett Burstein

https://ucdavisem.com/2026/02/04/tiny-hot-patients-and-the-pecarn-febrile-infant-rule/

04/02/2026

This episode of EM Pulse dives into one of the most stressful scenarios in the ED: the febrile infant in the first month of life. Traditionally, a fever in this age group has meant an automatic “full septic workup,” including the dreaded lumbar puncture (LP).

But times are changing. We sit down with experts Dr. Nate Kuppermann and Dr. Brett Burstein to discuss a landmark JAMA study that suggests we might finally be able to safely skip the LP in many of our tiniest patients. https://ucdavisem.com/2026/02/04/tiny-hot-patients-and-the-pecarn-febrile-infant-rule/