MJA
MJA

Grief and the medical referral

James L Mallows
Med J Aust 2011; 195 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/mja11.11266
Published online: 12 December 2011

Helping ward registrars transition from denial to acceptance

What is the emergency registrar to do when a 69-year-old woman with dyspnoea and clear signs of congestive cardiac failure is hindered from admission under a cardiologist? Why is it that the cardiology registrar called to review the patient, after hemming and hawing about B-type natriuretic peptides and D-dimers, magically transforms the congestive cardiac failure into a respiratory problem and is suddenly on their way?

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