This month for the December 2023 episode of the RCEM Learning Podcast we welcome our new co-host Liz Farah. Merry Christmas!. We discuss two New in EM segments looking at overnight boarding of older patients in the ED and mortality and looking at the use of opioids in treating back pain. Rob and Liz discuss two guidelines looking at the management of hypertension in the ED and the investigation and management of cauda equina syndrome. We then end with New Online. If you'd like to email us, please feel free to do so here.

(03:10) New in EM - Overnight stays in the ED and mortality in older patients

• Overnight Stay in the Emergency Department and Mortality in Older Patients by Roussel et al. (2023)

(24:47) Guidelines for EM - British Hypertension Society and GIRFT Cauda Equina Syndrome Pathway

• Management of hypertensive crisis: British and Irish Hypertension Society Position document
• Getting It Right First Time: National Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome Pathway (Interactive Pathway)
• Getting It Right First Time: National Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome Pathway (Full Guideline)

(58:36) New in EM - Opioids for back pain

• Opioid analgesia for acute low back pain and neck pain (the OPAL trial): a randomised placebo-controlled trial by Jones et al. (2023)

(01:22:00) New Online – new articles on RCEMLearning for your CPD

• RSI in the ED – Charlotte Davies
• Bifascicular Block – Mohd Farooq Parey, Kate Turnbull, Asim Aijaz
• TERN Christmas Cases – Raj Chatha, Gov Oliver, Fraser Birse, Rory Anderson, Hridesh Chatha