The Eleven Commandments of Emergency Medicine John Levin, M.D 1. Typical diseases never present typically and atypical diseases will never present only when you don't suspect them. You will never be sued for good communication with the staff or your patients. Lacerations always cut through tendons, nerves and arteries until proven otherwise. Chest pains are cardiac until proven otherwise.
Headaches are subarchnoid hemorrages until proven otherwise.
Specialists are always awake at 3 am. Remember to call them for consultations. Patients who return to the ER department after visiting earlier in the day usually have something seriously wrong. Patients are usually quite smart about their own diseases. When in doubt, admit the patient.