Emergency Medicine in Samoa

08/06/2026

We are proud to showcase the upcoming PEARLS POCUS Workshop 2026, taking place in Samoa on 11–12 August 2026.

Bringing together healthcare professionals from across the Pacific, this hands-on workshop will be led by our local faculty alongside experienced overseas facilitators, strengthening practical ultrasound skills for emergency and acute care in resource-limited settings.

This workshop is proudly supported by the Ministry of Health Samoa, World Health Organization Western Pacific Region, and the PEARLS Program.

"Seeing Beyond the Stethoscope"

Building skills. Improving patient care. Strengthening healthcare across the Pacific.

07/06/2026

Over the last two week's Emergency Department Grandrounds, our nursing team began a focused revision series on "The Basics", reinforcing the fundamental skills that form the backbone of safe and effective patient care.

RN Maanaima Fa'asalaina presented on the importance of Respiratory Rate, often called the "forgotten vital sign." A simple respiratory rate can be one of the earliest indicators that a patient is becoming critically unwell, making accurate assessment and documentation essential.

RN Aiuli Betham followed with a presentation on Oxygen Therapy, covering when oxygen is needed, how to administer it safely, and the importance of monitoring patients to ensure they receive the right treatment at the right time.

Over the coming weeks, our nursing staff will continue revisiting core clinical topics and vital signs. While advanced procedures and technology are important, excellent patient care always starts with getting the basics right.

We are proud of the staff's commitment to continuous learning and professional development as we strive to provide the best possible care for our people.

💡 Public Health Tip: If you or a family member is experiencing difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, chest pain, or severe shortness of breath, seek medical attention immediately. Early recognition and treatment can save lives.

20/05/2026

Every month, our team comes together to review cases, ask the hard questions, and hold ourselves to the highest standard of care.

This is what accountability looks like in practice.
Mortality meetings aren't comfortable. They're not meant to be. They exist because our patients and their families deserve a team that is always learning, always improving, and never afraid to look critically at the work we do.

Transparency is at the core of good clinical practice and we are committed to it.

Malō to everyone for showing up to these conversations with integrity and professionalism.
We owe it to our communities. Always.

20/05/2026

Pacific leadership on the world stage.

At last night's WHA side event in Geneva, PNG's Dr Daoni Esorom highlighted real progress: A critical care registry live at Port Moresby General Hospital and Basic Emergency Care training scaling fast across the country. All made possible through Regional Emergency and Critical Care Systems Strengthening Initiative 's support.

Nursing leadership. Pacific solutions. Global impact.

🇵🇬 Malō to everyone representing the region in Geneva.

Pacific-led progress in emergency, critical and operative care was highlighted in Geneva last night at an official World Health Assembly (WHA) side event focused on translating global strategy into country impact.The event, ‘From Global Strategy to Country Impact: Scaling Emergency, Critical and O...

19/05/2026

Our friendly neighbors in Tonga have just completed their very first Basic Emergency Care Provider Course with Trainer-the-trainer Course to follow. A huge milestone for emergency medicine in the Pacific.

A big fa'amalō to Dr Pafilio Tangitau (Head of Emergency in Tonga) and Master trainers Dr Evelyn Anisi and Sr Doreen Siope from the Solomon Islands as well as Dr Alana Parker from New Zealand for the incredible work.

This training was supported through the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine International Development Grant

From here, Tonga has the capacity to run their own BEC with local trainers. This is the Pacific building for the Pacific.

Malo aupito and Congratulations Tonga 🇹🇴

19/05/2026

Today's Grand Round spotlight was on the Early Warning Score (EWS): a critical tool in recognising patients who are deteriorating before things go south.
Leading the session was none other than our very own RN Patisepa Peone Aumua, one of our senior nurses, who delivered a thorough and engaging presentation to the team.
A huge thank you to RN Patisepa for sharing your knowledge and expertise. This is exactly the kind of learning culture we want to build in Emergency Medicine here in Samoa.

💡Public Health Tip | Early Warning Score
Did you know that many medical emergencies don't happen suddenly, they develop slowly over hours?
The Early Warning Score (EWS) helps healthcare workers detect these warning signs early by tracking their vital signs.

The higher the score, the more urgent the response.
If you or a loved one is in hospital and you feel something isn't right; speak up. Ask the nurse. Trust your instincts.
Early action saves lives.

12/05/2026

Happy International Nurses Day!

Sharing this incredible video from RECSI celebrating emergency and critical care nurses across the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

"Empowered nurses save lives" and every single day, they prove it.

To every nurse leading, teaching, advocating and showing up for their communities, thank you in every language.

12/05/2026

Today’s Grandround focused on a very important and timely topic, “Triage Under Pressure: Decision Making in an Overcrowded Emergency Department” presented by one of our dedicated nurses, RN Jocelyn Tialeaiga.

The session highlighted the difficult decisions frontline staff face every day in a busy Emergency Department, where prioritizing the sickest patients quickly and safely can mean the difference between life and death. Discussions also focused on teamwork, communication, patient flow, and maintaining safe care despite increasing patient numbers and limited resources.

As Emergency Departments around the world continue to experience overcrowding, strengthening triage systems and clinical decision-making remains critical to improving patient outcomes and protecting both patients and healthcare workers.

Public Tip:
Please remember that Emergency Departments are designed to care for life-threatening and urgent medical conditions first. If your condition is non-urgent, consider attending your nearest health centre or GP clinic where appropriate. This helps reduce overcrowding and allows emergency teams to focus on critically unwell patients who need immediate care.

05/05/2026

The Samoa Medical Association hosts it's Weekly CME sessions on Wednesdays at 8am for its members, and our team regularly attend these sessions.

Today’s topic was Palliative Care in Samoa presented by Logomaua Dr Malama Tafuna'i (MBChB, PGDipGP, FRNZCGP, PhD)

This was a very insightful and meaningful session which reinforced the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care, especially for those with life-limiting illnesses. In the Emergency Department, we are often at the frontline, and it is crucial that we not only focus on acute management, but also on comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Palliative care is not about stopping care, it is about providing the right care, aligned with the patient’s needs and wishes.

As Samoa continues to face a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, strengthening palliative care services is essential. This includes early recognition, better communication, and stronger collaboration between hospital and community care.

Fa’afetai tele lava to the Samoa Medical Association and Dr Tafuna’i for continuing to champion and advocate for Palliative Care in this important space.

Public Tip:
Talk to your healthcare provider early about palliative care options for loved ones with serious illness — it can make a significant difference in comfort and support.

04/05/2026

Today’s SimDay simulation focused on a high-stakes scenario, a patient presenting with an atypical presentation of a heart attack that progressed to cardiac arrest.

The case challenged our team to recognize subtle, non-classic symptoms of myocardial infarction, a critical reminder that not all heart attacks present with typical chest pain. Early suspicion, timely ECG interpretation, and rapid escalation were key learning points before the patient deteriorated into cardiac arrest requiring full resuscitation.

It was great to have our staff, registrars, newly joined interns, and medical students actively involved, building confidence, teamwork, and readiness for real-life emergencies.