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Sample records for medicine ward clinical

  1. Implementing ward based clinical pharmacy services in an Ethiopian University Hospital

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    Mekonnen AB

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Clinical pharmacy practice has developed internationally to expand the role of a pharmacist well beyond the traditional roles of compounding, dispensing and supplying drugs to roles more directly in caring for patients. Studies on the activities of the clinical pharmacist in an inpatient ward in resource constrained settings are scarce, however.Objective: To assess ward based clinical pharmacy services in an internal medicine ward of Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Methods: The study was carried out in the internal medicine ward from March to April, 2011 at Jimma University Specialized Hospital. The study design was a prospective observational study where pharmaceutical care services provided by clinical pharmacists for inpatients were documented over a period of two months. Interventions like optimization of rational drug use and physician acceptance of these recommendations were documented. Clinical significance of interventions was evaluated by an independent team (1 internist, 1 clinical pharmacologist using a standardized method for categorizing drug related problems (DRPs. Results: A total of 149 drug related interventions conducted for 48 patients were documented; among which 133(89.3% were clinical pharmacists initiated interventions and 16(10.7% interventions were initiated by other health care professionals. The most frequent DRPs underlying interventions were unnecessary drug therapy, 36(24.2%; needs additional drug therapy, 34(22.8% and noncompliance, 29(19.5%. The most frequent intervention type was change of dosage/instruction for use, 23(15.4%. Acceptance rate by physicians was 68.4%. Among the interventions that were rated as clinically significant, 46(48.9% and 25(26.6% had major and moderate clinical importance respectively. Conclusion: Involving trained clinical pharmacists in the healthcare team leads to clinically relevant and well accepted optimization of medicine use in a resource limited settings. This

  2. Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis

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    Krautter M

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Markus Krautter,1 Sven Andreesen,2 Nadja Köhl-Hackert,2 Katja Hoffmann,3 Wolfgang Herzog,2 Christoph Nikendei2 1Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, 2Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, 3Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany Background: Peer-assisted learning (PAL has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective.Purpose: To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors.Methods: A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80. The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants. The discussions were analyzed using content analysis.Results: The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available.Conclusion: On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor–student working alliance

  3. Recommendations for the safety preparation of sterile medicines in medical wards

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    Ana M.ª Martín de Rosales Cabrera

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To develop a recommendations guide about the preparation of sterile medicines in medical wards, and to figure out the current situation of different Spanish hospitals, regarding the preparation of sterile medicines outside the pharmacy. Methods: The autors reviewed the available international guidelines in order to summarize the main quality recommendations. To know about the current situation in Spanish hospitals, a 30 questions survey was designed and spread to 500 different hospitals. Answers were analysed with Survey monkey® platform in the period February-July 2012. Results: Based on the literature review, the authors agreed a recommendations list for the safe preparation of sterile medicines in medical wards, which was structured in 8 sections. Regarding the survey results, 8.4% of the hospitals answered, showing a great variability among centres in the quality requirements for sterile compounding outside the pharmacy. It should be pointed out the lack of assigned areas for drug preparation in wards, the lack of protocols to discern which kind of medicines can be compounded in wards as well as the poor recommendations about garment and aseptic technique. Conclusions: The authors confirm the absence of qualified practice standards to be applied in the preparation of sterile medicines in medical wards, as well as the great variability of diary practice. The implementation of quality and safety recommendations in the preparation of sterile medicines in medical wards may contribute to improve patient safety.

  4. [Nosocomial infection/colonization of the respiratory tract caused by Acinetobacter baumannii in an Internal Medicine ward].

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    Salas Coronas, J; Cabezas Fernández, T; Alvarez-Ossorio García de Soria, R; Rogado González, M C; Delgado Fernández, M; Díez García, F

    2002-10-01

    To present the epidemiology of the outbreak and the description of patients with infection or colonization of the respiratory tract caused by A. baumannii in an Internal Medicine ward. 20 consecutively patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine ward were studied during 18 months with isolation of multiresistant A. baumanni in respiratory tract specimens with or without clinical signs of infection. Starting on an index case, that was a patient coming from other hospital with diagnosis of nosocomial Acinetobacter pneumonia, we detected 20 patients. The age of the patients ranged from 48 to 95 years, with a mean of 71.4 years. Eighty percent were males. The clinical features were similar: advanced age, with chronic diseases (35 percent diabetics, 45 percent with chronic lung diseases), and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics agents, fundamentally third generation cephalosporin (70 percent), clarithromycin (55 percent) and quinolones (30 percent). 75 percent of patients were in the same ward. Eight (40 percent) of the patients with chronic lung diseases were subjects with COPD, two with asthma and chronic glucocorticoids treatment, and one with a sleep apnea. In four cases the isolation was considered a colonization. The mean stay was 26.15 days, and the mortality 40 percent. The nosocomial infection caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is responsible of a high morbi-mortality between the patients hospitalized in an Internal Medicine ward, and produce an increase in length of stay. It is necessary a combination of control measures to prevent the transmission in the hospital and the outbreak of new multiresistant strains.

  5. Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis.

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    Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

    2014-01-01

    Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective. To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors. A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80). The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants). The discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available. On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor-student working alliance acts through its flat hierarchy. Nevertheless, tutors cannot represent an adequate substitute for experienced physicians.

  6. Auditing Safety of Compounding and Reconstituting of Intravenous Medicines on Hospital Wards in Finland.

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    Suvikas-Peltonen, Eeva; Palmgren, Joni; Häggman, Verner; Celikkayalar, Ercan; Manninen, Raija; Airaksinen, Marja

    2017-01-01

    On the hospital wards in Finland, nurses generally reconstitute intravenous medicines, such as antibiotics, analgesics, and antiemetics prescribed by doctors. Medicine reconstitution is prone to many errors. Therefore, it is important to identify incorrect practices in the reconstitution of medicine to improve patient safety in hospitals. The aim of this study was to audit the compounding and reconstituting of intravenous medicines on hospital wards in a secondary-care hospital in Finland by using an assessment tool and microbiological testing for identifying issues posing patient safety risks. A hospital pharmacist conducted an external audit by using a validated 65-item assessment tool for safe-medicine compounding practices on 20 wards of the selected hospital. Also, three different microbiological samples were collected to assure the aseptics. Practices were evaluated using a four-point rating scale of "never performed," "rarely performed," "often performed," and "always performed," and were based on observation and interviews with nurses or ward pharmacists. In addition, glove-, settle plate-, and media fill-tests were collected. Associations between microbial sample results and audit-tool results were discussed. Altogether, only six out of the 65 items were fully implemented in all wards; these were related to logistic practices and quality assurance. More than half of the wards used incorrect practices ("rarely performed" or "never performed") for five items. Most of these obviated practices related to aseptic practices. All media-fill tests were clean but the number of colony forming units in glove samples and settle- plate samples varied from 0 to >100. More contamination was found in wards where environmental conditions were inadequate or the use of gloves was incorrect. Compounding practices were [mostly] quite well adapted, but the aseptic practices needed improvement. Attention should have been directed particularly to good aseptic techniques and

  7. Evaluation of the implementation of a clinical pharmacy service on an acute internal medicine ward in Italy.

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    Lombardi, Nicola; Wei, Li; Ghaleb, Maisoon; Pasut, Enrico; Leschiutta, Silvia; Rossi, Paolo; Troncon, Maria Grazia

    2018-04-10

    Successful implementation of clinical pharmacy services is associated with improvement of appropriateness of prescribing. Both high clinical significance of pharmacist interventions and their high acceptance rate mean that potential harm to patients could be avoided. Evidence shows that low acceptance rate of pharmacist interventions can be associated with lack of communication between pharmacists and the rest of the healthcare team. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a structured communication strategy on acceptance rate of interventions made by a clinical pharmacist implementing a ward-based clinical pharmacy service targeting elderly patients at high risk of drug-related problems. Characteristics of interventions made to improve appropriateness of prescribing, their clinical significance and intervention acceptance rate by doctors were recorded. A clinical pharmacy intervention study was conducted between September 2013 and December 2013 in an internal medicine ward of a teaching hospital. A trained clinical pharmacist provided pharmaceutical care to 94 patients aged over 70 years. The clinical pharmacist used the following communication and marketing tools to implement the service described: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely (SMART) goals; Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA) model. A total of 740 interventions were made by the clinical pharmacist. The most common drug classes involved in interventions were: antibacterials for systemic use (11.1%) and anti-parkinson drugs (10.8%). The main drug-related problem categories triggering interventions were: no specific problem (15.9%) and prescription writing error (12.0%). A total of 93.2% of interventions were fully accepted by physicians. After assessment by an external panel 63.2% of interventions (96 interventions/ per month) were considered of moderate clinical significance and 23.4% (36

  8. Workplace learning: an analysis of students' expectations of learning on the ward in the Department of Internal Medicine.

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    Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Jünger, Jana; Nikendei, Christoph

    2014-01-01

    Learning on the ward as a practice-oriented preparation for the future workplace plays a crucial role in the medical education of future physicians. However, students' ward internship is partially problematic due to condensed workflows on the ward and the high workload of supervising physicians. For the first time in a German-speaking setting, students' expectations and concerns about their internship on the ward are examined in a qualitative analysis regarding their internal medicine rotation within clinical medical education. Of a total of 168 medical students in their 6th semester at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg, 28 students (m=8, f=20, Ø 23.6 years) took part in focus group interviews 3 to 5 days prior to their internship on the internal medicine ward within their clinical internal medicine rotation. Students were divided into four different focus groups. The protocols were transcribed and a content analysis was conducted based on grounded theory. We gathered a total of 489 relevant individual statements. The students hope for a successful integration within the ward team, reliable and supportive supervisors and supervision in small groups. They expect to face the most common diseases, to train the most important medical skills, to assume full responsibility for their own patients and to acquire their own medical identity. The students fear an insufficient time frame to achieve their aims. They are also concerned they will have too little contact with patients and inadequate supervision. For the development and standardization of effective student internships, the greatest relevance should be attributed to guidance and supervision by professionally trained and well-prepared medical teachers, entailing a significant increase in staff and costs. A structural framework is required in order to transfer the responsibility for the treatment of patients to the students at an early stage in medical education and in a longitudinal manner. The data suggest that the

  9. Prevalence of potential drug–drug interactions among internal medicine ward in University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Ethiopia

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    Akshaya Srikanth Bhagavathula

    2014-05-01

    Conclusion: We have recorded a high rate of prevalence of potential DDI in the internal medicine ward of UOG hospital and a high number of clinically significant DDIs which the most prevalent DDI were of moderate severity. Careful selection of drugs and active pharmaceutical care is encouraged in order to avoid negative consequences of these interactions.

  10. Sepsis in Internal Medicine wards: current knowledge, uncertainties and new approaches for management optimization.

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    Zaccone, Vincenzo; Tosoni, Alberto; Passaro, Giovanna; Vallone, Carla Vincenza; Impagnatiello, Michele; Li Puma, Domenica Donatella; De Cosmo, Salvatore; Landolfi, Raffaele; Mirijello, Antonio

    2017-11-01

    Sepsis represents a global health problem in terms of morbidity, mortality, social and economic costs. Although usually managed in Intensive Care Units, sepsis showed an increased prevalence among Internal Medicine wards in the last decade. This is substantially due to the ageing of population and to multi-morbidity. These characteristics represent both a risk factor for sepsis and a relative contra-indication for the admission to Intensive Care Units. Although there is a lack of literature on the management of sepsis in Internal Medicine, the outcome of these patients seems to be gradually improving. This is due to Internists' increased adherence to guidelines and "bundles". The routine use of SOFA score helps physicians in the definition of septic patients, even if the optimal score has still to come. Point-of-care ultrasonography, lactates, procalcitonin and beta-d-glucan are of help for treatment optimization. The purpose of this narrative review is to focus on the management of sepsis in Internal Medicine departments, particularly on crucial concepts regarding diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment. Key Messages Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The prevalence of sepsis is constantly increasing, affecting more hospital patients than any other disease. At least half of patients affected by sepsis are admitted to Internal Medicine wards. Adherence to guidelines, routine use of clinical and lab scores and point-of-care ultrasonography are of help for early recognition of septic patients and treatment optimization.

  11. Medical ward round competence in internal medicine - an interview study towards an interprofessional development of an Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA).

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    Wölfel, Teresa; Beltermann, Esther; Lottspeich, Christian; Vietz, Elisa; Fischer, Martin R; Schmidmaier, Ralf

    2016-07-11

    The medical ward round is a central but complex activity that is of relevance from the first day of work. However, difficulties for young doctors have been reported. Instruction of ward round competence in medical curricula is hampered by the lack of a standardized description of the procedure. This paper aims to identify and describe physicians' tasks and relevant competences for conducting a medical ward round on the first day of professional work. A review of recent literature revealed known important aspects of medical ward rounds. These were used for the development of a semi-structured interview schedule. Medical ward round experts working at different hospitals were interviewed. The sample consisted of 14 ward physicians (M = 8.82 years of work experience) and 12 nurses (M = 14.55 years of work experience) working in different specializations of internal medicine. All interviews were audiotaped, fully transcribed, and analyzed using an inductive-deductive coding scheme. Nine fields of competences with 18 related sub-competences and 62 observable tasks were identified as relevant for conducting a medical ward round. Over 70 % of the experts named communication, collaborative clinical reasoning and organization as essential competences. Deeper analysis further unveiled the importance of self-management, management of difficult situations, error management and teamwork. The study is the first to picture ward round competences and related tasks in detail and to define an EPA "Conducting an internal medicine ward round" based on systematic interprofessional expert interviews. It thus provides a basis for integration of ward round competences in the medical curricula in an evidence based manner and gives a framework for the development of instructional intervention studies and comparative studies in other medical fields.

  12. Comparative study of the prevalence of sepsis in patients admitted to dermatology and internal medicine wards*

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    Almeida, Luiz Maurício Costa; Diniz, Michelle dos Santos; Diniz, Lorena dos Santos; Machado-Pinto, Jackson; Silva, Francisco Chagas Lima

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND Sepsis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. The prevalence of this condition has increased significantly in different parts of the world. Patients admitted to dermatology wards often have severe loss of skin barrier and use systemic corticosteroids, which favor the development of sepsis. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the prevalence of sepsis among patients admitted to a dermatology ward compared to that among patients admitted to an internal medicine ward. METHODS It is a cross-sectional, observational, comparative study that was conducted at Hospital Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte. Data were collected from all patients admitted to four hospital beds at the dermatology and internal medicine wards between July 2008 and July 2009. Medical records were analyzed for the occurrence of sepsis, dermatologic diagnoses, comorbidities, types of pathogens and most commonly used antibiotics. RESULTS We analyzed 185 medical records. The prevalence of sepsis was 7.6% among patients admitted to the dermatology ward and 2.2% (p = 0.10) among those admitted to the internal medicine ward. Patients with comorbidities, diabetes mellitus and cancer did not show a higher incidence of sepsis. The main agent found was Staphylococcus aureus, and the most commonly used antibiotics were ciprofloxacin and oxacillin. There was a significant association between sepsis and the use of systemic corticosteroids (p <0.001). CONCLUSION It becomes clear that epidemiological studies on sepsis should be performed more extensively and accurately in Brazil so that efforts to prevent and treat this serious disease can be made more effectively. PMID:24173179

  13. Developing skills in clinical leadership for ward sisters.

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    Fenton, Katherine; Phillips, Natasha

    The Francis report has called for a strengthening of the ward sister's role. It recommends that sisters should operate in a supervisory capacity and should not be office bound. Effective ward leadership has been recognised as being vital to high-quality patient care and experience, resource management and interprofessional working. However, there is evidence that ward sisters are ill equipped to lead effectively and lack confidence in their ability to do so. University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust has recognised that the job has become almost impossible in increasingly large and complex organisations. Ward sisters spend less than 40% of their time on clinical leadership and the trust is undertaking a number of initiatives to support them in this role.

  14. Validation of a checklist to assess ward round performance in internal medicine

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    Nørgaard, Kirsten; Ringsted, Charlotte; Dolmans, Diana

    2004-01-01

    and construct validity of the task-specific checklist. METHODS: To determine content validity, a questionnaire was mailed to 295 internists. They were requested to give their opinion on the relevance of each item included on the checklist and to indicate the comprehensiveness of the checklist. To determine...... construct validity, an observer assessed 4 groups of doctors during performance of a complete ward round (n = 32). The nurse who accompanied the doctor on rounds made a global assessment of the performance. RESULTS: The response rate to the questionnaire was 80.7%. The respondents found that all 10 items......BACKGROUND: Ward rounds are an essential responsibility for doctors in hospital settings. Tools for guiding and assessing trainees' performance of ward rounds are needed. A checklist was developed for that purpose for use with trainees in internal medicine. OBJECTIVE: To assess the content...

  15. Lernen durch aktive Partizipation in der klinischen Patientenversorgung - Machbarkeitsstudie einer internistischen PJ-Ausbildungsstation [Learning by active participation in clinical care - a feasibility study of a clinical education ward in internal medicine

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    Tauschel, Diethard

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available [english] Background and aims: The final year of the undergraduate medical curriculum in Germany consists of three 16-week rotations including one hospital-based rotation in internal medicine. The final-year program is supposed to be oriented toward real-world practice and competency-based learning. A Clinical Education Ward (CEW was developed to promote contextual and self-directed learning among medical students during their final-year rotation in internal medicine. The goal of multisource evaluation is to analyze the implications of this model in terms of patient care, ward organization, and the learning progress of medical students. Prerequisites for a “learning organization” should be established. Methods: At the CEW, final-year medical students were acting as “doctors under supervision” and taking care of patients in a ward for internal medicine. Students were instructed and closely supervised by clinical tutors. All patients admitted to the CEW were surveyed using a questionnaire to assess the implications of student involvement in clinical care. Clinical staff members (physicians, nurses, therapists were asked about changes in terms of ward organization and interprofessional teamwork. Students assessed themselves at the beginning and at the end of the rotation in terms of clinical competencies, which were developed in cooperation with the students in preparation for the CEW.The project is part of the Integrated Studies of Anthroposophic Medicine program at the University of Witten/Herdecke (Germany, which aims to foster self-directed learning. Results: Fifty-six patients on the CEW were asked to complete a survey; 34 (60.7% responded. The majority (71% saw positive implications of student involvement in clinical care. Staff members (n = 28, return: 23 or 82% were in favor of the continued implementation of the CEW as a permanent institution. Medical students of the first two rotations (n = 9 self-assessed progress in all

  16. Shielding estimation for nuclear medicine therapy ward: our experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skopljak-Beganovic, A.; Kucukalic-Selimovic, E.; Beganovic, A.; Drljevic, A.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: The aim of this study was to calculate and estimate the shielding thickness for a new Nuclear Medicine Therapy Ward. Parameters available for shielding calculation were: ground plan of the ward, radionuclides planned for use, maximum administered activity of I-131, maximum delivered activity of I-131 to the ward per week, average time spent in the hospital after the treatment. The most hazardous and most commonly used radioisotope is I-131. The target dose that needs to be met for occupationally exposed workers is 0.3 mSv per year. There are several factors that could be changed in order to achieve this value: distance from the source, shielding thickness, angle of incidence, occupational and usage factors. The maximum dose rate at 1 meter from the thyroid gland of the patient was considered to be 100 mSv/h. The distances and incidence angles could not be changed since these vales were predetermined in the ground plan. Different usage and occupational factors were used for different rooms in the ward. We used occupational factor 1 for the bed and 1/6 for the bathroom, and usage factor 1 for nurses' room and patient room and 1/6 for the corridors, etc. The easiest way of calculating dose attenuation in material was by introducing the HVL and TVL for broad beams. TVL and HVL were taken from the graph.The results show that shielding thickness should be in the range of 3 mmPb for room doors to 30 mmPb for the wall adjacent to the nurse's office. Most of the walls are 20 mmPb thick. These values were calculated using conservative assumptions and are more then enough to protect staff, patients and public from external radiation. If the construction cannot support the weight of lead some rearrangements regarding patient positions could be made. (author)

  17. Candidemia in Patients with Body Temperature Below 37°C and Admitted to Internal Medicine Wards: Assessment of Risk Factors.

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    Tascini, Carlo; Falcone, Marco; Bassetti, Matteo; De Rosa, Francesco G; Sozio, Emanuela; Russo, Alessandro; Sbrana, Francesco; Ripoli, Andrea; Merelli, Maria; Scarparo, Claudio; Carmassi, Franco; Venditti, Mario; Menichetti, Francesco

    2016-12-01

    An increasing number of candidemia episodes has been reported in patients cared for in internal medicine wards. These usually older and frail patients may not be suspected as having candidemia because they lack fever at the onset of the episode. To identify the risk factors associated with the lack of fever at the onset of candidemia (ie, the collection of the first positive blood culture for Candida spp.) in patients cared for in internal medicine wards, we compared 2 group of patients with or without fever. We retrospectively review data charts from 3 tertiary care, university hospitals in Italy, comparing patients with or without fever at onset of candidemia. Consecutive candidemic episodes in afebrile patients and matched febrile controls were identified during the 3-year study period. Patient baseline characteristics and several infection-related variables were examined. Random forest analysis was used, given the number of predictors to be considered and the potential complexity of their relations with the onset of fever. We identified 147 candidemic episodes without fever at onset and 147 febrile candidemia episodes. Factors associated with the lack of fever at onset of candidemia were diabetes, Clostridium difficile infection, and a shorter delta time from internal medicine wards admission to the onset of candidemia. The only variable associated with fever was the use of intravascular devices. Quite unexpectedly, antifungal therapy was administered more frequently to patients without fever, and no differences on 30-day mortality rate were documented in the 2 study groups. Clinicians should be aware that an increasing number of patients with invasive candidiasis cared for in internal medicine wards may lack fever at onset, especially those with diabetes and C. difficile infection. Candidemia should be suspected in patients with afebrile systemic inflammatory response syndrome or in worsening clinical condition: blood cultures should be taken, and a timely

  18. Whither the Pulmonary Ward Attending? Preserving Subspecialty Exposure in United States Internal Medicine Residency Training.

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    Santhosh, Lekshmi; Babik, Jennifer; Looney, Mark R; Hollander, Harry

    2017-04-01

    Twenty years ago, the term "hospitalist" was coined at the University of California-San Francisco (San Francisco, CA), heralding a new specialty focused on the care of inpatients. There are now more than 50,000 hospitalists practicing in the United States. At many academic medical centers, hospitalists are largely replacing subspecialists as attendings on the inpatient medicine wards. At University of California-San Francisco, this has been accompanied by declining percentages of residency graduates who enter subspecialty training in internal medicine. The decline in subspecialty medicine interest can be attributed to many factors, including differences in compensation, decreased subspecialist exposure, and a changing research funding landscape. Although there has not been systematic documentation of this trend in pulmonary and critical care medicine, we have noted previously pulmonary and critical care-bound trainees switching to hospital medicine instead. With our broad, multiorgan system perspective, pulmonary and critical care faculty should embrace teaching general medicine. Residency programs have instituted creative solutions to encourage more internal medicine residents to pursue careers in subspecialty medicine. Some solutions include creating rotations that promote more contact with subspecialists and physician-scientists, creating clinician-educator tracks within fellowship programs, and appointing subspecialists to internal medicine residency leadership positions. We need more rigorous research to track the trends and implications of the generalist-specialist balance of inpatient ward teams on resident career choices, and learn what interventions affect those choices.

  19. Comparison of student learning in the out-patient clinic and ward round.

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    Davis, M H; Dent, J A

    1994-05-01

    In undergraduate medical education there is a trend away from ward-based teaching towards out-patient and community-based teaching. To study the potential effects of this altered emphasis on student learning, a pilot group of final-year medical students at the University of Dundee was asked to keep individual structured log-books. These contained details of patients seen during their 3-week orthopaedic attachment in both a ward and out-patient setting. A comparison of perceived learning in the two settings showed that students learned more from attending an out-patient clinic than a ward round, but did not make full use of the learning potential of either. The setting did not particularly influence the balance of learning as categorized here but only the ward round supplied experience of surgical complications. The amount of learning taking place in an out-patient clinic was influenced by student ability, measured by examination performance, but not by clinic work-load. The implications of increased use of out-patient clinics and the advantages and disadvantages of the approach employed are discussed. It is concluded that in the situation studied student learning in the outpatient setting is as good as or superior to the ward setting but should not totally replace it.

  20. [Withholding and withdrawing treatment in patients admitted in an Internal Medicine ward].

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    García Caballero, R; Herreros, B; Real de Asúa, D; Alonso, R; Barrera, M M; Castilla, V

    2016-01-01

    Many of the patients admitted to a general medical ward have a compromised quality of life, or short life expectancy, so they are potential candidates for withhold/withdraw (WH/WD) treatment. The first objectif was to describe which measures were WH/WD among patients who died during their admission in a general medical ward from a tertiary hospital in Madrid. Secondly, to define the clinical characteristics of this population. A cross-sectional descriptive study during 6 months from 2011 and 2012 of all the patients dead while their admission in the Internal Medicine Department. 2007 patients were admitted, 211 died (10.5%). 121 (57%) were female, with 85±9 years of mean age. 103 (48.8%) came from a residential facility and 105 fulfilled terminality criteria (49.8%). One decision to WH/WD treatment was made in 182 patients (86.3%, CI 95%: 81.4-91.1), two in 99 cases (46.9%, CI 95%: 39.9-53.9) and 3 or more in 31 subjects (14.7%, CI 95%: 9.6-19.7). The most frequent decisions involved do-not-resuscitate orders (154, 73.0%), rejection of «aggressive treatment measures» (80, 38.0%), use of antibiotics (19, 9.0%), admission in ICU (18, 8.5%), and/or surgical treatment (11, 5.2%). WH/WD treatment is very frequent among patients who died in a general medical ward. The most frequent involved do-not-resuscitate orders and rejection of «aggressive treatment measures». WH/WD decisions are adopted in an elderly population, with extensive comorbidity and an elevated prevalence of advanced dementia and/or terminal disease. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  1. Medical academia clinical experiences of Ward Round Teaching curriculum.

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    Haghani, Fariba; Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran Soltani; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Alavi, Mousa; Omid, Athar

    2014-01-01

    Medical students spend most of their time in hospital wards and it is necessary to study clinical educational opportunities. This study was aimed to explore faculty members' experience on Ward Round Teaching content. This qualitative study was conducted by purposive sampling with the maximum variation of major clinical departments faculty members in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (n = 9). Data gathering was based on deep and semi-structured interviews. Data gathering continued till data saturation. Data was analyzed through the Collaizzi method and validated. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of data (credibility, dependability, conformability, transferability) were employed (Guba and Lincoln). Basic codes extracted from the analyzed data were categorized into two main themes and related subthemes, including (1) tangible teachings (analytic intelligence, technical intelligence, legal duties) and (2) implied teachings (professionalism, professional discipline, professional difficulties). Ward round teaching is a valuable opportunity for learners to learn not only patient care aspects but also ethical values. By appropriate planning, opportunities can be used to teach capabilities that are expected of general practitioners.

  2. Medical academia clinical experiences of Ward Round Teaching curriculum

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    Fariba Haghani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Medical students spend most of their time in hospital wards and it is necessary to study clinical educational opportunities. This study was aimed to explore faculty members′ experience on Ward Round Teaching content. Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted by purposive sampling with the maximum variation of major clinical departments faculty members in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (n = 9. Data gathering was based on deep and semi-structured interviews. Data gathering continued till data saturation.Data was analyzed through the Collaizzi method and validated. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of data (credibility, dependability, conformability, transferability were employed (Guba and Lincoln. Results: Basic codes extracted from the analyzed data were categorized into two main themes and related subthemes, including (1 tangible teachings (analytic intelligence, technical intelligence, legal duties and (2 implied teachings (professionalism, professional discipline, professional difficulties. Conclusion: Ward round teaching is a valuable opportunity for learners to learn not only patient care aspects but also ethical values. By appropriate planning, opportunities can be used to teach capabilities that are expected of general practitioners.

  3. Moral maps and medical imaginaries: clinical tourism at Malawi's College of Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendland, Claire L

    2012-01-01

    At an understaffed and underresourced urban African training hospital, Malawian medical students learn to be doctors while foreign medical students, visiting Malawi as clinical tourists on short-term electives, learn about “global health.” Scientific ideas circulate fast there; clinical tourists circulate readily from outside to Malawi but not the reverse; medical technologies circulate slowly, erratically, and sometimes not at all. Medicine's uneven globalization is on full display. I extend scholarship on moral imaginations and medical imaginaries to propose that students map these wards variously as places in which—or from which—they seek a better medicine. Clinical tourists, enacting their own moral maps, also become representatives of medicine “out there”: points on the maps of others. Ethnographic data show that for Malawians, clinical tourists are colleagues, foils against whom they construct ideas about a superior and distinctly Malawian medicine and visions of possible alternative futures for themselves.

  4. Exploring ward nurses' perceptions of continuing education in clinical settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govranos, Melissa; Newton, Jennifer M

    2014-04-01

    Health care systems demand that nurses are flexible skilful workers who maintain currency and competency in order to deliver safe effective patient centered care. Nurses must continually build best practice into their care and acquire lifelong learning. Often this learning is acquired within the work environment and is facilitated by the clinical nurse educator. Understanding clinical nurses' values and needs of continuing education is necessary to ensure appropriate education service delivery and thus enhance patient care. To explore clinical ward-based nurses' values and perceptions towards continuing education and what factors impact on continuing education in the ward. A case study approach was utilized. A major teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. A range of clinical nursing staff (n=23). Four focus groups and six semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken. Focus group interviews explored participants' values and perceptions on continuing education through a values clarification tool. Thematic analysis of interviews was undertaken to identify themes and cluster data. Three central themes: 'culture and attitudes', 'what is learning?' and 'being there-being seen', emerged reflecting staffs' values and perceptions of education and learning in the workplace. Multiple factors influence ward nurses' ability and motivation to incorporate lifelong learning into their practice. Despite variance in nurses' values and perceptions of CE in clinical environments, CE was perceived as important. Nurses yearned for changes to facilitate lifelong learning and cultivate a learning culture. Clinical nurse educators need to be cognizant of adult learners' characteristics such as values, beliefs, needs and potential barriers, to effectively facilitate support in a challenging and complex learning environment. Organizational support is essential so ward managers in conjunction with educational departments can promote and sustain continuing education, lifelong

  5. Supervisors' pedagogical role at a clinical education ward - an ethnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manninen, Katri; Henriksson, Elisabet Welin; Scheja, Max; Silén, Charlotte

    2015-01-01

    Clinical practice is essential for health care students. The supervisor's role and how supervision should be organized are challenging issues for educators and clinicians. Clinical education wards have been established to meet these challenges and they are units with a pedagogical framework facilitating students' training in real clinical settings. Supervisors support students to link together theoretical and practical knowledge and skills. From students' perspectives, clinical education wards have shown potential to enhance students' learning. Thus there is a need for deeper understanding of supervisors' pedagogical role in this context. We explored supervisors' approaches to students' learning at a clinical education ward where students are encouraged to independently take care of patients. An ethnographic approach was used to study encounters between patients, students and supervisors. The setting was a clinical education ward for nursing students at a university hospital. Ten observations with ten patients, 11 students and five supervisors were included in the study. After each observation, individual follow-up interviews with all participants and a group interview with supervisors were conducted. Data were analysed using an ethnographic approach. Supervisors' pedagogical role has to do with balancing patient care and student learning. The students were given independence, which created pedagogical challenges for the supervisors. They handled these challenges by collaborating as a supervisory team and taking different acts of supervision such as allowing students their independence, being there for students and by applying patient-centredness. The supervisors' pedagogical role was perceived as to facilitate students' learning as a team. Supervisors were both patient- and student-centred by making a nursing care plan for the patients and a learning plan for the students. The plans were guided by clinical and pedagogical guidelines, individually adjusted and

  6. Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections in internal medicine wards: old and new drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falcone, Marco; Concia, Ercole; Giusti, Massimo; Mazzone, Antonino; Santini, Claudio; Stefani, Stefania; Violi, Francesco

    2016-08-01

    Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a common cause of hospital admission among elderly patients, and traditionally have been divided into complicated and uncomplicated SSTIs. In 2010, the FDA provided a new classification of these infections, and a new category of disease, named acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs), has been proposed as an independent clinical entity. ABSSSIs include three entities: cellulitis and erysipelas, wound infections, and major cutaneous abscesses This paper revises the epidemiology of SSTIs and ABSSSIs with regard to etiologies, diagnostic techniques, and clinical presentation in the hospital settings. Particular attention is owed to frail patients with multiple comorbidities and underlying significant disease states, hospitalized on internal medicine wards or residing in nursing homes, who appear to be at increased risk of infection due to multi-drug resistant pathogens and treatment failures. Management of ABSSSIs and SSTIs, including evaluation of the hemodynamic state, surgical intervention and treatment with appropriate antibiotic therapy are extensively discussed.

  7. Multi-Criteria Knapsack Problem for Disease Selection in an Observation Ward

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lurkittikul, N; Kittithreerapronchai, O

    2014-01-01

    The aging population and the introduction of Thailand universal healthcare have increased inpatients and outpatients to public hospitals, particularly to a hospital that provides special and comprehensive health services. Many inpatient wards have experienced large influx of inpatients as the hospitals have to admit all patients regardless their conditions. These overcrowding wards cause stress to medical staffs, block access between medical departments, hospital-acquired infections, and ineffective uses of resources. One way to manage such inundated inpatient is to select some patients whose conditions require less clinical attention or whose lengths of stay are predictable and short and, then, place them at an observation ward. This intermediate ward increases turnover of beds and reduces unnecessary paperwork as patients are considered to be outpatients. In this article, we studied inpatient data of a tertiary care hospital in which an observation ward was considered to alleviate the overcrowding problem at Internal Medicine Department. The analysis of data showed that the hospital can balance inpatient flow by managing a group of patients who is admitted because of treatments ordered by its special clinics. Having explored several alternatives, we suggested patient selection criteria and proposed a layout at an observation ward. The hospital should increase medical beds in a new building ward because the current observation ward can handle 27.3% of total short stay patients, while the observation ward is projected to handle 80% of total short stay patients

  8. Multi-Criteria Knapsack Problem for Disease Selection in an Observation Ward

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lurkittikul, N.; Kittithreerapronchai, O.

    2014-06-01

    The aging population and the introduction of Thailand universal healthcare have increased inpatients and outpatients to public hospitals, particularly to a hospital that provides special and comprehensive health services. Many inpatient wards have experienced large influx of inpatients as the hospitals have to admit all patients regardless their conditions. These overcrowding wards cause stress to medical staffs, block access between medical departments, hospital-acquired infections, and ineffective uses of resources. One way to manage such inundated inpatient is to select some patients whose conditions require less clinical attention or whose lengths of stay are predictable and short and, then, place them at an observation ward. This intermediate ward increases turnover of beds and reduces unnecessary paperwork as patients are considered to be outpatients. In this article, we studied inpatient data of a tertiary care hospital in which an observation ward was considered to alleviate the overcrowding problem at Internal Medicine Department. The analysis of data showed that the hospital can balance inpatient flow by managing a group of patients who is admitted because of treatments ordered by its special clinics. Having explored several alternatives, we suggested patient selection criteria and proposed a layout at an observation ward. The hospital should increase medical beds in a new building ward because the current observation ward can handle 27.3% of total short stay patients, while the observation ward is projected to handle 80% of total short stay patients.

  9. [The relative's need of participation in the care plan in a general medicine ward].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artioli, Giovanna; Finotto, Stefano; Paverelli, Luisa; Carpanoni, Marika; Casadei, Elena Turroni

    2006-01-01

    All the scientific literature agrees on the fact that the shelter in hospital is a delicate moment for the patient. Also for relatives the shelter in hospital of their dear one is not of easy management, often they are excluded, insecure, alone and with a frankly uncertain role. The purpose of this study is to explore the role and the needs perceived from the relatives of an in-patient in a general medicine unit and to explore which role and which needs of the relatives are perceived from the nurses of a same ward. The sample of the study consisted of 49 relatives of in-patients in the ward of Medicina III dell'Azienda Ospedaliera di Reggio Emilia and of 18 nurses of the same ward. It was found that information is the most important need expressed by the relatives and that for the nurses is hard to satisfy it. Moreover, the nurses haven't a clear idea of the relative's role and they are inclined to exclude them from the care project.

  10. The effects of introducing a clinical pharmacist on orthopaedic wards in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buck, Thomas Croft; Brandstrup, Lene; Brandslund, Ivan

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects and cost effects of introducing clinical pharmacists on hospital wards. METHODS: Comparative prospective study on four orthopaedic surgical wards in two hospitals. The primary effect variables were 10 target areas widely considered to be indicators of good...... prescription practice. Prescriptions not following good practice in these intervention areas were defined as "sub-optimal prescriptions," and then discussed between a physician and a clinical pharmacist. The primary parameter was the difference in the number of days with a sub-optimal prescription (Mann......-Whitney test). RESULTS: On an average 20% of all the patients had a sub-optimal prescription. Of these, 70% were changed by the physician after intervention by the clinical pharmacist. There was a statistically significant difference in the duration of days in treatment with a sub-optimal prescription. Where...

  11. Geriatric consultation services-are wards more effective than teams?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Ian D; Kurrle, Susan

    2013-02-22

    Geriatric consultation teams are one of the models for bringing comprehensive geriatric assessment to vulnerable and frail older people in the acute care hospital setting. While ward-based comprehensive geriatric assessment has been established as effective with reference to improving functional status and other outcomes, the team-based variant remains unproven for outcomes other than mortality in the medium term, as shown in a recent study published in BMC Medicine by Deschodt and colleagues. Further research might establish the effectiveness of the team-based model but, for current clinical practice, the emphasis should be on streaming older people with complex problems needing multidisciplinary assessment and treatment to ward-based models of comprehensive geriatric assessment.

  12. Medical students' opportunities to participate and learn from activities at an internal medicine ward: an ethnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hägg-Martinell, A; Hult, H; Henriksson, P; Kiessling, A

    2017-02-14

    To optimise medical students' early clerkship is a complex task since it is conducted in a context primarily organised to take care of patients. Previous studies have explored medical students' perceptions of facilitation and hindrance of learning. However, the opportunities for medical student to learn within the culture of acute medicine care have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore how medical students approach, interact and socialise in an acute internal medicine ward context, and how spaces for learning are created and used in such a culture. Ethnographic observations were performed of medical students' interactions and learning during early clerkship at an acute internal medicine care ward. Field notes were taken, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Data analysis was guided by Wenger's theory of communities of practice. 21 medical students and 30 supervisors participated. Two themes were identified: Nervousness and curiosity- students acted nervously and stressed, especially when they could not answer questions. Over time curiosity could evolve. Unexplored opportunities to support students in developing competence to judge and approach more complex patient-related problems were identified. Invited and involved -students were exposed to a huge variation of opportunities to learn, and to interact and to be involved. Short placements seemed to disrupt the learning process. If and how students became involved also depended on supervisors' activities and students' initiatives. This study shed light on how an acute internal medicine ward culture can facilitate medical students' possibilities to participate and learn. Medical students' learning situations were characterised by questions and answers rather than challenging dialogues related to the complexity of presented patient cases. Further, students experienced continuous transfers between learning situations where the potential to be involved differed in a wide variety of ways. Published

  13. Severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: management with noninvasive ventilation on a general medicine ward

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sirio Fiorino

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Recent evidence suggests that, with a well-trained staff, severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD with moderate respiratory acidosis (pH > 7.3 can be successfully treated with noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV on a general respiratory care ward. We conducted an open prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of this approach on a general medicine ward. Material and methods: This study population consisted in 27 patients admitted to a general medicine ward (median nurse:patient ratio 1:12 December 1, 2004 May 31, 2006 for acute COPD exacerbation with hypercapnic respiratory failure and acidosis (arterial pH < 7.34, PaC02 > 45 mmHg. All received assist-mode NIMV (average 12 h / day via oronasal masks (inspiratory pressure 10-25 cm H2O, expiratory pressure 4-6 cm H2O to maintain O2 saturation at 90-95%. Treatment was supervised by an experienced pulmonologist, who had also provided specific training in NIMV for medical and nursing staffs (90-day course followed by periodic refresher sessions. Arterial blood pressure, O2 saturation, and respiratory rate were continuously monitored during NIMV. Based on baseline arterial pH, the COPD was classified as moderate (7.25-7.34 or severe (< 7.25. Results: In patients with moderate and severe COPD, significant improvements were seen in arterial pH after 2 (p < 0.05 and 24 h (p< 0.05 of NIMV and in the PaC02 after 24 hours (p < 0.05. Four (15% of the 27 patients died during the study hospitalization (in-hospital mortality 15%, in 2 cases due to NIMV failure. For the other 23, mean long-term survival was 14.5 months (95% CI 10.2 to 18.8, and no significant differences were found between the moderate and severe groups. Over half (61% the patients were alive 1 year after admission. Conclusions: NIMV can be a cost-effective option for management of moderate or severe COPD on a general medicine ward. Its proper use requires: close monitoring of ventilated subjects

  14. Assessment of Measurement Tools of Observation Rate of Nursing Handover Standards in Clinical Wards of Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saadi Amini

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives : In health centers, clinical information of patient is transferred among care staffs regularly. One of the common cases in information transferring is during the time of nurses’ handover in hospital which performing it correctly will help schedule patient care, providing safety and facilitating exact transferring of information. The aim of this study is investigating validity and reliability of assessment of observance rate of shift handover in clinical wards checklist. Material and Methods : In order to determine the reliability of checklist, two experts panel meetings were held with the presence of 10 experts in clinical field that in those meetings the reliability was investigated with discussion and consensus of participants. Checklist validity was investigated through pilot study in 4 wards of 4 hospitals and calculated by Kronbach- alpha method with 28 cases of shifts handover in morning, noon, and night shift. Results : In studying reliability, the primary checklist was divided into two checklists: patient handover, equipments and ward handover that included 27 and 72 items, respectively. The reliability of patient handover checklist was verified with 0.9155 Kronbach-alpha and that of equipments and ward handover was verified with 0.8779 Kronbach-alpha. Conclusion : Verifying checklists by mentioned scientific and statistical methods showed that these are very powerful instruments that can be used as one of the assessment tools of shift handover in clinical wards to be used towards promoting received services by customers of healthcare system.

  15. Clinical leadership for high-quality care: developing future ward leaders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enterkin, Judith; Robb, Elizabeth; McLaren, Susan

    2013-03-01

    This paper reports upon the development, delivery and evaluation of a leadership programme for aspiring Ward Leaders in one National Health Service Trust in England. The ward sister role is fundamental to quality patient care and clinical leadership, however the role is increasingly difficult to recruit to. A lack of formal preparation and skills development for the role has been widely acknowledged. An evaluation of a programme of education for leadership. Three cohorts (n = 60) completed the programme. Semi-structured questionnaires were completed by participants (n = 36: 60%) at the conclusion of the programme. Qualitative data from questionnaires was analysed using a thematic approach. Participants reported increased political, organizational and self-awareness, increased confidence, feelings of empowerment and the ability to empower others. Opportunities for networking with peers were valued within the action learning approach. For some participants, career intentions were clarified through reflection. The majority of participants had benefited from the leadership programme and valued this development as an empowering preparation for future careers. Investment in leadership preparation for future ward sister roles is strongly recommended as part of a strategy designed to enhance quality improvement, career path development, workforce empowerment and retention. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Structured patient handoff on an internal medicine ward: A cluster randomized control trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Penny; Nijjar, Aman P; Fok, Mark; Little, Chris; Shingina, Alexandra; Bittman, Jesse; Raghavan, Rashmi; Khan, Nadia A

    2018-01-01

    The effect of a multi-faceted handoff strategy in a high volume internal medicine inpatient setting on process and patient outcomes has not been clearly established. We set out to determine if a multi-faceted handoff intervention consisting of education, standardized handoff procedures, including fixed time and location for face-to-face handoff would result in improved rates of handoff compared with usual practice. We also evaluated resident satisfaction, health resource utilization and clinical outcomes. This was a cluster randomized controlled trial in a large academic tertiary care center with 18 inpatient internal medicine ward teams from January-April 2013. We randomized nine inpatient teams to an intervention where they received an education session standardizing who and how to handoff patients, with practice and feedback from facilitators. The control group of 9 teams continued usual non-standardized handoffs. The primary process outcome was the rate of patients handed over per 1000 patient nights. Other process outcomes included perceptions of inadequate handoff by overnight physicians, resource utilization overnight and hospital length of stay. Clinical outcomes included medical errors, frequency of patients requiring higher level of care overnight, and in-hospital mortality. The intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in the rate of patients handed over to the overnight physician (62.90/1000 person-nights vs. 46.86/1000 person-nights, p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in other process outcomes except resource utilization was increased in the intervention group (26.35/1000 person-days vs. 17.57/1000 person-days, p-value = 0.01). There was no significant difference between groups in medical errors (4.8% vs. 4.1%), need for higher level of care or in hospital mortality. Limitations include a dependence of accurate record keeping by the overnight physician, the possibility of cross-contamination in the handoff process, analysis at

  17. [Direct costs and clinical aspects of adverse drug reactions in patients admitted to a level 3 hospital internal medicine ward].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tribiño, Gabriel; Maldonado, Carlos; Segura, Omar; Díaz, Jorge

    2006-03-01

    Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occur frequently in hospitals and increase costs of health care; however, few studies have quantified the clinical and economic impact of ADRs in Colombia. These impacts were evaluated by calculating costs associated with ADRs in patients hospitalized in the internal medicine ward of a Level 3 hospital located in Bogotá, Colombia. In addition, salient clinical features of ADRs were identified and characterized. Intensive follow-ups for a cohort of patients were conducted for a five month period in order to detect ADRs; different ways to classify them, according to literature, were considered as well. Information was collected using the INVIMA reporting format, and causal probability was evaluated with the Naranjo algorithm. Direct costs were calculated from the perspective of payer, based on the following costs: additional hospital stay, medications, paraclinical tests, additional procedures, patient displacement to intermediate or intensive care units, and other costs. Of 836 patients admitted to the service, 268 adverse drug reactions were detected in 208 patients (incidence proportion 25.1%, occurence rate 0.32). About the ADRs found, 74.3% were classified as probable, 92.5% were type A, and 81.3% were moderate. The body system most often affected was the circulatory system (33.9%). Drugs acting on the blood were most frequently those ones associated with adverse reactions (37.6%). The costs resulting from medical care of adverse drug reactions varied from COL dollar 93,633,422 (USD dollar 35,014.92) to COL dollar 122,155,406 (USD dollar 45,680.94), according to insurance type, during the study period. Adverse drug reactions have a significant negative health and financial impact on patient welfare. Because of the substantial resources required for their medical care and the significant proportion of preventable adverse reactions, active programs of institutional pharmacovigilance are highly recommended.

  18. Improving clinical handover in a paediatric ward: implications for nursing management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mannix, Trudi; Parry, Yvonne; Roderick, Allison

    2017-04-01

    To describe how nursing staff in a paediatric ward improved the conduct of clinical handover, using a practise development approach. ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) is a mnemonic tool to aid the safe transfer of patient information in clinical handover. The nurses identified the need to improve the use of ISBAR, and other issues related to handover that could compromise patient safety and constrain family-centred care. Sixty-one percent of nurses on the ward contributed to issue identification and the design of the educational material, including a set of written and video resources and incorporating the role of a handover coach. Staff performance was evaluated before and after access to the resources using self-administered Likert scales, observation and a focus group. After the intervention, there was a stronger relationship between the participants' understanding of ISBAR and their application of it in handover. Further, there were statistically significant increases in improved handover practises, including family inclusion and safety checks. A practise development approach is useful in the provision of education to guide clinical performance in patient handover. Nurse managers can use this approach to empower their staff to make positive changes to practise. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Analysis of Personal Dosimetry for Nuclear Medicine Staff in Ten-Year Period

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poropat, M.; Dodig, D.; Ciglar, M.; Tezak, S.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the value of personal dosimetry for nuclear medicine personnel in our department in a ten-year period. We have analyzed personal doses for 80 employees in nuclear medicine in a ten year period that we divided into two five year periods (from 2000 to 2004 and from 2005 to 2009). The personnel was dived into 8 groups according to their working assignments due to different radiation exposure from various radioisotopes in different wards in nuclear medicine: nuclear medicine specialists, technologists in scintigraphy ward, personnel of physics ward, ward for radiochemistry and radioimmunology, clinical ward and ultrasound ward, cleaning personnel, administrative personnel. We have compared average dose per person in particular ward in two five year periods. All doses for all personnel were in the permissible limits prescribed by the authorities. Higher average dose per person in a first five year period was detected in two wards, scintigraphy ward and ward for radiochemistry and radioimmunology due to the nature of their working assignments (preparation and application of radiopharmaceuticals, contact with patients who have received radiopharmaceutical). The decrease in the average dose per person was noticed in a second five-year period, especially in the wards with personnel that had no prior education in ionizing radiation protection. The decrease of dose was from 7.5 % to 84.2 %. We think that the decrease of average dose per person in a second five-year period was not only the result of the increased personal protection measures but also the result of continuing education of nuclear medicine personnel that is obligatory by the Law for ionizing radiation protection from year 1999, and the results from a ten-year period show its positive effect on radiation protection. (author)

  20. Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morphet, Julia; Hood, Kerry; Cant, Robyn; Baulch, Julie; Gilbee, Alana; Sandry, Kate

    2014-01-01

    The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students' educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student "teams" leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the "inner circle", or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38), students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students' clinical learning and preparation for practice.

  1. Measurements of Radon Concentration in Several Wards of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo...

    OpenAIRE

    , Y. Halimi; , S. Kadiri; , G. Hodolli; , B. Xhafa; , A. Jonuzaj

    2016-01-01

    Understanding that what’s the level of environment pollution from radioactive pollutant in some wards of UCCK (University Clinical Center of Kosovo) in Prishtina are made measurements of α radiation which is the product of 222Rn and have been read doses of TLD to some staff workers in three wards of UCCK. All this is done to see the risk level of possible pollution. Concentration of radon 222Rn is measured with device CRM-510 portable instruments. During the measurements the apparatus has rec...

  2. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii on computer interface surfaces of hospital wards and association with clinical isolates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Ling

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Computer keyboards and mice are potential reservoirs of nosocomial pathogens, but routine disinfection for non-water-proof computer devices is a problem. With better hand hygiene compliance of health-care workers (HCWs, the impact of these potential sources of contamination on clinical infection needs to be clarified. Methods This study was conducted in a 1600-bed medical center of southern Taiwan with 47 wards and 282 computers. With education and monitoring program of hand hygiene for HCWs, the average compliance rate was 74% before our surveillance. We investigated the association of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, three leading hospital-acquired pathogens, from ward computer keyboards, mice and from clinical isolates in non-outbreak period by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and antibiogram. Results Our results revealed a 17.4% (49/282 contamination rate of these computer devices by S. aureus, Acinetobacter spp. or Pseudomonas spp. The contamination rates of MRSA and A. baumannii in the ward computers were 1.1% and 4.3%, respectively. No P. aeruginosa was isolated. All isolates from computers and clinical specimens at the same ward showed different pulsotypes. However, A. baumannii isolates on two ward computers had the same pulsotype. Conclusion With good hand hygiene compliance, we found relatively low contamination rates of MRSA, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii on ward computer interface, and without further contribution to nosocomial infection. Our results suggested no necessity of routine culture surveillance in non-outbreak situation.

  3. Identification of the benefits, enablers and barriers to integrating junior pharmacists into the ward team within one UK-based hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hung MY

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Man Yui Hung,1 David John Wright,2 Jeanette Blacklock,2 Richard John Needle1,2 1Pharmacy Department, Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Colchester, 2School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK Introduction: A high nurse-vacancy rate combined with high numbers of applications for junior pharmacist roles resulted in Colchester Hospital University National Health System Foundation Trust trial employing junior pharmacists into traditional nursing posts with the aim of integrating pharmacists into the ward team and enhancing local medicines optimization. The aim of the evaluation was to describe the implementation process and practice of the integrated care pharmacists (ICPs in order to inform future innovations of a similar nature.Methods: Four band 6 ward-based ICPs were employed on two wards funded within current ward staffing expenditure. With ethical committee approval, interviews were undertaken with the ICPs and focus groups with ward nurses, senior ward nurses and members of the medical team. Data were analyzed thematically to identify service benefits, barriers and enablers. Routine ward performance data were obtained from the two ICP wards and two wards selected as comparators. Appropriate statistical tests were performed to identify differences in performance.Results: Four ICPs were interviewed, and focus groups were undertaken with three junior nurses, four senior nurses and three medical practitioners. Service enablers were continuous ward time, undertaking drug administration, positive feedback and use of effective communication methods. Barriers were planning, funding model, career development, and interprofessional working and social isolation. ICPs were believed to save nurse time and improve medicines safety. The proportion of patients receiving medicine reconciliation within 24 hours increased significantly in the ICP wards. All ICPs had resigned from their role within 12 months.Discussion: It was

  4. Identification of the benefits, enablers and barriers to integrating junior pharmacists into the ward team within one UK-based hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Man Yui; Wright, David John; Blacklock, Jeanette; Needle, Richard John

    2017-01-01

    A high nurse-vacancy rate combined with high numbers of applications for junior pharmacist roles resulted in Colchester Hospital University National Health System Foundation Trust trial employing junior pharmacists into traditional nursing posts with the aim of integrating pharmacists into the ward team and enhancing local medicines optimization. The aim of the evaluation was to describe the implementation process and practice of the integrated care pharmacists (ICPs) in order to inform future innovations of a similar nature. Four band 6 ward-based ICPs were employed on two wards funded within current ward staffing expenditure. With ethical committee approval, interviews were undertaken with the ICPs and focus groups with ward nurses, senior ward nurses and members of the medical team. Data were analyzed thematically to identify service benefits, barriers and enablers. Routine ward performance data were obtained from the two ICP wards and two wards selected as comparators. Appropriate statistical tests were performed to identify differences in performance. Four ICPs were interviewed, and focus groups were undertaken with three junior nurses, four senior nurses and three medical practitioners. Service enablers were continuous ward time, undertaking drug administration, positive feedback and use of effective communication methods. Barriers were planning, funding model, career development, and interprofessional working and social isolation. ICPs were believed to save nurse time and improve medicines safety. The proportion of patients receiving medicine reconciliation within 24 hours increased significantly in the ICP wards. All ICPs had resigned from their role within 12 months. It was believed that by locating pharmacists on the ward full time and allowing them to undertake medicines administration and medicines reconciliation, the nursing time would be saved and medicines safety improved. There was however significant learning to be derived from the implementation

  5. Reviving post-take surgical ward round teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Force, Jade; Thomas, Ian; Buckley, Frances

    2014-04-01

    Learning in the clinical environment is an important feature of medical education. Ward-round teaching leads to relevant, applied and lasting learning of knowledge, skills and attitudes; however, on fast-paced ward rounds in specialties such as general surgery, the student experience is often suboptimal, and teaching can be overlooked. Clinical teaching fellows (CTFs) are postgraduate doctors ranging from foundation year-2 (FY2) level through to specialty trainees, who have elected to spend up to 2 years out of the programme to teach medical undergraduates. This article explores whether CTFs can successfully support the regular delivery of undergraduate medical teaching on the busy post-take surgical ward round (PTSWR). The CTFs at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, planned and facilitated weekly, structured teaching sessions to accompany the PTSWR. This educational intervention was evaluated using pre- and post-intervention student questionnaires. The questionnaires focused on student enjoyment and depth of learning using Likert scales and free-text components. Students were also asked about barriers to learning on typical PTSWRs. The consultant surgeons leading on these rounds were issued separate questionnaires, to gauge their evaluation of CTF support. The main barrier to effective undergraduate ward round teaching was a lack of time on the part of clinical staff. Ward rounds accompanied by CTF support significantly increased student enjoyment (p student satisfaction, and was welcomed by clinical staff. CTF support could be widened to other busy ward rounds, e.g. acute medical takes, to enhance student learning and reduce the teaching burden on clinical faculty staff. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Lost in hospital: a qualitative interview study that explores the perceptions of NHS inpatients who spent time on clinically inappropriate hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goulding, Lucy; Adamson, Joy; Watt, Ian; Wright, John

    2015-10-01

    Prior research suggests that the placement of patients on clinically inappropriate hospital wards may increase the risk of experiencing patient safety issues. To explore patients' perspectives of the quality and safety of the care received during their inpatient stay on a clinically inappropriate hospital ward. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Nineteen patients who had spent time on at least one clinically inappropriate ward during their hospital stay at a large NHS teaching hospital in England. Patients would prefer to be treated on the correct specialty ward, but it is generally accepted that this may not be possible. When patients are placed on inappropriate wards, they may lack a sense of belonging. Participants commented on potential failings in communication, medical staff availability, nurses' knowledge and the resources available, each of which may contribute to unsafe care. Patients generally acknowledge the need for placement on inappropriate wards due to demand for inpatient beds, but may report dissatisfaction in terms of preference and belonging. Importantly, patients recount issues resulting from this placement that may compromise their safety. Hospital managers should be encouraged to appreciate this insight and potential threat to safe practice and where possible avoid inappropriate ward transfers and admissions. Where such admissions are unavoidable, staff should take action to address the gaps in safety of care that have been identified. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Developing non-technical ward-round skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Rachel; Mellanby, Edward; Dearden, Effie; Medjoub, Karima; Edgar, Simon

    2015-10-01

    Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform. There is evidence that newly qualified doctors are not adequately prepared by their undergraduate experiences for this task. The aim of this study was to analyse the challenges pertaining to non-technical skills that students would face during ward rounds, and to create a model that facilitates the transition from medical student to doctor. A total of 217 final-year medical students completed a simulated ward round. Free-text responses were analysed using template analysis applying an a priori template developed from the literature by the research team. This drew on the generic categories of non-technical skills suggested by Flin et al. Ninety-seven per cent of students agreed or strongly agreed that the simulated ward round improved their insight into the challenges of ward rounds and their perceived ability to work efficiently as an active member of the ward round. The responding students (206) submitted written feedback describing the learning that they planned to use: 800 learning points were recorded, and all could be categorised into one of seven non-technical skills. Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform We believe that improved task efficiency and insight into the challenges of the ward round gained by medical students will lead to an enhancement in performance during clinical rounds, and will have a positive impact on patient safety. We would suggest that undergraduate medical schools consider this model in the preparation for the clinical practice element of the curriculum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Challenges of the ward round teaching based on the experiences of medical clinical teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamran Soltani Arabshahi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Holding educational sessions in a clinical environment is a major concern for faculty members because of its special difficulties and restrictions. This study attempts to recognize the challenges of the ward round teaching through investigating the experiences of clinical teachers in 2011. Materials and Methods: This qualitative research is carried out through purposive sampling with maximum variation from among the clinical teachers of major departments in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (9 persons. The sampling continued until data saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interview and analyzed through Collaizzi method. Data reliability and validity was confirmed through the four aspects of Lincoln and Guba method (credibility, conformability, transferability, and dependability. Results: Three major themes and their related sub-themes (minor themes were found out including the factors related to the triad of clinical teaching (patient, learner, and clinical teacher (concern about patient′s welfare, poor preparation, lack of motivation, ethical problems, factors related to the educational environment (stressful environment, humiliating environment and poor communication and the factors related to the educational system of the clinical environment (poor organizing and arrangement of resources, poor system′s monitoring, bad planning and inadequate resource. Conclusion: Ward round teaching has many concerns for teachers, and this should be recognized and resolved by authorities and teachers. If these problems are not resolved, it would affect the quality of clinical teaching.

  9. Challenges of the ward round teaching based on the experiences of medical clinical teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arabshahi, Kamran Soltani; Haghani, Fariba; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Omid, Athar; Adibi, Peyman

    2015-03-01

    Holding educational sessions in a clinical environment is a major concern for faculty members because of its special difficulties and restrictions. This study attempts to recognize the challenges of the ward round teaching through investigating the experiences of clinical teachers in 2011. This qualitative research is carried out through purposive sampling with maximum variation from among the clinical teachers of major departments in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (9 persons). The sampling continued until data saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interview and analyzed through Collaizzi method. Data reliability and validity was confirmed through the four aspects of Lincoln and Guba method (credibility, conformability, transferability, and dependability). Three major themes and their related sub-themes (minor themes) were found out including the factors related to the triad of clinical teaching (patient, learner, and clinical teacher) (concern about patient's welfare, poor preparation, lack of motivation, ethical problems), factors related to the educational environment (stressful environment, humiliating environment and poor communication) and the factors related to the educational system of the clinical environment (poor organizing and arrangement of resources, poor system's monitoring, bad planning and inadequate resource). Ward round teaching has many concerns for teachers, and this should be recognized and resolved by authorities and teachers. If these problems are not resolved, it would affect the quality of clinical teaching.

  10. Hybrid Patient Record – Supporting Hybrid Interaction in Clinical Wards

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Houben, Steven; Schmidt, Mathias; Frost, Mads

    2015-01-01

    Despite the widespread dissemination of the electronic health record, the paper medical record remains an important central artefact in modern clinical work. A number of new technological solutions have been proposed to mitigate some of the configuration, mobility and awareness problems that emerge...... when using this dual record setup. In this paper, we present one such technology, the HyPR device, in which a paper record is augmented with an electronic sensing platform that is designed to reduce the configuration overhead, provide awareness cues and support mobility across the patient ward. Our...

  11. Time characteristics of photon fields at a nuclear medicine clinic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimak, J.; Hermanska, J.; Sabol, J.

    1998-01-01

    The radiation fields were measured at the Nuclear Medicine Clinic of the Faculty Hospital in Prague-Motol. Gamma photons from iodine 131 administered to the patients is the main contributor to the fields. The dose rates at short distances from the patients can be as high as 20 mSv/h, whereby the cumulated doses to the health care personnel can exceed the annual limits for professional exposures. It is very important that unnecessary close contact with the patients be avoided unless emergency of other urgent procedures are required. Administration of high activities to several patients sharing a room in the ward should also be taken into account when handling the patients (including food service, housekeeping, changing linen, etc.). In normal circumstances, the radiation level in corridors and at other places accessible to cancer patients within the clinic are usually below 5 μSv/h averaged for 1 min intervals. (P.A.)

  12. The Effect on mortality of fluconazole or echinocandins treatment in candidemia in internal medicine wards [corrected].

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco G De Rosa

    Full Text Available The incidence of candidemia has increased over the past two decades, with an increased number of cases in Internal Medicine and a prevalence ranging from 24% to 57%. This single-center retrospective study was performed to evaluate the epidemiology and the risk factors associated with mortality of candidemia in patients admitted to Internal Medicine wards (IMWs of the City of Health and Sciences, Molinette Hospital, Turin, from January 2004 to December 2012. For each patient, demographic, clinical and microbiological data were collected. A case of candidemia was defined as a patient with at least one blood culture positive for Candida spp. Amongst 670 episodes of candidemia, 274 (41% episodes occurred in IMWs. The mortality was 39% and was associated at multivariate analysis with sepsis, cirrhosis and neurologic diseases, whilst removal of central venous catheter ≤48h was significantly associated with survival. In the 77 patients treated with early antifungal therapy the mortality was 29% and was not significantly different with caspofungin or fluconazole, whilst in patients with definitive therapy the mortality was significantly lower with echinocandins compared to fluconazole (11.7% Vs. 39%; p=0.0289, a finding confirmed by multivariate analysis. The mortality was significantly associated with sepsis, cirrhosis and neurologic diseases, whilst CVC removal ≤48h was associated with survival. In patients with early therapy, fluconazole or caspofungin were equally effective. However, echinocandins were significantly more effective as definitive treatment, a finding not explained by differences in treatment delays. Further studies are needed to understand the full potential of these different therapeutic strategies in IMWs.

  13. Doctors and nurses on wards with greater access to clinical dietitians have better focus on clinical nutrition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thoresen, L.; Rothenberg, E.; Beck, Anne Marie

    2008-01-01

    According to the Council of Europe, clinical dietitians should assume a more central role in nutritional support. The aim of this study was to assess the opinions among doctors, nurses and clinical dietitians regarding the use of clinical dietitians' expertise in the hospital units and, further......, to assess whether the presence of clinical dietitians in hospital departments influenced doctors and nurses focus on clinical nutrition. A questionnaire about the use of clinical nutrition was mailed to 6000 doctors and 6000 nurses working in hospital units where undernutrition is documented to be common...... into the importance of adequate nutrition was better than those who saw clinical dietitians seldom. Clinical nutrition had a higher priority in units with frequent visits by clinical dietitians. The present study shows that doctors and nurses on wards with greater access to clinical dietitians had better focus...

  14. The effect of an active on-ward participation of hospital pharmacists in Internal Medicine teams on preventable Adverse Drug Events in elderly inpatients: protocol of the WINGS study (Ward-oriented pharmacy in newly admitted geriatric seniors)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klopotowska, J.E.; Wierenga, P.C.; de Rooij, S.E.; Stuijt, C.C.; Arisz, L.; Kuks, P.F.; Dijkgraaf, M.G.; Lie-A-Huen, L.; Smorenburg, S.M.

    2011-01-01

    The potential of clinical interventions, aiming at reduction of preventable Adverse Drug Events (preventable ADEs) during hospital stay, have been studied extensively. Clinical Pharmacy is a well-established and effective service, usually consisting of full-time on-ward participation of clinical

  15. Reported implementation lessons from a national quality improvement initiative; Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™. A qualitative, ward-based team perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Mark; Butterworth, Tony; Wells, John S G

    2017-10-01

    To explore the experiences of participants involved in the implementation of the Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ initiative in Ireland, identifying key implementation lessons. A large-scale quality improvement programme Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ was introduced nationwide into Ireland in 2011. We captured accounts from ward-based teams in an implementation phase during 2013-14 to explore their experiences. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 24 members of ward-based teams from nine sites involved in the second national phase of the initiative were conducted. Interviews were analysed and coded under themes, using a seven-stage iterative process. The predominant theme identified was associated with the implementation and management of the initiative and included: project management; training; preparation; information and communication; and participant's negative experiences. The most prominent challenge reported related to other competing clinical priorities. Despite the structured approach of Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™, it appears that overstretched and busy clinical environments struggle to provide the right climate and context for ward-based teams to engage and interact actively with quality improvement tools, methods and activities. Findings highlight five key aspects of implementation and management that will help facilitate successful adoption of large-scale, ward-based quality improvement programmes such as Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™. Utilising pre-existing implementation or quality frameworks to assess each ward/unit for 'readiness' prior to commencing a quality improvement intervention such as Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ should be considered. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Glycemic control in the infectious diseases ward; role of clinical pharmacist interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farsaei, Shadi; Karimzadeh, Iman; Elyasi, Sepideh; Hatamkhani, Shima; Khalili, Hossein

    2014-04-15

    Hyperglycemia is one of the most frequent metabolic complications in hospitalized patients. Increased risk of infection following hyperglycemia has been reported in hospitalized patients and infections may also cause insulin resistance which complicates the control of blood glucose level. In this study the impact of the clinical pharmacist interventions on the glycemic control in patients admitted to infectious diseases ward has been evaluated. We conducted a prospective, pre-post interventional study among patients with hyperglycemia. The clinical pharmacist-led multidisciplinary team managed the glycemic profile of patients according to an established insulin protocol commonly used in internal wards. Clinical pharmacists reviewed patients' medical charts for proper insulin administration, evaluated nurses' technique for insulin injection and blood glucose measurement, and educated patients about symptoms of hypoglycemia and the importance of adherence to different aspects of their glycemic management. The percentage of controlled random blood sugar increased from 13.8% in the pre-intervention to 22.3% in the post-intervention group (p value percentage of controlled fasting blood sugars in the post-intervention group was non-significantly higher than in the pre-intervention group. Pharmacists and additional health care providers from other departments such as nursing and dietary departments need to be devoted to glycemic control service. Collaborative practice agreement between physicians is necessary to promote this service and help to increase the use of such services in different settings for diabetes control.

  17. Herbal medicine use and linked suspected adverse drug reactions in a prospective cohort of Ugandan inpatients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiguba, Ronald; Ononge, Sam; Karamagi, Charles; Bird, Sheila M

    2016-05-26

    Clinical history-taking can be employed as a standardized approach to elucidate the use of herbal medicines and their linked suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among hospitalized patients. We sought to identify herbal medicines nominated by Ugandan inpatients; compare nomination rates by ward and gender; confirm the herbs' known pharmacological properties from published literature; and identify ADRs linked to pre-admission use of herbal medicines. Prospective cohort of consented adult inpatients designed to assess medication use and ADRs on one gynaecological and three medical wards of 1790-bed Mulago National Referral Hospital. Baseline and follow-up data were obtained on patients' characteristics, including pre-admission use of herbal medicines. Fourteen percent (26/191) of females in Gynaecology nominated at least one specific herbal medicine compared with 20 % (114/571) of inpatients on medical wards [20 % (69/343) of females; 20 % (45/228) of males]. Frequent nominations were Persea americana (30), Mumbwa/multiple-herb clay rods (23), Aloe barbadensis (22), Beta vulgaris (12), Vernonia amygdalina (11), Commelina africana (7), Bidens pilosa (7), Hoslundia opposita (6), Mangifera indica (4), and Dicliptera laxata (4). Four inpatients experienced 10 suspected ADRs linked to pre-admission herbal medicine use including Commelina africana (4), multiple-herb-mumbwa (1), or unspecified local-herbs (5): three ADR-cases were abortion-related and one kidney-related. The named herbal medicines and their nomination rates generally differed by specialized ward, probably guided by local folklore knowledge of their use. Clinical elicitation from inpatients can generate valuable safety data on herbal medicine use. However, larger routine studies might increase the utility of our method to assess herbal medicine use and detect herb-linked ADRs. Future studies should take testable samples of ADR-implicated herbal medicines for further analysis.

  18. Developing a general ward nursing dashboard.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Margot; Hogg, Maggie; Leach, Stuart; Penman, Mags; Friel, Susan

    2014-12-15

    The seventh and final article in the series on Leading Better Care explores some of the challenges in clinical practice relating to the use of data and making information meaningful to senior charge nurses and ward sisters. It describes the collaborative approach taken by NHS Lanarkshire, which involved nursing staff, programme leads and the eHealth team in the development of a general ward nursing dashboard as a means of ensuring safe, effective person-centred care. The article also illustrates how this web-based data-reporting programme is used to support clinical practice.

  19. Ethnomedicine of the Kagera Region, north western Tanzania. Part 2: The medicinal plants used in Katoro Ward, Bukoba District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mbabazi Pamela K

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Kagera region of north western Tanzania has a rich culture of traditional medicine use and practices. The dynamic inter-ethnic interactions of different people from the surrounding countries constitute a rich reservoir of herbal based healing practices. This study, the second on an ongoing series, reports on the medicinal plant species used in Katoro ward, Bukoba District, and tries to use the literature to establish proof of the therapeutic claims. Methodology Ethnomedical information was collected using Semi-structured interviews in Kyamlaile and Kashaba villages of Katoro, and in roadside bushes on the way from Katoro to Bukoba through Kyaka. Data collected included the common/local names of the plants, parts used, the diseases treated, methods of preparation, dosage, frequency and duration of treatments. Information on toxicity and antidote were also collected. Literature was consulted to get corroborative information on similar ethnomedical claims and proven biological activities of the plants. Results Thirty three (33 plant species for treatement of 13 different disease categories were documented. The most frequently treated diseases were those categorized as specific diseases/conditions (23.8% of all remedies while eye diseases were the least treated using medicinal plants (1.5% of all remedies. Literature reports support 47% of the claims including proven anti-malarial, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity or similar ethnomedical uses. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (20 species followed by roots (13 species while making of decoctions, pounding, squeezing, making infusions, burning and grinding to powder were the most common methods used to prepare a majority of the therapies. Conclusion Therapeutic claims made on plants used in traditional medicine in Katoro ward of Bukoba district are well supported by literature, with 47% of the claims having already been reported. This study further

  20. A Systematic Review of Early Warning Systems' Effects on Nurses' Clinical Performance and Adverse Events Among Deteriorating Ward Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ju-Ry; Kim, Eun-Mi; Kim, Sun-Aee; Oh, Eui Geum

    2018-04-25

    Early warning systems (EWSs) are an integral part of processes that aim to improve the early identification and management of deteriorating patients in general wards. However, the widespread implementation of these systems has not generated robust data regarding nurses' clinical performance and patients' adverse events. This review aimed to determine the ability of EWSs to improve nurses' clinical performance and prevent adverse events among deteriorating ward patients. The PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant publications (January 1, 1997, to April 12, 2017). In addition, a grey literature search evaluated several guideline Web sites. The main outcome measures were nurses' clinical performance (vital sign monitoring and rapid response team notification) and patients' adverse events (in-hospital mortality, cardiac arrest, and unplanned intensive care unit [ICU] admission). The search identified 888 reports, although only five studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The findings of these studies revealed that EWSs implementation had a positive effect on nurses' clinical performance, based on their frequency of documenting vital signs that were related to the patient's clinical deterioration. In addition, postimplementation reductions were identified for cardiac arrest, unplanned ICU admission, and unexpected death. It seems that EWSs can improve nurses' clinical performance and prevent adverse events (e.g., in-hospital mortality, unplanned ICU admission, and cardiac arrest) among deteriorating ward patients. However, additional high-quality evidence is needed to more comprehensively evaluate the effects of EWSs on these outcomes.

  1. Neuroinfection survey at a neurological ward in a Brazilian tertiary teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo E Marchiori

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to characterize the neuroinfection profile in a tertiary neurological ward. INTRODUCTION: Neuroinfection is a worldwide concern and bacterial meningitis, tetanus and cerebral malaria have been reported as the commonest causes in developing countries. METHODS: From 1999 to 2007, all patients admitted to the Neurology Ward of Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo University School of Medicine because of neuroinfection had their medical records reviewed. Age, gender, immunological status, neurological syndrome at presentation, infectious agent and clinical outcome were recorded. RESULTS: Three hundred and seventy four cases of neuroinfectious diseases accounted for 4.2% of ward admissions and the identification of infectious agent was successful in 81% of cases. Mean age was 40.5 + 13.4 years, 63.8% were male, 19.7% were immunocompromised patients and meningoencephalitis was the most common clinical presentation despite infectious agent. Viruses and bacteria were equally responsible for 29.4% of neuroinfectious diseases; parasitic, fungal and prion infections accounted for 28%, 9.6% and 3.5% respectively. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Treponema pallidum, Taenia solium, Schistosoma mansoni, Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum were the more common infectious pathogens in the patients. Infection mortality rate was 14.2%, of which 62.3% occurred in immunocompetent patients. CONCLUSION: Our institution appeared to share some results with developed and developing countries. Comparison with literature may be considered as quality control to health assistance.

  2. Leadership support for ward managers in acute mental health inpatient settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonner, Gwen; McLaughlin, Sue

    2014-05-01

    This article shares findings of work undertaken with a group of mental health ward managers to consider their roles through workshops using an action learning approach. The tensions between the need to balance the burden of administrative tasks and act as clinical role models, leaders and managers are considered in the context of providing recovery-focused services. The group reviewed their leadership styles, broke down the administrative elements of their roles using activity logs, reviewed their working environments and considered how recovery focused they believed their wards to be. Findings support the notion that the ward manager role in acute inpatient settings is at times unmanageable. Administration is one aspect of the role for which ward managers feel unprepared and the high number of administrative tasks take them away from front line clinical care, leading to frustration. Absence from clinical areas reduces opportunities for role modeling good clinical practice to other staff. Despite the frustrations of administrative tasks, overall the managers thought they were supportive to their staff and that their wards were recovery focused.

  3. Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Factors Leading to Poor Clinical Skill Development in Medical Education: A Descriptive Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chatterjee Nandini

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Our study was taken up to explore the possible factors influencing poor performance of undergraduate students in clinical skill demonstration. Aims. Identification of factors leading to poor clinical skill development in undergraduate medical students. Settings and Design. This is an observational study. Methods and Material. The study population comprised the undergraduate students and teachers of the Department of Medicine. All were provided with structured questionnaires who responded anonymously which were then interpreted with the help of software statistical calculator. Results. Of the 145 students, only 57 (39.3% actually attended medicine ward. The major factors that the students reported were large groups of students around a patient (94.74%  ± 4.67, inadequacy of information in books of clinical medicine (78.9%  ± 8.53, overcrowded unclean wards (73.7%  ± 9.2, lack of practice of clinical methods at home (50.8%  ± 10.4, and timing of classes (42.1%  ± 10.3. Teachers cited poor attendance of students to wards (76.2%  ± 17.1, poor condition of wards and lack of separate enclosures to teach (100%, and large groups around a single patient (66.67%  ± 17.9. Conclusions. Absenteeism of students, overcrowding of wards, and lack of uniformity of study materials were prime factors.

  4. Changes in Emotion Work at Interdisciplinary Conferences Following Clinical Supervision in a Palliative Outpatient Ward

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordentoft, Helle Merete

    2008-01-01

    In this article, I describe changes in emotion work at weekly interdisciplinary conferences in a palliative1 outpatient ward following clinical supervision (CS). I conceive emotions as constantly negotiated in interaction, and I researched the similarity between how this is done during CS and at ...... conclude that CS enhances professional development and may prevent burnout in palliative care....

  5. Development of the Huddle Observation Tool for structured case management discussions to improve situation awareness on inpatient clinical wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edbrooke-Childs, Julian; Hayes, Jacqueline; Sharples, Evelyn; Gondek, Dawid; Stapley, Emily; Sevdalis, Nick; Lachman, Peter; Deighton, Jessica

    2018-05-01

    'Situation Awareness For Everyone' (SAFE) was a 3-year project which aimed to improve situation awareness in clinical teams in order to detect potential deterioration and other potential risks to children on hospital wards. The key intervention was the 'huddle', a structured case management discussion which is central to facilitating situation awareness. This study aimed to develop an observational assessment tool to assess the team processes occurring during huddles, including the effectiveness of the huddle. A cross-sectional observational design was used to psychometrically develop the 'Huddle Observation Tool' (HOT) over three phases using standardised psychometric methodology. Huddles were observed across four NHS paediatric wards participating in SAFE by five researchers; two wards within specialist children hospitals and two within district general hospitals, with location, number of beds and length of stay considered to make the sample as heterogeneous as possible. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the weighted kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient. Inter - rater reliability was acceptable for the collaborative culture (weighted kappa=0.32, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.42), environment items (weighted kappa=0.78, 95% CI 0.52 to 1) and total score (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.87, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.95). It was lower for the structure and risk management items, suggesting that these were more variable in how observers rated them. However, agreement on the global score for huddles was acceptable. We developed an observational assessment tool to assess the team processes occurring during huddles, including the effectiveness of the huddle. Future research should examine whether observational evaluations of huddles are associated with other indicators of safety on clinical wards (eg, safety climate and incidents of patient harm), and whether scores on the HOT are associated with improved situation awareness and reductions in deterioration and adverse

  6. Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morphet J

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Julia Morphet,1 Kerry Hood,2 Robyn Cant,2 Julie Baulch,3 Alana Gilbee,3 Kate Sandry4 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia; 2School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 3Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 4Dandenong Emergency Department, Monash Health, David St, Dandenong, Victoria, Australia Abstract: The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students' educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student "teams" leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the "inner circle", or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38, students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students' clinical learning and preparation for practice

  7. Clinical epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, French Guiana, 2008-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahamat, Aba; Bertrand, Xavier; Moreau, Brigitte; Hommel, Didier; Couppie, Pierre; Simonnet, Christine; Kallel, Hatem; Demar, Magalie; Djossou, Felix; Nacher, Mathieu

    2016-07-01

    This study investigated the clinical epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of Acinetobacter baumannii and characterised the clonal diversity of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) during an ICU-associated outbreak at Cayenne Hospital, French Guiana. All non-duplicate A. baumannii isolates from 2008 to 2014 were tested for antibiotic susceptibility by disk diffusion. Multilocus sequence typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and characterisation of carbapenemase-encoding genes were performed on CRAB. Of the 441 A. baumannii isolates, most were from males (54.0%) and were detected mainly from the ICU (30.8%) and medicine wards (21.8%). In the ICU, strains were mainly isolated from the respiratory tract (44.1%) and bloodstream (14.0%), whereas in medicine wards they mainly were from wound/drainage (36.5%) and bloodstream (25.0%). A. baumannii showed the greatest susceptibility to piperacillin/tazobactam (92.7%), imipenem (92.5%), colistin (95.6%) and amikacin (97.2%), being lower in the ICU and medicine wards compared with other wards. An outbreak of OXA-23-producing CRAB occurred in the 13-bed ICU in 2010. CRAB strains were more co-resistant to other antimicrobials compared with non-CRAB. Molecular genetics analysis revealed five sequence types [ST78, ST107 and ST642 and two new STs (ST830 and ST831)]. Analysis of PFGE profiles indicated cross-transmissions of CRAB within the ICU, between the ICU and one medicine ward during transfer of patients, and within that medicine ward. This study provides the first clinical and molecular data of A. baumannii from French Guiana and the Amazon basin. The ICU was the highest risk unit of this nosocomial outbreak of OXA-23-producing CRAB, which could subsequently disseminate within the hospital. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  8. Causes of Ocular Surgery Cancellation and the Need of Anesthesia Preoperative Medicine Clinic (APMC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaikh, Rehan Moinuddin; Al-Yafi, A.; Malak, M.

    2007-01-01

    Objective was to evaluate the causes of cancellation rate of elective ocular surgeries in our tertiary care center and to analyze the need of Anesthesia Preoperative Medicine Clinic (APMC). We conducted a prospective study from January 21, 2006 till 30 June, 2006 at King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The selected patients for the surgery have gone through pre operative investigations including CBC, Random blood sugar, coagulation profile, renal function tests, urea and electrolytes, IOL calculation and their medical condition assessment for the chronic disease. Study was conducted on 240 patients from whom 180 were adults and 60 were pediatrics. Out of 240 patients, 45 patients were cancelled in which 40 were adults and 5 were pediatric patients. In 45 patients 23 were male and 22 were female having a ratio of 1:1. Age was ranging from one year to 60+ an average of 58 years. Surgeries include was anterior segment, pediatric, retinal and oculoplastic. All these patients 45/240 were postponed at a percentage of 19%. The causes of cancellation were, improper control of diabetes, poor control of hypertension, cardiac problem, chest infection or influenza in children, overburden list and miscellaneous. All these patients were cancelled by anesthesia (28 patients), by surgeon (9 patients) and medical team (8 patients) in the ward as the patients were at high risk for the surgeries. So the reason in maximum patient was lack of anesthesia preoperative medicine clinic. The number of cancellation of ocular surgery can be minimized by proper assessment of the patient at anesthesia pre-operative medicine clinic (APMC). (author)

  9. Fall prediction according to nurses' clinical judgment: differences between medical, surgical, and geriatric wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milisen, Koen; Coussement, Joke; Flamaing, Johan; Vlaeyen, Ellen; Schwendimann, René; Dejaeger, Eddy; Surmont, Kurt; Boonen, Steven

    2012-06-01

    To assess the value of nurses' clinical judgment (NCJ) in predicting hospital inpatient falls. Prospective multicenter study. Six Belgian hospitals. Two thousand four hundred seventy participants (mean age 67.6 ± 18.3; female, 55.7%) on four surgical (n = 812, 32.9%), eight geriatric (n = 666, 27.0%), and four general medical wards (n = 992, 40.1%) were included upon admission. All participants were hospitalized for at least 48 hours. Within 24 hours after admission, nurses gave their judgment on the question "Do you think your patient is at high risk for falling?" Nurses were not trained in assessing fall risk. Falls were documented on a standardized incident report form. During hospitalization, 143 (5.8%) participants experienced one or more falls, accounting for 202 falls and corresponding to an overall rate of 7.9 falls per 1,000 patient days. NCJ of participant's risk of falling had high sensitivity (78-92%) with high negative predictive value (94-100%) but low positive predictive value (4-17%). Although false-negative rates were low (8-22%) for all departments and age groups, false-positive rates were high (55-74%), except on surgical and general medical wards and in participants younger than 75. This analysis, based on multicenter data and a large sample size, suggests that NCJ can be recommended on surgical and general medical wards and in individuals younger than 75, but on geriatric wards and in participants aged 75 and older, NCJ overestimates risk of falling and is thus not recommended because expensive comprehensive fall-prevention measures would be implemented in a large number of individuals who do not need it. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

  10. Diagnostic performance of a multiple real-time PCR assay in patients with suspected sepsis hospitalized in an internal medicine ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasqualini, Leonella; Mencacci, Antonella; Leli, Christian; Montagna, Paolo; Cardaccia, Angela; Cenci, Elio; Montecarlo, Ines; Pirro, Matteo; di Filippo, Francesco; Cistaro, Emma; Schillaci, Giuseppe; Bistoni, Francesco; Mannarino, Elmo

    2012-04-01

    Early identification of causative pathogen in sepsis patients is pivotal to improve clinical outcome. SeptiFast (SF), a commercially available system for molecular diagnosis of sepsis based on PCR, has been mostly used in patients hospitalized in hematology and intensive care units. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of SF, compared to blood culture (BC), in 391 patients with suspected sepsis, hospitalized in a department of internal medicine. A causative pathogen was identified in 85 patients (22%). Sixty pathogens were detected by SF and 57 by BC. No significant differences were found between the two methods in the rates of pathogen detection (P = 0.74), even after excluding 9 pathogens which were isolated by BC and were not included in the SF master list (P = 0.096). The combination of SF and BC significantly improved the diagnostic yield in comparison to BC alone (P < 0.001). Compared to BC, SF showed a significantly lower contamination rate (0 versus 19 cases; P < 0.001) with a higher specificity for pathogen identification (1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.99 to 1.00, versus 0.94, 95% CI of 0.90 to 0.96; P = 0.005) and a higher positive predictive value (1.00, 95% CI of 1.00 to 0.92%, versus 0.75, 95% CI of 0.63 to 0.83; P = 0.005). In the subgroup of patients (n = 191) who had been receiving antibiotic treatment for ≥24 h, SF identified more pathogens (16 versus 6; P = 0.049) compared to BC. These results suggest that, in patients with suspected sepsis, hospitalized in an internal medicine ward, SF could be a highly valuable adjunct to conventional BC, particularly in patients under antibiotic treatment.

  11. Participatory Action Research in clinical nursing practice in a medical ward

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjerholt, Mette; Wagner, Lis; Lindhardt, Tove

    2016-01-01

    Background: Action research with a participatory approach (PAR) was used as research design in a medical ward but stopped midway because of lack of active actor participation in the actions. Aim: To describe challenges and barriers influencing lack of participation. Setting: A medical hospital ward......, Denmark. Participants were healthcare staff. Methods: Field observations, interviews, logbook. Data were analysed using content analysis methods. Findings: Multiple factors influenced lack of actor participation. The causes were complex and included: organizational framework, significance/meaning, actor...... roles, responsibility. Conclusion: Before using PAR it is crucial to investigate if the organization and the participants at all levels are suited and agree to participate actively. The findings indicate, that to carry out PAR in a busy medical ward, it is necessary to evaluate whether the necessary...

  12. Doctors' and nurses' perceptions of a ward-based pharmacist in rural northern Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjölander, Maria; Gustafsson, Maria; Gallego, Gisselle

    2017-08-01

    Background This project is part of the prospective quasi experimental proof-of-concept investigation of clinical pharmacist intervention study to reduce drug-related problems among people admitted to a ward in a rural hospital in northern Sweden. Objective To explore doctors' and nurses' perceptions and expectations of having a ward-based pharmacist providing clinical pharmacy services. Setting Medical ward in a rural hospital in northern Sweden. Method Eighteen face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of doctors and nurses working on the ward where the clinical pharmacy service was due to be implemented. Semi-structured interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Main outcome measure Perceptions and expectations of nurses and doctors. Results Doctors and nurses had limited experience of working with pharmacists. Most had a vague idea of what pharmacists can contribute within a ward setting. Participants, mainly nurses, suggested inventory and drug distribution roles, but few were aware of the pharmacists' skills and clinical competence. Different views were expressed on whether the new clinical pharmacy service would have an impact on workload. However, most participants took a positive view of having a ward-based pharmacist. Conclusion This study provided an opportunity to explore doctors' and nurses' expectations of the role of clinical pharmacists before a clinical pharmacy service was implemented. To successfully implement a clinical pharmacy service, roles, clinical competence and responsibilities should be clearly described. Furthermore, it is important to focus on collaborative working relationships between doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

  13. Ward Round - Late Presentation of Acute Compartment Syndrome in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    following the course of ibuprofen mentioned. Twelve days after admission he started to complain of increasing pain and tightness in his left thigh. Sensation and motor function. Ward Round - Late Presentation of Acute. Compartment Syndrome in the Thigh. University of Malawi, College of Medicine, Department of Surgery,.

  14. Team Ward Rounds for Quality Improvement in Patient-Centred ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this paper we describe a clinical practice change for evaluation and continuous quality improvement of in-patient services in our ACE unit, such as daily geriatrics (multi disciplinary) team ward rounds preceding traditional ward rounds by other managing teams. The geriatrics team rounds enabled the identification of ...

  15. Clinical assessment and treatment in paediatric wards in the north-east of the United Republic of Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reyburn, Hugh; Mwakasungula, Emmanuel; Chonya, Semkini

    2008-01-01

    ; appropriate feeds were not present in any of the hospitals. A diagnosis of HIV-AIDS was made in only two cases while approximately 5% children admitted were expected to be infected with HIV in this area. CONCLUSION: Clinical assessment of children admitted to paediatric wards is disturbingly poor...

  16. Nonpharmacological Interventions Targeted at Delirium Risk Factors, Delivered by Trained Volunteers (Medical and Psychology Students, Reduced Need for Antipsychotic Medications and the Length of Hospital Stay in Aged Patients Admitted to an Acute Internal Medicine Ward: Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanislaw Gorski

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Effectiveness of nonpharmacological multicomponent prevention delivered by trained volunteers (medical and psychology students, targeted at delirium risk factors in geriatric inpatients, was assessed at an internal medicine ward in Poland. Patients and Methods. Participants were recruited to intervention and control groups at the internal medicine ward (inclusion criteria: age ≥ 75, acute medical condition, basic orientation, and logical contact on admission; exclusion criteria: life expectancy < 24 hours, surgical hospitalization, isolation due to infectious disease, and discharge to other medical wards. Every day trained volunteers delivered a multicomponent standardized intervention targeted at risk factors of in-hospital complications to the intervention group. The control group, selected using a retrospective individual matching strategy (1 : 1 ratio, regarding age, gender, and time of hospitalization, received standard care. Outcome Measures. Hospitalization time, deaths, falls, delirium episodes, and antipsychotic prescriptions were assessed retrospectively from medical documentation. Results. 130 patients (38.4% males participated in the study, with 65 in the intervention group. Antipsychotic medications were initiated less frequently in the intervention group compared to the control group. There was a trend towards a shorter hospitalization time and a not statistically significant decrease in deaths in the intervention group. Conclusion. Nonpharmacological multicomponent intervention targeted at delirium risk factors effectively reduced length of hospitalization and need for initiating antipsychotic treatment in elderly patients at the internal medicine ward.

  17. A smartphone-enabled communication system to improve hospital communication: usage and perceptions of medical trainees and nurses on general internal medicine wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Robert; Lo, Vivian; Morra, Dante; Appel, Eva; Arany, Teri; Curiale, Beth; Ryan, Joanne; Quan, Sherman

    2015-02-01

    There is increasing interest in the use of information and communication technologies to improve how clinicians communicate in hospital settings. We implemented a communication system with support for physician handover and secure messaging on 2 general internal medicine wards. We measured usage and surveyed physicians and nurses on perceptions of the system's effects on communication. Between May 2011 and August 2012, a clinical teaching team received, on average, 14.8 messages per day through the system. Messages were typically sent as urgent (69.1%) and requested a text reply (76.5%). For messages requesting a text reply, 8.6% did not receive a reply. For those messages that did receive a reply, the median response time was 2.3 minutes, and 84.5% of messages received a reply within 15 minutes. Of those who completed the survey, 95.3% were medical residents (82 of 86) and 81.7% were nurses (83 of 116). Medical trainees (82.8%) and nursing staff (78.3%) agreed or strongly agreed that the system helped to speed up their daily work tasks. Overall, 67.1% of the trainees and 73.2% of nurses agreed or strongly agreed that the system made them more accountable in their clinical roles. Only 35.8% of physicians and 26.3% of nurses agreed or strongly agreed that the system was useful for communicating complex issues. In summary, with a system designed to improve communication, we found that there was high uptake and that users perceived that the system improved efficiency and accountability but was not appropriate for communicating complex issues. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  18. Respiratory rates measured by a standardised clinical approach, ward staff, and a wireless device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Granholm, A; Pedersen, N E; Lippert, A.

    2016-01-01

    in a medical ward. Respiratory rate was measured by three methods: a standardised approach over 60 s while patients lay still and refrained from talking, by ward staff and by a wireless electronic patch (SensiumVitals). The Bland-Altman method was used to compare measurements and three breaths per minute (BPM......) was considered a clinically relevant difference. RESULTS: We included 50 patients. The mean difference between the standardised approach and the electronic measurement was 0.3 (95% CI: -1.4 to 2.0) BPM; 95% limits of agreement were -11.5 (95% CI: -14.5 to -8.6) and 12.1 (95% CI: 9.2 to 15.1) BPM. Removal...... of three outliers with huge differences lead to a mean difference of -0.1 (95% CI: -0.7 to 0.5) BPM and 95% limits of agreement of -4.2 (95% CI: -5.3 to -3.2) BPM and 4.0 (95% CI: 2.9 to 5.0) BPM. The mean difference between staff and electronic measurements was 1.7 (95% CI: -0.5 to 3.9) BPM; 95% limits...

  19. Prevalence of delirium in hospitalized internal medicine and surgical adult patients in Shohadaye ashayer hospital of Khoram abad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    raheleh Asaee

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Asaee R1, Nasari H2,Hoseini S3 1. Assistant professor, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestanl University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 1. Assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestanl University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 2. G.P, Khorramabad, Iran Abstract Background: Delirium is common in elderly persons and in hospitalized patients especially after surgical procedures. But many of them are undetected and don’t receive treatment so they involve with increased mortality and morbidity, adverse outcomes, length of hospital stay and mental disability sequels. Unfortunetly , despite the importance of this syndrom , physicians and staff are able to diagnose only one thirth of the patients. Material and methods: In this cross sectional study, 240 inpatiants (120 from surgery ward and 120 from miernal medicine ward from Shohadaye Ashayer hospital of Khorramabad were selected randomly. The diagnostic criteria for delirium were Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE questionnaire, and patients daily examination for 4 days by MMSE. Results: Delirium was observed in 37 (30.8% of the patients of internal medicine ward and 25 (20.8% of the patients of surgery ward. 27 (22.5% of the patients of internal medicine ward and 37 (30.8% of the patients of surgery ward were suspicious for delirium. In age group of 58-77 years in surgery ward and patients over 77 years in internal medicine ward had the most frequency of delirium. There was significant relationship (p=0.01 between two sex in surgery ward. But there was not significant difference (p=0.92 between two sex in internal medicine ward for delirium. Conclusion: Reading the results of this study and frequency of delirum in surgery and internal medicine wards, presence of a psychiatrist in mentioned wards is necessary of early diagnosis and control of delirium.

  20. Combining clinical microsystems and an experiential quality improvement curriculum to improve residency education in internal medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tess, Anjala V; Yang, Julius J; Smith, C Christopher; Fawcett, Caitlin M; Bates, Carol K; Reynolds, Eileen E

    2009-03-01

    Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's internal medicine residency program was admitted to the new Education Innovation Project accreditation pathway of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education to begin in July 2006. The authors restructured the inpatient medical service to create clinical microsystems in which residents practice throughout residency. Program leadership then mandated an active curriculum in quality improvement based in those microsystems. To provide the experience to every graduating resident, a core faculty in patient safety was trained in the basics of quality improvement. The authors hypothesized that such changes would increase the number of residents participating in quality improvement projects, improve house officer engagement in quality improvement work, enhance the culture of safety the residents perceive in their training environment, improve work flow on the general medicine ward rotations, and improve the overall educational experience for the residents on ward rotations.The authors describe the first 18 months of the intervention (July 2006 to January 2008). The authors assessed attitudes and the educational experience with surveys and evaluation forms. After the intervention, the authors documented residents' participation in projects that overlapped with hospital priorities. More residents reported roles in designing and implementing quality improvement changes. Residents also noted greater satisfaction with the quality of care they deliver. Fewer residents agreed or strongly agreed that the new admitting system interfered with communication. Ongoing residency program assessment showed an improved perception of workload, and educational ratings of rotations improved. The changes required few resources and can be transported to other settings.

  1. Medical and surgical ward rounds in teaching hospitals of Kuwait University: students’ perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AlMutar S

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Sara AlMutar,1 Lulwa AlTourah,1 Hussain Sadeq,2 Jumanah Karim,2 Yousef Marwan3 1Department of Medicine, 2Department of Pediatrics, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Al-Razi Orthopedic Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait Background: Teaching sessions for medical students during ward rounds are an essential component of bedside teaching, providing students with the opportunity to regard patients as actual people, and to observe their physical conditions directly, allowing a better understanding of illnesses to be developed. We aim to explore medical students’ perceptions regarding medical and surgical ward rounds within the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University, and to evaluate whether this teaching activity is meeting the expectation of learners. Methods: A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from 141 medical students during the 2012–2013 academic year. They were asked to provide their current and expected ratings about competencies that were supposed to be gained during ward rounds, on a scale from 1 (lowest to 5 (highest. Mean scores were calculated, and the Student t-test was used to compare results. P < 0.05 was the cut-off level for significance. Results: Only 17 students (12.1% declined to participate in the study. The students' current competency scores (for competencies taught within both disciplines – medical and surgical were significantly lower than the scores indicating students’ expectations (P < 0.001. The best-taught competency was bedside examination, in both medical (mean: 3.45 and surgical (mean: 3.05 ward rounds. However, medical ward rounds were better than surgical rounds in covering some competencies, especially the teaching of professional attitude and approach towards patients (P < 0.001. Conclusion: Both medical and surgical ward rounds were deficient in meeting the students’ expectations. Medical educators should utilize the available literature to improve the bedside

  2. Precision medicine needs pioneering clinical bioinformaticians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez-López, Gonzalo; Dopazo, Joaquín; Cigudosa, Juan C; Valencia, Alfonso; Al-Shahrour, Fátima

    2017-10-25

    Success in precision medicine depends on accessing high-quality genetic and molecular data from large, well-annotated patient cohorts that couple biological samples to comprehensive clinical data, which in conjunction can lead to effective therapies. From such a scenario emerges the need for a new professional profile, an expert bioinformatician with training in clinical areas who can make sense of multi-omics data to improve therapeutic interventions in patients, and the design of optimized basket trials. In this review, we first describe the main policies and international initiatives that focus on precision medicine. Secondly, we review the currently ongoing clinical trials in precision medicine, introducing the concept of 'precision bioinformatics', and we describe current pioneering bioinformatics efforts aimed at implementing tools and computational infrastructures for precision medicine in health institutions around the world. Thirdly, we discuss the challenges related to the clinical training of bioinformaticians, and the urgent need for computational specialists capable of assimilating medical terminologies and protocols to address real clinical questions. We also propose some skills required to carry out common tasks in clinical bioinformatics and some tips for emergent groups. Finally, we explore the future perspectives and the challenges faced by precision medicine bioinformatics. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Theory of mind in schizophrenia: correlation with clinical symptomatology, emotional recognition and ward behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Woo Kyeong; Kim, Yong Kyu

    2013-09-01

    Several studies have suggested the presence of a theory of mind (ToM) deficit in schizophrenic disorders. This study examined the relationship of emotion recognition, theory of mind, and ward behavior in patients with schizophrenia. Fifty-five patients with chronic schizophrenia completed measures of emotion recognition, ToM, intelligence, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Nurse's Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE). Theory of mind sum score correlated significantly with IQ, emotion recognition, and ward behavior. Ward behavior was linked to the duration of the illness, and even more so to theory of mind deficits. Theory of mind contributed a significant proportion of the amount of variance to explain social behavior on the ward. Considering our study results, impaired theory of mind contributes significantly to the understanding of social competence in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  4. 'It's a matter of patient safety': understanding challenges in everyday clinical practice for achieving good care on the surgical ward - a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jangland, Eva; Nyberg, Berit; Yngman-Uhlin, Pia

    2017-06-01

    Surgical care plays an important role in the acute hospital's delivery of safe, high-quality patient care. Although demands for effectiveness are high in surgical wards quality of care and patient safety must also be secured. It is therefore necessary to identify the challenges and barriers linked to quality of care and patient safety with a focus on this specific setting. To explore situations and processes that support or hinder good safe patient care on the surgical ward. This qualitative study was based on a strategic sample of 10 department and ward leaders in three hospitals and six surgical wards in Sweden. Repeated reflective interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation. Four themes described the leaders' view of a complex healthcare setting that demands effectiveness and efficiency in moving patients quickly through the healthcare system. Quality of care and patient safety were often hampered factors such as a shift of care level, with critically ill patients cared for without reorganisation of nurses' competencies on the surgical ward. There is a gap between what is described in written documents and what is or can be performed in clinical practice to achieve good care and safe care on the surgical ward. A shift in levels of care on the surgical ward without reallocation of the necessary competencies at the patient's bedside show consequences for quality of care and patient safety. This means that surgical wards should consider reviewing their organisation and implementing more advanced nursing roles in direct patient care on all shifts. The ethical issues and the moral stress on nurses who lack the resources and competence to deliver good care according to professional values need to be made more explicit as a part of the patient safety agenda in the surgical ward. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  5. [Airborne Fungal Aerosol Concentration and Distribution Characteristics in Air- Conditioned Wards].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hua-ling; Feng, He-hua; Fang, Zi-liang; Wang, Ben-dong; Li, Dan

    2015-04-01

    The effects of airborne fungus on human health in the hospital environment are related to not only their genera and concentrations, but also their particle sizes and distribution characteristics. Moreover, the mechanisms of aerosols with different particle sizes on human health are different. Fungal samples were obtained in medicine wards of Chongqing using a six-stage sampler. The airborne fungal concentrations, genera and size distributions of all the sampling wards were investigated and identified in detail. Results showed that airborne fungal concentrations were not correlated to the diseases or personnel density, but were related to seasons, temperature, and relative humidity. The size distribution rule had roughly the same for testing wards in winter and summer. The size distributions were not related with diseases and seasons, the percentage of airborne fungal concentrations increased gradually from stage I to stage III, and then decreased dramatically from stage V to stage VI, in general, the size of airborne fungi was a normal distribution. There was no markedly difference for median diameter of airborne fungi which was less 3.19 μm in these wards. There were similar dominant genera in all wards. They were Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp and Alternaria spp. Therefore, attention should be paid to improve the filtration efficiency of particle size of 1.1-4.7 μm for air conditioning system of wards. It also should be targeted to choose appropriate antibacterial methods and equipment for daily hygiene and air conditioning system operation management.

  6. Predictive factors of adrenal insufficiency in patients admitted to acute medical wards: a case control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oboni Jean-Baptiste

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Adrenal insufficiency is a rare and potentially lethal disease if untreated. Several clinical signs and biological markers are associated with glucocorticoid failure but the importance of these factors for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency is not known. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of and the factors associated with adrenal insufficiency among patients admitted to an acute internal medicine ward. Methods Retrospective, case-control study including all patients with high-dose (250 μg ACTH-stimulation tests for suspected adrenal insufficiency performed between 2008 and 2010 in an acute internal medicine ward (n = 281. Cortisol values Results 32 patients (11.4% presented adrenal insufficiency; the others served as controls. Among all clinical and biological parameters studied, history of glucocorticoid withdrawal was the only independent factor significantly associated with patients with adrenal insufficiency (Odds Ratio: 6.71, 95% CI: 3.08 –14.62. Using a logistic regression, a model with four significant and independent variable was obtained, regrouping history of glucocorticoid withdrawal (OR 7.38, 95% CI [3.18 ; 17.11], p-value p-value 0.044, eosinophilia (OR 17.6, 95% CI [1.02; 302.3], p-value 0.048 and hyperkalemia (OR 2.41, 95% CI [0.87; 6.69], p-value 0.092. The AROC (95% CI was 0.75 (0.70; 0.80 for this model, with 6.3 (0.8 – 20.8 for sensitivity and 99.2 (97.1 – 99.9 for specificity. Conclusions 11.4% of patients with suspected adrenal insufficient admitted to acute medical ward actually do present with adrenal insufficiency, defined by an abnormal response to high-dose (250 μg ACTH-stimulation test. A history of glucocorticoid withdrawal was the strongest factor predicting the potential adrenal failure. The combination of a history of glucocorticoid withdrawal, nausea, eosinophilia and hyperkaliemia might be of interest to suspect adrenal insufficiency.

  7. Students' motivation for interprofessional collaboration after their experience on an IPE ward: A qualitative analysis framed by self-determination theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, Cora L F; Kusurkar, Rashmi A; Croiset, Gerda; Ten Cate, Olle; Westerveld, Hendrika E

    2018-02-28

    Interprofessional Education (IPE) may depend for its success not only on cognitive gains of learners, but also on affective and motivational benefits. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a major motivation theory, autonomy (feeling of choice), competence (feeling of capability), and relatedness (feeling of belonging) drive motivation in a way that can improve performance. We investigated which elements of IPE in a clinical ward potentially influence students' feelings in these three areas. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy attending a three-week IPE ward and analyzed the data using a realist approach. Two researchers independently identified meaning units using open coding. Thirteen themes were synthesized. Next, meaning units, expressing autonomy, competence, or relatedness were discerned. Students appeared motivated for an IPE ward, with its authentic situations making them feel responsible to actively contribute to care plans, by understanding how professions differ in their contributions and analytic approach and by informal contact with other professions, enhanced by a dedicated physical space for team meetings. Students valued the IPE ward experience and autonomous motivation for IPE was triggered. They mentioned practical ways to incorporate what they learned in future interprofessional collaboration, e.g. in next placements.

  8. Characteristics and clinical management of patients admitted to cholera wards in a regional referral hospital during the 2012 epidemic in Sierra Leone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Blacklock

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: In 2012, Sierra Leone suffered a nationwide cholera epidemic which affected the capital Freetown and also the provinces. This study aims to describe the characteristics and clinical management of patients admitted to cholera isolation wards of the main referral hospital in the Northern Province and compare management with standard guidelines. Design: All available clinical records of patients from the cholera isolation wards were reviewed retrospectively. There was no active case finding. The following data were collected from the clinical records after patients had left the ward: date of admission, demographics, symptoms, dehydration status, diagnoses, tests and treatments given, length of stay, and outcomes. Results: A total of 798 patients were admitted, of whom 443 (55.5% were female. There were 18 deaths (2.3%. Assessment of dehydration status was recorded in 517 (64.8% of clinical records. An alternative or additional diagnosis was made for 214 patients (26.8%. Intravenous (IV fluids were prescribed to 767 patients (96.1%, including 95% of 141 patients who had documentation of being not severely dehydrated. A history of vomiting was documented in 92.1% of all patients. Oral rehydration solution (ORS was given to 629 (78.8% patients. Doxycycline was given to 380 (47.6% patients, erythromycin to 34 (4.3%, and other antibiotics were used on 247 occasions. Zinc was given to 209 (26.2%. Discussion: This retrospective study highlights the need for efforts to improve the quality of triage, adherence to clinical guidance, and record keeping. Conclusions: Data collection and analysis of clinical practices during an epidemic situation would enable faster identification of those areas requiring intervention and improvement.

  9. Patients’ approaches to students’ learning at a clinical education ward-an ethnographic study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background It is well known that patients’ involvement in health care students’ learning is essential and gives students opportunities to experience clinical reasoning and practice clinical skills when interacting with patients. Students encounter patients in different contexts throughout their education. However, looking across the research providing evidence about learning related to patient-student encounters reveals a lack of knowledge about the actual learning process that occurs in encounters between patients and students. The aim of this study was to explore patient-student encounters in relation to students’ learning in a patient-centered health-care setting. Methods An ethnographic approach was used to study the encounters between patients and students. The setting was a clinical education ward for nursing students at a university hospital with eight beds. The study included 10 observations with 11 students and 10 patients. The observer followed one or two students taking care of one patient. During the fieldwork observational and reflective notes were taken. After each observation follow-up interviews were conducted with each patient and student separately. Data were analyzed using an ethnographic approach. Results The most striking results showed that patients took different approaches in the encounters with students. When the students managed to create a good atmosphere and a mutual relationship, the patients were active participants in the students’ learning. If the students did not manage to create a good atmosphere, the relationship became one-way and the patients were passive participants, letting the students practice on their bodies but without engaging in a dialogue with the students. Conclusions Patient-student encounters, at a clinical education ward with a patient-centred pedagogical framework, can develop into either a learning relationship or an attending relationship. A learning relationship is based on a mutual relationship between

  10. Patients' approaches to students' learning at a clinical education ward--an ethnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manninen, Katri; Henriksson, Elisabet Welin; Scheja, Max; Silén, Charlotte

    2014-07-02

    It is well known that patients' involvement in health care students' learning is essential and gives students opportunities to experience clinical reasoning and practice clinical skills when interacting with patients. Students encounter patients in different contexts throughout their education. However, looking across the research providing evidence about learning related to patient-student encounters reveals a lack of knowledge about the actual learning process that occurs in encounters between patients and students. The aim of this study was to explore patient-student encounters in relation to students' learning in a patient-centered health-care setting. An ethnographic approach was used to study the encounters between patients and students. The setting was a clinical education ward for nursing students at a university hospital with eight beds. The study included 10 observations with 11 students and 10 patients. The observer followed one or two students taking care of one patient. During the fieldwork observational and reflective notes were taken. After each observation follow-up interviews were conducted with each patient and student separately. Data were analyzed using an ethnographic approach. The most striking results showed that patients took different approaches in the encounters with students. When the students managed to create a good atmosphere and a mutual relationship, the patients were active participants in the students' learning. If the students did not manage to create a good atmosphere, the relationship became one-way and the patients were passive participants, letting the students practice on their bodies but without engaging in a dialogue with the students. Patient-student encounters, at a clinical education ward with a patient-centred pedagogical framework, can develop into either a learning relationship or an attending relationship. A learning relationship is based on a mutual relationship between patients and students resulting in patients

  11. Clinical practice in community medicine: Challenges and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Clinical practice with community health perspective makes community medicine a unique specialty. In their health centers, community physicians not only implement disease prevention programs, assess community health needs, manage healthcare teams and advocate for health promoting policies but also diagnose and treat diseases. However, participation of community medicine faculty in the delivery of clinical care varies from place to place due to administrative constraints. Health centers attached with medical college are not dependent on community medicine faculty for clinical service as these centers have their own medical and paramedical staff; whereas, other clinical departments in medical colleges depend on their faculty for delivery of clinical care in the hospital. Consequently, a perception is gaining ground that community medicine is a para-clinical specialty. Strategies for a fixed tenured rotation of faculty in the health centers should be evolved. All faculty members of community medicine must also provide clinical care in the health centers and the quantum of clinical services provided by each one of them should be reported widely to all stakeholders. Community medicine residency programs must ensure that trainee community physicians acquire competency to deliver comprehensive primary health care (promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative in a health center.

  12. Ergonomics in the psychiatric ward towards workers or patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvana, Salerno; Laura, Forcella; Ursula, Di Fabio; Irene, Figà Talamanca; Paolo, Boscolo

    2012-01-01

    Patient's aggressive behavior is one of the major problem in the psychiatric ward. Here we present the preliminary results of a psychiatric ward case-study, of a public hospital in the Chieti province, in order to plan ergonomic improvement. We applied the Method of Organizational Congruencies in the psychiatric ward in order to study the relationship between organized hospital work and nurses wellbeing in a 24 hour shifts. We observed 58 main phases in the three work shifts. The technical actions are mainly those of any hospital wards (shift briefing, preparing and administering drugs, recording data on clinical charts, etc.). We found important differences mainly due to the nurses overcontrol activities on the patients behavior (preventing suicides or self destructive behavior), the occurrence of restraint procedure towards patients, the pollution due to patient's cigarette smoke. The fear of patient's self destructive behavior or other aggressive behaviour are the main cognitive and social aspects of this hospital ward. Nurses working in this psychiatric ward have to accept: locked doors, poor and polluted environment, restraint procedure with high risk of aggression and no availability of mental health care programs. A new interdisciplinary concept for ergonomics in psychiatry setting may represent a challenge for both nurses and patients and the community.

  13. The impact on the workload of the Ward Manager with the introduction of administrative assistants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locke, Rachel; Leach, Camilla; Kitsell, Fleur; Griffith, Jacki

    2011-03-01

    To evaluate the impact on the workload of the Ward Manager (WM) with the introduction of administrative assistants into eight trusts in the South of England in a year-long pilot. Ward Managers are nurse leaders who are responsible for ward management and delivering expert clinical care to patients. They have traditionally been expected to achieve this role without administrative assistance. Meeting the workload demands of multiple roles and overload has meant the leadership and clinical role has suffered, presenting issues of low morale among existing WMs and issues of recruiting the next generation of WMs. Sixty qualitative interviews were carried out with 16 WMs, 12 Ward Manager Assistants (WMAs), and six senior nurse executives about the impact of the introduction of the WMA post. Quantitative data to measure change in WM workload and ward activity was supplied by 24 wards. Ward Managers reported spending reduced time on administrative tasks and having increased time available to spend on the ward with patients and leading staff. With the introduction of WMAs, there was also improvement in key performance measures (the maintenance of quality under service pressures) and increased staff motivation. There was overwhelming support for the introduction of administrative assistants from participating WMs. The WMAs enabled WMs to spend more time with patients and, more widely, to provide greater support to ward teams. The success of the pilot is reflected in wards working hard to be able to extend contracts of WMAs. The extent of the success is reflected in wards that were not participants in the pilot, observing the benefits of the post, having worked to secure funding to recruit their own WMAs. The widespread introduction of administrative assistance could increase ward productivity and provide support for clinical leaders. Continuing professional development for WMs needs to incorporate training about management responsibilities and how to best use administrative

  14. [Scientific concepts in clinical medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogler, G

    2003-11-28

    The understanding of the scientific basis and the theory of knowledge are surprisingly heterogeneous in practical and clinical medicine. It is frequently influenced or based on the philosophical theory of critical rationalism founded by Sir Karl Popper. Because the theory of knowledge and the understanding of scientific truth is the central basis for cautious and good clinical practise it is necessary to discuss both points to avoid unscientific auto-immunisation against critique in a type of medicine that regards herself as science-based. Evidence-based medicine would not be possible without interpretation and explanation of existing data into the individual treatment context. Besides an inductive or deductive logic the historical and situative side-conditions of the gathering of knowledge and of experiments are of central importance for their interpretation and their relevance in clinical practice. This historical and situative context warrants reflection but must also be paid attention to in the reflections on medical ethics.

  15. Handing over patients from the ICU to the general ward

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bunkenborg, Gitte; Bitsch Hansen, Tina; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

    2017-01-01

    AIM: To explore nursing practice and perception of engaging in communicative interaction when handing over multi-morbid patients from the ICU to general medical or surgical wards. BACKGROUND: Communication failures impose risks to patient safety. ICU and general ward nurses communicate in writing...... focused ethnography was applied to the study. METHODS: Participant observation of 22 clinical situations of handing over patients from the ICU to general wards was conducted in November and December 2015, followed by five focus group interviews, three interviews with general ward nurses and two with ICU...... towards patient status and the handing over process" emerged from observation notes. From transcribed focus group interviews, the theme "Balancing and negotiating when passing on, consuming and adapting knowledge" was identified. CONCLUSION: A lack of shared goals regarding handing over patients from...

  16. Comorbid depression in dementia on psychogeriatric nursing home wards: which symptoms are prominent?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verkaik, R.; Francke, A.L.; Meijel, B. van; Ribbe, M.W.; Bensing, J.M.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To provide insight into the prevalence and clinically relevant symptoms of comorbid depression among dementia patients in psychogeriatric nursing home wards, to enhance depression recognition. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analyses of multicenter diagnostic data. SETTING: Psychogeriatric wards

  17. Monitoring vital signs: development of a modified early warning scoring (MEWS system for general wards in a developing country.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Una Kyriacos

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to develop and validate, by consensus, the construct and content of an observations chart for nurses incorporating a modified early warning scoring (MEWS system for physiological parameters to be used for bedside monitoring on general wards in a public hospital in South Africa. METHODS: Delphi and modified face-to-face nominal group consensus methods were used to develop and validate a prototype observations chart that incorporated an existing UK MEWS. This informed the development of the Cape Town ward MEWS chart. PARTICIPANTS: One specialist anaesthesiologist, one emergency medicine specialist, two critical care nurses and eight senior ward nurses with expertise in bedside monitoring (N = 12 were purposively sampled for consensus development of the MEWS. One general surgeon declined and one neurosurgeon replaced the emergency medicine specialist in the final round. RESULTS: Five consensus rounds achieved ≥70% agreement for cut points in five of seven physiological parameters respiratory and heart rates, systolic BP, temperature and urine output. For conscious level and oxygen saturation a relaxed rule of <70% agreement was applied. A reporting algorithm was established and incorporated in the MEWS chart representing decision rules determining the degree of urgency. Parameters and cut points differed from those in MEWS used in developed countries. CONCLUSIONS: A MEWS for developing countries should record at least seven parameters. Experts from developing countries are best placed to stipulate cut points in physiological parameters. Further research is needed to explore the ability of the MEWS chart to identify physiological and clinical deterioration.

  18. Multiple challenges of antibiotic use in a large hospital in Ethiopia - a ward-specific study showing high rates of hospital-acquired infections and ineffective prophylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutema, Girma; Håkonsen, Helle; Engidawork, Ephrem; Toverud, Else-Lydia

    2018-05-03

    This project aims to study the use of antibiotics in three clinical wards in the largest tertiary teaching hospital in Ethiopia for a period of 1 year. The specific aims were to assess the prevalence of patients on antibiotics, quantify the antibiotic consumption and identify the main indications of use. The material was all the medical charts (n = 2231) retrieved from three clinical wards (internal medicine, gynecology/obstetrics and surgery) in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) in Addis Ababa between September 2013 and September 2014. Data collection was performed manually by four pharmacists. Each medical chart represented one patient. About 60% of the patients were admitted to internal medicine, 20% to each of the other two wards. The number of bed days (BD) was on average 16.5. Antibiotics for systemic use were prescribed to 73.7% of the patients (on average: 2.1 antibiotics/patient) of whom 86.6% got a third or fourth generation cephalosporin (mainly ceftriaxone). The average consumption of antibiotics was 81.6 DDD/100BD, varying from 91.8 in internal medicine and 71.6 in surgery to 47.6 in gynecology/obstetrics. The five most frequently occurring infections were pneumonia (26.6%), surgical site infections (21.5%), neutropenic fever (6.9%), sepsis (6.4%) and urinary tract infections (4.7%). About one fourth of the prescriptions were for prophylactic purposes. Hospital acquired infections occurred in 23.5% of the patients (353 cases of surgical site infection). The prescribing was based on empirical treatment and sensitivity testing was reported in only 3.8% of the cases. In the present study from three wards in the largest tertiary teaching hospital in Ethiopia, three out of four patients were prescribed antibiotics, primarily empirically. The mean antibiotic consumption was 81.6 DDD/100BD. Surgical site infections constituted a large burden of the infections treated in the hospital, despite extensive prescribing of prophylaxis. The findings show

  19. Comparison of Patient Health History Questionnaires Used in General Internal and Family Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laube, Justin G R; Shapiro, Martin F

    2017-05-01

    Health history questionnaires (HHQs) are a set of self-administered questions completed by patients prior to a clinical encounter. Despite widespread use, minimal research has evaluated the content of HHQs used in general internal medicine and family medicine (GIM/FM), integrative medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM; chiropractic, naturopathic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM]) clinics. Integrative medicine and CAM claim greater emphasis on well-being than does GIM/FM. This study investigated whether integrative medicine and CAM clinics' HHQs include more well-being content and otherwise differ from GIM/FM HHQs. HHQs were obtained from GIM/FM (n = 9), integrative medicine (n = 11), naturopathic medicine (n = 5), chiropractic (n = 4), and TCM (n = 7) clinics in California. HHQs were coded for presence of medical history (chief complaint, past medical history, social history, family history, surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, allergies, review of systems), health maintenance procedures (immunization, screenings), and well-being components (nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, spirituality). In HHQs of GIM/FM clinics, the average number of well-being components was 1.4 (standard deviation [SD], 1.4) compared with 4.0 (SD, 1.1) for integrative medicine (p medicine (p = 0.04), 2.0 (SD, 1.4) for chiropractic (p = 0.54), and 2.0 (SD, 1.5) for TCM (p = 0.47). In HHQs of GIM/FM clinics, the average number of medical history components was 6.4 (SD, 1.9) compared with 8.3 (SD, 1.2) for integrative medicine (p = 0.01), 9.0 (SD, 0) for naturopathic medicine (p = 0.01), 7.1 (SD, 2.8) for chiropractic (p = 0.58), and 7.1 (SD, 1.7) for TCM (p = 0.41). Integrative and naturopathic medicine HHQs included significantly more well-being and medical history components than did GIM/FM HHQs. Further investigation is warranted to determine the optimal HHQ content to support the clinical and preventive

  20. Second Order Ideal-Ward Continuity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bipan Hazarika

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of the paper is to introduce a concept of second order ideal-ward continuity in the sense that a function f is second order ideal-ward continuous if I-limn→∞Δ2f(xn=0 whenever I-limn→∞Δ2xn=0 and a concept of second order ideal-ward compactness in the sense that a subset E of R is second order ideal-ward compact if any sequence x=(xn of points in E has a subsequence z=(zk=(xnk of the sequence x such that I-limk→∞Δ2zk=0 where Δ2zk=zk+2-2zk+1+zk. We investigate the impact of changing the definition of convergence of sequences on the structure of ideal-ward continuity in the sense of second order ideal-ward continuity and compactness of sets in the sense of second order ideal-ward compactness and prove related theorems.

  1. [The department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine: organization, structure and process optimization].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernhard, Michael; Pietsch, Christian; Gries, André

    2009-06-01

    The essential tasks of a department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine are the initial triage and assessment of vital function as well as the subsequent organization und initiation of emergency treatment. A previously defined set of diagnostic and therapeutic measures is carried out before the patient is allocated to an in-hospital clinical service and is admitted to a ward. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment for outpatients are performed. "Time" is a critical factor to be considered for all organizational and structural aspects of a department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine.

  2. Clinical Reasoning in Medicine: A Concept Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahram Yazdani

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Clinical reasoning plays an important role in the ability of physicians to make diagnoses and decisions. It is considered the physician’s most critical competence, but it is an ambiguous conceptin medicine that needs a clear analysis and definition. Our aim was to clarify the concept of clinical reasoning in medicine by identifying its components and to differentiate it from other similar concepts.It is necessary to have an operational definition of clinical reasoning, and its components must be precisely defined in order to design successful interventions and use it easily in future research.Methods: McKenna’s nine-step model was applied to facilitate the clarification of the concept of clinical reasoning. The literature for this concept analysis was retrieved from several databases, including Scopus, Elsevier, PubMed, ISI, ISC, Medline, and Google Scholar, for the years 1995– 2016 (until September 2016. An extensive search of the literature was conducted using the electronic database. Accordingly, 17 articles and one book were selected for the review. We applied McKenna’s method of concept analysis in studying clinical reasoning, so that definitional attributes, antecedents, and consequences of this concept were extracted.Results: Clinical reasoning has nine major attributes in medicine. These attributes include: (1 clinical reasoning as a cognitive process; (2 knowledge acquisition and application of different types of knowledge; (3 thinking as a part of the clinical reasoning process; (4 patient inputs; (5 contextdependent and domain-specific processes; (6 iterative and complex processes; (7 multi-modal cognitive processes; (8 professional principles; and (9 health system mandates. These attributes are influenced by the antecedents of workplace context, practice frames of reference, practice models of the practitioner, and clinical skills. The consequences of clinical reasoning are the metacognitive improvement of

  3. Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silja Bühler

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Understanding human filovirus hemorrhagic fever (FHF clinical manifestations and evaluating treatment strategies require the collection of clinical data in outbreak settings, where clinical documentation has been limited. Currently, no consensus among filovirus outbreak-response organisations guides best practice for clinical documentation and data transfer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers (HCWs involved in FHF outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and with HCWs experienced in documenting and transferring data from high-risk areas (isolation wards or biosafety level 4 laboratories. Methods for data documentation and transfer were identified, described in detail and categorised by requirement for electricity and ranked by interviewee preference. Some methods involve removing paperwork and other objects from the filovirus disease ward without disinfection. We believe that if done properly, these methods are reasonably safe for certain settings. However, alternative methods avoiding the removal of objects, or involving the removal of paperwork or objects after non-damaging disinfection, are available. These methods are not only safer, they are also perceived as safer and likely more acceptable to health workers and members of the community. The use of standardised clinical forms is overdue. Experiments with by sunlight disinfection should continue, and non-damaging disinfection of impregnated paper, suitable tablet computers and underwater cameras should be evaluated under field conditions.

  4. Evidence-based integrative medicine in clinical veterinary oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raditic, Donna M; Bartges, Joseph W

    2014-09-01

    Integrative medicine is the combined use of complementary and alternative medicine with conventional or traditional Western medicine systems. The demand for integrative veterinary medicine is growing, but evidence-based research on its efficacy is limited. In veterinary clinical oncology, such research could be translated to human medicine, because veterinary patients with spontaneous tumors are valuable translational models for human cancers. An overview of specific herbs, botanics, dietary supplements, and acupuncture evaluated in dogs, in vitro canine cells, and other relevant species both in vivo and in vitro is presented for their potential use as integrative therapies in veterinary clinical oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. The derivation and validation of a simple model for predicting in-hospital mortality of acutely admitted patients to internal medicine wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakhnini, Ali; Saliba, Walid; Schwartz, Naama; Bisharat, Naiel

    2017-06-01

    Limited information is available about clinical predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute unselected medical admissions. Such information could assist medical decision-making.To develop a clinical model for predicting in-hospital mortality in unselected acute medical admissions and to test the impact of secondary conditions on hospital mortality.This is an analysis of the medical records of patients admitted to internal medicine wards at one university-affiliated hospital. Data obtained from the years 2013 to 2014 were used as a derivation dataset for creating a prediction model, while data from 2015 was used as a validation dataset to test the performance of the model. For each admission, a set of clinical and epidemiological variables was obtained. The main diagnosis at hospitalization was recorded, and all additional or secondary conditions that coexisted at hospital admission or that developed during hospital stay were considered secondary conditions.The derivation and validation datasets included 7268 and 7843 patients, respectively. The in-hospital mortality rate averaged 7.2%. The following variables entered the final model; age, body mass index, mean arterial pressure on admission, prior admission within 3 months, background morbidity of heart failure and active malignancy, and chronic use of statins and antiplatelet agents. The c-statistic (ROC-AUC) of the prediction model was 80.5% without adjustment for main or secondary conditions, 84.5%, with adjustment for the main diagnosis, and 89.5% with adjustment for the main diagnosis and secondary conditions. The accuracy of the predictive model reached 81% on the validation dataset.A prediction model based on clinical data with adjustment for secondary conditions exhibited a high degree of prediction accuracy. We provide a proof of concept that there is an added value for incorporating secondary conditions while predicting probabilities of in-hospital mortality. Further improvement of the model performance

  6. Active learning on the ward: outcomes from a comparative trial with traditional methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melo Prado, Hegla; Hannois Falbo, Gilliatt; Rodrigues Falbo, Ana; Natal Figueirôa, José

    2011-03-01

    Academic activity during internship is essentially practical and ward rounds are traditionally considered the cornerstone of clinical education. However, the efficacy and effectiveness of ward rounds for learning purposes have been under-investigated and it is necessary to assess alternative educational paradigms for this activity. This study aimed to compare the educational effectiveness of ward rounds conducted with two different learning methodologies. Student subjects were first tested on 30 true/false questions to assess their initial degree of knowledge on pneumonia and diarrhoea. Afterwards, they attended ward rounds conducted using an active and a traditional learning methodology. The participants were submitted to a second test 48hours later in order to assess knowledge acquisition and were asked to answer two questions about self-directed learning and their opinions on the two learning methodologies used. Seventy-two medical students taking part in a paediatric clinic rotation were enrolled. The active methodology proved to be more effective than the traditional methodology for the three outcomes considered: knowledge acquisition (33 students [45.8%] versus 21 students [29.2%]; p=0.03); self-directed learning (38 students [52.8%] versus 11 students [15.3%]; pmethods (61 students [84.7%] versus 38 students [52.8%]; ptraditional methodology in a ward-based context. This study seems to be valuable in terms of the new evidence it demonstrates on learning methodologies in the context of the ward round. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

  7. Radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    The contribution displays 44 abstracts and 35 posters from the 27th International Symposium on ''radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research'', organized by the Austrian society of nuclear medicine and the department of nuclear medicine and the center for biomedical engineering and physics of the Vienna medical university. The abstracts are sorted according to lecture headers: radiopharmaceutical sciences, endocrinology, clinical PET, neurology, oncology, physics and instrumentation, cardiology, inflammation, therapy and varia. (uke)

  8. Characteristics of patients in a ward of Academic Internal Medicine: implications for medical care, training programmes and research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becchi, Maria Angela; Pescetelli, Michele; Caiti, Omar; Carulli, Nicola

    2010-06-01

    To describe the characteristics of "delayed discharge patients" and the factors associated with "delayed discharges", we performed a 12-month observational study on patients classified as "delayed discharge patients" admitted to an Academic Internal Medicine ward. We assessed the demographic variables, the number and severity of diseases using the Geriatric Index of Comorbidity (GIC), the cognitive, affective and functional status using, respectively, the Mini Mental Stare Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Barthel Index. We assessed the total length of stay (T-LHS), the total inappropriate length of stay (T-ILHS), the median length of stays (M-LHS), the median inappropriate length of stay (M-ILHS) and evaluated the factors associated with delayed discharge. "Delayed discharge patients" were 11.9% of all patients. The mean age was 81.9 years, 74.0% were in the IV class of GIC and 33.5% were at the some time totally dependent and affected by severe or non-assessable cognitive impairments. The patients had 2584 T-LHS, of which 1058 (40.9%) were T-ILHS. Their M-LHS was 15 days, and the M-ILHS was 5 days. In general, the greater the LHS, the greater is the ILHS (Spearman's rho + 0.68, P < 0.001). Using a multivariate analysis, only the absence of formal aids before hospitalisation is independently associated with delayed discharge (F = 4.39, P = 0.038). The majority of the delays (69%) resulted from the difficulty in finding beds in long-term hospital wards, but the longest M-ILHS (9 days) was found in patients waiting for the Geriatric Evaluation Unit. The profile of patients and the pattern of hospital utilisation suggest a need to reorient the health care system, and to develop appropriate resources for the academic functions of education, research and patient care.

  9. Rational and irrational clinical strategies for collaborative medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammerly, Milt

    2002-01-01

    Individual practitioners and health care systems/organizations increasingly understand the rationale for collaborative medicine. An absence of collaboration can compromise the quality and safety of patient care. But having a rationale to provide collaborative medicine without also having a rational clinical strategy can be equally compromising to the quality and safety of patient care. Reasonable evidentiary criteria must be used to determine whether specific therapies merit inclusion or exclusion in a collaborative medicine model. Ranking therapies hierarchically on the basis of their risk-benefit ratio simplifies matching of therapies with the needs of the patient. A unifying taxonomy that categorizes all therapies (complementary/alternative and conventional) on the basis of how we think they work (presumed mechanisms of action) facilitates development of a clinical strategy for collaborative medicine. On the basis of these principles, a rational clinical strategy for collaborative medicine is described to help optimize the quality and safety of patient care.

  10. Severe psychosomatic illness in children: effect on a pediatric ward's staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fialkov, M J; Miller, J A

    1981-12-01

    Observations of a pediatric ward's response to the repeated hospitalization of an asthmatic child revealed a close parallel to the transactional patterns described in families of children with psychosomatic illnesses. Characteristics of such families include enmeshment, overprotectiveness, rigidity and resistance to change, lack of conflict resolution, and use of the child's sick role to relieve tension and discomfort within the family. In this article we have attempted to demonstrate the similarity of responses between these families and groups of hospital ward personnel. Resolution of the ward personnel's internal conflict was followed by changes in the coping abilities of the staff, with a successful outcome for a second child with a similar clinical condition.

  11. [Specificity of the anaerobic bacterial infections in the surgical and orthopedic wards].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kierzkowska, Marta; Majewska, Anna; Sawicka-Grzelak, Anna; Młynarczyk, Andrzej; Ładomirska-Pestkowska, Katarzvna; Młynarczyk, Grazyna

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate the contribution strictly anaerobic bacteria in the etiology of infections in patients on surgery and orthopedic wards. We examined 159 samples taken from patients hospitalized in surgical wards and 179 clinical specimens taken from orthopedic patients. Clinical strains of obligate anaerobes were identified by API 20A biochemical tests (ATB Expression, bioMerieux S.A., France). Susceptibility of the clinical strains was examined by ATB ANA (bioMerieux S.A., France) system. The MIC values were determined by the gradient diffusion method, Etest (AB BIODISK, Sweden i bioMerieux S.A., France). Gram-negative bacteria predominant in the samples taken from surgical patients, Most frequently we isolated rods of the genus Bacteroides (26%): B. fragilis, B. ovatus/B. thetaiotaomicron, and B. distasonis. In 44 samples (28%) we identified only anaerobic bacteria. Multibacterial isolations, with the participation of anaerobic and aerobic flora, dominated among patients in the study. Overall 238 strictly anaerobic bacteria were cultured from patients hospitalized in orthopedic wards. Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 78%. The most frequently were isolated Peptostreptococcus (56%), Propionibacterium (10%) species. In this study all Bacteroides strains were resistant to penicillin G. Some species were resistant to clindamycin, as well. Overall 40% of Bacteroides strains taken from surgical and 50% isolated from orthopedic wards showed no sensitivity to this antibiotic. A similar phenomenon was observed among bacteria of the genus Prevotella. In samples taken from orthopedic patients we observed the predominance of Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria. Some of them were part of the normal flora but they should not be excluded as an etiology agents of infection. The specimens taken from patients treated in surgical wards showed the presence of a mixed microflora, which included aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, primarily Gram-negative rods

  12. Nurses' role transition from the clinical ward environment to the critical care environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gohery, Patricia; Meaney, Teresa

    2013-12-01

    To explore the experiences of nurses moving from the ward environment to the critical care environment. Critical care areas are employing nurses with no critical care experience due to staff shortage. There is a paucity of literature focusing on the experiences of nurses moving from the ward environment to the critical care environment. A Heideggerian phenomenology research approach was used in this study. In-depth semi structured interviews, supported with an interview guide, were conducted with nine critical care nurses. Data analysis was guided by Van Manen (1990) approach to phenomenological analysis. Four main themes emerged: The highs and lows, you need support, theory-practice gap, struggling with fear. The participants felt ill prepared and inexperienced to work within the stressful and technical environment of critical care due to insufficient education and support. The study findings indicated that a variety of feelings and emotions are experienced by ward nurses who move into the stressful and technical environment of critical care due to insufficient skills and knowledge. More education and support is required to improve this transition process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. An adolescent ward; 'in name only?'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutton, Alison

    2008-12-01

    The aim of the study was to explore how an adolescent ward was used by the two main users, nurses and adolescents, on a purpose-built adolescent ward. In Australia, caring for the adolescent is part of paediatric nursing and many Australian hospitals boast of 'adolescent-only facilities'. These wards are established on the premise that adolescent patients are a 'special' group deserving their own ward space. With the development of adolescent wards, set ideals around what this type of environment provides have also arisen. These ideals are increased privacy and independence for the patient, a chance for peer interaction, to be nursed by specially trained staff and to provide opportunities for adolescent patients to participate in their own care. This study used ethnography to gain a perspective of how ward space was used. Data were collected using participant observation and formal and informal interviews. Data were then analysed using the works of Lefebvre and Foucault. This study found that patient allocation, nursing observation and patient labels impact on how adolescent patients are nursed. Patients are expected to fit in, accepting all ministrations of nursing and staff. On this ward, nursing work was paramount. Nurses treated the adolescent patient like any other. In saying this, the adolescent patient still found ways to adapt to the ward space and its rules and routines; so in this sense, the ward still worked for them, even if nursing work was paramount. This study contributes to current discourse on the formation of specialized facilities in general, as it shows that no matter how a ward space is set up, if the space is not used in that way, then the purported purpose of that ward space will be lost.

  14. Becoming 'ward smart' medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Beth; Wallace, Deirdre; Mangera, Zaheer; Gill, Deborah

    2017-10-01

    A small number of medical students elect to work as health care assistants (HCAs) during or prior to their undergraduate training. There is a significant body of evidence in the literature regarding the impact of HCA experience on student nurses; however, little research has examined the effects of such experience on medical students. All fourth-year medical students with self-declared experience as HCAs from a single UK medical school were invited to participate in focus groups to explore their experiences and perceptions. Ten students from the year group took part. Participants felt that their experience as HCAs enhanced their learning in the workplace through becoming 'ward smart', helping them to become socialised into the world of health care, providing early meaningful and humanised patient interaction, and increasing their understanding of multidisciplinary team (MDT) members' roles. Little research has examined the effects of [HCA] experience on medical students DISCUSSION: Becoming 'ward smart' and developing a sense of belonging are central to maximising learning in, from and through work on the ward. Experience as a HCA provides a range of learning and social opportunities for medical students, and legitimises their participation within clinical communities. HCA experience also seems to benefit in the 'hard to reach' dimensions of medical training: empathy; humanisation of patient care; professional socialisation; and providing a sense of belonging within health care environments. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  15. Clinical intuition versus statistics: different modes of tacit knowledge in clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braude, Hillel D

    2009-01-01

    Despite its phenomenal success since its inception in the early nineteen-nineties, the evidence-based medicine movement has not succeeded in shaking off an epistemological critique derived from the experiential or tacit dimensions of clinical reasoning about particular individuals. This critique claims that the evidence-based medicine model does not take account of tacit knowing as developed by the philosopher Michael Polanyi. However, the epistemology of evidence-based medicine is premised on the elimination of the tacit dimension from clinical judgment. This is demonstrated through analyzing the dichotomy between clinical and statistical intuition in evidence-based medicine's epistemology of clinical reasoning. I argue that clinical epidemiology presents a more nuanced epistemological model for the application of statistical epidemiology to the clinical context. Polanyi's theory of tacit knowing is compatible with the model of clinical reasoning associated with clinical epidemiology, but not evidence-based medicine.

  16. Clinical decision-making and secondary findings in systems medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, T; Brothers, K B; Erdmann, P; Langanke, M

    2016-05-21

    Systems medicine is the name for an assemblage of scientific strategies and practices that include bioinformatics approaches to human biology (especially systems biology); "big data" statistical analysis; and medical informatics tools. Whereas personalized and precision medicine involve similar analytical methods applied to genomic and medical record data, systems medicine draws on these as well as other sources of data. Given this distinction, the clinical translation of systems medicine poses a number of important ethical and epistemological challenges for researchers working to generate systems medicine knowledge and clinicians working to apply it. This article focuses on three key challenges: First, we will discuss the conflicts in decision-making that can arise when healthcare providers committed to principles of experimental medicine or evidence-based medicine encounter individualized recommendations derived from computer algorithms. We will explore in particular whether controlled experiments, such as comparative effectiveness trials, should mediate the translation of systems medicine, or if instead individualized findings generated through "big data" approaches can be applied directly in clinical decision-making. Second, we will examine the case of the Riyadh Intensive Care Program Mortality Prediction Algorithm, pejoratively referred to as the "death computer," to demonstrate the ethical challenges that can arise when big-data-driven scoring systems are applied in clinical contexts. We argue that the uncritical use of predictive clinical algorithms, including those envisioned for systems medicine, challenge basic understandings of the doctor-patient relationship. Third, we will build on the recent discourse on secondary findings in genomics and imaging to draw attention to the important implications of secondary findings derived from the joint analysis of data from diverse sources, including data recorded by patients in an attempt to realize their

  17. Clinical decision making-a functional medicine perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizzorno, Joseph E

    2012-09-01

    As 21st century health care moves from a disease-based approach to a more patient-centric system that can address biochemical individuality to improve health and function, clinical decision making becomes more complex. Accentuating the problem is the lack of a clear standard for this more complex functional medicine approach. While there is relatively broad agreement in Western medicine for what constitutes competent assessment of disease and identification of related treatment approaches, the complex functional medicine model posits multiple and individualized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, most or many of which have reasonable underlying science and principles, but which have not been rigorously tested in a research or clinical setting. This has led to non-rigorous thinking and sometimes to uncritical acceptance of both poorly documented diagnostic procedures and ineffective therapies, resulting in less than optimal clinical care.

  18. [Lung abscess and thoracic empyema: retrospective analysis in an internal medicine department].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteiro, Rita; Alfaro, Tiago M; Correia, Lurdes; Simão, Adélia; Carvalho, Armando; Costa, J Nascimento

    2011-12-01

    Lung abscess is a collection of necrotic and suppurated tissue located at the pulmonary parenchyma. Empyema is defined as the presence of pus in the pleural space. To study the clinical and microbiological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of patients with lung abscess and/or empyema admitted to an Internal Medicine ward. A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed, including all patients admitted to an Internal Medicine ward for lung abscess or empyema, between 2000 and 2008. Thirty patients were included (22 males/ eight females), accounting for 0.18% of all patients admitted in this ward in the same period. Three patients had pulmonary abscess, 18 empyema, and nine both diseases. The average age was 68.5 years (31 to 90). The most frequent complaints were dyspnoea (90%), fever (73.3%), cough (66.7%), weight loss (60%) and chest pain (53.3%). The most frequent associated disorders were stroke associated disability (46.7%), heart failure (43.3%) and arterial hypertension (33.3%). Thoracentesis was performed in all patients with empyema. In one patient with lung abscess an anaerobic microorganism was identified. In patients with empyema, cultures were positive in 61.1% of cases, with a slight predominance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (27.3%) and Prevotella intermedia (18.2%). In patients with both abscess and empyema, cultures of the abscess were positive in 44.4% and of the pleural fluid in 33.3%, with no predominant microorganism. Empiric antimicrobial therapy was started in all patients and later adapted to the antibiotic sensitivity test results. Surgery was performed in three patients. Seven patients (23.3%) died during admission. The average age of the patients who died was 81.3 years and of those who survived was 64.5 years. Lung abscess and empyema are infrequent diseases in an Internal Medicine ward, affect mostly males and have unspecific clinical manifestations. The chest X-ray, computed tomography (CT) and

  19. The law criminalizing attempted suicide in Ghana: the views of clinical psychologists, emergency ward nurses, and police officers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hjelmeland, Heidi; Osafo, Joseph; Akotia, Charity S; Knizek, Birthe L

    2014-01-01

    Attempted suicide is still considered a crime in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes toward this law held by health workers and police officers in Ghana so as to provide culture-sensitive arguments to aid in abolishing the law. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight clinical psychologists, eight emergency ward nurses, and eight police officers. The majority of informants did not agree with the law criminalizing attempted suicide in Ghana, although five of the emergency ward nurses and two police officers did. Arguments for agreeing with the law were that people have no right to take life and that the law has a deterrent effect and thus it will help reduce the suicide rate. The main argument for not agreeing with the law was that suicidal behavior is a mental health issue. Those who argued in favor of the law did not seem to reflect much on the reasons for suicidal behavior. Education on how to understand suicidal behavior and suicidal people may aid the work toward decriminalizing attempted suicide in Ghana.

  20. iPad use at the bedside: a tool for engaging patients in care processes during ward rounds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baysari, M T; Adams, K; Lehnbom, E C; Westbrook, J I; Day, R O

    2014-10-01

    Previous work has examined the impact of technology on information sharing and communication between doctors and patients in general practice consultations, but very few studies have explored this in hospital settings. To assess if, and how, senior clinicians use an iPad to share information (e.g. patient test results) with patients during ward rounds and to explore patients' and doctors' experiences of information sharing events. Ten senior doctors were shadowed on ward rounds on general wards during interactions with 525 patients over 77.3 h, seven senior doctors were interviewed and 180 patients completed a short survey. Doctors reported that information sharing with patients is critical to the delivery of high-quality healthcare, but were not seen to use the iPad to share information with patients on ward rounds. Patients did not think the iPad had impacted on their engagement with doctors on rounds. Ward rounds were observed to follow set routines and patient interactions were brief. Although the iPad potentially creates new opportunities for information sharing and patient engagement, the ward round may not present the most appropriate context for this to be done. © 2014 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  1. What scares patients to get admitted in a psychiatry ward? An exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushmita Bhattacharya

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: There has been very little focus on understanding the experiences of people suffering from mental illness during their treatment in the outpatient and inpatient treatment facilities. Majority of the decisions regarding their treatment are taken by the mental health professionals in consultation with the caregivers, and the patient remains a passive recipient of the services. It is commonly seen that patients refuse admission in the psychiatry ward even when clinical needs warrant admission. Aim: The aim of the current study was to explore the perception of patients regarding admission in the psychiatry ward and the fears associated with indoor treatment facility. Methodology: A semistructured interview schedule was administered to 110 patients undergoing treatment from outpatient services to study their attitude toward treatment in psychiatry ward. Results: A large number of patients perceived psychiatry ward as a hostile place with unfriendly atmosphere and dark and unsupportive environment. However, the patients who had been admitted in the past found it less scary and appreciated good and friendly behavior of the staff in the ward. Conclusion: Negative perception of inpatient treatment and psychiatry wards is still highly prevalent among the patients. With growing focus on reducing stigma about psychiatric illnesses, dispelling the myths related to treatment in wards is the need of the hour.

  2. Application and Exploration of Big Data Mining in Clinical Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yue; Guo, Shu-Li; Han, Li-Na; Li, Tie-Ling

    2016-03-20

    To review theories and technologies of big data mining and their application in clinical medicine. Literatures published in English or Chinese regarding theories and technologies of big data mining and the concrete applications of data mining technology in clinical medicine were obtained from PubMed and Chinese Hospital Knowledge Database from 1975 to 2015. Original articles regarding big data mining theory/technology and big data mining's application in the medical field were selected. This review characterized the basic theories and technologies of big data mining including fuzzy theory, rough set theory, cloud theory, Dempster-Shafer theory, artificial neural network, genetic algorithm, inductive learning theory, Bayesian network, decision tree, pattern recognition, high-performance computing, and statistical analysis. The application of big data mining in clinical medicine was analyzed in the fields of disease risk assessment, clinical decision support, prediction of disease development, guidance of rational use of drugs, medical management, and evidence-based medicine. Big data mining has the potential to play an important role in clinical medicine.

  3. Anatomy of the ward round.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Hare, James A

    2008-07-01

    The ward round has been a central activity of hospital life for hundreds of years. It is hardly mentioned in textbooks. The ward round is a parade through the hospital of professionals where most decision making concerning patient care is made. However the traditional format may be intimidating for patients and inadequate for communication. The round provides an opportunity for the multi-disciplinary team to listen to the patient\\'s narrative and jointly interpret his concerns. From this unfolds diagnosis, management plans, prognosis formation and the opportunity to explore social, psychological, rehabilitation and placement issues. Physical examination of the patient at the bedside still remains important. It has been a tradition to discuss the patient at the bedside but sensitive matters especially of uncertainty may better be discussed elsewhere. The senior doctor as round leader must seek the input of nursing whose observations may be under-appreciated due to traditional professional hierarchy. Reductions in the working hours of junior doctors and shortened length of stay have reduced continuity of patient care. This increases the importance of senior staff in ensuring continuity of care and the need for the joint round as the focus of optimal decision making. The traditional round incorporates teaching but patient\\'s right to privacy and their preferences must be respected. The quality and form of the clinical note is underreported but the electronic record is slow to being accepted. The traditional multi-disciplinary round is disappearing in some centres. This may be regrettable. The anatomy and optimal functioning of the ward round deserves scientific scrutiny and experimentation.

  4. A work-based learning approach for clinical support workers on mental health inpatient wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemp, Philip; Gilding, Moorene; Seewooruttun, Khooseal; Walsh, Hannah

    2016-09-14

    Background With a rise in the number of unqualified staff providing health and social care, and reports raising concerns about the quality of care provided, there is a need to address the learning needs of clinical support workers. This article describes a qualitative evaluation of a service improvement project that involved a work-based learning approach for clinical support workers on mental health inpatient wards. Aim To investigate and identify insights in relation to the content and process of learning using a work-based learning approach for clinical support workers. Method This was a qualitative evaluation of a service improvement project involving 25 clinical support workers at the seven mental health inpatient units in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Three clinical skills tutors were appointed to develop, implement and evaluate the work-based learning approach. Four sources of data were used to evaluate this approach, including reflective journals, qualitative responses to questionnaires, three focus groups involving the clinical support workers and a group interview involving the clinical skills tutors. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The work-based learning approach was highly valued by the clinical support workers and enhanced learning in practice. Face-to-face learning in practice helped the clinical support workers to develop practice skills and reflective learning skills. Insights relating to the role of clinical support workers were also identified, including the benefits of face-to-face supervision in practice, particularly in relation to the interpersonal aspects of care. Conclusion A work-based learning approach has the potential to enhance care delivery by meeting the learning needs of clinical support workers and enabling them to apply learning to practice. Care providers should consider how the work-based learning approach can be used on a systematic, organisation-wide basis in the context of budgetary

  5. Evidence Based Studies in Clinical Transfusion Medicine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.J.G. Jansen (Gerard)

    2007-01-01

    textabstractAfter the introduction of blood component therapy in the 1960s, more and more attention is given to clinical transfusion medicine. Although blood transfusion is an important treatment in different clinical settings, there are still lack of much randomized clinical trials. Nowadays

  6. The Importance of Medicinal Chemistry Knowledge in the Clinical Pharmacist's Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, João Paulo S

    2018-03-01

    Objective. To show why medicinal chemistry must be a key component of the education of pharmacy students, as well as in the pharmacist's practice. Findings. Five case reports were selected by their clinically relevant elements of medicinal chemistry and were explained using structure-activity relationship data of the drugs involved in the case easily obtained from primary literature and in medicinal chemistry textbooks. Summary. This paper demonstrates how critical clinical decisions can be addressed using medicinal chemistry knowledge. While such knowledge may not explain all clinical decisions, medicinal chemistry concepts are essential for the education of pharmacy students to explain drug action in general and clinical decisions.

  7. Occurrence of airborne vancomycin- and gentamicin-resistant bacteria in various hospital wards in Isfahan, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirhoseini, Seyed Hamed; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Khanahmad, Hossein; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

    2016-01-01

    Airborne transmission of pathogenic resistant bacteria is well recognized as an important route for the acquisition of a wide range of nosocomial infections in hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of airborne vancomycin and gentamicin (VM and GM) resistant bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals. A total of 64 air samples were collected from operating theater (OT), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), surgery ward, and internal medicine ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Airborne culturable bacteria were collected using all glass impingers. Samples were analyzed for the detection of VM- and GM-resistant bacteria. The average level of bacteria ranged from 99 to 1079 CFU/m(3). The highest level of airborne bacteria was observed in hospital 4 (628 CFU/m(3)) and the highest average concentration of GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were found in hospital 3 (22 CFU/m(3)). The mean concentration of airborne bacteria was the lowest in OT wards and GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were not detected in this ward of hospitals. The highest prevalence of antibiotic-resistant airborne bacteria was observed in ICU ward. There was a statistically significant difference for the prevalence of VM-resistant bacteria between hospital wards (P = 0.012). Our finding showed that the relatively high prevalence of VM- and GM-resistant airborne bacteria in ICUs could be a great concern from the point of view of patients' health. These results confirm the necessity of application of effective control measures which significantly decrease the exposure of high-risk patients to potentially airborne nosocomial infections.

  8. Clinical trials in nuclear medicine: Present and future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaumet-Riffaud, P.; Cachin, F.; Couturier, O.; Desruet, M.D.; Kraeber-Bodere, F.; Talbot, J.N.; Vuillez, J.P.

    2009-01-01

    The particular status of radiopharmaceuticals, together with the positioning of nuclear medicine in multidisciplinary approach of oncology, lead to real difficulties for conception, validation and granting of clinical trials which are necessary for demonstrating clinical interest of new compounds, for diagnosis as well as for therapeutic use. This article is a presentation of some recent clinical trials conducted in nuclear medicine in France, showing its dynamism but also pointing out some encountered difficulties. These experiences could lead to reflexion in order to improve the clinical research performances, taking into account a scientific and regulatory context more and more constraining. (authors)

  9. [The current aspects of hospital infections in maternity and neonatal wards].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribarova, N; Todorova, M; Khristov, Kh

    1994-01-01

    The epidemiologic, etiologic and clinical structure of HAI in the maternity and neonatal wards in the country for the 1982-1992 period has been specified. 934 women in child-birth and 2357 neonates acquire nosocomial infections at an average annually. A comparatively constant level in HAI epidemic process intensity is observed with inconsiderable diversions in the beginning and by the end of the studied period. Staphylococci like causative agents of HAI take up a leading place in both types of wards with especially marked incidence rate among the newborn children. The predominant clinical forms in the women in child-birth are the surgical wound infections, skin and genital infections and in the neonates--the staphylodermatites, upper respiratory airway infections, pulmonary and enteric infections.

  10. A Short History of Clinical Holistic Medicine

    OpenAIRE

    Ventegodt, Søren; Kandel, Isack; Merrick, Joav

    2007-01-01

    Clinical holistic medicine has its roots in the medicine and tradition of Hippocrates. Modern epidemiological research in quality of life, the emerging science of complementary and alternative medicine, the tradition of psychodynamic therapy, and the tradition of bodywork are merging into a new scientific way of treating patients. This approach seems able to help every second patient with physical, mental, existential or sexual health problem in 20 sessions over one year. The paper discusses ...

  11. Application and Exploration of Big Data Mining in Clinical Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yue; Guo, Shu-Li; Han, Li-Na; Li, Tie-Ling

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To review theories and technologies of big data mining and their application in clinical medicine. Data Sources: Literatures published in English or Chinese regarding theories and technologies of big data mining and the concrete applications of data mining technology in clinical medicine were obtained from PubMed and Chinese Hospital Knowledge Database from 1975 to 2015. Study Selection: Original articles regarding big data mining theory/technology and big data mining's application in the medical field were selected. Results: This review characterized the basic theories and technologies of big data mining including fuzzy theory, rough set theory, cloud theory, Dempster–Shafer theory, artificial neural network, genetic algorithm, inductive learning theory, Bayesian network, decision tree, pattern recognition, high-performance computing, and statistical analysis. The application of big data mining in clinical medicine was analyzed in the fields of disease risk assessment, clinical decision support, prediction of disease development, guidance of rational use of drugs, medical management, and evidence-based medicine. Conclusion: Big data mining has the potential to play an important role in clinical medicine. PMID:26960378

  12. Factors to consider in the introduction of huddles on clinical wards: perceptions of staff on the SAFE programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stapley, Emily; Sharples, Evelyn; Lachman, Peter; Lakhanpaul, Monica; Wolpert, Miranda; Deighton, Jessica

    2018-02-01

    To explore paediatric hospital staff members' perceptions of the emerging benefits and challenges of the huddle, a new safety improvement initiative, as well as the barriers and facilitators to its implementation. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to explore staff perspectives and experiences. Situation Awareness For Everyone (SAFE), a safety improvement programme, was implemented on a sample of National Health Service (NHS) paediatric wards from September 2014 to June 2016. Previously untested in England, the huddle was a central component of the programme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 76 staff members on four wards ~4 months after the start of the programme. A thematic analysis showed that staff perceived the huddle as helping to increase their awareness of important issues, improve communication, facilitate teamwork, and encourage a culture of increased efficiency, anticipation and planning on the ward. Challenges of the huddle included added pressure on staff time and workload, and the potential for junior nurses to be excluded from involvement, thus perhaps inadvertently reinforcing medical hierarchies. Staff also identified several barriers and facilitators to the huddle process, including the importance of senior nursing and medical staff leadership and managing staff time and capacity issues. The findings point towards the potential efficacy of the huddle as a way of improving hospital staff members' working environments and clinical practice, with important implications for other sites seeking to implement such safety improvement initiatives. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. Learning from positively deviant wards to improve patient safety: an observational study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, Ruth; Taylor, Natalie; Kellar, Ian; Lawton, Rebecca

    2015-12-11

    Positive deviance is an asset-based approach to improvement which has recently been adopted to improve quality and safety within healthcare. The approach assumes that solutions to problems already exist within communities. Certain groups or individuals identify these solutions and succeed despite having the same resources as others. Within healthcare, positive deviance has previously been applied at individual or organisational levels to improve specific clinical outcomes or processes of care. This study explores whether the positive deviance approach can be applied to multidisciplinary ward teams to address the broad issue of patient safety among elderly patients. Preliminary work analysed National Health Service (NHS) Safety Thermometer data from 34 elderly medical wards to identify 5 'positively deviant' and 5 matched 'comparison' wards. Researchers are blinded to ward status. This protocol describes a multimethod, observational study which will (1) assess the concurrent validity of identifying positively deviant elderly medical wards using NHS Safety Thermometer data and (2) generate hypotheses about how positively deviant wards succeed. Patient and staff perceptions of safety will be assessed on each ward using validated surveys. Correlation and ranking analyses will explore whether this survey data aligns with the routinely collected NHS Safety Thermometer data. Staff focus groups and researcher fieldwork diaries will be completed and qualitative thematic content analysis will be used to generate hypotheses about the strategies, behaviours, team cultures and dynamics that facilitate the delivery of safe patient care. The acceptability and sustainability of strategies identified will also be explored. The South East Scotland Research Ethics Committee 01 approved this study (reference: 14/SS/1085) and NHS Permissions were granted from all trusts. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed, scientific journals, and presented at academic conferences. This study

  14. Canonical ward identities in generalized QCD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziping

    1995-01-01

    The canonical Ward identities for a system with singular higher-order Lagrangian are derived and some application to the generalized QCD are given. The new relations of the Ward identities for gauge ghost field proper vertices are obtained which differ from the usual Ward-Takahashi identities arising from BRS invariance. The expressions for PCAC and generalized PCAC of AVV vertices are also obtained

  15. Regulation of Clinical Trials with Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renner, Matthias; Anliker, Brigitte; Sanzenbacher, Ralf; Schuele, Silke

    2015-01-01

    In the European Union, clinical trials for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products are regulated at the national level, in contrast to the situation for a Marketing Authorisation Application, in which a centralised procedure is foreseen for these medicinal products. Although based on a common understanding regarding the regulatory requirement to be fulfilled before conduct of a clinical trial with an Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Product, the procedures and partly the scientific requirements for approval of a clinical trial application differ between the European Union Member States. This chapter will thus give an overview about the path to be followed for a clinical trial application and the subsequent approval process for an Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Product in Germany and will describe the role of the stakeholders that are involved. In addition, important aspects of manufacturing, quality control and non-clinical testing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in the clinical development phase are discussed. Finally, current and future approaches for harmonisation of clinical trial authorisation between European Union Member States are summarised.

  16. Medically unexplained illness and the diagnosis of hysterical conversion reaction (HCR in women’s medicine wards of Bangladeshi hospitals: a record review and qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kendall Emily A

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Frequent reporting of cases of hysterical conversion reaction (HCR among hospitalized female medical patients in Bangladesh’s public hospital system led us to explore the prevalence of “HCR” diagnoses within hospitals and the manner in which physicians identify, manage, and perceive patients whom they diagnose with HCR. Methods We reviewed admission records from women’s general medicine wards in two public hospitals to determine how often and at what point during hospitalization patients received diagnoses of HCR. We also interviewed 13 physicians about their practices and perceptions related to HCR. Results Of 2520 women admitted to the selected wards in 2008, 6% received diagnoses of HCR. HCR patients had wide-ranging symptoms including respiratory distress, headaches, chest pain, convulsions, and abdominal complaints. Most doctors diagnosed HCR in patients who had any medically-unexplained physical symptom. According to physician reports, women admitted to medical wards for HCR received brief diagnostic evaluations and initial treatment with short-acting tranquilizers or placebo agents. Some were referred to outpatient psychiatric treatment. Physicians reported that repeated admissions for HCR were common. Physicians noted various social factors associated with HCR, and they described failures of the current system to meet psychosocial needs of HCR patients. Conclusions In these hospital settings, physicians assign HCR diagnoses frequently and based on vague criteria. We recommend providing education to increase general physicians’ awareness, skill, and comfort level when encountering somatization and other common psychiatric issues. Given limited diagnostic capacity for all patients, we raise concern that when HCR is used as a "wastebasket" diagnosis for unexplained symptoms, patients with treatable medical conditions may go unrecognized. We also advocate introducing non-physician hospital personnel to address

  17. Drug-related problems identification in general internal medicine: The impact and role of the clinical pharmacist and pharmacologist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guignard, Bertrand; Bonnabry, Pascal; Perrier, Arnaud; Dayer, Pierre; Desmeules, Jules; Samer, Caroline Flora

    2015-07-01

    Patients admitted to general internal medicine wards might receive a large number of drugs and be at risk for drug-related problems (DRPs) associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to detect suboptimal drug use in internal medicine by a pharmacotherapy evaluation, to suggest treatment optimizations and to assess the acceptance and satisfaction of the prescribers. This was a 6-month prospective study conducted in two internal medicine wards. Physician rounds were attended by a pharmacist and a pharmacologist. An assessment grid was used to detect the DRPs in electronic prescriptions 24h in advance. One of the following interventions was selected, depending on the relevance and complexity of the DRPs: no intervention, verbal advice of treatment optimization, or written consultation. The acceptance rate and satisfaction of prescribers were measured. In total, 145 patients were included, and 383 DRPs were identified (mean: 2.6 DRPs per patient). The most frequent DRPs were drug interactions (21%), untreated indications (18%), overdosages (16%) and drugs used without a valid indication (10%). The drugs or drug classes most frequently involved were tramadol, antidepressants, acenocoumarol, calcium-vitamin D, statins, aspirin, proton pump inhibitors and paracetamol. The following interventions were selected: no intervention (51%), verbal advice of treatment optimization (42%), and written consultation (7%). The acceptance rate of prescribers was 84% and their satisfaction was high. Pharmacotherapy expertise during medical rounds was useful and well accepted by prescribers. Because of the modest allocation of pharmacists and pharmacologists in Swiss hospitals, complementary strategies would be required. Copyright © 2015 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Mobile and fixed computer use by doctors and nurses on hospital wards

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Pia; Lindgaard, Anne-Mette; Prgomet, M.

    2009-01-01

    devices clinicians completed a very low proportion of observed tasks at the bedside. The design of the devices and ward space configurations place limitations on how and where devices are used and on the mobility of clinical work. In such circumstances, clinicians will initiate workarounds to compensate......, computers on wheels (COWs) and tablet PCs-was made. Two types of COWs were available on the wards: generic COWs (laptops mounted on trolleys) and ergonomic COWs (an integrated computer and cart device). Heuristic evaluation of the user interfaces was also carried out. RESULTS: The majority (93...... and doctors were observed performing workarounds, such as transcribing medication orders from the computer to paper. CONCLUSIONS: The choice of device was related to clinical role, nature of the clinical task, degree of mobility required, including where task completion occurs, and device design. Nurses' work...

  19. Multidisciplinary education in geriatric medicine. Continuing experience at the Middlesex Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beynon, G P; Croker, J

    1983-01-01

    The unique feature about the course in teaching geriatric medicine to undergraduates at the Middlesex Hospital is its multidisciplinary nature. The course lasts for three weeks during the first or second clinical year and involves medical students together with student physiotherapists, nurses and occupational therapists. All take part in seminars, ward rounds and multidisciplinary case presentations. A full-time course organizer funded by the School of Nursing manages the course. Assessment includes MCQ and course evaluation questionnaire and an essay.

  20. Relationship between Personality Profiles and Suicide Attempt via Medicine Poisoning among Hospitalized Patients: A Case-Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafiee-Kandjani, Ali Reza; Amiri, Shahrokh; Arfaie, Asghar; Ahmadi, Azadeh; Farvareshi, Mahmoud

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. Inflexible personality traits play an important role in the development of maladaptive behaviors among patients who attempt suicide. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between personality profiles and suicide attempt via medicine poisoning among the patients hospitalized in a public hospital. Materials and Methods. Fifty-nine patients who attempted suicide for the first time and hospitalized in the poisoning ward were selected as the experimental group. Sixty-three patients hospitalized in the other wards for a variety of reasons were selected as the adjusted control group. Millon Clinical Multiaxial Personality Inventory, 3rd version (MCMI-III) was used to assess the personality profiles. Results. The majority of the suicide attempters were low-level graduates (67.8% versus 47.1%, OR = 2.36). 79.7% of the suicide attempters were suffering from at least one maladaptive personality profile. The most common maladaptive personality profiles among the suicide attempters were depressive personality disorder (40.7%) and histrionic personality disorder (32.2%). Among the syndromes the most common ones were anxiety clinical syndrome (23.7%) and major depression (23.7%). Conclusion. Major depression clinical syndrome, histrionic personality disorder, anxiety clinical syndrome, and depressive personality disorder are among the predicators of first suicide attempts for the patients hospitalized in the public hospital due to the medicine poisoning.

  1. Simulation for ward processes of surgical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pucher, Philip H; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

    2013-07-01

    The role of simulation in surgical education, initially confined to technical skills and procedural tasks, increasingly includes training nontechnical skills including communication, crisis management, and teamwork. Research suggests that many preventable adverse events can be attributed to nontechnical error occurring within a ward context. Ward rounds represent the primary point of interaction between patient and physician but take place without formalized training or assessment. The simulated ward should provide an environment in which processes of perioperative care can be performed safely and realistically, allowing multidisciplinary assessment and training of full ward rounds. We review existing literature and describe our experience in setting up our ward simulator. We examine the facilities, equipment, cost, and personnel required for establishing a surgical ward simulator and consider the scenario development, assessment, and feedback tools necessary to integrate it into a surgical curriculum. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Prevalence of distressing symptoms in hospitalised patients on medical wards: A cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigurdardottir Katrin

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many patients with advanced, serious, non-malignant disease belong to the population generally seen on medical wards. However, little research has been carried out on palliative care needs in this group. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of distressing symptoms in patients hospitalised in a Department of Internal Medicine, estimate how many of these patients might be regarded as palliative, and describe their main symptoms. Methods Cross-sectional (point prevalence study. All patients hospitalised in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Cardiology were asked to do a symptom assessment by use of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS. Patients were defined as "palliative" if they had an advanced, serious, chronic disease with limited life expectancy and symptom relief as the main goal of treatment. Results 222 patients were registered in all. ESAS was completed for 160 patients. 79 (35.6% were defined as palliative and 43 of them completed ESAS. The patients in the palliative group were older than the rest, and reported more dyspnea (70% and a greater lack of wellbeing (70%. Other symptoms reported by this group were dry mouth (58%, fatigue (56%, depression (41%, anxiety (37%, pain at rest (30%, and pain on movement (42%. Conclusion More than one third of the patients in a Department of Internal Medicine were defined as palliative, and the majority of the patients in this palliative group reported severe symptoms. There is a need for skills in symptom control on medical wards.

  3. Mini outbreak of Kaposi′s varicelliform eruption in skin ward: A study of five cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rao GRR

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Kaposi`s varicelliform eruption (KVE represents widespread cutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV infection in patients with preexisting dermatoses. Occasionally, this infection can present as a nosocomial infection in skin wards, if adequate bed-spacing and barrier nursing methods are not followed. We are reporting five cases of KVE; four cases acquired the infection in a makeshift ward after admission of the first case in May 2005, due to the renovation work of the regular skin ward. Aim: The purpose of this study is to create clinical awareness about this uncommon dermatologic entity and to stress upon the importance of bed-spacing and barrier nursing in skin wards. Methods: Five cases of KVE, three females and two males with different primary dermatoses (pemphigus foliaceus - one, pemphigus vulgaris - two, paraneoplastic pemphigus - one and toxic epidemal necrolysis - one were included in this study. Diagnosis was made clinically and supported with Tzanck smear and HSV serology. All the cases were treated with oral acyclovir. Results: Four out of five cases of KVE recovered with treatment, one case of extensive pemphigus vulgaris with KVE succumbed to death. Conclusion: Mini outbreaks of KVE can occur in skin wards with inadequate bed-spacing and overcrowding of patients. Therefore adequate bed-spacing, barrier nursing and isolation of suspected cases are mandatory to prevent such life-threatening infections.

  4. The understanding of the special administration of nursing care in the intervention ward

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Jianyu; Tian Ye; Wang Junlan

    2009-01-01

    Because of the particularity of the interventional therapy,that is,the interventional management covers a large scope in clinical application and involves the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of multiple systems and organs,the clinical interventional practice has really brought an unprecedented challenge for the administration of the nursing care in the intervention ward. In our hospital, independent nursing group for the intervention ward was established two years ago. For the past two years, we have constantly groped and summarized the reasonable and effect administration of interventional nursing care. Pertinent administrative measures, such as nurse training, strengthening of communication with physicians and focusing on key links in nursing care and promptly finding out the weak points in clinical work, have effectively improved the quality of clinical nursing, in this way the clinical nursing practice has been integrated into the interventional therapy and the safe and high-quality nursing service has been provided to the patients. (authors)

  5. Clinical characteristics of very old patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards for heart failure: a sub-analysis of the FADOI-CONFINE Study Group

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    Paolo Biagi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The incidence and prevalence of chronic heart failure are increasing worldwide, as is the number of very old patients (>85 years affected by this disease. The aim of this sub-analysis of the multicenter, observational CONFINE study was to detect clinical and therapeutic peculiarities in patients with chronic heart failure aged >85 years. We recruited patients admitted with a diagnosis of chronic heart failure and present in the hospital in five index days, in 91 Units of Internal Medicine. The patients’ clinical characteristics, functional and cognitive status, and the management of the heart failure were analyzed. A total of 1444 subjects were evaluated, of whom 329 (23.1% were over 85 years old. Signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure were more common in very old patients, as were severe renal insufficiency, anemia, disability and cognitive impairment. The present survey found important age-related differences (concomitant diseases, cognitive status among patients with chronic heart failure, as well as different therapeutic strategies and clinical outcome for patients over 85 years old. Since these patients are usually excluded from clinical trials and their management remains empirical, specific studies focused on the treatment of very old patients with chronic heart failure are needed.

  6. [Laboratory medicine in the obligatory postgraduate clinical training system--common clinical training program in the department of laboratory medicine in our prefectural medical university hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamoto, Yasuyuki

    2003-04-01

    I propose a postgraduate common clinical training program to be provided by the department of laboratory medicine in our prefectural medical university hospital. The program has three purposes: first, mastering basic laboratory tests; second, developing the skills necessary to accurately interpret laboratory data; third, learning specific techniques in the field of laboratory medicine. For the first purpose, it is important that medical trainees perform testing of their own patients at bedside or in the central clinical laboratory. When testing at the central clinical laboratory, instruction by expert laboratory technicians is helpful. The teaching doctors in the department of laboratory medicine are asked to advise the trainees on the interpretation of data. Consultation will be received via interview or e-mail. In addition, the trainees can participate in various conferences, seminars, and meetings held at the central clinical laboratory. Finally, in order to learn specific techniques in the field of laboratory medicine, several special courses lasting a few months will be prepared. I think this program should be closely linked to the training program in internal medicine.

  7. Nature and frequency of medication errors in a geriatric ward: an Indonesian experience

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    Ernawati DK

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Desak Ketut Ernawati,1,2 Ya Ping Lee,2 Jeffery David Hughes21Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia; 2School of Pharmacy and Curtin Health Innovation and Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaPurpose: To determine the nature and frequency of medication errors during medication delivery processes in a public teaching hospital geriatric ward in Bali, Indonesia.Methods: A 20-week prospective study on medication errors occurring during the medication delivery process was conducted in a geriatric ward in a public teaching hospital in Bali, Indonesia. Participants selected were inpatients aged more than 60 years. Patients were excluded if they had a malignancy, were undergoing surgery, or receiving chemotherapy treatment. The occurrence of medication errors in prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, and administration were detected by the investigator providing in-hospital clinical pharmacy services.Results: Seven hundred and seventy drug orders and 7,662 drug doses were reviewed as part of the study. There were 1,563 medication errors detected among the 7,662 drug doses reviewed, representing an error rate of 20.4%. Administration errors were the most frequent medication errors identified (59%, followed by transcription errors (15%, dispensing errors (14%, and prescribing errors (7%. Errors in documentation were the most common form of administration errors. Of these errors, 2.4% were classified as potentially serious and 10.3% as potentially significant.Conclusion: Medication errors occurred in every stage of the medication delivery process, with administration errors being the most frequent. The majority of errors identified in the administration stage were related to documentation. Provision of in-hospital clinical pharmacy services could potentially play a significant role in detecting and preventing medication errors.Keywords: geriatric, medication errors, inpatients, medication delivery process

  8. The Niguarda MEWS, a new and refined tool to determine criticality and instability in Internal Medicine Ward and Emergency Medicine Unit

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    Fabrizio Colombo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study compares the effect of the modified early warning score (MEWS versus a new early warning system (Niguarda MEWS for detecting instability and criticality in hospital medical departments. A retrospective observational study was conducted in the Internal Medicine ward of Niguarda Ca’ Granda Hospital in Milan between November 2013 and October 2014. MEWS and Niguarda-MEWS were gathered using: systolic blood pressure, respiratory frequency, heart rate, temperature, level of consciousness, oxygen saturation, creatinine level, hematocrit level and age. In order to determine if the patient was critical or not the MEWS criticality cut-off value chosen was 3, while in the Niguarda MEWS it was 6. The primary outcome was the correlation between the critical level of the two scores and in-hospital mortality. The secondary endpoint was the correlation between a specific disease and the two scores. In the study, 471 patients were included, using both the MEWS and the Niguarda MEWS score at admittance: 33.4% of patients turned out to be critically ill using the former, 40.98% when using the latter. Therefore, the specificity of scores was 70% for MEWS and 73% for Niguarda MEWS, the sensitivity 58% for MEWS and 63% for Niguarda MEWS, Niguarda MEWS area under the curve (AUC: 0.736, MEWS AUC: 0.670. For the secondary outcome, the new score is higher for genitourinary and respiratory diseases. Niguarda-MEWS could be an optimal tool to detect criticality and instability in order to address the patient to the right level of care.

  9. Ward identities at finite temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DOlivo, J.C.; Torres, M.; Tututi, E.

    1996-01-01

    The Ward identities for QED at finite temperature are derived using the functional real-time formalism. They are verified by an explicit one-loop calculation. An effective causal vertex is constructed which satisfy the Ward identity with the associated retarded self-energy. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

  10. Clinical evidence for orphan medicinal products-a cause for concern?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Picavet, Eline; Cassiman, David; Hollak, Carla E.; Maertens, Johan A.; Simoens, Steven

    2013-01-01

    The difficulties associated with organising clinical studies for orphan medicinal products (OMPs) are plentiful. Recent debate on the long-term effectiveness of some OMPs, led us to question whether the initial standards for clinical evidence for OMPs, set by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at

  11. Phronesis, clinical reasoning, and Pellegrino's philosophy of medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, F D

    1997-01-01

    In terms of Aristotle's intellectual virtues, the process of clinical reasoning and the discipline of clinical medicine are often construed as techne (art), as episteme (science), or as an amalgam or composite of techne and episteme. Although dimensions of process and discipline are appropriately described in these terms, I argue that phronesis (practical reasoning) provides the most compelling paradigm, particularly of the rationality of the physician's knowing and doing in the clinical encounter with the patient. I anchor this argument, moreover, in Pellegrino's philosophy of medicine as a healing relationship, oriented to the end of a right and good healing action for the individual patient.

  12. Superconformal Ward identities and the supertorus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grundberg, J.; Nakayama, R.

    1987-12-01

    We derive superconformal Ward identities in the context of superspace supergravity. From these Ward identities we extract operator product expansions and the case of a supertorus is studied in some detail. (orig.)

  13. Infection control as a topic for ward-based nursing education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gould, D; Chamberlain, A

    1994-08-01

    The link between nursing theory and practice remains a topic of ongoing debate. Related to this issue is the best place to effectively combine the two. The solution may be ward-based teaching programmes as part of formal continuing staff development, involving collaboration between college-based lecturers and acknowledged clinical experts. Using infection control as an example of a topic in need of regular and continual updating for qualified practitioners, it is argued that such programmes would be desirable because they would afford sufficient flexibility to fulfil individual learning needs and could be assessed to indicate whether nursing practice had been enhanced. Participants could be accredited for successful completion of ward-based programmes.

  14. Epidemiology, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and outcome of candidemia among Internal Medicine Wards of community hospitals of Udine province, Italy

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    Federico Silvestri

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Candidemia is an emerging problem among patients hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards (IMW. We performed a retrospective study to assess the epidemiology, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and outcome of candidaemia recorded over a 3-year period (2010-2012 among IMW of community hospitals of Udine province in Italy: forty-eight patients were identified, with an overall incidence of 1.44 cases/1000 hospital admissions/year. Candida albicans was the most frequent species, followed by Candida parapsilosis that accounted for 42.9% of Tolmezzo cases. All isolates were susceptible to amphotericin and caspofungin, while 11.4% of strains were not-susceptible to voriconazole and 14.3% to fluconazole. Crude mortality was 41.7%. In conclusion, in community hospitals overall incidence of candidemia is similar to tertiary care hospitals, but 80% of cases are detected in IMW. Candida species distribution is overlapping, but differences in local epidemiology were found and should be taken into consideration. No resistance to amphotericin and caspofungin was found while resistance to azoles was observed. Knowledge of this data might be useful when planning the best therapeutic strategy.

  15. Exploring the transition from\\ud staff nurse to\\ud ward sister/manager –\\ud An exploratory case study

    OpenAIRE

    Enterkin, Judith

    2016-01-01

    Background\\ud The ward sister/manager figure has traditionally been considered the ward based\\ud clinical leader. This role has evolved over time in response to professional and\\ud political demands; despite or because of this, reports of role ambiguity exist and\\ud the ward sister/manager position has become increasingly difficult to recruit to,\\ud with nurses arguably looking to roles perceived to have greater influence and\\ud status, but less onerous managerial responsibility. Understandin...

  16. Does doctors’ workload impact supervision and ward activities of final-year students? A prospective study

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    Celebi Nora

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital doctors face constantly increasing workloads. Besides caring for patients, their duties also comprise the education of future colleagues. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate whether the workload arising from increased patient care interferes with student supervision and is associated with more non-medical activities of final-year medical students. Methods A total of 54 final-year students were asked to keep a diary of their daily activities over a three-week period at the beginning of their internship in Internal Medicine. Students categorized their activities – both medical and non-medical - according to whether they had: (1 only watched, (2 assisted the ward resident, (3 performed the activity themselves under supervision of the ward resident, or (4 performed the activity without supervision. The activities reported on a particular day were matched with a ward specific workload-index derived from the hospital information system, including the number of patients treated on the corresponding ward on that day, a correction factor according to the patient comorbidity complexity level (PCCL, and the number of admissions and discharges. Both students and ward residents were blinded to the study question. Results A total of 32 diaries (59 %, 442 recorded working days were handed back. Overall, the students reported 1.2 ± 1.3 supervised, 1.8 ±1.6 medical and 3.6 ± 1.7 non-medical activities per day. The more supervised activities were reported, the more the number of reported medical activities increased (p  Conclusions There was a significant association between ward doctors’ supervision of students and the number of medical activities performed by medical students. The workload had no significant effect on supervision or the number of medical or non-medical activities of final-year students.

  17. An eMERGE Clinical Center at Partners Personalized Medicine

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    Jordan W. Smoller

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The integration of electronic medical records (EMRs and genomic research has become a major component of efforts to advance personalized and precision medicine. The Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE network, initiated in 2007, is an NIH-funded consortium devoted to genomic discovery and implementation research by leveraging biorepositories linked to EMRs. In its most recent phase, eMERGE III, the network is focused on facilitating implementation of genomic medicine by detecting and disclosing rare pathogenic variants in clinically relevant genes. Partners Personalized Medicine (PPM is a center dedicated to translating personalized medicine into clinical practice within Partners HealthCare. One component of the PPM is the Partners Healthcare Biobank, a biorepository comprising broadly consented DNA samples linked to the Partners longitudinal EMR. In 2015, PPM joined the eMERGE Phase III network. Here we describe the elements of the eMERGE clinical center at PPM, including plans for genomic discovery using EMR phenotypes, evaluation of rare variant penetrance and pleiotropy, and a novel randomized trial of the impact of returning genetic results to patients and clinicians.

  18. Promoting interventional radiology in clinical practice of emergency medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Bing; Yuan Jianhua

    2009-01-01

    Interventional radiology has lot of advantages in dealing with various emergencies. The technique is minimally-invasive, highly-effective and immediately-efficient, moreover, it integrates the diagnosis with the therapy perfectly. Besides, the interventional techniques applied in emergency medicine include not only the vascular interventions,such as embolization, embolectomy, etc, but also the nonvascular interventions, such as tracheal s tent implantation, percutaneous vertebroplasty and so forth. However, importance has not been attached to the clinical use of interventional therapy in emergency medicine so far. It is imperative for us to promote the acceptance of interventional therapy in emergency medicine as well as to popularize the technique in clinical practice. (authors)

  19. Clinical Holistic Medicine: Applied Consciousness-Based Medicine

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    Søren Ventegodt

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Consciousness-based medicine is our term for a form of medical treatment that works by direct appeal to the consciousness of the patient, in contrast to modern biomedical treatment where drugs are used to affect body chemistry. With this concept, maybe we are (in a sense turning back to the “old medicine”, where the family physician was the all-concerned “old country doctor” who knew the child, the siblings, the parents, the family, and the village. In a series of papers on clinical holistic medicine, we would like to present the classic art of healing, where the physician works mostly with his hands, then show how the modern biomedical physician performs with biochemistry, and finally introduce consciousness-based medicine. Some of our questions will be: If you improve your quality of life, will you also improve your health? Will learning more about yourself bring more purpose in your life? Will finding someone to live with in a loving and mutually respectful relationship improve your health? Scientists and thinkers like Antonovsky, Frankl, Maslow, and Jung have pointed to love as a unique way to coherence in life, and thus to biological order and a better health. Several scientific studies have also suggested that patients who focus on improving their quality of life usually will not follow the general statistics for survival, since somehow other factors are at play, which sometimes you will find referred to as “exceptional”.

  20. Empowering Mayo Clinic Individualized Medicine with Genomic Data Warehousing

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    Iain Horton

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Individualized medicine enables better diagnoses and treatment decisions for patients and promotes research in understanding the molecular underpinnings of disease. Linking individual patient’s genomic and molecular information with their clinical phenotypes is crucial to these efforts. To address this need, the Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic has implemented a genomic data warehouse and a workflow management system to bring data from institutional electronic health records and genomic sequencing data from both clinical and research bioinformatics sources into the warehouse. The system is the foundation for Mayo Clinic to build a suite of tools and interfaces to support various clinical and research use cases. The genomic data warehouse is positioned to play a key role in enhancing the research capabilities and advancing individualized patient care at Mayo Clinic.

  1. Empowering Mayo Clinic Individualized Medicine with Genomic Data Warehousing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horton, Iain; Lin, Yaxiong; Reed, Gay; Wiepert, Mathieu; Hart, Steven

    2017-08-22

    Individualized medicine enables better diagnoses and treatment decisions for patients and promotes research in understanding the molecular underpinnings of disease. Linking individual patient's genomic and molecular information with their clinical phenotypes is crucial to these efforts. To address this need, the Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic has implemented a genomic data warehouse and a workflow management system to bring data from institutional electronic health records and genomic sequencing data from both clinical and research bioinformatics sources into the warehouse. The system is the foundation for Mayo Clinic to build a suite of tools and interfaces to support various clinical and research use cases. The genomic data warehouse is positioned to play a key role in enhancing the research capabilities and advancing individualized patient care at Mayo Clinic.

  2. Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) incidence in an Internal Medicine Ward of a Northern Italian Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izzo, Ilaria; Lania, Donatella; Bella, Daniele; Formaini Marioni, Cesare; Coccaglio, Romana; Colombini, Paolo

    2015-09-01

    Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTI) are estimated to be the most frequent nosocomial infections (40%). A catheter is introduced to 10-25% of inpatients, and is often left on site for a long period of time. We carried out a prospective study on inpatients of our Internal Medicine ward to assess the incidence of CA-UTI under the implementation of corrective action. All inpatients who underwent introduction of a urinary catheter upon or after admission to our ward were included in the study. Patients with bacteriuria or positive urine culture before catheterization, others with less than 24 hours catheterism, or bearing a catheter on admission were all excluded from the study. CA-UTI diagnosis was assessed on the basis of CDC 2009 guidelines. The investigation was held between June 2010 and March 2013 in five steps or phases. In the first phase open circuit drainage catheterism was used, in the second phase close circuit drainage catheterism was introduced, while in the third phase disposable lubrification was added to closed circuit drainage catheterism. In the next step (phase 4) we introduced number of days of catheterism control and nurse training; in the last phase (5) emptying urine collection bags on a container was added. In phase 1 we estimated six UTIs out of 18 patients (incidence 33%), in phase 2 we had four infections out of 10 patients (40%). Given the results, we had to reflect on the quality of the procedures of catheter positioning and management . Where feasible, we improved technical practices and during follow-up there was evidence of CA-UTI in 10 patients over 25 (phase 3, 40%), and eight infections over 25 (phase 4, 32%). Once all these steps had been implemented, in phase 5 we determined a sharp reduction in CA-UTI (2 patients over 27, or 7.5%, p=0.025). This improvement was particularly evident in the rate of infection per days of catheter, which was reduced from 43.4/1000 to 13.6/1000. Although the statistical power of the

  3. The impact of a large-scale quality improvement programme on work engagement: preliminary results from a national cross-sectional-survey of the 'Productive Ward'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Mark; Wells, John S G; Butterworth, Tony

    2014-12-01

    Quality improvement (QI) Programmes, like the Productive Ward: Releasing-time-to-care initiative, aim to 'engage' and 'empower' ward teams to actively participate, innovate and lead quality improvement at the front line. However, little is known about the relationship and impact that QI work has on the 'engagement' of the clinical teams who participate and vice-versa. This paper explores and examines the impact of a large-scale QI programme, the Productive Ward, on the 'work engagement' of the nurses and ward teams involved. Using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), we surveyed, measured and analysed work engagement in a representative test group of hospital-based ward teams who had recently commenced the latest phase of the national 'Productive Ward' initiative in Ireland and compared them to a control group of similar size and matched (as far as is possible) on variables such as ward size, employment grade and clinical specialty area. 338 individual datasets were recorded, n=180 (53.6%) from the Productive Ward group, and n=158 (46.4%) from the control group; the overall response rate was 67%, and did not differ significantly between the Productive Ward and control groups. The work engagement mean score (±standard deviation) in the Productive group was 4.33(±0.88), and 4.07(±1.06) in the control group, representing a modest but statistically significant between-group difference (p=0.013, independent samples t-test). Similarly modest differences were observed in all three dimensions of the work engagement construct. Employment grade and the clinical specialty area were also significantly related to the work engagement score (pengagement (the vigour, absorption and dedication) of ward-based teams. The use and suitability of the UWES as an appropriate measure of 'engagement' in QI interventions was confirmed. The engagement of nurses and front-line clinical teams is a major component of creating, developing and sustaining a culture of improvement. Copyright

  4. Eliciting Patients’ Health Concerns in Consulting Rooms and Wards in Vietnamese Public Hospitals

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    Huong Thi Linh Nguyen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the doctor’s elicitation of the patient’s presenting health concern in two clinical settings in the Vietnamese public hospital system: the consulting room and the ward. The data were taken from 66 audio-recorded consultations. Our analysis shows that the elicitors used by the doctor in the consulting room often communicate a weak epistemic stance towards the patient’s health issue, while those used in the ward tend to signal a strong epistemic stance. In addition, this contrast between the elicitors employed in the consulting room and the ward is evident in our data regardless of whether the consultation is a first visit or a same follow-up (in which the doctor is the same one that treated the patient on their last visit, though the contrast is less clear for different follow-ups (in which the doctor has not treated the patient before. An additional finding is that the clinical setting has some bearing on the use of inappropriate elicitation formats (in which the doctor opens the visit with an elicitor which is more appropriate for another type of visit. The precise way in which each of the consulting room and the ward operates is, of course, a feature of the Vietnamese public hospital system itself. Hence, the overall contrast between the elicitors and elicitation formats used in these two settings illustrates how, on a more general level, the institutional context can have an impact on doctor-patient communication.

  5. Metabolic syndrome in Internal Medicine patients: the pilot NIMEC study (National Internal Medicine Equivalent/Complex C-V-@Risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Nardi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Metabolic Syndrome (MetS, currently defined as slight differences in the criteria of diagnosis – depending on which authority is quoted [i.e.: NCEP-ATP III (National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III; WHO (World Health Organization; IDF (International Diabetes Federation; AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists], designates a cluster of metabolic risk factors that come together in a single individual, leading to cardiovascular disease. MetS is quite common, approximately 20-30% of the population in industrialized countries being affected. However, most of epidemiological data regarding MetS are derived from populations consisting mostly of middle-aged and younger subjects. AIM OF THE STUDY To assess the prevalence of the MetS in Internal Medicine wards and to determine its related comorbidities, including other clinical forms of atherosclerotic disease such as CHD risk equivalents. METHODS Our study was performed in patients admitted in Internal Medicine wards and selected as a randomization list in 12 Emilia Romagna-Marche FADOI centers. 1.316 patients were registered. According to explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, we studied overall 902 participants (50.6% men, mean of age: 71-73 years. RESULTS According to NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria the prevalence of MetS was 45.3% (IC 95%: 41.6-49.1 and 38.6% (IC 95%: 34.9-42.3, respectively. Patients with MetS presented a higher significant rate of ALT increase, syncope, atrial fibrillation, COPD, unstable angina, chronic kidney disease, cancer, valvular heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and carotid plaques. A strong association between IDF-MetS and congestive heart failure was observed, suggesting a role of central obesity as an independent risk factor in the elderly. DISCUSSION World-wide populations are becoming older. Aging and MetS are two conditions that represent an important part of health-care spending. Trunkal fatness increases in

  6. 'It teaches you what to expect in future . . . ': interprofessional learning on a training ward for medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeves, Scott; Freeth, Della; McCrorie, Peter; Perry, David

    2002-04-01

    This paper presents findings from a multimethod evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students. Unique in the UK, and following the pioneering work at Linköping, the training ward allowed senior pre-qualification students, under the supervision of practitioners, to plan and deliver interprofessional care for a group of orthopaedic and rheumatology patients. This responsibility enabled students to develop profession-specific skills and competencies in dealing with patients. It also allowed them to enhance their teamworking skills in an interprofessional environment. Student teams were supported by facilitators who ensured medical care was optimal, led reflective sessions and facilitated students' problem solving. Data were collected from all groups of participants involved in the ward: students, facilitators and patients. Methods included questionnaires, interviews and observations. Findings are presented from each participating group, with a particular emphasis placed on the perspective of medicine. The study found that students valued highly the experiential learning they received on the ward and felt the ward prepared them more effectively for future practice. However, many encountered difficulties adopting an autonomous learning style during their placement. Despite enjoying their work on the ward, facilitators were concerned that the demands of their role could result in 'burn-out'. Patients enjoyed their ward experience and scored higher on a range of satisfaction indicators than a comparative group of patients. Participants were generally positive about the training ward. All considered that it was a worthwhile experience and felt the ward should recommence in the near future.

  7. Clinical implications of the recent homeopathic medicine and its application to oriental medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ok-Byung,Choi

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the practical implications of homeopathic medicines, their status, their preparation systems and registration rules, recognized by the European Union and other countries. Contents : This paper covers the background of homeopathic medical principle, homeopathy throughout the world, the medicine status and clinical research, increases of the drug potency, the practical regulation of treatment, preparation techniques of homeopathic drugs and registration rules and the clinical practice. Homeopathy has been currently practised in over eighty countries throughout the world, especially in Europe. It had attracted considerable attentions in South and North America (notably in USA, Brazil, and Argentina, India and Pakistan. Although it is not dominantly popular in North America, constant growth has been nevertheless noted. Over the last thirty years, homeopathy has also developed or appeared in South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Venezuela, Israel, and Australia, etc. Result & suggestion : As over 300 million patients have put their trust in homeopathy, the study of the integration of homeopathy to oriental medicine, its development and feasibility in Korea are urgently needed. The products, substances, compositions of Homeopathic drugs are very similar to those of oriental medicine theory. Therefore their preparations and applications should prescribed and practised exclusively by oriental doctors. Applying the homeopathic theory and its preparation techniques to oriental medicine, the herbal acupuncture preparation should be modernized and various oriental products are to be developed. To this end, government and herbal acupuncture society need to interact each other for the development of oriental medicine.

  8. EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE – II. CLINICAL USE AND CRITICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Čuk

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Evidence-based medicine employs systematic searching, evaluation and use of current research findings as the basis for clinical decision-making. However, there are some problems and uncertainties hindering introduction and spreading of the use of the method in clinical practice. Physicians often have no time for literature searching and for use of the method in practice. For certain questions in clinical practice there are no answers in medical literature. Most of the evidences in medical literature are only available in English. Introduction of the method is hampered also by the fact that clinical decision-making is complex and does not allow procedures prescribed in advance. Rigidity and universality of decisions resulting from the evidence may appear impersonal and may affect the relationship between the physician and the patient. Trends towards evidence based medicine are followed also by big multinational pharmaceutical corporations. They carry out large and expensive clinical trials using the results for promotional purposes. In this way, they get the competitive advantage and influence the objectivity of physicians’ clinical decision-making.Conclusions. With introduction of evidence based medicine into clinical practice physicians acquire new information and use a new form of continuing education by following new developments in their field. This way, new findings from medical literature get into clinical practice faster and more efficiently. In addition, physicians get more professional satisfaction and quality in clinical practice is higher.

  9. Occupational genetic risks for nurses at radiotherapy oncology wards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Srb, V; Kubzova, E

    1985-05-31

    A lymphocyte chromosome analysis of short-term cultured whole peripheral blood of 14 nurses in the radiotherapy/oncology ward of the radiological clinic (working in health risk conditions for an average of 14 years) classified them into a high risk genetic group. They were found to have 4.7% cells with chromosomal aberrations as compared with 1.5% such cells in the control group. The said difference had a high statistical significance (p<0.001). Only aberrations of the structural type were evaluated.The mitotic activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the study group was also adversely affected (MI=1.8) compared with the control group (MI=2.9). Cytogenetic peripheral lymphocyte analysis used as a collective biological exposure test is being considered for incorporation in the system of preventive medical chec-kups of nurses working in radiotherapy/oncology wards.

  10. Occupational genetic risks for nurses at radiotherapy oncology wards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srb, V.; Kubzova, E.

    1985-01-01

    A lymphocyte chromosome analysis of short-term cultured whole peripheral blood of 14 nurses in the radiotherapy/oncology ward of the radiological clinic (working in health risk conditions for an average of 14 years) classified them into a high risk genetic group. They were found to have 4.7% cells with chromosomal aberrations as compared with 1.5% such cells in the control group. The said difference had a high statistical significance (p<0.001). Only aberrations of the structural type were evaluated.The mitotic activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the study group was also adversely affected (MI=1.8) compared with the control group (MI=2.9). Cytogenetic peripheral lymphocyte analysis used as a collective biological exposure test is being considered for incorporation in the system of preventive medical chec-kups of nurses working in radiotherapy/oncology wards. (author)

  11. Ward identities for conformal models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazzarini, S.; Stora, R.

    1988-01-01

    Ward identities which express the symmetry of conformal models are treated. Diffeomorphism invariance or locally holomorphic coordinate transformations are used. Diffeomorphism invariance is then understood in terms of Riemannian geometry. Two different sets of Ward identities expressing diffeomorphism invariance in a conformally invariant way are found for the free bosonic string. Using a geometrical argument, the correct invariance for a large class of conformal models is given

  12. Nano medicine in Action: An Overview of Cancer Nano medicine on the Market and in Clinical Trials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, R.; Billone, P.S.; Mullett, W.M.

    2013-01-01

    Nano medicine, defined as the application of nano technology in the medical field, has the potential to significantly change the course of diagnostics and treatment of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer. In comparison with traditional cancer diagnostics and therapy, cancer nano medicine provides sensitive cancer detection and/or enhances treatment efficacy with significantly minimized adverse effects associated with standard therapeutics. Cancer nano medicine has been increasingly applied in areas including nano drug delivery systems, nano pharmaceuticals, and nano analytical contrast reagents in laboratory and animal model research. In recent years, the successful introduction of several novel nano medicine products into clinical trials and even onto the commercial market has shown successful outcomes of fundamental research into clinics. This paper is intended to examine several nano medicines for cancer therapeutics and/or diagnostics-related applications, to analyze the trend of nano medicine development, future opportunities, and challenges of this fast-growing area.

  13. Anomalous N=2 superconformal Ward identities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ketov, Sergei V.

    2000-01-01

    The N=2 superconformal Ward identities and their anomalies are discussed in N=2 superspace (including N=2 harmonic superspace), at the level of the low-energy effective action (LEEA) in four-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric field theories. The (first) chiral N=2 supergravity compensator is related to the known N=2 anomalous Ward identity in the N=2 (abelian) vector mulitplet sector. As regards the hypermultiplet LEEA given by the N=2 non-linear sigma-model (NLSM), a new anomalous N=2 superconformal Ward identity is found, whose existence is related to the (second) analytic compensator in N=2 supergravity. The celebrated solution of Seiberg and Witten is known to obey the (first) anomalous Ward identity in the Coulomb branch. We find a few solutions to the new anomalous Ward identity, after making certain assumptions about unbroken internal symmetries. Amongst the N=2 NLSM target space metrics governing the hypermultiplet LEEA are the SU(2)-Yang-Mills-Higgs monopole moduli-space metrics that can be encoded in terms of the spectral curves (Riemann surfaces), similarly to the Seiberg-Witten-type solutions. After a dimensional reduction to three spacetime dimensions (3d), our results support the mirror symmetry between the Coulomb and Higgs branches in 3d, N=4 gauge theories

  14. Effects of Transferring to the Rehabilitation Ward on Long-Term Mortality Rate of First-Time Stroke Survivors: A Population-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chien-Min; Yang, Yao-Hsu; Chang, Chia-Hao; Chen, Pau-Chung

    2017-12-01

    To assess the long-term health outcomes of acute stroke survivors transferred to the rehabilitation ward. Long-term mortality rates of first-time stroke survivors during hospitalization were compared among the following sets of patients: patients transferred to the rehabilitation ward, patients receiving rehabilitation without being transferred to the rehabilitation ward, and patients receiving no rehabilitation. Retrospective cohort study. Patients (N = 11,419) with stroke from 2005 to 2008 were initially assessed for eligibility. After propensity score matching, 390 first-time stroke survivors were included. None. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess differences in 5-year poststroke mortality rates. Based on adjusted hazard ratios (HRs), the patients receiving rehabilitation without being transferred to the rehabilitation ward (adjusted HR, 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-3.57) and patients receiving no rehabilitation (adjusted HR, 4.00; 95% CI, 2.55-6.27) had significantly higher mortality risk than the patients transferred to the rehabilitation ward. Mortality rate of the stroke survivors was affected by age ≥65 years (compared with age stroke (adjusted HR, 1.55), stroke severity (Stroke Severity Index [SSI] score≥20, compared with SSI scorestroke survivors transferred to the rehabilitation ward had a 5-year mortality rate 2.2 times lower than those who received rehabilitation without transfer to the rehabilitation ward and 4 times lower than those who received no rehabilitation. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Barriers to nurse-patient communication in cardiac surgery wards: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafipour, Vida; Mohammad, Eesa; Ahmadi, Fazlollah

    2014-08-15

    An appropriate and effective nurse-patient communication is of the most important aspect of caring. The formation and continuation of such a relationship depends on various factors such as the conditions and context of communication and a mutual understanding between the two. A review of the literature shows that little research is carried out on identification of such barriers in hospital wards between the patients and the healthcare staff. The present study was therefore conducted to explore the experiences of nurses and patients on communication barriers in hospital cardiac surgery wards. This qualitative research was carried out using a content analysis method (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004). The participants were selected by a purposeful sampling and consist of 10 nurses and 11 patients from the cardiac surgery wards of three teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Data was gathered by unstructured interviews. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Findings were emerged in three main themes including job dissatisfaction (with the sub-themes of workload tension and decreased motivation), routine-centered care (with the sub-themes of habitual interventions, routinized and technical interventions, and objective supervision), and distrust in competency of nurses (with the sub-themes of cultural contrast, less responsible nurses, and their apathy towards the patients). Compared to other studies, our findings identified different types of communication barriers depending on the nursing settings. These findings can be used by the ward clinical nursing managers at cardiac surgery wards to improve the quality of nursing care.

  16. Comparison of the training status of medical students of pediatric ward based on their logbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MOZHGHAN ZAHMATKESHAN

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Logbooks show whether medical students have been exposed to a particular disease and whether they are able to perform particular practices or not. To evaluate the training status of the medical students in the pediatric ward of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, the data about the students’ knowledge of different diseases in different parts of the pediatric ward in 2011 was collected based on their logbooks and compared with similar data in 2005. Methods: In this descriptive study, medical students’ electronic notes were designed and completed by 90 medical students trained in the pediatric ward in 2011. Then the information was compared with the data of the previous study conducted in 2005. Results: In the pediatric outpatient clinic, neonatal emergency room, pediatric emergency room, and general pediatric ward, 50% of the diseases listed in the diaries were observed by the students. However, 19% of the patients were observed by the students in subspecialty wards. Conclusion: Using daily notes (logbooks is a useful method for educational evaluation of the students. It can show the education acquired by the students, and clarify the defects and inadequacies in education. It seems that using electronic diaries in data collection increases the students’ participation and facilitates training. In general, expansion and development of new wards facilitate the exposure of medical students to more diseases and this fact has been shown about pediatric neurology ward in the present study.

  17. Properties and clinical application of zirconia bioceramics in medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Čedomir Oblak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: A group of inorganic non-metal biomaterials, that are commonly used in clinical medicine to replace or repair tissues, can be classified as a bioceramics. This group includes bioactive glasses, glass-ceramics, hydroxy-apatite and some other calcium phosphates. In addition, some bio-inert engineering ceramics materials have become increasingly utilised, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide and their composites being the most popular. With the developement of yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconium oxide ceramics (Y-TZP medical community received a high strength biomaterial that is currently a material of choice for the manufacturing of medical devices. Y-TZP ceramics is becoming also increasingly used in dental medicine, where frameworks are manufactured by the use of computer-assisted technology.Conclusions: The article describes the basic properties of zirconia oxide ceramics important for the use in clinical medicine; high strength and fracture toughness, biocompatibility and negligible radiation. The ageing issue of this particular material, which is attributable to the thermo-dynamical instability of tetragonal zirconium oxide in hydrothermal conditions, is also discussed. When exposed to an aqueous environment over long periods of time, the surface of the Y-TZP ceramic will start transforming spontaneously into the monoclinic structure. The mechanism leading to the t-m transformation is temperature-dependent and is accompanied by extensive micro-cracking, which ultimately leads to strength degradation. The degradation might influence the clinical success rate of medical devices and therefore Y-TZP femoral heads are no longer made of pure zirconium oxide. Composites of zirconium and aluminium oxides are used instead, that are currently the strongest ceramic materials used in clinical medicine. In this work the clinical application of zirconia oxide ceramics in dental medicine is also presented. Conventional porcelain fused to metal

  18. [The implementation of the week surgery in an orthopedic and urology ward and assessment of its impact].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulloni, Giovanna; Petrucco, Stefania; De Marc, Raffaella; Nazzi, Cheti; Petri, Roberto; Guarrera, Giovanni Maria

    2015-01-01

    The implementation of the week surgery in an orthopedic and urology ward and the assessment of its impact. The week surgery (WS) is one of the models organized according the intensity of care that allows the improvement of the appropriateness of the hospital admissions. To describe the implementation and the impact of the WS on costs and levels of care. The WS was gradually implemented in an orthopedic and urology ward. The planning of the surgeries was modified, the wards where patients would have been transferred during the week-end where identified, the nurses were supported by expert nurses to learn new skills and clinical pathways were implemented. The periods January-June 2012 and 2013 were compared identifying a set of indicators according to the health technology assessment method. The nurses were able to take vacations according to schedule; the cost of outsourcing services were reduced (-4.953 Euros) as well as those of consumables. The nursing care could be guaranteed employing less (-5) full-time nurses; the global clinical performance of the ward did not vary. Unfortunately several urology patients could not be discharged during the week-ends. A good planning of the surgeries according to the patients' length of staying, together with interventions to increase the staff-skill mix, and the clinical pathways allowed an effective and efficient implementation of the WS model without jeopardizing patients' safety.

  19. Blood sample collection and patient identification demand improvement: a questionnaire study of preanalytical practices in hospital wards and laboratories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallin, Olof; Söderberg, Johan; Van Guelpen, Bethany; Stenlund, Hans; Grankvist, Kjell; Brulin, Christine

    2010-09-01

    Scand J Caring Sci; 2010; 24; 581-591 
 Blood sample collection and patient identification demand improvement: a questionnaire study of preanalytical practices in hospital wards and laboratories   Most errors in venous blood testing result from human mistakes occurring before the sample reach the laboratory.   To survey venous blood sampling (VBS) practices in hospital wards and to compare practices with hospital laboratories.   Staff in two hospitals (all wards) and two hospital laboratories (314 respondents, response rate 94%), completed a questionnaire addressing issues relevant to the collection of venous blood samples for clinical chemistry testing.   The findings suggest that instructions for patient identification and the collection of venous blood samples were not always followed. For example, 79% of the respondents reported the undesirable practice (UDP) of not always using wristbands for patient identification. Similarly, 87% of the respondents noted the UDP of removing venous stasis after the sampling is finished. Compared with the ward staff, a significantly higher proportion of the laboratory staff reported desirable practices regarding the collection of venous blood samples. Neither education nor the existence of established sampling routines was clearly associated with VBS practices among the ward staff.   The results of this study, the first of its kind, suggest that a clinically important risk of error is associated with VBS in the surveyed wards. Most important is the risk of misidentification of patients. Quality improvement of blood sample collection is clearly needed, particularly in hospital wards. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  20. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine: Submissions

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Consequently, NJCM, its Editorial Board and LASUTH-ARD bear no legal responsibility for such opinions. Authors are encouraged to send their manuscripts to the LASUTH-ARD Secretariat addressed to: The Editor, Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine (NJCM). An electronic copy of the manuscript in Microsoft Word format ...

  1. Clinical trials and gender medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassese, Mariarita; Zuber, Veronica

    2011-01-01

    Women use more medicines than men because they fall ill more often and suffer more from chronic diseases, but also because women pay more attention to their health and have more consciousness and care about themselves. Although medicines can have different effects on women and men, women still represent a small percentage in the first phases of trials (22%) which are essential to verify drugs dosage, side effects, and safety. Even though women are more present in trials, studies results are not presented with a gender approach. This situation is due to educational, social, ethical and economical factors. The scientific research must increase feminine presence in clinical trials in order to be equal and correct, and all the key stakeholder should be involved in this process. We still have a long way to cover and it doesn't concern only women but also children and old people. The aim is to have a medicine not only illness-focused but patient-focused: a medicine able to take into consideration all the patient characteristics and so to produce a really personalized therapy. What above described is part of the reasons why in 2005 was founded the National Observatory for Women's Health (Osservatorio Nazionale sulla Salute della Donna, ONDa) which promotes a gender health awareness and culture in Italy, at all the levels of the civil and scientific society.

  2. Clinical trials and gender medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariarita Cassese

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Women use more medicines than men because they fall ill more often and suffer more from chronic diseases, but also because women pay more attention to their health and have more consciousness and care about themselves. Although medicines can have different effects on women and men, women still represent a small percentage in the first phases of trials (22% which are essential to verify drugs dosage, side effects, and safety. Even though women are more present in trials, studies results are not presented with a gender approach. This situation is due to educational, social, ethical and economical factors. The scientific research must increase feminine presence in clinical trials in order to be equal and correct, and all the key stakeholder should be involved in this process. We still have a long way to cover and it doesn't concern only women but also children and old people. The aim is to have a medicine not only illness-focused but patient-focused: a medicine able to take into consideration all the patient characteristics and so to produce a really personalized therapy. What above described is part of the reasons why in 2005 was founded the National Observatory for Women's Health (Osservatorio Nazionale sulla Salute della Donna, ONDa which promotes a gender health awareness and culture in Italy, at all the levels of the civil and scientific society.

  3. Enhancing clinical skills education: University of Virginia School of Medicine's Clerkship Clinical Skills Workshop Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corbett, Eugene C; Payne, Nancy J; Bradley, Elizabeth B; Maughan, Karen L; Heald, Evan B; Wang, Xin Qun

    2007-07-01

    In 1993, the University of Virginia School of Medicine began a clinical skills workshop program in an effort to improve the preparation of all clerkship students to participate in clinical care. This program involved the teaching of selected basic clinical skills by interested faculty to small groups of third-year medical students. Over the past 14 years, the number of workshops has increased from 11 to 31, and they now involve clerkship faculty from family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Workshops include a variety of common skills from the communication, physical examination, and clinical test and procedure domains such as pediatric phone triage, shoulder examination, ECG interpretation, and suturing. Workshop sessions allow students to practice skills on each other, with standardized patients, or with models, with the goal of improving competence and confidence in the performance of basic clinical skills. Students receive direct feedback from faculty on their skill performance. The style and content of these workshops are guided by an explicit set of educational criteria.A formal evaluation process ensures that faculty receive regular feedback from student evaluation comments so that adherence to workshop criteria is continuously reinforced. Student evaluations confirm that these workshops meet their skill-learning needs. Preliminary outcome measures suggest that workshop teaching can be linked to student assessment data and may improve students' skill performance. This program represents a work-in-progress toward the goal of providing a more comprehensive and developmental clinical skills curriculum in the school of medicine.

  4. Enhanced clinical pharmacy service targeting tools: risk-predictive algorithms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Hajji, Feras W D; Scullin, Claire; Scott, Michael G; McElnay, James C

    2015-04-01

    This study aimed to determine the value of using a mix of clinical pharmacy data and routine hospital admission spell data in the development of predictive algorithms. Exploration of risk factors in hospitalized patients, together with the targeting strategies devised, will enable the prioritization of clinical pharmacy services to optimize patient outcomes. Predictive algorithms were developed using a number of detailed steps using a 75% sample of integrated medicines management (IMM) patients, and validated using the remaining 25%. IMM patients receive targeted clinical pharmacy input throughout their hospital stay. The algorithms were applied to the validation sample, and predicted risk probability was generated for each patient from the coefficients. Risk threshold for the algorithms were determined by identifying the cut-off points of risk scores at which the algorithm would have the highest discriminative performance. Clinical pharmacy staffing levels were obtained from the pharmacy department staffing database. Numbers of previous emergency admissions and admission medicines together with age-adjusted co-morbidity and diuretic receipt formed a 12-month post-discharge and/or readmission risk algorithm. Age-adjusted co-morbidity proved to be the best index to predict mortality. Increased numbers of clinical pharmacy staff at ward level was correlated with a reduction in risk-adjusted mortality index (RAMI). Algorithms created were valid in predicting risk of in-hospital and post-discharge mortality and risk of hospital readmission 3, 6 and 12 months post-discharge. The provision of ward-based clinical pharmacy services is a key component to reducing RAMI and enabling the full benefits of pharmacy input to patient care to be realized. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Implementation and Evaluation of a Ward-Based eLearning Program for Trauma Patient Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Kate; Wiseman, Taneal; Kennedy, Belinda; Kourouche, Sarah; Goldsmith, Helen

    2016-01-01

    The majority of trauma nursing education is focused on the emergency phases of care. We describe the development and evaluation of a trauma eLearning module for the ward environment. The module was developed using adult learning principles and implemented in 2 surgical wards. There were 3 phases of evaluation: (1) self-efficacy of nurses; (2) relevance and usability of the module and; (3) application of knowledge learnt. The majority indicated they had applied new knowledge, particularly when performing a physical assessment (85.7%), communicating (91.4%), and identifying risk of serious illness (90.4%). Self-efficacy relating to confidence in caring for patients, communication, and escalating clinical deterioration improved (p = .023). An eLearning trauma patient assessment module for ward nursing staff improves nursing knowledge and self-efficacy.

  6. Peptide radioimmunoassays in clinical medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geokas, M.C.; Yalow, R.S.; Straus, E.W.; Gold, E.M.

    1982-01-01

    The radioimmunoassay technique, first developed for the determination of hormones, has been applied to many substances of biologic interest by clinical and research laboratories around the world. It has had an enormous effect in medicine and biology as a diagnostic tool, a guide to therapy, and a probe for the fine structure of biologic systems. For instance, the assays of insulin, gastrin, secretin, prolactin, and certain tissue-specific enzymes have been invaluable in patient care. Further refinements of current methods, as well as the emergence of new immunoassay techniques, are expected to enhance precision, specificity, reliability, and convenience of the radioimmunoassay in both clinical and research laboratories

  7. Nursing Education Trial Using a Virtual Nightingale Ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuji, Keiko; Iwata, Naomi; Kodama, Hiromi; Hagiwara, Tomoko; Takai, Kiyako; Sasaki, Yoko; Nagata, Yoshie; Matsumoto, Maki

    2017-01-01

    Nursing department students are expected to correctly grasp the entire concept of nursing through their education. The authors created a movie of a Nightingale ward (virtual ward, hereafter) with an architectural computer design software for education. The students' reaction to the virtual ward was categorized into three viewpoints: that of nurses, of patients, and of nurses and patients in common. Most of the reactions in each viewpoint were: "easy to observe patients" in the nurses' viewpoint; "no privacy" in the patients' viewpoint; and "wide room" in the common viewpoint, respectively. These reactions show the effectiveness of using a virtual ward in nursing education. Because these reactions are characteristics of a Nightingale ward, and even students, who have generally less experiences, recognized these characteristics from the both viewpoints of nurses and patients.

  8. An internet-based teaching file on clinical nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Zhong; Wu Jinchang

    2001-01-01

    Objective: The goal of this project was to develop an internet-based interactive digital teaching file on nuclide imaging in clinical nuclear medicine, with the capability of access to internet. Methods: On the basis of academic teaching contents in nuclear medicine textbook for undergraduates who major in nuclear medicine, Frontpage 2000, HTML language, and JavaScript language in some parts of the contents, were utilized in the internet-based teaching file developed in this study. Results: A practical and comprehensive teaching file was accomplished and may get access with acceptable speed to internet. Besides basic teaching contents of nuclide imagings, a large number of typical and rare clinical cases, questionnaire with answers and update data in the field of nuclear medicine were included in the file. Conclusion: This teaching file meets its goal of providing an easy-to-use and internet-based digital teaching file, characteristically with the contents instant and enriched, and with the modes diversified and colorful

  9. The landscape of precision cancer medicine clinical trials in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roper, Nitin; Stensland, Kristian D; Hendricks, Ryan; Galsky, Matthew D

    2015-05-01

    Advances in tumor biology and multiplex genomic analysis have ushered in the era of precision cancer medicine. Little is currently known, however, about the landscape of prospective "precision cancer medicine" clinical trials in the U.S. We identified all adult interventional cancer trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov between September 2005 and May 2013. Trials were classified as "precision cancer medicine" if a genomic alteration in a predefined set of 88 genes was required for enrollment. Baseline characteristics were ascertained for each trial. Of the initial 18,797 trials identified, 9094 (48%) were eligible for inclusion: 684 (8%) were classified as precision cancer medicine trials and 8410 (92%) were non-precision cancer medicine trials. Compared with non-precision cancer medicine trials, precision cancer medicine trials were significantly more likely to be phase II [RR 1.19 (1.10-1.29), pPrecision medicine trials required 38 unique genomic alterations for enrollment. The proportion of precision cancer medicine trials compared to the total number of trials increased from 3% in 2006 to 16% in 2013. The proportion of adult cancer clinical trials in the U.S. requiring a genomic alteration for enrollment has increased substantially over the past several years. However, such trials still represent a small minority of studies performed within the cancer clinical trials enterprise and include a small subset of putatively "actionable" alterations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Impact of pharmacy student interventions in an urban family medicine clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginzburg, Regina

    2014-06-17

    To determine the number of interventions made by pharmacy students at an urban family medicine clinic and the acceptance rate of these recommendations by the healthcare providers. The secondary objective was to investigate the cost avoidance value of the interventions. A prospective, unblinded study was conducted to determine the number and cost avoidance value of clinical interventions made by pharmacy students completing advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in an urban family medicine clinic. Eighteen students completed this experience in the 8 months studied. Of the 718 interventions performed, 77% were accepted by physicians, including 58% of the 200 interventions that required immediate action. Projected avoidance was estimated at $61,855. The clinical interventions by pharmacy students were generally well received by healthcare providers and resulted in significant cost savings. Pharmacy students can play an important role in a family medicine clinic.

  11. Evaluation of the effect of music on anxiety level of patients hospitalized in cardiac wards before angiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Pourmovahed

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients experience high levels of anxiety before angiography, which is mostly associated with irreparable effects on health status of such individuals. Use of alternative medicine to reduce stress and anxiety is of paramount importance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of music on anxiety level of patients hospitalized in cardiac wards before angiography. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 70 patients admitted to cardiac wards before angiography in three selected hospitals of Shiraz, Iran in 2015. Samples were selected through randomized and available sampling and divided into two groups of control (n=35 and intervention (n=35. In this study, the intervention group received one hour of music before angiography for 20 minutes, whereas the usual care of ward was provided for the control group. Data was collected using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI by Spielberger one hour before angiography (immediately before the intervention and 20 minutes after angiography (immediately after the intervention through interviews with all the participants. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 22 using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, as well as paired and independent-tests. Results: In this study, mean anxiety scores of patients in the intervention and control groups before the intervention were 48.45±6.63 and 48.25±6.63, respectively. After the intervention, these scores were changed to 44.28±5.21 and 49.02±7.74 in the intervention (P=0.004 and control (P=0.90 groups, respectively. Therefore, a significant difference was observed between the groups after the intervention (P=0.008. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, music before angiography could lead to a significant decrease in anxiety level of patients. Therefore, this approach could be used as an effective method to alleviate anxiety in patients.

  12. Evaluation of the effect of music on anxiety level of patients hospitalized in cardiac wards before angiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pourmovahed Zahra

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Patients experience high levels of anxiety before angiography, which is mostly associated with irreparable effects on health status of such individuals. Use of alternative medicine to reduce stress and anxiety is of paramount importance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of music on anxiety level of patients hospitalized in cardiac wards before angiography. Materials and Method: This clinical trial was conducted on 70 patients admitted to cardiac wards before angiography in three selected hospitals of Shiraz, Iran in 2015. Samples were randomized convenience sampling and divided into two groups of control (n=35 and intervention (n=35. In this study, the intervention group received one hour of music before angiography for 20 minutes, whereas the usual care of ward was provided for the control group. Data was collected using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI by Spielberger one hour before angiography (immediately before the intervention and 20 minutes after angiography (immediately after the intervention through interviews with all the participants. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 22 using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, as well as paired and independent-tests. Results: In this study, mean anxiety scores of patients in the intervention and control groups before the intervention were 48.45±6.63 and 48.25±6.63, respectively. After the intervention, these scores were changed to 44.28±5.21 and 49.02±7.74 in the intervention (P=0.004 and control (P=0.90 groups, respectively. Therefore, a significant difference was observed between the groups after the intervention (P=0.008. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, music before angiography could lead to a significant decrease in anxiety level of patients. Therefore, this approach could be used as an effective method to alleviate anxiety in patients.

  13. Delivery of pharmaceutical services at ward level in a teaching hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schellack, N; Martins, V; Botha, N; Meyer, J C

    2009-03-01

    Poor management of pharmaceuticals could lead to wastage of financial resources and poor services in the public sector. The main aim of the study was to investigate the quality of pharmaceutical services at ward level in a teaching hospital. The design of the study was descriptive. Three data collection instruments were designed and pilot-tested prior to the actual data collection. Two structured questionnaires were used to interview the sister-in-charge of each ward and the stock and drug controller at the pharmacy. A checklist for the management of pharmaceuticals was completed for each ward. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and summarise the data. Sisters-in-charge of 30 wards and the stock and drug controller at the pharmacy participated in the study. The relationship with the pharmacy was perceived to be average by 54% (n = 30) of the sisters-in-charge of the wards. Communication with the pharmacy was mainly by telephone and 57% of the sisters-in-charge mentioned that they experienced difficulties in conveying messages to the pharmacy. Ten of the wards received regular ward visits by a pharmacist. Expiry dates were checked by all wards but at different intervals. The majority of the wards (90%) used patient cards, which refer to prescription charts, for stock control and ordering from the pharmacy. Fridge temperatures were checked and charted on a daily basis by 30% of the wards. Written standard operating procedures (SOPs) were used by the pharmacy for issuing ward stock. Although 83% of the wards indicated that they used SOPs, evidence of written SOPs was not available. The results indicated that the management of pharmaceutical services at ward level could be improved. Implementation of appropriate communication systems will enhance cooperation between the pharmacy and the wards. A uniform ward stock control system, either by computer or stock cards, should be introduced. Regular ward visits by a pharmacist to oversee ward stock management are

  14. Booklet of the Research Institute of Clinical Medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todua, F.; Jgamadze, N.; Todua, N.; Beriashvili, Z.; Chelishvili, M.; Todua, I.; Chovelidze, Sh. et al.

    2012-01-01

    Research Institute of Clinical Medicine is one of the biggest university diagnostic and treatment centre in Georgia with unique modern diagnostic and treatment apparatus. The institute is acknowledged as a leader in various trends of radiology and surgery. The Research Institute of Clinical Medicine was founded in 1991. It is the leading scientific establishment in the field of medicine. The scientific-research work of the Institute is coordinated by the National Academy of Sciences of Georgia. The main scientific trend of the Institute is the Early Complex Diagnostics and Treatment. The scientific activity of the Institute is led by the Scientific Council. Institute achieved remarkable success since its foundation: It has been defended 56 theses for Candidate of Medical Sciences and 16 for Doctor of Medical Sciences; About 30 post-graduate students and more than 200 radiologists have taken training courses in radiology. Nowadays they work in different regions of Georgia, 21 inventions took out patents. It has been published 2000 scientific works and 9 monographs. (authors)

  15. Ward nurses' knowledge of computed tomography scanning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majeed, M A; Nayeemuddin, M; Christie, M

    Patients benefit from and are reassured by advance information on procedures that they are to undergo. Ward nurses should have adequate knowledge of radiological investigations to ensure proper patient preparation and good interdepartmental communication to avoid delays and cancellations. This study was conducted to assess the ward nurses' knowledge of the process of computed tomography (CT) scanning. One hundred and twenty qualified nurses were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding CT scanning. The findings revealed a suboptimal level of awareness about the process. This is probably due to lack of formal teaching for nurses on the wards in regards the different radiological procedures and patient preparation. There is a strong case for better educational talks on rapidly changing radiological techniques for ward staff to ensure high-quality patient care.

  16. Institute of Medicine's Report on Viral Hepatitis

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    In this podcast, Dr. John Ward, Director of CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis, discusses the 2010 report, Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C, from the Institute of Medicine.

  17. A systematic review of clinical audit in companion animal veterinary medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, Nicole; Toews, Lorraine; Pang, Daniel S J

    2016-02-26

    Clinical audit is a quality improvement process with the goal of continuously improving quality of patient care as assessed by explicit criteria. In human medicine clinical audit has become an integral and required component of the standard of care. In contrast, in veterinary medicine there appear to have been a limited number of clinical audits published, indicating that while clinical audit is recognised, its adoption in veterinary medicine is still in its infancy. A systematic review was designed to report and evaluate the veterinary literature on clinical audit in companion animal species (dog, cat, horse). A systematic search of English and French articles using Proquest Dissertations and Theses database (February 6, 2014), CAB Abstracts (March 21, 2014 and April 4, 2014), Scopus (March 21, 2014), Web of Science Citation index (March 21, 2014) and OVID Medline (March 21, 2014) was performed. Included articles were those either discussing clinical audit (such as review articles and editorials) or reporting parts of, or complete, audit cycles. The majority of articles describing clinical audit were reviews. From 89 articles identified, twenty-one articles were included and available for review. Twelve articles were reviews of clinical audit in veterinary medicine, five articles included at least one veterinary clinical audit, one thesis was identified, one report was of a veterinary clinical audit website and two articles reported incomplete clinical audits. There was no indication of an increase in the number of published clinical audits since the first report in 1998. However, there was evidence of article misclassification, with studies fulfilling the criteria of clinical audit not appropriately recognised. Quality of study design and reporting of findings varied considerably, with information missing on key components, including duration of study, changes in practice implemented between audits, development of explicit criteria and appropriate statistical

  18. Introduction of a Microsoft Excel-based unified electronic weekend handover document in Acute and General Medicine in a DGH: aims, outcomes and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostelec, Pablo; Emanuele Garbelli, Pietro; Emanuele Garbelli, Pietro

    2017-01-01

    On-call weekends in medicine can be a busy and stressful time for junior doctors, as they are responsible for a larger pool of patients, most of whom they would have never met. Clinical handover to the weekend team is extremely important and any communication errors may have a profound impact on patient care, potentially even resulting in avoidable harm or death. Several senior clinical bodies have issued guidelines on best practice in written and verbal handover. These include: standardisation, use of pro forma documents prompting doctors to document vital information (such as ceiling of care/resuscitation status) and prioritisation according to clinical urgency. These guidelines were not consistently followed in our hospital site at the onset of 2014 and junior doctors were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the handover processes. An initial audit of handover documents used across the medical division on two separate weekends in January 2014, revealed high variability in compliance with documentation of key information. For example, ceiling of care was documented for only 14-42% of patients and resuscitation status in 26-72% of patients respectively. Additionally, each ward used their own self-designed pro forma and patients were not prioritised by clinical urgency. Within six months from the introduction of a standardised, hospital-wide weekend handover pro forma across the medical division and following initial improvements to its layout, ceiling of therapy and resuscitation status were documented in approximately 80% of patients (with some minor variability). Moreover, 100% of patients in acute medicine and 75% of those in general medicine were prioritised by clinical urgency and all wards used the same handover pro forma.

  19. Chemical restraint in routine clinical practice: a report from a general hospital psychiatric ward in Greece

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Papamichael Georgios

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a dearth of studies regarding chemical restraint in routine clinical psychiatric practice. There may be wide variations between different settings and countries. Methods A retrospective study on chemical restraint was performed in the 11-bed psychiatric ward of the General Hospital of Arta, in northwestern Greece. All admissions over a 2-year-period (from March 2008 to March 2010 were examined. Results Chemical restraint was applied in 33 cases (10.5% of total admissions. From a total of 82 injections, 22 involved a benzodiazepine and/or levomepromazine, whereas 60 injections involved an antipsychotic agent, almost exclusively haloperidol (96.7% of cases, usually in combination with a benzodiazepine (61.7% of cases. In 36.4% of cases the patient was further subjected to restraint or seclusion. Conclusions In our unit, clinicians prefer the combined antipsychotic/benzodiazepine regimen for the management of patients' acute agitation and violent behaviour. Conventional antipsychotics are administrated almost exclusively and in a significant proportion of cases further coercive measures are applied. Studies on the practice of chemical restraint should be regularly performed in clinical settings.

  20. Ancestral assumptions and the clinical uncertainty of evolutionary medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cournoyea, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Evolutionary medicine is an emerging field of medical studies that uses evolutionary theory to explain the ultimate causes of health and disease. Educational tools, online courses, and medical school modules are being developed to help clinicians and students reconceptualize health and illness in light of our evolutionary past. Yet clinical guidelines based on our ancient life histories are epistemically weak, relying on the controversial assumptions of adaptationism and advocating a strictly biophysical account of health. To fulfill the interventionist goals of clinical practice, it seems that proximate explanations are all we need to develop successful diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines. Considering these epistemic concerns, this article argues that the clinical relevance of evolutionary medicine remains uncertain at best.

  1. Barriers to Nurse-Patient Communication in Cardiac Surgery Wards: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafipour, Vida; Mohammad, Eesa; Ahmadi, Fazlollah

    2014-01-01

    Background: An appropriate and effective nurse-patient communication is of the most important aspect of caring. The formation and continuation of such a relationship depends on various factors such as the conditions and context of communication and a mutual understanding between the two. A review of the literature shows that little research is carried out on identification of such barriers in hospital wards between the patients and the healthcare staff. Objectives: The present study was therefore conducted to explore the experiences of nurses and patients on communication barriers in hospital cardiac surgery wards. Design and Methods: This qualitative research was carried out using a content analysis method (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004). The participants were selected by a purposeful sampling and consist of 10 nurses and 11 patients from the cardiac surgery wards of three teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Data was gathered by unstructured interviews. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Results: Findings were emerged in three main themes including job dissatisfaction (with the sub-themes of workload tension and decreased motivation), routine-centered care (with the sub-themes of habitual interventions, routinized and technical interventions, and objective supervision), and distrust in competency of nurses (with the sub-themes of cultural contrast, less responsible nurses, and their apathy towards the patients). Conclusions: Compared to other studies, our findings identified different types of communication barriers depending on the nursing settings. These findings can be used by the ward clinical nursing managers at cardiac surgery wards to improve the quality of nursing care. PMID:25363126

  2. [Possible relation between clinical guidelines and legal standard of medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furukawa, Toshiharu; Kitagawa, Yuko

    2010-10-01

    Legal standard of medicine is not equal across the all kinds of medical institutions. Each medical institution is required its respective standard of medicine in which its doctors are expected to have studied medical informations, which have been spread among medical institutions with similar characteristics. Therefore, in principle, clinical guidelines for the treatment of a disease formed by public committees do not directly become the medical standards of respective disease treatment. However, doctors would be legally required to practice medicine with reference to the clinical guidelines because medical informations, mediated by internet or many kinds of media, have been spread very fast to all medical institutions these days. Moreover, doctors would be required to inform their patients of non-standardized new treatments, even if such treatments are not listed in clinical guidelines in case patients have special concern about new treat-

  3. [Individualized clinical treatment from the prospective of hepatotoxicity of non-toxic traditional Chinese medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Nan; Chen, Juan; Hou, Xue-Feng; Song, Jie; Feng, Liang; Jia, Xiao-Bin

    2017-04-01

    Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history in clinical application, and been proved to be safe and effective. In recent years, the toxicity and side-effects caused by the western medicine have been attracted much attention. As a result, increasing people have shifted their attention to traditional Chinese medicine. Nonetheless, due to the natural origin of traditional Chinese medicine and the lack of basic knowledge about them, many people mistakenly consider the absolute safety of traditional Chinese medicine, except for well-known toxic ones, such as arsenic. However, according to the clinical practices and recent studies, great importance shall be attached to the toxicity of non-toxic traditional Chinese medicine, in particular the hepatotoxicity. Relevant studies indicated that the toxicity of non-toxic traditional Chinese medicine is closely correlated with individual gene polymorphism and constitution. By discussing the causes and mechanisms of the hepatotoxicity induced by non-toxic traditional Chinese medicine in clinical practices, we wrote this article with the aim to provide new ideas for individualized clinical therapy of traditional Chinese medicine and give guidance for rational and safe use of traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  4. Radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    The review on the International Symposium on radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, 9-12 January 2008, contains 42 papers and 29 poster contributions on the following topics: radiopharmaceutical sciences; radiopharmaceutical sciences in oncology and cardiology; therapy; endocrinology; molecular imaging; clinical PET; physics: image processing; instrumentation, neurology, psychiatry

  5. Radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research. Abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2007-07-01

    The review on the International Symposium on radioactive isotopes in clinical medicine and research in Bad Hofgastein, Austria, 9-12 January 2008, contains 42 papers and 29 poster contributions on the following topics: radiopharmaceutical sciences; radiopharmaceutical sciences in oncology and cardiology; therapy; endocrinology; molecular imaging; clinical PET; physics: image processing; instrumentation, neurology, psychiatry.

  6. Feedback is good or bad? Medical residents’ points of view on feedback in clinical education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LEILA BAZRAFKAN

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Feedback is very important in education and can help quality in the training process and orient the trainees in clinical contexts. This study aimed to assess the residents’ points of view about feedback in clinical education at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: The sample of this study included 170 medical residents attending medical workshops in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The residents filled a valid and reliable questionnaire containing 21 items on their perceptions of the feedback they got throughout the workshops. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 14. Results: The study revealed that residents, generally, have a positive perception of feedback in their training. The highest score belonged to the items such as “feedback was applicable to future work”, “feedback corrected my behavior”, “feedback worked as a motivation for education” and “feedback was specific in one subject”. Residents who had a negative feedback experience also increased their efforts to learn. The Surgery residents acquired the highest scores while radiology residents got the lowest. The difference between these groups was statistically significant (P = 0.000. Conclusion: The highest mean score belonged to internal medicine residents. This shows that residents believe that obstetrics & gynecology ward is a ward in which the formative assessment is much more powerful in comparison to the other three major wards. The surgery ward received the lowest score for formative assessment and this shows that the feedback in surgery ward is very low.

  7. Polanyi's tacit knowing and the relevance of epistemology to clinical medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henry, Stephen G

    2010-04-01

    Most clinicians take for granted a simple, reductionist understanding of medical knowledge that is at odds with how they actually practice medicine; routine medical decisions incorporate more complicated kinds of information than most standard accounts of medical reasoning suggest. A better understanding of the structure and function of knowledge in medicine can lead to practical improvements in clinical medicine. This understanding requires some familiarity with epistemology, the study of knowledge and its structure, in medicine. Michael Polanyi's theory of tacit knowing is advanced as the basis for developing a more accurate understanding of medical knowledge. Tacit knowing, which explores the taken-for-granted background knowledge that underlies all human knowing, is explained in detail with a focus on its relevance for clinical medicine. The implications of recognizing tacit knowing in medicine and medical decisions are discussed. These include the ability to explain the importance of the clinical encounter in medical practice, mechanisms for analysing patient and doctor as persons, and the need for humility given the uncertainty that the tacit dimension injects into all medical decisions. This more robust medical epistemology allows clinicians to better articulate the nature and importance of patient-centred care, to avoid pitfalls inherent in reductionist approaches to medical knowledge, and to think more clearly about the relationships between medicine and health care at the individual and population levels.

  8. Nuclear medicine imaging in clinical practice: Current applications and future trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galli, G.; Maini, C.L.

    1985-01-01

    The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) Even though developments in data digitalization enable also other imaging techniques to extract functional information, it is likely that nuclear medicine will keep and possibly increase its key role for functional studies requiring quantitative data analyses. This statement is true at present and it will probably remain true for a long time to come. 2) Nuclear medicine is and will remain an important clinical tool also for morphological or morphodynamic studies in selected situations. Of course the integration of nuclear medicine studies with other diagnostic procedures is highly desirable. The highest clinical yield of multi-test diagnostic protocols will be anyway obtained by the wisest physician as sophysticated technology is no substitution for intelligent clinical judgment. 3) The development of new radiopharmaceuticals with well characterized biokinetic features allowing precise tissue characterization opens new frontiers to be exploited by nuclear medicine centers equipped with conventional technology (digital gammacameras, SPECT). 4) Positron emission tomography is the most important new development of nuclear medicine imaging. Not only PET has already shown its enormous possibilities for physiological and pathophysiological studies, but the clinical relevance of selected applications has been proved. More experience is however needed to assess systematically the whole impact of PET studies in clinical practice and to perform dependable cost/benefit studies. 5) Among all other imaging techniques NMR is the closest to nuclear medicine because of a strict ''compatibility of aptitudes, training and methodology'' (4). Accordingly future improvements of both methods will be better achieved if they could be integrated and the results compared with the same institutions

  9. Psychometric properties of the Patient Dignity Inventory in an acute psychiatric ward: an extension study of the preliminary validation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Lorenzo R

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Rosaria Di Lorenzo,1 Paola Ferri,2 Carlotta Biffarella,2 Giulio Cabri,3 Eleonora Carretti,4 Gabriella Pollutri,5 Ludovica Spattini,5 Cinzia Del Giovane,6 Harvey Max Chochinov7 1Psychiatric Intensive Treatment Facility, Mental Health Department, Azienda USL, Modena, Italy; 2Department of Diagnostic, Clinical and Public Health Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; 3Service of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment, Mental Health Department, Azienda USL, Modena, Italy; 4School of Nursing, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; 5School of Specialization in Pscyhiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; 6Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Primary Care (BIHAM, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; 7Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada Background: During the last decades, dignity has been an emerging issue in mental health since its ethical and therapeutic implications became known. This study is an extension of the preliminary validation of the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI in a psychiatric setting, originally designed for assessing perceived dignity in terminal cancer patients. Methods: From October 21, 2015 to December 31, 2016, we administered the Italian PDI to all patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric ward, who provided their consent and completed it at discharge (n=165. We performed Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and principal factor analysis. We administered other scales concomitantly to analyze the concurrent validity of PDI. We applied stepwise multiple linear regression to identify the patients’ demographic and clinical variables related to the PDI score. Results: Our response rate was 93%, with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient=0.94. The factorial analysis showed three factors with eigenvalue >1, which explained >80% of total variance: 1 “loss of self-identity and anxiety for the future”, 2

  10. Forensic Experts′ Opinion Regarding Clinical Forensic Medicine Practice in Indonesia and Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanusha Nair Gopalakrishnan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Clinical forensic medicine is a progressing branch. In Indonesia and Malaysia, there is inadequate information regarding this practice. It is always unclear about the job scopes and practitioners involved in this field. The study outlined in this article is aimed to explore the current clinical forensic medicine practice compared to existing systematic practice globally and hence analyzing for presence of difference in this practice between these two countries. A qualitative study was conducted by forensic experts in Indonesia and Malaysia from September to November 2015. In-depth interview was carried out to obtain data which were then validated using literature and legal documents in Indonesia and Malaysia known as the triangulation validation method. Data were presented in narrative form. In Indonesia, forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine were approached as one whereas in Malaysia separately. This practice was conducted by a general practitioner in collaboration with other specialists if needed in Indonesia; whereas, in Malaysia, this practice was conducted by forensic pathologists or medical officers in the absence of forensic pathologists. Both Indonesia and Malaysia followed the continental regimen in practicing clinical forensic medicine. There was still a lack of involvement of doctors in this field due to lack of understanding of clinical forensic medicine. The current clinical forensic medicine practice has not developed much and has no much difference in both countries. The gap between the current practice with systematic practice cannot be justified due to the absence of one standardized code of practice.

  11. From Paper to PDA: Design and Evaluation of a Clinical Ward Instruction on a Mobile Device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanstrup, Anne Marie; Stage, Jan

    Mobile devices with small screens and minimal facilities for interaction are increasingly being used in complex human activities for accessing and processing information, while the user is moving. This paper presents a case study of the design and evaluation of a mobile system, which involved transformation of complex text and tables to digital format on a PDA. The application domain was an emergency medical ward, and the user group was junior registrars. We designed a PDA-based system for accessing information, focusing on the ward instruction, implemented a prototype and evaluated it for usability and utility. The evaluation results indicate significant problems in the interaction with the system as well as the extent to which the system is useful for junior registrars in their daily work.

  12. Evaluation of the physicians‘ of n hospital opinion on clinical trials of medicinal products

    OpenAIRE

    Videikaitė, Lina

    2014-01-01

    Aim of the research. To evaluate the physicians‘ of N Hospital opinion on clinical trials of medicinal products. Objectives. To evaluate the factors affecting physicians' motivation to perform clinical trials of medicinal products as well as those that prevent the physicians getting involved in the trials. To assess physicians' attitude towards clinical trials of medicinal products. To compare the opinions of physicians who have and have’nt participated in clinical trials. Methods of...

  13. Clinical librarians as facilitators of nurses' evidence-based practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Määttä, Sylvia; Wallmyr, Gudrun

    2010-12-01

    The aim of this study was to explore nurses' and ward-based clinical librarians' reflections on ward-based clinical librarians as facilitators for nurses' use of evidences-based practice. Nurses' use of evidence-based practice is reported to be weak. Studies have suggested that clinical librarians may promote evidence-based practice. To date, little is known about clinical librarians participating nurses in the wards. A descriptive, qualitative design was adopted for the study. In 2007, 16 nurses who had been attended by a clinical librarian in the wards were interviewed in focus groups. Two clinical librarians were interviewed by individual interviews. In the analysis, a content analysis was used. Three themes were generated from the interviews with nurses: 'The grip of everyday work', 'To articulate clinical nursing issues' and 'The clinical librarians at a catalyst'. The nurses experienced the grip of everyday work as a hindrance and had difficulties to articulate and formulate relevant nursing issues. In such a state, the nurses found the clinical librarian presence in the ward as enhancing the awareness of and the use of evidence-based practice. Three themes emerged from the analysis with the librarians. They felt as outsiders, had new knowledge and acquired a new role as ward-based clinical librarians. Facilitation is needed if nurses' evidence-based practice is going to increase. The combined use of nurses and clinical librarians' knowledge and skills can be optimised. To achieve this, nurses' skills in consuming and implementing evidence ought to be strengthened. The fusion of the information and knowledge management skill of the ward-based clinical librarian and the clinical expertise of the nurses can be of value. With such a collaborative model, nurse and ward-based clinical librarian might join forces to increase the use of evidence-based practice. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Characteristics of aggression among psychiatric inpatients by ward type in Japan: Using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale - Revised (SOAS-R).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Makiko; Noda, Toshie; Sugiyama, Naoya; Yoshihama, Fumihiro; Miyake, Michi; Ito, Hiroto

    2017-12-01

    Aggressive behaviour by psychiatric patients is a serious issue in clinical practice, and adequate management of such behaviour is required, with careful evaluation of the factors causing the aggression. To examine the characteristics of aggressive incidents by ward type, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted for 6 months between April 2012 and June 2013 using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale - Revised, Japanese version (SOAS-R) in 30 wards across 20 Japanese psychiatric hospitals. Participating wards were categorized into three types based on the Japanese medical reimbursement system: emergency psychiatric, acute psychiatric, and standard wards (common in Japan, mostly treating non-acute patients). On analyzing the 443 incidents reported, results showed significant differences in SOAS-R responses by ward type. In acute and emergency psychiatric wards, staff members were the most common target of aggression. In acute psychiatric wards, staff requiring patients to take medication was the most common provocation, and verbal aggression was the most commonly used means. In emergency psychiatric wards, victims felt threatened. In contrast, in standard wards, both the target and provocation of aggression were most commonly other patients, hands were used, victims reported experiencing physical pain, and seclusion was applied to stop their behaviour. These findings suggest that ward environment was an important factor influencing aggressive behaviour. Ensuring the quality and safety of psychiatric care requires understanding the characteristics of incidents that staff are likely to encounter in each ward type, as well as implementing efforts to deal with the incidents adequately and improve the treatment environment. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  15. The transition from staff nurse to ward leader.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Caroline; Al-Sadoon, Tara; Hemmings, Laura; Jackson, Karen; Mulligan, Paul

    Moving from the staff nurse to ward sister role involves acquiring a range of skills to lead and motivate a team and ensure standards of care are high. Recognising new ward sisters' need for support, a trust developed a training programme to enable them to develop the necessary skills and provide mutual support. This article discusses the development of the programme and offers the reflections of three ward sisters who participated in it.

  16. Monitoring of airborne bacteria and aerosols in different wards of hospitals - Particle counting usefulness in investigation of airborne bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirhoseini, Seyed Hamed; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Khanahmd, Hossein; Hatamzadeh, Maryam; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

    2015-01-01

    The presence of airborne bacteria in hospital environments is of great concern because of their potential role as a source of hospital-acquired infections (HAI). The aim of this study was the determination and comparison of the concentration of airborne bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals, and evaluation of whether particle counting could be predictive of airborne bacterial concentration in different wards of a hospital. The study was performed in an operating theatre (OT), intensive care unit (ICU), surgery ward (SW) and internal medicine (IM) ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. A total of 80 samples were analyzed for the presence of airborne bacteria and particle levels. The average level of bacteria ranged from 75-1194 CFU/m (3) . Mean particle levels were higher than class 100,000 cleanrooms in all wards. A significant correlation was observed between the numbers of 1-5 µm particles and levels of airborne bacteria in operating theatres and ICUs. The results showed that factors which may influence the airborne bacterial level in hospital environments should be properly managed to minimize the risk of HAIs especially in operating theaters. Microbial air contamination of hospital settings should be performed by the monitoring of airborne bacteria, but particle counting could be considered as a good operative method for the continuous monitoring of air quality in operating theaters and ICUs where higher risks of infection are suspected.

  17. 25 CFR 117.23 - Transactions between guardian and ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Transactions between guardian and ward. 117.23 Section... COMPETENCY § 117.23 Transactions between guardian and ward. Business dealings between the guardian and his ward involving the sale or purchase of any property, real or personal, by the guardian to or from the...

  18. Quality of natural product clinical trials: a comparison of those published in alternative medicine versus conventional medicine journals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cochrane, Zara Risoldi; Gregory, Philip; Wilson, Amy

    2011-06-01

    To compare the quality of natural product clinical trials published in alternative medicine journals versus those published in conventional medicine journals. Systematic search and review of the literature. Randomized controlled trials of natural products were included if they were published in English between 2003 and 2008. Articles were categorized by their journal of publication (alternative medicine versus conventional medicine). Two independent reviewers evaluated study quality using guidelines from the Cochrane Collaboration. The results with respect to the primary outcome (positive or negative) were also assessed. Thirty articles were evaluated, 15 published in alternative medicine journals and 15 in conventional medicine journals. Of articles published in alternative medicine journals, 33.33% (n = 5) were considered low quality, and none were considered high quality. Of articles published in conventional medicine journals, 26.67% (n = 4) were considered low quality and 6.67% (n = 1) were considered high quality. Two thirds of all trials reviewed were of unclear quality, due to inadequate reporting of information relating to the study's methodology. Similar proportions of positive and negative primary outcomes were found in alternative and conventional medicine journals, and low-quality articles were not more likely to report a positive primary outcome (Fisher's exact test, two-tailed p = .287). The quality of natural product randomized controlled trials was similar among alternative and conventional medicine journals. Efforts should be made to improve the reporting of natural product clinical trials for accurate determinations of study quality to be possible.

  19. [Process and key points of clinical literature evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Huan; Xie, Yanming

    2011-10-01

    The clinical literature evaluation of the post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine is a comprehensive evaluation by the comprehensive gain, analysis of the drug, literature of drug efficacy, safety, economy, based on the literature evidence and is part of the evaluation of evidence-based medicine. The literature evaluation in the post-marketing Chinese medicine clinical evaluation is in the foundation and the key position. Through the literature evaluation, it can fully grasp the information, grasp listed drug variety of traditional Chinese medicines second development orientation, make clear further clinical indications, perfect the medicines, etc. This paper discusses the main steps and emphasis of the clinical literature evaluation. Emphasizing security literature evaluation should attach importance to the security of a comprehensive collection drug information. Safety assessment should notice traditional Chinese medicine validity evaluation in improving syndrome, improveing the living quality of patients with special advantage. The economics literature evaluation should pay attention to reliability, sensitivity and practicability of the conclusion.

  20. Exploring the Educational Value of Clinical Vignettes from the Society of General Internal Medicine National Meeting in the Internal Medicine Clerkship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wofford, James L; Singh, Sonal

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Whether the clinical vignettes presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) annual meeting could be of educational value to third year students in the Internal Medicine clerkship has not been studied. OBJECTIVE To explore the relevance and learning value of clinical vignettes from the SGIM national meeting in the Internal Medicine clerkship. SETTING Third year Ambulatory Internal Medicine clerkship at one academic medical center (academic year 2005 to 2006). METHODS Students were introduced to the clinical vignette and oriented to the database of clinical vignettes available through the SGIM annual meeting website. Students then reviewed 5 to 10 clinical vignettes using a worksheet, and rated the learning value of each vignette using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = least, 5 = greatest). A single investigator evaluated congruence of the vignette with the Clerkship Directors of Internal Medicine (CDIM)-SGIM curriculum to assess relevance. MAIN RESULTS A total of 42 students evaluated 371 clinical vignettes from the 2004 and 2005 meetings. The clinical vignettes were curriculum-congruent in 42.6% (n = 175), and clearly incongruent in 40.4% (n = 164). The mean rating for learning value was 3.8 (±1.0) (5 signifying greatest learning value). Curriculum-congruent vignettes had a higher mean learning value compared with curriculum-incongruent vignettes (4.0 vs 3.6, Student's t-test, P =.017). CONCLUSION The clinical vignettes presented at the national SGIM meeting offer clinical content that is relevant and of some educational value for third year clerkship students. Based on this pilot study, the educational value and strategies for their use in the clinical clerkships deserve further study. PMID:17026730

  1. Can emergency medicine research benefit from adaptive design clinical trials?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flight, Laura; Julious, Steven A; Goodacre, Steve

    2017-04-01

    Adaptive design clinical trials use preplanned interim analyses to determine whether studies should be stopped or modified before recruitment is complete. Emergency medicine trials are well suited to these designs as many have a short time to primary outcome relative to the length of recruitment. We hypothesised that the majority of published emergency medicine trials have the potential to use a simple adaptive trial design. We reviewed clinical trials published in three emergency medicine journals between January 2003 and December 2013. We determined the proportion that used an adaptive design as well as the proportion that could have used a simple adaptive design based on the time to primary outcome and length of recruitment. Only 19 of 188 trials included in the review were considered to have used an adaptive trial design. A total of 154/165 trials that were fixed in design had the potential to use an adaptive design. Currently, there seems to be limited uptake in the use of adaptive trial designs in emergency medicine despite their potential benefits to save time and resources. Failing to take advantage of adaptive designs could be costly to patients and research. It is recommended that where practical and logistical considerations allow, adaptive designs should be used for all emergency medicine clinical trials. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  2. World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: an international validation study of clinical competencies for advanced training in oral medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, John C; Clark, Hadleigh J; Hong, Catherine H L; Jurge, Sabine; Muthukrishnan, Arvind; Kerr, A Ross; Wray, David; Prescott-Clements, Linda; Felix, David H; Sollecito, Thomas P

    2015-08-01

    To explore international consensus for the validation of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. An electronic survey of clinical competencies was designed. The survey was sent to and completed by identified international stakeholders during a 10-week period. To be validated, an individual competency had to achieve 90% or greater consensus to keep it in its current format. Stakeholders from 31 countries responded. High consensus agreement was achieved with 93 of 101 (92%) competencies exceeding the benchmark for agreement. Only 8 warranted further attention and were reviewed by a focus group. No additional competencies were suggested. This is the first international validated study of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. These validated clinical competencies could provide a model for countries developing an advanced training curriculum for Oral Medicine and also inform review of existing curricula. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Development of a clinical forensic medicine curriculum for emergency physicians in the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smock, W S

    1994-06-01

    To address the forensic needs of living patients, the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky, USA initiated the first clinical forensic medicine training programme in the USA. In July 1991, formal training in clinical forensic medicine was incorporated into the core curriculum of the USA's second oldest academic emergency medicine training programme. The University of Louisville, in cooperation with the Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office, developed the curriculum to provide the emergency physician with the knowledge base and technical skills to perform forensic evaluations of living patients. Forensic lectures are given monthly by local and regional forensic experts including: forensic pathologists, prosecuting attorneys, firearm and ballistics examiners, law enforcement officers, forensic chemists and forensic odontologists. Topics which are presented include: forensic pathology, forensic photography, ballistics and firearms analysis, paediatric physical and sexual assault, crime scene investigation, forensic odontology, courtroom and expert testimony and the forensic evaluation of penetrating trauma. As a result of the introduction of clinical forensic medicine into the core curriculum of an emergency medicine training programme the residents are now actively addressing the forensic issues encountered in the Emergency department. Key, often short-lived forensic evidence, which was frequently overlooked or discarded while delivering patient care is now recognized, documented and preserved. The development and introduction of a clinical forensic medicine curriculum into emergency medicine training has greatly enhanced the emergency physician's ability to recognize, document and address the forensic needs of their patients who are victims of violent and non-fatal trauma.

  4. Mechanisms of behavior modification in clinical behavioral medicine in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhiyin; Su, Zhonghua; Ji, Feng; Zhu, Min; Bai, Bo

    2014-08-01

    Behavior modification, as the core of clinical behavioral medicine, is often used in clinical settings. We seek to summarize behavior modification techniques that are commonly used in clinical practice of behavioral medicine in China and discuss possible biobehavioral mechanisms. We reviewed common behavior modification techniques in clinical settings in China, and we reviewed studies that explored possible biobehavioral mechanisms. Commonly used clinical approaches of behavior modification in China include behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, health education, behavior management, behavioral relaxation training, stress management intervention, desensitization therapy, biofeedback therapy, and music therapy. These techniques have been applied in the clinical treatment of a variety of diseases, such as chronic diseases, psychosomatic diseases, and psychological disorders. The biobehavioral mechanisms of these techniques involve the autonomic nervous system, neuroendocrine system, neurobiochemistry, and neuroplasticity. Behavior modification techniques are commonly used in the treatment of a variety of somatic and psychological disorders in China. Multiple biobehavioral mechanisms are involved in successful behavior modification.

  5. An E-mail Service in a Military Adolescent Medicine Clinic: will teens ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The goal of this study was to determine utilization patterns of an Adolescent Medicine Clinic e-mail service. An e-mail service was offered to 6134 patients presenting for care to a military Adolescent Medicine Clinic in San Antonio, Texas over a 6-month period. Families had to complete an authorization form acknowledging ...

  6. Clinical Trials in Veterinary Medicine: A New Era Brings New Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyama, M A; Ellenberg, S S; Shaw, P A

    2017-07-01

    Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are among the most rigorous ways to determine the causal relationship between an intervention and important clinical outcome. Their use in veterinary medicine has become increasingly common, and as is often the case, with progress comes new challenges. Randomized clinical trials yield important answers, but results from these studies can be unhelpful or even misleading unless the study design and reporting are carried out with care. Herein, we offer some perspective on several emerging challenges associated with RCTs, including use of composite endpoints, the reporting of different forms of risk, analysis in the presence of missing data, and issues of reporting and safety assessment. These topics are explored in the context of previously reported veterinary internal medicine studies as well as through illustrative examples with hypothetical data sets. Moreover, many insights germane to RCTs in veterinary internal medicine can be drawn from the wealth of experience with RCTs in the human medical field. A better understanding of the issues presented here can help improve the design, interpretation, and reporting of veterinary RCTs. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  7. The role of the ward manager in promoting patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinnock, David

    In this article the role of the ward manager in promoting patient safety is explored. The background to the development of the patient safety agenda is briefly discussed and the relationship between quality and safety is illustrated. The pivotal importance of the role of the ward manager in delivering services to patients is underlined and literature on patient safety is examined to identify what a ward manager can do to make care safer. Possible actions of the ward manager to improve safety discussed in the literature are structured around the Leadership Framework. This framework identifies seven domains for the leadership of service delivery. Ward managers use their personal qualities, and network and work within teams, while managing performance and facilitating innovation, change and measurement for improvement. The challenge of promoting patient safety for ward managers is briefly explored and recommendations for further research are made.

  8. Reiki and related therapies in the dialysis ward: an evidence-based and ethical discussion to debate if these complementary and alternative medicines are welcomed or banned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraresi, Martina; Clari, Roberta; Moro, Irene; Banino, Elena; Boero, Enrico; Crosio, Alessandro; Dayne, Romina; Rosset, Lorenzo; Scarpa, Andrea; Serra, Enrica; Surace, Alessandra; Testore, Alessio; Colombi, Nicoletta; Piccoli, Barbara Giorgina

    2013-06-21

    Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) are increasingly practiced in the general population; it is estimated that over 30% of patients with chronic diseases use CAMs on a regular basis. CAMs are also used in hospital settings, suggesting a growing interest in individualized therapies. One potential field of interest is pain, frequently reported by dialysis patients, and seldom sufficiently relieved by mainstream therapies. Gentle-touch therapies and Reiki (an energy based touch therapy) are widely used in the western population as pain relievers.By integrating evidence based approaches and providing ethical discussion, this debate discusses the pros and cons of CAMs in the dialysis ward, and whether such approaches should be welcomed or banned. In spite of the wide use of CAMs in the general population, few studies deal with the pros and cons of an integration of mainstream medicine and CAMs in dialysis patients; one paper only regarded the use of Reiki and related practices. Widening the search to chronic pain, Reiki and related practices, 419 articles were found on Medline and 6 were selected (1 Cochrane review and 5 RCTs updating the Cochrane review). According to the EBM approach, Reiki allows a statistically significant but very low-grade pain reduction without specific side effects. Gentle-touch therapy and Reiki are thus good examples of approaches in which controversial efficacy has to be balanced against no known side effect, frequent free availability (volunteer non-profit associations) and easy integration with any other pharmacological or non pharmacological therapy. While a classical evidence-based approach, showing low-grade efficacy, is likely to lead to a negative attitude towards the use of Reiki in the dialysis ward, the ethical discussion, analyzing beneficium (efficacy) together with non maleficium (side effects), justice (cost, availability and integration with mainstream therapies) and autonomy (patients' choice) is likely to lead to a

  9. Quality of registration for clinical trials published in emergency medicine journals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Christopher W; Platts-Mills, Timothy F

    2012-10-01

    In 2005, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors established clinical trial registration as a requirement for articles submitted to member journals, with the goal of improving the transparency of clinical research. The objective of this study is to characterize the registration of clinical trials published in emergency medicine journals. Randomized trials involving human subjects and published between June 1, 2008, and May 31, 2011 in the 5 emergency medicine journals with the highest impact factors were included. We assessed the clarity of registered primary outcomes, timing of registration relative to patient enrollment, and consistency between registered and published outcomes. Of the 123 trials included, registry entries were identified for 57 (46%). Of the 57 registered studies, 45 (79%) were registered after the initiation of subject enrollment, 9 (16%) had registered outcomes that were unclear, and 26 (46%) had discrepancies between registered and published outcomes. Only 5 studies were registered before patient enrollment with a clear primary outcome that was consistent with the published primary outcome. Annals of Emergency Medicine was the only journal in which the majority of trials were registered. Current compliance with clinical trial registration guidelines is poor among trials published in emergency medicine journals. Copyright © 2012. Published by Mosby, Inc.

  10. Severe acute pancreatitis: clinical findings and therapeutic tools in Internal Medicine practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Generoso Uomo

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Recent advances in pathophysiology and therapeutic measures suggest that patients suffering from acute pancreatitis (AP should undergo an early evaluation and treatment in Internal Medicine wards. Severe AP, usually associated with pancreatic necrosis and peripancreatic fluid collections, may be frequently complicated by distant organ(s involvement. RESULTS The dreadful multi-organ failure may occur as an early event (during the first week of the disease or in association with the infection of pancreatic necrosis in a later stage. So, during the clinical outcome, physicians may be compelled to counteract cardio-circulatory, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, haematological and hydro-electrolytic complex derangements. Arterial hypotension and shock may be consequence of hypovolemia and/or hearth failure or septic shock syndrome. Pleural effusions are frequent in the early phase of the disease as well as pulmonary densifications and renal insufficiency. Urinary, pulmonary, and biliary infections may intervene during all phases of the disease whereas pancreatic necrosis and fluid collections infections are more frequent after the second week of hospitalization. Prognostic evaluation should be obtained by simple and precise scoring system such as the modified Marshall score and CT-scan severity index. CONCLUSIONS Treatment must be initiated as soon as possible with special focusing on fluid and nutritional supplementation, pain control, cardio-respiratory support, antiproteases and antibiotics. Invasive procedures such as endoscopic sphincterotomy in biliary AP with cholangitis and/or obstruction and percutaneous drainage should be utilized in specific cases. Surgical necrosectomy is mandatory in patients with documented infection of pancreatic necrosis.

  11. Clinical Holistic Medicine: Holistic Treatment of Mental Disorders

    OpenAIRE

    Ventegodt, Søren; Andersen, Niels Jørgen; Neikrug, Shimshon; Kandel, Isack; Merrick, Joav

    2005-01-01

    We believe that holistic medicine can be used for patient's with mental health disorders. With holistic psychiatry, it is possible to help the mentally ill patient to heal existentially. As in holistic medicine, the methods are love or intense care, winning the trust of the patient, getting permission to give support and holding, and daring to be fully at the patient's service. Our clinical experiences have led us to believe that mental health patient's can heal if only you can make him or he...

  12. Introducing the nurse practitioner into the surgical ward: an ethnographic study of interprofessional teamwork practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvarnström, Susanne; Jangland, Eva; Abrandt Dahlgren, Madeleine

    2017-08-22

    The first nurse practitioners in surgical care were introduced into Swedish surgical wards in 2014. Internationally, organisations that have adopted nurse practitioners into care teams are reported to have maintained or improved the quality of care. However, close qualitative descriptions of teamwork practice may add to existing knowledge of interprofessional collaboration when introducing nurse practitioners into new clinical areas. The aim was to report on an empirical study describing how interprofessional teamwork practice was enacted by nurse practitioners when introduced into surgical ward teams. The study had a qualitative, ethnographic research design, drawing on a sociomaterial conceptual framework. The study was based on 170 hours of ward-based participant observations of interprofessional teamwork practice that included nurse practitioners. Data were gathered from 2014 to 2015 across four surgical sites in Sweden, including 60 interprofessional rounds. The data were analysed with an iterative reflexive procedure involving inductive and theory-led approaches. The study was approved by a Swedish regional ethics committee (Ref. No.: 2014/229-31). The interprofessional teamwork practice enacted by the nurse practitioners that emerged from the analysis comprised a combination of the following characteristic role components: clinical leader, bridging team colleague and ever-present tutor. These role components were enacted at all the sites and were prominent during interprofessional teamwork practice. The participant nurse practitioners utilised the interprofessional teamwork practice arrangements to enact a role that may be described in terms of a quality guarantee, thereby contributing to the overall quality and care flow offered by the entire surgical ward team. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  13. Transfers from intensive care unit to hospital ward: a multicentre textual analysis of physician progress notes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Kyla N; Leigh, Jeanna Parsons; Kamran, Hasham; Bagshaw, Sean M; Fowler, Rob A; Dodek, Peter M; Turgeon, Alexis F; Forster, Alan J; Lamontagne, Francois; Soo, Andrea; Stelfox, Henry T

    2018-01-28

    Little is known about documentation during transitions of patient care between clinical specialties. Therefore, we examined the focus, structure and purpose of physician progress notes for patients transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU) to hospital ward to identify opportunities to improve communication breaks. This was a prospective cohort study in ten Canadian hospitals. We analyzed physician progress notes for consenting adult patients transferred from a medical-surgical ICU to hospital ward. The number, length, legibility and content of notes was counted and compared across care settings using mixed-effects linear regression models accounting for clustering within hospitals. Qualitative content analyses were conducted on a stratified random sample of 32 patients. A total of 447 patient medical records that included 7052 progress notes (mean 2.1 notes/patient/day 95% CI 1.9-2.3) were analyzed. Notes written by the ICU team were significantly longer than notes written by the ward team (mean lines of text 21 vs. 15, p notes; mean agreement of patient issues was 42% [95% CI 31-53%]. Qualitative analyses identified eight themes related to focus (central point - e.g., problem list), structure (organization, - e.g., note-taking style), and purpose (intention - e.g., documentation of patient course) of the notes that varied across clinical specialties and physician seniority. Important gaps and variations in written documentation during transitions of patient care between ICU and hospital ward physicians are common, and include discrepancies in documentation of patient information.

  14. Design and validation of a questionnaire to assess organizational culture in French hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saillour-Glénisson, F; Domecq, S; Kret, M; Sibe, M; Dumond, J P; Michel, P

    2016-09-17

    Although many organizational culture questionnaires have been developed, there is a lack of any validated multidimensional questionnaire assessing organizational culture at hospital ward level and adapted to health care context. Facing the lack of an appropriate tool, a multidisciplinary team designed and validated a dimensional organizational culture questionnaire for healthcare settings to be administered at ward level. A database of organizational culture items and themes was created after extensive literature review. Items were regrouped into dimensions and subdimensions (classification validated by experts). Pre-test and face validation was conducted with 15 health care professionals. In a stratified cluster random sample of hospitals, the psychometric validation was conducted in three phases on a sample of 859 healthcare professionals from 36 multidisciplinary medicine services: 1) the exploratory phase included a description of responses' saturation levels, factor and correlations analyses and an internal consistency analysis (Cronbach's alpha coefficient); 2) confirmatory phase used the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM); 3) reproducibility was studied by a test-retest. The overall response rate was 80 %; the completion average was 97 %. The metrological results were: a global Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.93, higher than 0.70 for 12 sub-dimensions; all Dillon-Goldstein's rho coefficients higher than 0.70; an excellent quality of external model with a Goodness of Fitness (GoF) criterion of 0.99. Seventy percent of the items had a reproducibility ranging from moderate (Intra-Class Coefficient between 50 and 70 % for 25 items) to good (ICC higher than 70 % for 33 items). COMEt (Contexte Organisationnel et Managérial en Etablissement de Santé) questionnaire is a validated multidimensional organizational culture questionnaire made of 6 dimensions, 21 sub-dimensions and 83 items. It is the first dimensional organizational culture questionnaire

  15. Laboratory research at the clinical trials of Veterinary medicinal Products

    OpenAIRE

    ZHYLA M.I.

    2011-01-01

    The article analyses the importance of laboratory test methods, namely pathomorfological at conduct of clinical trials. The article focuses on complex laboratory diagnostics at determination of clinical condition of animals, safety and efficacy of tested medicinal product.

  16. Congenital cataract screening in maternity wards is effective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Magnusson, Gunilla; Bizjajeva, Svetlana; Haargaard, Birgitte

    2013-01-01

    AIM: To study which eye-screening protocol prevails in Swedish maternity/neonatal wards, evaluate efficacy in a prospective study, and compare results with earlier Swedish retrospective results. METHODS: Surveys were sent in 2006 to maternity/neonatal and women's health departments regarding...... with earlier retrospective results was performed. RESULTS: Eye screening is routine protocol at a rate of 90% of Swedish maternity wards. Sixty-one children were included in the study. An increase was shown in case referrals from maternity wards compared to ten years ago (64% versus 50%). Detection...

  17. Navigating legal constraints in clinical data warehousing: a case study in personalized medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jefferys, Benjamin R; Nwankwo, Iheanyi; Neri, Elias; Chang, David C W; Shamardin, Lev; Hänold, Stefanie; Graf, Norbert; Forgó, Nikolaus; Coveney, Peter

    2013-04-06

    Personalized medicine relies in part upon comprehensive data on patient treatment and outcomes, both for analysis leading to improved models that provide the basis for enhanced treatment, and for direct use in clinical decision-making. A data warehouse is an information technology for combining and standardizing multiple databases. Data warehousing of clinical data is constrained by many legal and ethical considerations, owing to the sensitive nature of the data being stored. We describe an unconstrained clinical data warehousing architecture, some of the legal constraints that have led us to reconsider this architecture, and the legal and technical solutions to these constraints developed for the clinical data warehouse in the personalized medicine project p-medicine. We also propose some changes to the legal constraints that will further enable clinical research.

  18. [Sample size calculation in clinical post-marketing evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yingkun; Xie, Yanming

    2011-10-01

    In recent years, as the Chinese government and people pay more attention on the post-marketing research of Chinese Medicine, part of traditional Chinese medicine breed has or is about to begin after the listing of post-marketing evaluation study. In the post-marketing evaluation design, sample size calculation plays a decisive role. It not only ensures the accuracy and reliability of post-marketing evaluation. but also assures that the intended trials will have a desired power for correctly detecting a clinically meaningful difference of different medicine under study if such a difference truly exists. Up to now, there is no systemic method of sample size calculation in view of the traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, according to the basic method of sample size calculation and the characteristic of the traditional Chinese medicine clinical evaluation, the sample size calculation methods of the Chinese medicine efficacy and safety are discussed respectively. We hope the paper would be beneficial to medical researchers, and pharmaceutical scientists who are engaged in the areas of Chinese medicine research.

  19. The educational value of ward rounds for junior trainees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faidon-Marios Laskaratos

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The ward round (WR is a complex task and medical teachers are often faced with the challenge of finding a balance between service provision and clinical development of learners. The educational value of WRs is an under-researched area. This short communication aims to evaluate the educational role of WRs for junior trainees and provides insight into current practices. It also identifies obstacles to effective teaching/training in this setting and provides suggestions for improving the quality of WR teaching.

  20. Transition to international classification of disease version 10, clinical modification: the impact on internal medicine and internal medicine subspecialties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caskey, Rachel N; Abutahoun, Angelos; Polick, Anne; Barnes, Michelle; Srivastava, Pavan; Boyd, Andrew D

    2018-05-04

    The US health care system uses diagnostic codes for billing and reimbursement as well as quality assessment and measuring clinical outcomes. The US transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) on October, 2015. Little is known about the impact of ICD-10-CM on internal medicine and medicine subspecialists. We used a state-wide data set from Illinois Medicaid specified for Internal Medicine providers and subspecialists. A total of 3191 ICD-9-CM codes were used for 51,078 patient encounters, for a total cost of US $26,022,022 for all internal medicine. We categorized all of the ICD-9-CM codes based on the complexity of mapping to ICD-10-CM as codes with complex mapping could result in billing or administrative errors during the transition. Codes found to have complex mapping and frequently used codes (n = 295) were analyzed for clinical accuracy of mapping to ICD-10-CM. Each subspecialty was analyzed for complexity of codes used and proportion of reimbursement associated with complex codes. Twenty-five percent of internal medicine codes have convoluted mapping to ICD-10-CM, which represent 22% of Illinois Medicaid patients, and 30% of reimbursements. Rheumatology and Endocrinology had the greatest proportion of visits and reimbursement associated with complex codes. We found 14.5% of ICD-9-CM codes used by internists, when mapped to ICD-10-CM, resulted in potential clinical inaccuracies. We identified that 43% of diagnostic codes evaluated and used by internists and that account for 14% of internal medicine reimbursements are associated with codes which could result in administrative errors.

  1. Selecting clinical quality indicators for laboratory medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barth, Julian H

    2012-05-01

    Quality in laboratory medicine is often described as doing the right test at the right time for the right person. Laboratory processes currently operate under the oversight of an accreditation body which gives confidence that the process is good. However, there are aspects of quality that are not measured by these processes. These are largely focused on ensuring that the most clinically appropriate test is performed and interpreted correctly. Clinical quality indicators were selected through a two-phase process. Firstly, a series of focus groups of clinical scientists were held with the aim of developing a list of quality indicators. These were subsequently ranked in order by an expert panel of primary and secondary care physicians. The 10 top indicators included the communication of critical results, comprehensive education to all users and adequate quality assurance for point-of-care testing. Laboratories should ensure their tests are used to national standards, that they have clinical utility, are calibrated to national standards and have long-term stability for chronic disease management. Laboratories should have error logs and demonstrate evidence of measures introduced to reduce chances of similar future errors. Laboratories should make a formal scientific evaluation of analytical quality. This paper describes the process of selection of quality indicators for laboratory medicine that have been validated sequentially by deliverers and users of the service. They now need to be converted into measureable variables related to outcome and validated in practice.

  2. The ward round--patient experiences and barriers to participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swenne, Christine Leo; Skytt, Bernice

    2014-06-01

    Patients' participation is essential to their well-being and sense of coherence, as well as to their understanding of and adherence to prescribed treatments. Ward rounds serve as a forum for sharing information between patient and caregiver. The purpose of the ward round is to obtain information and plan medical and nursing care through staff-patient communication. The aim and objective of this study was to investigate patients' experiences during the ward round and their ability to participate in their care. The study was qualitative and descriptive in design. Fourteen inpatients at a cardiovascular ward were interviewed. Qualitative content analysis was used for the analysis. The ethics of scientific work were adhered to. Each study participant gave his/her informed consent based on verbal and written information. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at Uppsala University. The analysis revealed one theme and three subthemes related to patients' experiences of ward rounds. The main theme was handling of information from the daily ward round while waiting for private consultation. The subthemes were making the best of the short time spent on ward rounds; encountering traditional roles and taking comfort in staff competency; and being able to choose the degree to which one participates in the decision-making process. Several aspects of traditional ward round routines could be improved in regard to the two-way information exchange process between caregivers and patient. Patients' and caregivers' ability to communicate their goals and the environment in which the communication occurs are of great importance. The information provided by nurses is easier to understand than that provided by physicians. The atmosphere must be open; the patient should be treated with empathy by staff; and patients' right to participate must be acknowledged by all healthcare professionals involved. © 2013 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  3. Research with radioisotopes in clinical and laboratory medicine: a bibliographic review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metz, J.; Van der Walt, L.A.; Malan, J.M.

    1985-01-01

    This bibliography is restricted mainly to AEC-supported projects which are considered to amply reflect the widespread use of radioisotopes in clinical and laboratory medicine in South Africa and which describe research with radioisotopes of some direct relevance to diagnostic-clinical or laboratory medicine, or both, but excluding therapy with isotopes. General information is given in this review on oncology, endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition, haematology, neurology, angiocardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, gynaecology and obstetrics, nephrology, immunology and transplantation, microbiology and parasitology

  4. Historical thinking in clinical medicine: lessons from R.G. Collingwood's philosophy of history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin-Yee, Benjamin H; Upshur, Ross E G

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this article is to create a space for historical thinking in medical practice. To this end, we draw on the ideas of R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943), the renowned British philosopher of history, and explore the implications of his philosophy for clinical medicine. We show how Collingwood's philosophy provides a compelling argument for the re-centring of medical practice around the patient history as a means of restoring to the clinical encounter the human meaning that is too often lost in modern medicine. Furthermore, we examine how Collingwood's historical thinking offers a patient-centred epistemology and a more pluralistic concept of evidence that includes the qualitative, narrative evidence necessary for human understanding. We suggest that clinical medicine can benefit from Collingwood's historical thinking, and, more generally, illustrates how a philosophy of medicine that draws on diverse sources from the humanities offers a richer, more empathetic clinical practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Clinical proteomics-driven precision medicine for targeted cancer therapy: current overview and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Li; Wang, Kui; Li, Qifu; Nice, Edouard C; Zhang, Haiyuan; Huang, Canhua

    2016-01-01

    Cancer is a common disease that is a leading cause of death worldwide. Currently, early detection and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for more effective management of cancer. Importantly, protein profiling using clinical proteomic strategies, with spectacular sensitivity and precision, offer excellent promise for the identification of potential biomarkers that would direct the development of targeted therapeutic anticancer drugs for precision medicine. In particular, clinical sample sources, including tumor tissues and body fluids (blood, feces, urine and saliva), have been widely investigated using modern high-throughput mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches combined with bioinformatic analysis, to pursue the possibilities of precision medicine for targeted cancer therapy. Discussed in this review are the current advantages and limitations of clinical proteomics, the available strategies of clinical proteomics for the management of precision medicine, as well as the challenges and future perspectives of clinical proteomics-driven precision medicine for targeted cancer therapy.

  6. Pain in the nursing home: assessment and treatment on different types of care wards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Achterberg, W.P.; Pot, A.M.; Scherder, E.J.A.; Ribbe, M.W.

    2007-01-01

    The assessment and management of pain in nursing homes have been shown to be suboptimal, but no study has evaluated differences in clinical setting within these homes. The prevalence and management of pain on different care wards (psychogeriatric, somatic, and rehabilitation) was studied on 562

  7. Interprofessional collaboration between residents and nurses in general internal medicine: a qualitative study on behaviours enhancing teamwork quality.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virginie Muller-Juge

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Effective teamwork is necessary for optimal patient care. There is insufficient understanding of interactions between physicians and nurses on internal medicine wards. OBJECTIVE: To describe resident physicians' and nurses' actual behaviours contributing to teamwork quality in the setting of a simulated internal medicine ward. METHODS: A volunteer sample of 14 pairs of residents and nurses in internal medicine was asked to manage one non-urgent and one urgent clinical case in a simulated ward, using a high-fidelity manikin. After the simulation, participants attended a stimulated-recall session during which they viewed the videotape of the simulation and explained their actions and perceptions. All simulations were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, using a qualitative method (template analysis. Quality of teamwork was assessed, based on patient management efficiency and presence of shared management goals and of team spirit. RESULTS: Most resident-nurse pairs tended to interact in a traditional way, with residents taking the leadership and nurses executing medical prescriptions and assuming their own specific role. They also demonstrated different types of interactions involving shared responsibilities and decision making, constructive suggestions, active communication and listening, and manifestations of positive team building. The presence of a leader in the pair or a truly shared leadership between resident and nurse contributed to teamwork quality only if both members of the pair demonstrated sufficient autonomy. In case of a lack of autonomy of one member, the other member could compensate for it, if his/her own autonomy was sufficiently strong and if there were demonstrations of mutual listening, information sharing, and positive team building. CONCLUSIONS: Although they often relied on traditional types of interaction, residents and nurses also demonstrated readiness for increased sharing of responsibilities. Interprofessional

  8. Interprofessional Collaboration between Residents and Nurses in General Internal Medicine: A Qualitative Study on Behaviours Enhancing Teamwork Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muller-Juge, Virginie; Cullati, Stéphane; Blondon, Katherine S.; Hudelson, Patricia; Maître, Fabienne; Vu, Nu V.; Savoldelli, Georges L.; Nendaz, Mathieu R.

    2014-01-01

    Background Effective teamwork is necessary for optimal patient care. There is insufficient understanding of interactions between physicians and nurses on internal medicine wards. Objective To describe resident physicians’ and nurses’ actual behaviours contributing to teamwork quality in the setting of a simulated internal medicine ward. Methods A volunteer sample of 14 pairs of residents and nurses in internal medicine was asked to manage one non-urgent and one urgent clinical case in a simulated ward, using a high-fidelity manikin. After the simulation, participants attended a stimulated-recall session during which they viewed the videotape of the simulation and explained their actions and perceptions. All simulations were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, using a qualitative method (template analysis). Quality of teamwork was assessed, based on patient management efficiency and presence of shared management goals and of team spirit. Results Most resident-nurse pairs tended to interact in a traditional way, with residents taking the leadership and nurses executing medical prescriptions and assuming their own specific role. They also demonstrated different types of interactions involving shared responsibilities and decision making, constructive suggestions, active communication and listening, and manifestations of positive team building. The presence of a leader in the pair or a truly shared leadership between resident and nurse contributed to teamwork quality only if both members of the pair demonstrated sufficient autonomy. In case of a lack of autonomy of one member, the other member could compensate for it, if his/her own autonomy was sufficiently strong and if there were demonstrations of mutual listening, information sharing, and positive team building. Conclusions Although they often relied on traditional types of interaction, residents and nurses also demonstrated readiness for increased sharing of responsibilities. Interprofessional education should

  9. Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Nuclear Medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    The application of radiation in human health, for both diagnosis and treatment of disease, is an important component of the work of the IAEA. The responsibility for the increasingly technical aspects of this work is undertaken by the medical physicist. To ensure good practice in this vital area, structured clinical training programmes are required to complement academic learning. This publication is intended to be a guide to the practical implementation of such a programme for nuclear medicine. There is a general and growing awareness that radiation medicine is increasingly dependent on well trained medical physicists who are based in a clinical setting. However an analysis of the availability of medical physicists indicates a large shortfall of qualified and capable professionals. This is particularly evident in developing countries. While strategies to increase educational opportunities are critical to such countries, the need for guidance on structured clinical training was recognized by the members of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA) for the Asia-Pacific region. Consequently, a technical cooperation regional project (RAS6038) under the RCA programme was formulated to address this need in this region by developing suitable material and establishing its viability. Development of a clinical training guide for medical physicists specialising in nuclear medicine was started in 2009 with the appointment of a core drafting committee of regional and international experts. The publication drew on the experience of clinical training in Australia, Croatia and Sweden and was moderated by physicists working in the Asian region. The present publication follows the approach of earlier IAEA publications in the Training Course Series, specifically Nos 37 and 47, Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Radiation Oncology and Clinical Training of Medical Physicists

  10. ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION OF FACULTIES TOWARDS TEACHING EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE TO PRE - CLINICAL & PARA - CLINICAL MEDICAL STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhavita Patel

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available NTRODUCTION: Evidence - based medicine (EBM is defined as the „conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence‟. It i s an important tool for lifelong learning in medicine, and medical students can develop the skills necessary to understand and use EBM. The teaching of EBM in Sumandeep Vidyapeeth is as part of Evidence Based Education System (EBES. The university has imp lemented the 16 hours of teaching with project work on Evidence Based Medicine in 1st MBBS and 2nd MBBS curriculum in addition to MBBS syllabus. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: This study was planned to take feedback from all the faculties those who are involved in Evi dence based Medicine teaching to evaluate their attitude and perception towards this innovative teaching method and to recommend improvements. MATERIAL & METHODS: A Descriptive, self - structured , pilot pretested questionnaire based cross sectional study was conducted in the year 2013 - 2014 among 40 faculties from 7 Departments like Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Pathology and Forensic Medicine teaching Evidence Base d Medicine to students at S.B.K.S MI & RC, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth. Data was expressed as percentage. RESULTS: The response rate for the study was 75%. Almost 87% of faculties agreed that teaching EBM is a welcoming development during pre and para clinical ye ars. About 80% faculties agreed that it will help them in future clinical learning. 87% faculties agreed that literature and research searching improves their day to day teaching. About 77% of faculties have attended workshop and training held in Universit y and 83% of faculties agreed that they are interested in more learning and improving skills necessary to incorporate Evidence based medicine into their discipline. Barriers included shortage of time and need for training in teaching EBM. CONCLUSION: Facul ties of this University teaching Pre - clinical and Para - clinical medical students recognized

  11. [Establish research model of post-marketing clinical safety evaluation for Chinese patent medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wen-ke; Liu, Zhi; Lei, Xiang; Tian, Ran; Zheng, Rui; Li, Nan; Ren, Jing-tian; Du, Xiao-xi; Shang, Hong-cai

    2015-09-01

    The safety of Chinese patent medicine has become a focus of social. It is necessary to carry out work on post-marketing clinical safety evaluation for Chinese patent medicine. However, there have no criterions to guide the related research, it is urgent to set up a model and method to guide the practice for related research. According to a series of clinical research, we put forward some views, which contained clear and definite the objective and content of clinical safety evaluation, the work flow should be determined, make a list of items for safety evaluation project, and put forward the three level classification of risk control. We set up a model of post-marketing clinical safety evaluation for Chinese patent medicine. Based this model, the list of items can be used for ranking medicine risks, and then take steps for different risks, aims to lower the app:ds:risksrisk level. At last, the medicine can be managed by five steps in sequence. The five steps are, collect risk signal, risk recognition, risk assessment, risk management, and aftereffect assessment. We hope to provide new ideas for the future research.

  12. Generalized ward identities for non-local transformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziping; Li Ruijie

    2002-01-01

    Based on the phase-space generating functional of Green function for a system with a singular higher-order Lagrangian, the generalized canonical Ward identities under the local and non-local transformation in phase space for such a system have been derived. Starting from the configuration-space generating functional for a gauge-invariant system, the generalized Ward identities were deduced under the local, non-local and global transformation, respectively. The applications to the non-Abelian Chern-Simons theories with higher derivatives were given. Some relationships among the proper vertices have been deduced, in which one does not need to carry out the integration over canonical momenta in phase-space generating functional. The Ward-Takahashi identities for BRS transformation are also obtained

  13. Nuclear Medicine in Turkey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durak, H.

    2001-01-01

    recently installed in 2000, one in Istanbul and one in Izmir with 2 private PET centers. PET centers in Ankara are on the way. Turkish Atomic Energy Agency provides license for nuclear medicine departments and therapy wards according to the written regulations. The import and nationwide transport of radioactive substances and disposal of wastes are under the control of this agency. All nuclear medicine clinics need to be licensed by this agency in order to purchase radioactive materials

  14. Malnutrition in patients admitted to the medical wards of the Douala General Hospital: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luma, Henry Namme; Eloumou, Servais Albert Fiacre Bagnaka; Mboligong, Franklin Ngu; Temfack, Elvis; Donfack, Olivier-Tresor; Doualla, Marie-Solange

    2017-07-03

    Malnutrition is common in acutely ill patients occurring in 30-50% of hospitalized patients. Awareness and screening for malnutrition is lacking in most health institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed at screening for malnutrition using anthropometric and laboratory indices in patients admitted to the internal medicine wards. A cross-sectional study. We screened for malnutrition in 251 consecutive patients admitted from January to March 2013 in the internal medicine wards. Malnutrition defined as body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5 kg/m 2 and/or mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) less than 22 cm in women and 23 cm in men. Weight loss greater than 10% in the last 6 months prior to admission, relevant laboratory data, diagnosis at discharge and length of hospital stay (LOS) were also recorded. Mean age was 47 (SD 16) years. 52.6% were male. Mean BMI was 24.44 (SD 5.79) kg/m 2 and MUAC was 27.8 (SD 5.0) cm. Median LOS was 7 (IQR 5-12) days. 42.4% of patients reported weight loss greater than 10% in the 6 months before hospitalization. MUAC and BMI correlated significantly (r = 0.78; p malnutrition by the two methods showed moderate agreement (κ = 0.56; p malnutrition was 19.34% (35/251). Blood albumin and hemoglobin were significantly lower in malnourished patients. Malnourished patients had a significantly longer LOS (p = 0.019) when compared to those with no malnutrition. Malnutrition was most common amongst patients with malignancy. Malnutrition is common in patients admitted to the medical wards of the Douala General Hospital. Nutritional screening and assessment should be integrated in the care package of all admitted patients.

  15. Clinical uses of the medicinal leech: A practical review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B S Porshinsky

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, is an excellent example of the use of invertebrates in the treatment of human disease. Utilized for various medical indications since the ancient times, the medicinal leech is currently being used in a narrow range of well-defined and scientifically-grounded clinical applications. Hirudotherapy is most commonly used in the setting of venous congestion associated with soft tissue replantations and free flap-based reconstructive surgery. This is a comprehensive review of current clinical applications of hirudotherapy, featuring a comprehensive search of all major medical search engines (i.e. PubMed, Google Scholar, ScientificCommons and other cross-referenced sources. The authors focus on indications, contraindications, practical application/handling of the leech, and therapy-related complications.

  16. Emergency medicine and internal medicine trainees’ smartphone use in clinical settings in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonja E. Raaum

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Smartphone technology offers a multitude of applications (apps that provide a wide range of functions for healthcare professionals. Medical trainees are early adopters of this technology, but how they use smartphones in clinical care remains unclear. Our objective was to further characterize smartphone use by medical trainees at two United States academic institutions, as well as their prior training in the clinical use of smartphones. Methods: In 2014, we surveyed 347 internal medicine and emergency medicine resident physicians at the University of Utah and Brigham and Women’s Hospital about their smartphone use and prior training experiences. Scores (0%–100% were calculated to assess the frequency of their use of general features (email, text and patient-specific apps, and the results were compared according to resident level and program using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: A total of 184 residents responded (response rate, 53.0%. The average score for using general features, 14.4/20 (72.2% was significantly higher than the average score for using patient-specific features and apps, 14.1/44 (33.0%, P<0.001. The average scores for the use of general features, were significantly higher for year 3–4 residents, 15.0/20 (75.1% than year 1–2 residents, 14.1/20 (70.5%, P=0.035, and for internal medicine residents, 14.9/20 (74.6% in comparison to emergency medicine residents, 12.9/20 (64.3%, P= 0.001. The average score reflecting the use of patient-specific apps was significantly higher for year 3–4 residents, 16.1/44 (36.5% than for year 1–2 residents, 13.7/44 (31.1%; P=0.044. Only 21.7% of respondents had received prior training in clinical smartphone use. Conclusion: Residents used smartphones for general features more frequently than for patient-specific features, but patient-specific use increased with training. Few residents have received prior training in the clinical use of smartphones.

  17. Clinical Holistic Medicine: Chronic Pain in Internal Organs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Søren Ventegodt

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Holistic medicine seems to be efficient in the treatment of chronic pain in internal organs, especially when the pain has no known cause. It is quite surprising that while chronic pain can be one of the toughest challenges in the biomedical clinic, it is often one of the simplest things to alleviate in the holistic clinic. These pains are regarded as being caused by repressed emotions and are explained as psychosomatic reactions. Using holistic medicine, the patients can often be cured of their suffering when they assume responsibility for the repressed feelings. The holistic process theory of healing states that the return to the natural (pain free state of being is possible whenever the person obtains the resources needed for existential healing. This shift is explained by the related quality of life and life mission theories. The resources needed are “holding” or genuine care in the dimensions of awareness, respect, care, acknowledgment, and acceptance with support and processing in the dimensions of feeling, understanding, and letting go of negative attitudes and beliefs. The preconditions for the holistic healing to take place are “love” and trust. Obtaining the full trust of the patient, therefore, seems to be the biggest challenge of holistic medicine, especially when dealing with a patient in pain.

  18. The chiral Ward-Takahashi identity in the ladder approximation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kugo, Taichiro; Mitchard, M.G.

    1992-01-01

    We show that the ladder approximation to the Schwinger-Dyson and Bethe-Salpeter equations preserves the Ward-Takahashi identity for the axial vector vertex if and only if we use the gluon momentum as the argument of the running coupling constant. However, in the usual Landau gauge this is inconsistent with the vector Ward identity. We propose a new method for making the ladder approximation scheme consistent with both vector and axial vector Ward identities. (orig.)

  19. Clinical learning environments: place, artefacts and rhythm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehan, Dale; Jowsey, Tanisha; Parwaiz, Mariam; Birch, Mark; Seaton, Philippa; Shaw, Susan; Duggan, Alison; Wilkinson, Tim

    2017-10-01

    Health care practitioners learn through experience in clinical environments in which supervision is a key component, but how that learning occurs outside the supervision relationship remains largely unknown. This study explores the environmental factors that inform and support workplace learning within a clinical environment. An observational study drawing on ethnographic methods was undertaken in a general medicine ward. Observers paid attention to interactions among staff members that involved potential teaching and learning moments that occurred and were visible in the course of routine work. General purpose thematic analysis of field notes was undertaken. A total of 376 observations were undertaken and documented. The findings suggest that place (location of interaction), rhythm (regularity of activities occurring in the ward) and artefacts (objects and equipment) were strong influences on the interactions and exchanges that occurred. Each of these themes had inherent tensions that could promote or inhibit engagement and therefore learning opportunities. Although many learning opportunities were available, not all were taken up or recognised by the participants. We describe and make explicit how the natural environment of a medical ward and flow of work through patient care contribute to the learning architecture, and how this creates or inhibits opportunities for learning. Awareness of learning opportunities was often tacit and not explicit for either supervisor or learner. We identify strategies through which tensions inherent within space, artefacts and the rhythms of work can be resolved and learning opportunities maximised. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  20. Optimizing Lighting Design for Hospital Wards by Defining User Zones

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thuesen, Niels; Stidsen, Lone; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

    2011-01-01

    of lighting design, so it has the ability to support the different users activity and behavior on the ward. By using RFID tracking and manual observations we have analyzed and evaluated the ward functionality as working environment for the staff. The method creates a higher understanding of the ward...... of lighting design in private and public settings are often not similar. The purpose of this article is therefore present a approach dividing the hospital ward in 3 user zones for patients, staff and visitors. The main user of the zone should be in control of the light scenario and thereby a refining...

  1. [Contemplation on the application of big data in clinical medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Lei

    2015-01-01

    Medicine is another area where big data is being used. The link between clinical treatment and outcome is the key step when applying big data in medicine. In the era of big data, it is critical to collect complete outcome data. Patient follow-up, comprehensive integration of data resources, quality control and standardized data management are the predominant approaches to avoid missing data and data island. Therefore, establishment of systemic patients follow-up protocol and prospective data management strategy are the important aspects of big data in medicine.

  2. Trend and impact of international collaboration in clinical medicine papers published in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Low, Wah Yun; Ng, Kwan Hoong; Kabir, M A; Koh, Ai Peng; Sinnasamy, Janaki

    2014-01-01

    Research collaboration is the way forward in order to improve quality and impact of its research findings. International research collaboration has resulted in international co-authorship in scientific communications and publications. This study highlights the collaborating research and authorship trend in clinical medicine in Malaysia from 2001 to 2010. Malaysian-based author affiliation in the Web of Science (Science Citation Index Expanded) and clinical medicine journals ( n  = 999) and articles ( n  = 3951) as of 30th Oct 2011 were downloaded. Types of document analyzed were articles and reviews, and impact factors (IF) in the 2010 Journal Citation Report Science Edition were taken to access the quality of the articles. The number of publications in clinical medicine increased from 4.5 % ( n  = 178) in 2001 to 23.9 % ( n  = 944) in 2010. The top three contributors in the subject categories are Pharmacology and Pharmacy (13.9 %), General and Internal Medicine (13.6 %) and Tropical Medicine (7.3 %). By journal tier system: Tier 1 (18.7 %, n  = 738), Tier 2 (22.5 %, n  = 888), Tier 3 (29.6 %, n  = 1170), Tier 4 (27.2 %, n  = 1074), and journals without IF (2.1 %, n  = 81). University of Malaya was the most productive. Local collaborators accounted for 60.3 % and international collaborations 39.7 %. Articles with international collaborations appeared in journals with higher journal IFs than those without international collaboration. They were also cited more significantly than articles without international collaborations. Citations, impact factor and journal tiers were significantly associated with international collaboration in Malaysia's clinical medicine publications. Malaysia has achieved a significant number of ISI publications in clinical medicine participation in international collaboration.

  3. The European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine: guide to the Register, version 3-2010

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McMurray, Janet; Zérah, Simone; Hallworth, Michael

    2010-01-01

    In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 12 years, more...... than 2200 specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine have joined the Register. In 2007, EC4 merged with the Forum of European Societies of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (FESCC) to form the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFCC). Two previous...

  4. TH-AB-206-02: Nuclear Medicine Theronostics: Wave of the Future; Pre-Clinical and Clinical Opportunities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delpassand, E.

    2016-01-01

    In the past few decades, the field of nuclear medicine has made long strides with the continued advancement of related sciences and engineering and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides. Leveraging these advancements while combining the advantages of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides into one radiopharmaceutical has also created a new subfield “theranostics” in nuclear medicine that has the potential to further propel the field into the future. This session is composed of two talks; one focused on the physics principles of theranostics from properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides to dosimetric models and quantification; while the second describes preclinical and clinical applications of theranostics and discusses the challenges and opportunities of bringing them to the clinic. At the end of the session the listener should be able to identify: The different properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides Which radionuclides are selected for which nuclear medicine therapies and why How PET can be used to accurately quantify the uptake of tumor targeting molecules How individualized dosimetry can be performed from the management of thyroid cancer to novel radiolabeled antibody therapies Promising pre-clinical radiopharmaceutical pairs in prostate cancer and melanoma. Promising clinical Theranostics in neuroendocrine cancers. Challenges of bringing Theranostics to the clinic. E. Delpassand, RITA Foundation -Houston; SBIR Grant; CEO and share holder of RadioMedix.

  5. TH-AB-206-02: Nuclear Medicine Theronostics: Wave of the Future; Pre-Clinical and Clinical Opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delpassand, E. [Excel Diagnostic & Nuclear Oncology Center, Houston, TX (United States)

    2016-06-15

    In the past few decades, the field of nuclear medicine has made long strides with the continued advancement of related sciences and engineering and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides. Leveraging these advancements while combining the advantages of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides into one radiopharmaceutical has also created a new subfield “theranostics” in nuclear medicine that has the potential to further propel the field into the future. This session is composed of two talks; one focused on the physics principles of theranostics from properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides to dosimetric models and quantification; while the second describes preclinical and clinical applications of theranostics and discusses the challenges and opportunities of bringing them to the clinic. At the end of the session the listener should be able to identify: The different properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides Which radionuclides are selected for which nuclear medicine therapies and why How PET can be used to accurately quantify the uptake of tumor targeting molecules How individualized dosimetry can be performed from the management of thyroid cancer to novel radiolabeled antibody therapies Promising pre-clinical radiopharmaceutical pairs in prostate cancer and melanoma. Promising clinical Theranostics in neuroendocrine cancers. Challenges of bringing Theranostics to the clinic. E. Delpassand, RITA Foundation -Houston; SBIR Grant; CEO and share holder of RadioMedix.

  6. The Rise of Hospitalists: An Opportunity for Clinical Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Matthew W; Real de Asua, Diego; Fins, Joseph J

    2017-01-01

    Translating ethical theories into clinical practice presents a perennial challenge to educators. While many suggestions have been put forth to bridge the theory-practice gap, none have sufficiently remedied the problem. We believe the ascendance of hospital medicine, as a dominant new force in medical education and patient care, presents a unique opportunity that could redefine the way clinical ethics is taught. The field of hospital medicine in the United States is comprised of more than 50,000 hospitalists-specialists in inpatient medicine-representing the fastest growing subspecialty in the history of medicine, and its members have emerged as a dominant new force around which medical education and patient care pivot. This evolution in medical education presents a unique opportunity for the clinical ethics community. Through their proximity to patients and trainees, hospitalists have the potential to teach medical ethics in real time on the wards, but most hospitalists have not received formal training in clinical ethics. We believe it is time to strengthen the ties between hospital medicine and medical ethics, and in this article we outline how clinical ethicists might collaborate with hospitalists to identify routine issues that do not rise to the level of an "ethics consult," but nonetheless require an intellectual grounding in normative reasoning. We use a clinical vignette to explore how this approach might enhance and broaden the scope of medical education that occurs in the inpatient setting: A patient with an intra-abdominal abscess is admitted to the academic hospitalist teaching service for drainage of the fluid, hemodynamic support, and antimicrobial therapy. During the initial encounter with the hospitalist and his team of medical students and residents, the patient reports night sweats and asks if this symptom could be due to the abscess. How should the hospitalist approach this question? Copyright 2017 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights

  7. Patient safety ward round checklist via an electronic app: implications for harm prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, C; Arsenault, S; Lamothe, M; Bostan, S R; O'Donnell, R; Harbison, J; Doherty, C P

    2017-11-06

    Patient safety is a value at the core of modern healthcare. Though awareness in the medical community is growing, implementing systematic approaches similar to those used in other high reliability industries is proving difficult. The aim of this research was twofold, to establish a baseline for patient safety practices on routine ward rounds and to test the feasibility of implementing an electronic patient safety checklist application. Two research teams were formed; one auditing a medical team to establish a procedural baseline of "usual care" practice and an intervention team concurrently was enforcing the implementation of the checklist. The checklist was comprised of eight standard clinical practice items. The program was conducted over a 2-week period and 1 month later, a retrospective analysis of patient charts was conducted using a global trigger tool to determine variance between the experimental groups. Finally, feedback from the physician participants was considered. The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference on five variables of a total of 16. The auditing team observed low adherence to patient identification (0.0%), hand decontamination (5.5%), and presence of nurse on ward rounds (6.8%). Physician feedback was generally positive. The baseline audit demonstrated significant practice bias on daily ward rounds which tended to omit several key-proven patient safety practices such as prompting hand decontamination and obtaining up to date reports from nursing staff. Results of the intervention arm demonstrate the feasibility of using the Checklist App on daily ward rounds.

  8. Hippocrates of Kos, the father of clinical medicine, and Asclepiades of Bithynia, the father of molecular medicine. Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yapijakis, Christos

    2009-01-01

    Hippocrates of Kos (460-377 Before Common Era, BCE) is universally recognized as the father of modern medicine, which is based on observation of clinical signs and rational conclusions, and does not rely on religious or magical beliefs. Hippocratic medicine was influenced by the Pythagorean theory that Nature was made of four elements (water, earth, wind and fire), and therefore, in an analogous way, the body consisted of four fluids or 'humors' (black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood). The physician had to reinstate the healthy balance of these humors by facilitating the healing work of 'benevolent Nature'. The Hippocratic Oath contains the Pythagorean duties of justice, secrecy, respect for teachers and solidarity with peers. The clinical and ethical basics of medical practice as well as most clinical terms used even today have their origins in Hippocrates. His contribution in clinical medicine is immense. Asclepiades of Bithynia (124-40 BCE) was the first physician who established Greek medicine in Rome. Influenced by the Epicurean philosophy, he adhered to atomic theory, chance and evolution, and did not accept the theory of a 'benevolent Nature'. He suggested that the human body is composed of molecules and void spaces, and that diseases are caused by alteration of form or position of a patient's molecules. Asclepiades favored naturalistic therapeutic methods such as a healthy diet, massage and physical exercise. Above all, he introduced the friendly, sympathetic, pleasing and painless treatment of patients into medical practice, influenced by the teachings of Epicurus on pleasure and friendship. He was the first who made the highly important division of diseases into acute and chronic ones and to perform an elective non-emergency tracheotomy. As the founder of the Methodic School, Asclepiades was the first known physician who spoke about what is known today as molecular medicine.

  9. Patients' feelings about ward nursing regimes and involvement in rule construction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, J

    2006-10-01

    This study compared two acute psychiatric ward nursing regimes, focusing on ward rules as a means of investigating the relationship between the flexibility/inflexibility of the regimes and patient outcomes. Previous studies identified an association between ward rules and patient aggression. A link between absconding and nurses' attitudes towards rule enforcement has also been explored. However, an in-depth exploration of ward rules from the perspective of nurses and patients had not been undertaken previously. The study aimed to discover the content of rules within acute psychiatric wards; to explore patients' responses to the rules; to evaluate the impact of rules and rule enforcement on nurse-patient relationships and on ward events; and to investigate the relationship between ward rules, ward atmosphere and ward design. The relevance of sociological theory emerged from the data analysis. During this process, the results were moved up to another conceptual level to represent the meaning of lived experience at the level of theory. For example, nurses' descriptions of their feelings in relation to rule enforcement were merged as role ambivalence. This concept was supported by examples from the transcripts. Other possible explanations for the data and the connections between them were checked by returning to each text unit in the cluster and ensuring that it fitted with the emergent theory. The design centred on a comparative interview study of 30 patients and 30 nurses within two acute psychiatric wards in different hospitals. Non-participant observations provided a context for the interview data. Measures of the Ward Atmosphere Scale, the Hospital-Hostel Practices Profile, ward incidents and levels of as required (PRN) medication were obtained. The analysis of the quantitative data was assisted by spss, and the qualitative analysis by QSR *NUDIST. Thematic and interpretative phenomenological methods were used in the analysis of the qualitative data. A series of

  10. Relationship between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and physician referral to psycho-oncology services on an oncology/hematology ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Won-Hyoung; Bae, Jae-Nam; Lim, Joohan; Lee, Moon-Hee; Hahm, Bong-Jin; Yi, Hyeon Gyu

    2018-03-01

    This study was performed to identify relationships between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and psycho-oncology service utilization on an oncology/hematology ward. The study participants were 235 patients in an oncology/hematology ward and 14 physicians undergoing an internal medicine residency training program in Inha University Hospital (Incheon, South Korea). Patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and residents completed the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale that evaluates perceived stigma toward depression. A total PHQ-9 score of ≥5 was defined as clinically significant depression. Physicians decided on referral on the basis of their opinions and those of their patients. The correlates of physicians' recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services and real referrals psycho-oncology services were examined. Of the 235 patients, 143 had PHQ-9 determined depression, and of these 143 patients, 61 received psycho-oncology services. Physicians recommended that 87 patients consult psycho-oncology services. Multivariate analyses showed that lower physicians' perceived stigma regarding depression was significantly associated with physicians' recommendation for referral, and that real referral to psycho-oncology services was significantly associated with presence of a hematologic malignancy and lower physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Physicians' perceived stigma toward depression was found to be associated with real referral to psycho-oncology services and with physician recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services. Further investigations will be needed to examine how to reduce physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Non-perturbative construction of the Luttinger-Ward functional

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.Potthoff

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available For a system of correlated electrons, the Luttinger-Ward functional provides a link between static thermodynamic quantities on the one hand and single-particle excitations on the other. The functional is useful in deriving several general properties of the system as well as in formulating the thermodynamically consistent approximations. Its original construction, however, is perturbative as it is based on the weak-coupling skeleton-diagram expansion. Here, it is shown that the Luttinger-Ward functional can be derived within a general functional-integral approach. This alternative and non-perturbative approach stresses the fact that the Luttinger-Ward functional is universal for a large class of models.

  12. Stem cell clinics online: the direct-to-consumer portrayal of stem cell medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Darren; Ogbogu, Ubaka; Taylor, Benjamin; Stafinski, Tania; Menon, Devidas; Caulfield, Timothy

    2008-12-04

    Despite the immature state of stem cell medicine, patients are seeking and accessing putative stem cell therapies in an "early market" in which direct-to-consumer advertising via the internet likely plays an important role. We analyzed stem cell clinic websites and appraised the relevant published clinical evidence of stem cell therapies to address three questions about the direct-to-consumer portrayal of stem cell medicine in this early market: What sorts of therapies are being offered? How are they portrayed? Is there clinical evidence to support the use of these therapies? We found that the portrayal of stem cell medicine on provider websites is optimistic and unsubstantiated by peer-reviewed literature.

  13. Safety and security in acute admission psychiatric wards in Ireland and London: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowman, Seamus; Bowers, Len

    2009-05-01

    The comparative element of this study is to describe safety and security measures in psychiatric acute admission wards in the Republic of Ireland and London; to describe differences and similarities in terms of safety and security patterns in the Republic of Ireland and London; and to make recommendations on safety and security to mental health services management and psychiatric nurses. Violence is a serious problem in psychiatric services and staff experience significant psychological reactions to being assaulted. Health and Safety Authorities in the UK and Ireland have expressed concern about violence and assault in healthcare, however, there remains a lack of clarity on matters of procedure and policy pertaining to safety and security in psychiatric hospitals. A descriptive survey research design was employed. Questionnaires were circulated to all acute wards in London and in Ireland and the resulting data compared. A total of 124 psychiatric wards from London and 43 wards from Ireland were included in this study and response rates of 70% (London) and 86% (Ireland) were obtained. Differences and similarities in safety and security practices were identified between London and Ireland, with Irish wards having generally higher and more intensive levels of security. There is a lack of coherent policy and procedure in safety and security measures across psychiatric acute admission wards in the Republic of Ireland and London. Given the trends in European Union (EU) regulation, there is a strong argument for the publication of acceptable minimum guidelines for safety and security in mental health services across the EU. There must be a concerted effort to ensure that all policy and procedure in safety and security is founded on evidence and best practice. Mental health managers must establish a review of work safety and security procedures and practices. Risk assessment and environmental audits of all mental health clinical environments should be mandatory.

  14. The mollusks in zootherapy: traditional medicine and clinical-pharmacological importance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eraldo Medeiros Costa Neto

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The use of animals as sources of medicines is a cross-cultural phenomenon that is historically ancient and geographically widespread. This article reviews the use of mollusks in traditional medicine and discusses the clinical and pharmacological importance of these invertebrates. The roles that mollusks play in folk practices related to the healing and/or prevention of illnesses have been recorded in different social-cultural contexts worldwide. The clinical and therapeutic use of compounds coming from different species of mollusks is recorded in the literature. The chemistry of natural products provided by oysters, mussels, clams, sluggards, and snails has been substantially investigated, but the majority of these studies have focused on the subclasses Opistobranchia and Prosobranchia. Research into the knowledge and practices of folk medicine makes possible a better understanding of the interaction between human beings and the environment, in addition to allowing the elaboration of suitable strategies for the conservation of natural resources.

  15. Complementary and alternative medicine use in a pediatric neurology clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aburahma, Samah K; Khader, Yousef S; Alzoubi, Karem; Sawalha, Noor

    2010-08-01

    To evaluate the frequency and determinants of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in children attending a pediatric neurology clinic in North Jordan, a parent completed questionnaire survey of children attending the pediatric neurology clinic at King Abdullah University Hospital from March to July 2008 was conducted. A review of 176 completed questionnaires showed that 99 parents (56%) had used CAM for their child's specific neurological illness. The most common modalities were prayer/reciting the Quran (77%), religious healers (30%), massage with olive oil (32%), and consumption of honey products (29%). The most common reason was religious beliefs in 68%. None reported lack of trust in conventional medicine as the reason behind seeking CAM. Factors significantly associated with CAM use were speech delay, belief in its usefulness, father's age more than 30 years, and mothers with education less than high school. CAM had a supplementary role in relation to traditional western medicine use. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Positioning and change in a hospital ward

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjærbeck, Susanne

    2017-01-01

    Purpose This paper focuses on communication about hygiene in a hospital ward and with the relevant infection control organization. The purpose of this paper is to examine the function of the hygiene coordinator as a key change agent and the communicative challenges and role conflicts implied in her...... practice. The author suggests strategies for improving communication on hygiene on ward level. Design/methodology/approach The empirical material consists of interviews and recordings of communicative events in relation to a breakout of dangerous bacteria in the ward. Change communication is used...... as a contextualizing frame of understanding, and positioning theory and analysis are applied to shed light upon the core challenges of communicating as a change agent when the coordinator's professional position and collegial relations do not support it. Findings It is shown how these challenges are connected...

  17. The effect of gender on the clinical clerkship experiences of female medical students: results from a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babaria, Palav; Abedin, Sakena; Nunez-Smith, Marcella

    2009-07-01

    To characterize how female medical students perceive the role of gender within their medical education during the transition to the clinical curriculum. In 2006-2007, the authors conducted a qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews with 12 third-year female medical students completing their first clinical clerkship. Participants were purposefully selected from a single New England medical school to represent a range of ages, ethnicities, and prior life experiences. Participants (1) struggled to define their role on the wards and often defaulted to stereotypical gender roles, (2) perceived differences in the nature of their workplace relationships compared with the nature of male medical students' workplace relationships, (3) had gendered expectations of male and female physicians that shaped their interactions with clinical supervisors, (4) felt able to negotiate uncomfortable situations with patients but felt unable to negotiate uncomfortable situations with supervisors and attendings, and (5) encountered a "gender learning curve" on the wards that began to shape their self-view as future female physicians. Despite increased numbers of women in medicine, issues of gender continue to have a substantial impact on the medical education of female students. Institutions can design interventions about gender issues in medicine that expand beyond a focus on sexual harassment to address the complex ways in which students are affected by issues of gender.

  18. Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine compounds and their preparations for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jiayi; Shen, Lan; Lin, Xiao; Hong, Yanlong; Feng, Yi

    2017-12-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic, fatal neurodegenerative disease which leads to progressive muscle atrophy and paralysis. In order to summarize the characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine compounds and their preparations in the prevention and treatment of ALS through analyzing the mechanism, action site, and symptoms according to effective clinical research. We searched ALS, motor neuron disease, chemical drugs, herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and various combinations of these terms in databases including the PudMed, Springer, Ovid, Google, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases. It was found that the chemical drugs almost had not sufficient evidence to show their effectiveness in the treatment of ALS, except RILUZOLE. According to the characteristics of clinical symptoms of ALS, Chinese medicine practitioners believe that this disease belongs to the category of "atrophic disease". In clinical research, many Chinese herbal formulas had good clinical efficacies in the treatment of ALS with multiple targets, multiple links, and few side effects. And four kinds of dialectical treatment had been developed based on Clinical data analysis and the use of dialectical therapy: Benefiting the kidney; Declaring the lungs; Enhancing the Qi; and Dredging the meridian. In this review, we provide an overview of chemical drugs and Traditional Chinese Medicine compound and its preparations in therapy of ALS as well as how they may contribute to the ALS pathogenesis, thereby offering some clues for further studies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  19. Does daily nurse staffing match ward workload variability? Three hospitals' experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabbay, Uri; Bukchin, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Nurse shortage and rising healthcare resource burdens mean that appropriate workforce use is imperative. This paper aims to evaluate whether daily nursing staffing meets ward workload needs. Nurse attendance and daily nurses' workload capacity in three hospitals were evaluated. Statistical process control was used to evaluate intra-ward nurse workload capacity and day-to-day variations. Statistical process control is a statistics-based method for process monitoring that uses charts with predefined target measure and control limits. Standardization was performed for inter-ward analysis by converting ward-specific crude measures to ward-specific relative measures by dividing observed/expected. Two charts: acceptable and tolerable daily nurse workload intensity, were defined. Appropriate staffing indicators were defined as those exceeding predefined rates within acceptable and tolerable limits (50 percent and 80 percent respectively). A total of 42 percent of the overall days fell within acceptable control limits and 71 percent within tolerable control limits. Appropriate staffing indicators were met in only 33 percent of wards regarding acceptable nurse workload intensity and in only 45 percent of wards regarding tolerable workloads. The study work did not differentiate crude nurse attendance and it did not take into account patient severity since crude bed occupancy was used. Double statistical process control charts and certain staffing indicators were used, which is open to debate. Wards that met appropriate staffing indicators prove the method's feasibility. Wards that did not meet appropriate staffing indicators prove the importance and the need for process evaluations and monitoring. Methods presented for monitoring daily staffing appropriateness are simple to implement either for intra-ward day-to-day variation by using nurse workload capacity statistical process control charts or for inter-ward evaluation using standardized measure of nurse workload intensity

  20. Year-End Clinic Handoffs: A National Survey of Academic Internal Medicine Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Erica; Harris, Christina; Lee, Wei Wei; Pincavage, Amber T; Ouchida, Karin; Miller, Rachel K; Chaudhry, Saima; Arora, Vineet M

    2017-06-01

    While there has been increasing emphasis and innovation nationwide in training residents in inpatient handoffs, very little is known about the practice and preparation for year-end clinic handoffs of residency outpatient continuity practices. Thus, the latter remains an identified, yet nationally unaddressed, patient safety concern. The 2014 annual Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) survey included seven items for assessing the current year-end clinic handoff practices of internal medicine residency programs throughout the country. Nationwide survey. All internal medicine program directors registered with APDIM. Descriptive statistics of programs and tools used to formulate a year-end handoff in the ambulatory setting, methods for evaluating the process, patient safety and quality measures incorporated within the process, and barriers to conducting year-end handoffs. Of the 361 APDIM member programs, 214 (59%) completed the Transitions of Care Year-End Clinic Handoffs section of the survey. Only 34% of respondent programs reported having a year-end ambulatory handoff system, and 4% reported assessing residents for competency in this area. The top three barriers to developing a year-end handoff system were insufficient overlap between graduating and incoming residents, inability to schedule patients with new residents in advance, and time constraints for residents, attendings, and support staff. Most internal medicine programs do not have a year-end clinic handoff system in place. Greater attention to clinic handoffs and resident assessment of this care transition is needed.

  1. Comparison of alcohol-dependent patients at a gastroenterological and a psychiatric ward according to the Lesch alcoholism typology: implications for treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyssoki, Benjamin; Steindl-Munda, Petra; Ferenci, Peter; Walter, Henriette; Höfer, Peter; Blüml, Victor; Friedrich, Fabian; Kogoj, Dagmar; Lesch, Otto M

    2010-01-01

    To assess the clinical and biological status of alcohol-dependent patients admitted to a psychiatric or a gastroenterological ward, assessing and comparing dimensions important for prescribing treatment for withdrawal and relapse prevention. Eighty patients, alcohol-dependent according to international classification of diseases tenth revision and diagnostic and statistical manual, text revised, version IV, admitted to the Vienna General Hospital between January 2005 and  November 2006, were examined, of whom 44 were admitted to the psychiatric ward and 36 to the gastroenterological ward. Dimensions of alcohol dependence were assessed using a computerized structured interview, the Lesch alcoholism typology (LAT). Biological markers and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score defined the severity of alcohol-related physical disturbances. As might be expected, gastroenterological patients had more advanced physical diseases than psychiatric patients, and affective disorders and suicidal tendencies were significantly commoner among the psychiatric patients. Thus, LAT Type II patients were overrepresented at the gastroenterological ward and LAT Type III patients at the psychiatric ward. The severity of somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders as well as the distribution of the four types according to Lesch differ between alcohol-dependent patients admitted to a psychiatric ward or a gastroenterological ward. Regarding the positive long-term outcome, different evidence-based medical treatment approaches for withdrawal and relapse prevention are needed for these patients.

  2. The relationship between substance use and exit security on psychiatric wards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Simpson, A.; Bowers, L.; Allan, T.; Haglund, K.; Muir-Cochrane, E.; Nijman, H.L.I.; Merwe, M. van der

    2011-01-01

    Aim.  In this paper we report on the rates of drug/alcohol use on acute psychiatric wards in relation to levels and intensity of exit security measures. Background.  Many inpatient wards have become permanently locked, with staff concerned about the risk of patients leaving the ward and harming

  3. Harnessing the potential clinical use of medicinal plants as anti-diabetic agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Campbell-Tofte JI

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Joan IA Campbell-Tofte,1 Per Mølgaard,2 Kaj Winther11Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Frederiksberg University Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark; 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkAbstract: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder arising from complex interactions between multiple genetic and/or environmental factors. The characteristic high blood sugar levels result from either lack of the hormone insulin (type 1 diabetes, T1D, or because body tissues do not respond to the hormone (type 2 diabetes, T2D. T1D patients currently need exogenous insulin for life, while for T2D patients who do not respond to diet and exercise regimes, oral anti-diabetic drugs (OADs and sometimes insulin are administered to help keep their blood glucose as normal as possible. As neither the administration of insulin nor OADs is curative, many patients develop tissue degenerative processes that result in life-threatening diabetes comorbidities. Several surveys of medicinal plants used as anti-diabetic agents amongst different peoples have been published. Some of this interest is driven by the ongoing diabetes pandemic coupled with the inadequacies associated with the current state of-the-art care and management of the syndrome. However, there is a huge cleft between traditional medicine and modern (Western medicine, with the latter understandably demanding meaningful and scientific validation of anecdotal evidence for acceptance of the former. The main problems for clinical evaluation of medicinal plants with promising anti-diabetic properties reside both with the complexity of components of the plant materials and with the lack of full understanding of the diabetes disease etiology. This review is therefore focused on why research activities involving an integration of Systems Biology-based technologies of pharmacogenomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics with standard clinical data

  4. The Top 100 Cited Articles in Clinical Orthopedic Sports Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayar, Suresh K; Dein, Eric J; Spiker, Andrea M; Bernard, Johnathan A; Zikria, Bashir A

    2015-08-01

    Orthopedic sports medicine continues to evolve, owing much of its clinical management and practice to rigorous academic research. In this review, we identify and describe the top 100 cited articles in clinical sports medicine and recognize the authors and institutions driving the research. We collected articles (excluding basic science, animal, and cadaveric studies) from the 25 highest-impact sports medicine journals and analyzed them by number of citations, journal, publication date, institution, country, topic, and author. Mean number of citations was 408 (range, 229-1629). The articles were published in 7 journals, most in the 1980s to 2000s, and represented 15 countries. Thirty topics were addressed, with a heavy emphasis on anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction, knee rating systems, rotator cuff reconstruction, and chondrocyte transplantation. The 3 most cited articles, by Insall and colleagues, Constant and Murley, and Tegner and Lysholm, addressed a knee, a shoulder, and another knee rating system, respectively. Several authors contributed multiple articles. The Hospital for Special Surgery and the University of Bern contributed the most articles (5 each). This study provides a comprehensive list of the past century's major academic contributions to sports medicine. Residents and fellows may use this list to guide their scholarly investigations.

  5. Postoperative pneumonia-prevention program for the inpatient surgical ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wren, Sherry M; Martin, Molinda; Yoon, Jung K; Bech, Fritz

    2010-04-01

    Postoperative pneumonia can lead to increased morbidity, length of hospital stay, and costs. Pneumonia-prevention programs have been successfully implemented in ICU settings, but no program exists for surgical ward patients. A pilot prevention program was designed and implemented based on literature review. The program consisted of education of physicians and ward staff and a standardized postoperative electronic order set consisting of incentive spirometer, chlorhexidine oral hygiene, ambulation, and head-of-bed elevation. Quarterly staff meetings discussed the results of and compliance with the program. The intervention commenced in April 2007. Baseline incidence of inpatient ward pneumonia was calculated from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for fiscal year (FY) 2006 and FY 2007. Postintervention incidence was calculated in the same manner from FY 2007 through FY 2008. Any patient who contracted pneumonia in the ICU was excluded from analysis. There was a significant decrease in ward pneumonia incidence from 0.78% in the preintervention group compared with 0.18% in the postintervention group (p = 0.006), representing an 81% decrease in incidence from 2006 to 2008. The pneumonia-prevention program was very successful in diminishing postoperative pneumonia on the surgical ward. There was a highly statistically significant 4-fold decrease in pneumonia incidence after program implementation. The interventions were not costly but did require ongoing communication and cooperation between physician and nursing leadership to achieve compliance with the measures. This program has great potential for dissemination to hospital surgical wards and could decrease inpatient postoperative pneumonias. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. A Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in a Community Pharmacy Setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas L. Lenz

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Chronic diseases continue to be a significant burden to the health care system. Pharmacists have been able to show that drug therapy for patients with chronic diseases can be improved through medication therapy management (MTM services but have yet to become significantly involved in implementing lifestyle modification programs to further control and prevent chronic conditions. A novel and innovative lifestyle medicine program was started by pharmacists in a community pharmacy in 2008 to more comprehensively prevent and manage chronic conditions. The lifestyle medicine program consists of designing seven personalized programs for patients to address physical activity, nutrition, alcohol consumption, weight control, stress management, sleep success, and tobacco cessation (if needed. The lifestyle medicine program complements existing MTM services for patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or diabetes. This program is innovative because pharmacists have developed and implemented a method to combine lifestyle medicine with MTM services to not only manage chronic conditions, but prevent the progression of those conditions and others. Several innovative tools have also been developed to enhance the effectiveness of a lifestyle medicine program. This manuscript describes the program's pharmacy setting, pharmacy personnel, participants and program details as well as the tools used to integrate a lifestyle medicine program with MTM services. Type: Clinical Experience

  7. Holomorphic Vector Bundles Corresponding to some Soliton Solutions of the Ward Equation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Xiujuan, E-mail: yzzhuxiujuan@sina.com [Jiangsu Second Normal University, School of Mathematics and Information Technology (China)

    2015-12-15

    Holomorphic vector bundles corresponding to the static soliton solution of the Ward equation were explicitly presented by Ward in terms of a meromorphic framing. Bundles (for simplicity, “bundle” is to be taken throughout to mean “holomorphic vector bundle”) corresponding to all Ward k-soliton solutions whose extended solutions have only simple poles, and some Ward 2-soliton solutions whose extended solutions have only a second-order pole, were explicitly described by us in a previous paper. In this paper, we go on to present some bundles corresponding to soliton-antisoliton solutions of the Ward equation, and Ward 3-soliton solutions whose extended solutions have a simple pole and a double pole. To give some more interpretation of the bundles, we study the second Chern number of the corresponded bundles and find that it can be obtained directly from the patching matrices. We also point out some information about bundles corresponding to Ward soliton solutions whose extended solutions have general pole data at the end of the paper.

  8. The impact of a large-scale quality improvement programme on work engagement: Preliminary results from a national cross-sectional-survey of the 'Productive Ward'

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    White, Mark

    2014-05-14

    Quality improvement (QI) Programmes, like the Productive Ward: Releasing-time-to-care initiative, aim to \\'engage\\' and \\'empower\\' ward teams to actively participate, innovate and lead quality improvement at the front line. However, little is known about the relationship and impact that QI work has on the \\'engagement\\' of the clinical teams who participate and vice-versa.

  9. Evaluation of the Structure of Morning Report Sessions of the Wards of Type One Educational Hospitals and Comparison with Announced Standards of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahram Yazdani

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Morning report is a long-standing method that its promotion has an important role in medical education. The present research was done with the aim of studying the structure of morning report sessions of the wards of type one educational hospitals and comparison with announced standards of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.Methods: This study was performed in five main educational hospitals included wards of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Psychiatry, Neurology, Emergency Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Infectious Disease, and Intensive Care Unit wards were evaluated 8 approved standards 3 times for each one, and totally 73 cases. The studied standards consisted of the time of patient introduction, number of patients, duration of session, appropriateness of the session place, the venue, near ward place, Availability of teaching aids, number of sessions per week and a simple reception during the session.Results: Mean time for introduction of each patient was 4.4 minutes, mean number of introduced patients was 3.2 cases, mean duration of the session was 47.4 minutes, presentation in the ward (61.6%, appropriateness of place capacity 95.9%, and mean number of sessions per week was 4.2. No simple reception was seen in any sessions. Abundance of teaching aids was 79.5% for physical examination bed Negatoscope 89%, white board 93.2%, computer 87.7%, printer 19.2%, internet 17.8%, and video projector 83.6%.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the general structure of morning report in the studied university was appropriate and fulfilled 6 out of 8 Standards. Also, the simple reception was not standard, and the standard of teaching aids was appropriate for 5 out of 7, and printer and internet were inappropriate.

  10. [Examples of the use of music in clinical medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myskja, A; Lindbaek, M

    2000-04-10

    Music has been an element in medical practice throughout history. There is growing interest in music as a therapeutic tool. Since there is no generally accepted standard for how, when and where music should be applied within a medical framework, this literature study endeavours to present an overview of central areas of application of music in medicine. It further attempts to find tentative conclusions that may be drawn from existing clinical research on the efficacy of music as a medical tool. Traditionally, music has been linked to the treatment of mental illness, and has been used successfully to treat anxiety and depression and improve function in schizophrenia and autism. In clinical medicine several studies have shown analgetic and anxiolytic properties that have been used in intensive care units, both in diagnostic procedures like gastroscopy and in larger operations, in preoperative as well as postoperative phases, reducing the need for medication in several studies. The combination of music with guided imagery and deep relaxation has shown reduction of symptoms and increased well-being in chronic pain syndromes, whether from cancer or rheumatic origin. Music has been used as support in pregnancy and gestation, in internal medicine, oncology, paediatrics and other related fields. The use of music with geriatric patients could prove to be especially fruitful, both in its receptive and its active aspect. Studies have shown that music can improve function and alleviate symptoms in stroke rehabilitation, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The role of music in medicine is primarily supportive and palliative. The supportive role of music has a natural field of application in palliative medicine and terminal care. Music is well tolerated, inexpensive, with good compliance and few side effects.

  11. Quantitative Risk Assessment of Patient Manual Handling in Wards of One of the Hospitals of Tehran using MAPO Method, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajad Ataei

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Manual handling of disabled patients is one of the important and effective factors in acute low back pain among exposed nurses. The present study was conducted with the objective of quantitative risk assessment of patient manual handling among nurses in wards of one of the hospitals in Tehran using MAPO method. Methods: The present study was conducted as an analytical-cross-sectional study in 26 wards of one of the hospitals in Tehran city. Samples were selected by census method from nurses and paramedics of different wards of hospital. Data collection was performed using demographic information and MAPO checklist. Results: The highest score of MAPO were, respectively, related to wards of DI clinic (score, 14.7, men orthopedic (score, 6.3, and general operating room (score, 57. 53.8% of hospital wards were at the level 2 corrective action, which indicated that the risk of musculoskeletal disorder is 2.4 times higher than level 1 corrective action. Conclusion: Given that the proportion of disabled patient in cooperation and/or partial cooperation, lifting tools, auxiliary, wheelchair, and training have the most role among risk factors for above-mentioned wards, increasing the number of human resources and wheelchair, use of lifting and auxiliary tools and training reduce MAPO score and consequently the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

  12. CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics: Collaboratively Addressing Regenerative Medicine Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamieson, Catriona H M; Millan, Maria T; Creasey, Abla A; Lomax, Geoff; Donohoe, Mary E; Walters, Mark C; Abedi, Mehrdad; Bota, Daniela A; Zaia, John A; Adams, John S

    2018-06-01

    The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Alpha Stem Cell Clinic (ASCC) Network was launched in 2015 to address a compelling unmet medical need for rigorous, FDA-regulated, stem cell-related clinical trials for patients with challenging, incurable diseases. Here, we describe our multi-center experiences addressing current and future challenges. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Behavior observation of major noise sources in critical care wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Hui; Kang, Jian; Mills, Gary H

    2013-12-01

    This study aimed to investigate the behavior patterns of typical noise sources in critical care wards and relate their patterns to health care environment in which the sources adapt themselves in several different forms. An effective observation approach was designed for noise behavior in the critical care environment. Five descriptors have been identified for the behavior observations, namely, interval, frequency, duration, perceived loudness, and location. Both the single-bed and the multiple-bed wards at the selected Critical Care Department were randomly observed for 3 inconsecutive nights, from 11:30 pm to 7:00 am the following morning. The Matlab distribution fitting tool was applied afterward to plot several types of distributions and estimate the corresponding parameters. The lognormal distribution was considered the most appropriate statistical distribution for noise behaviors in terms of the interval and duration patterns. The turning of patients by staff was closely related to the increasing occurrences of noises. Among the observed noises, talking was identified with the highest frequency, shortest intervals, and the longest durations, followed by monitor alarms. The perceived loudness of talking in the nighttime wards was classified into 3 levels (raised, normal, and low). Most people engaged in verbal communication in the single-bed wards that occurred around the Entrance Zone, whereas talking in the multiple-bed wards was more likely to be situated in the Staff Work Zone. As expected, more occurrences of noises along with longer duration were observed in multiple-bed wards rather than single-bed wards. "Monitor plus ventilator alarms" was the most commonly observed combination of multiple noises. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Clinical Mass Spectrometry: Achieving Prominence in Laboratory Medicine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Annesley, Thomas M.; Cooks, Robert G.; Herold, David A.; Hoofnagle, Andrew N.

    2016-01-04

    Each year the journal Clinical Chemistry publishes a January special issue on a topic that is relevant to the laboratory medicine community. In January 2016 the topic is mass spectrometry, and the issue is entitled “Clinical Mass Spectrometry: Achieving Prominence in Laboratory Medicine”. One popular feature in our issues is a Q&A on a topic, clearly in this case mass spectrometry. The journal is assembling a panel of 5-6 experts from various areas of mass spectrometry ranging from instrument manufacturing to practicing clinical chemists. Dick Smith is one of the scientist requested to participate in this special issue Q&A on Mass Spectrometry. The Q&A Transcript is attached

  15. Strengthening the role of the ward manager: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pegram, Anne M; Grainger, Michelle; Sigsworth, Janice; While, Alison E

    2014-09-01

    The role of the ward manager is integral to service delivery, however, they may lack the necessary authority and autonomy to achieve the organisation and delivery of patient care. To identify initiatives that have strengthened the ward manager role. A review of published literature was undertaken. Data included were drawn from a variety of sources, including policy, professional literature and research studies. Three policy initiatives were identified along with two innovations from ward managers and two recent professional organisation campaigns. One innovation was identified that could improve the process of care delivery thus empowering ward managers' decision making. The literature identified the need for a review of the role, and adequate administrative support and training for the role. The literature reviewed provided little evidence of initiatives to strengthen the role of the ward manager, highlighting the imperative to develop an evidence base. There was consensus on the importance of education and training before and during appointment to the position. The role of the ward manager remains pivotal in care delivery. The focus should be on how best to support ward managers in achieving their role within health-care systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. A Survey on the Attitude of Professors & Residents of Clinical Wards about Disclosing the Results of Diagnoses for Incurable Patients at Urmia University of Medical Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SH Miri Ghaffarzadeh

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available

    Background and Objectives: One of the most important and complicated problems in medical ethics is to disclose the full truth about diagnosis of incurable diseases which leads to death, and each therapist may be encountered with it during the years of medical profession.

    The aim of this study was to survey on attitude of professors and residents of clinical wards to disclose the diagnosis for incurable patients leading to death.

     

    Methods: In this descriptive study, sampling was carried out by a survey. All faculty members and their residents of teaching hospitals of Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran, were surveyed as sample in 2007. Of 145 subjects, 138 responded to the questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation tests with a p≤0.05 being considered as significant.

     

    Results: In this study, the tendency to disclose the diagnosis among faculty members and residents was 64.63%. Also, there was no significant relation between age, sex, university degree, educational field, years of service of the faculty members and residents of clinical wards with the tendency for telling the truth to incurable patients.

     

    Conclusion: Final analyses revealed that the faculty members and clinical residents of different fields in terms of diagnosis disclosure do not have a definite idea. However, the majority of them agree to disclose the full truth about diagnoses.

     

  17. [What is Internal Medicine?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, Humberto

    2006-10-01

    Internal Medicine can be defined as a medical specialty devoted to the comprehensive care of adult patients, focused in the diagnosis and non surgical treatment of diseases affecting internal organs and systems (excluding gyneco-obstetrical problems) and the prevention of those diseases. This position paper reviews the history of Internal Medicine, the birth of its subspecialties and the difficulties faced by young physicians when they decide whether to practice as internist or in a subspecialty. In Chile as in most occidental countries formal training in a subspecialty of internal medicine requires previous certification in internal medicine but the proportion of young physicians who remain in practice as general internists appears to be considerably lower than those who choose a subspecialty. The main reasons for this unbalance can be related to financial advantages (by the practice of specialized technologies) and the patients' tendency to request direct assistance by a professional thought to be better qualified to take care of their specific problems. Training programs in internal medicine should consider a greater emphasis in comprehensive outpatient care instead of the traditional emphasis for training in hospital wards.

  18. Effect of a ward-based pharmacy team on preventable adverse drug events in surgical patients (SUREPILL study)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, M.; Boeker, E. B.; Ramrattan, M. A.; Kiewiet, J. J. S.; Ram, K.; Gombert-Handoko, K. B.; van Lent-Evers, N. A. E. M.; Kuks, P. F. M.; Mulder, W. M. C.; Breslau, P. J.; Oostenbroek, R. J.; Dijkgraaf, M. G. W.; Lie-A-Huen, L.; Boermeester, M. A.

    2015-01-01

    Surgical patients are at risk of adverse drug events (ADEs) causing morbidity and mortality. Much harm is preventable. Ward-based pharmacy interventions to reduce medication-related harm have not been evaluated in surgical patients. This multicentre prospective clinical trial evaluated a

  19. The Teamwork Assessment Scale: A Novel Instrument to Assess Quality of Undergraduate Medical Students' Teamwork Using the Example of Simulation-based Ward-Rounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiesewetter, Jan; Fischer, Martin R

    2015-01-01

    Simulation-based teamwork trainings are considered a powerful training method to advance teamwork, which becomes more relevant in medical education. The measurement of teamwork is of high importance and several instruments have been developed for various medical domains to meet this need. To our knowledge, no theoretically-based and easy-to-use measurement instrument has been published nor developed specifically for simulation-based teamwork trainings of medical students. Internist ward-rounds function as an important example of teamwork in medicine. The purpose of this study was to provide a validated, theoretically-based instrument that is easy-to-use. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify if and when rater scores relate to performance. Based on a theoretical framework for teamwork behaviour, items regarding four teamwork components (Team Coordination, Team Cooperation, Information Exchange, Team Adjustment Behaviours) were developed. In study one, three ward-round scenarios, simulated by 69 students, were videotaped and rated independently by four trained raters. The instrument was tested for the embedded psychometric properties and factorial structure. In study two, the instrument was tested for construct validity with an external criterion with a second set of 100 students and four raters. In study one, the factorial structure matched the theoretical components but was unable to separate Information Exchange and Team Cooperation. The preliminary version showed adequate psychometric properties (Cronbach's α=.75). In study two, the instrument showed physician rater scores were more reliable in measurement than those of student raters. Furthermore, a close correlation between the scale and clinical performance as an external criteria was shown (r=.64) and the sufficient psychometric properties were replicated (Cronbach's α=.78). The validation allows for use of the simulated teamwork assessment scale in undergraduate medical ward-round trainings to reliably

  20. The Teamwork Assessment Scale: A Novel Instrument to Assess Quality of Undergraduate Medical Students' Teamwork Using the Example of Simulation-based Ward-Rounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiesewetter, Jan

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Simulation-based teamwork trainings are considered a powerful training method to advance teamwork, which becomes more relevant in medical education. The measurement of teamwork is of high importance and several instruments have been developed for various medical domains to meet this need. To our knowledge, no theoretically-based and easy-to-use measurement instrument has been published nor developed specifically for simulation-based teamwork trainings of medical students. Internist ward-rounds function as an important example of teamwork in medicine.Purposes: The purpose of this study was to provide a validated, theoretically-based instrument that is easy-to-use. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify if and when rater scores relate to performance.Methods: Based on a theoretical framework for teamwork behaviour, items regarding four teamwork components ( were developed. In study one, three ward-round scenarios, simulated by 69 students, were videotaped and rated independently by four trained raters. The instrument was tested for the embedded psychometric properties and factorial structure. In study two, the instrument was tested for construct validity with an external criterion with a second set of 100 students and four raters. Results: In study one, the factorial structure matched the theoretical components but was unable to separate Information Exchange and Team Cooperation. The preliminary version showed adequate psychometric properties (Cronbach’s α=.75. In study two, the instrument showed physician rater scores were more reliable in measurement than those of student raters. Furthermore, a close correlation between the scale and clinical performance as an external criteria was shown (r=.64 and the sufficient psychometric properties were replicated (Cronbach’s α=.78.Conclusions: The validation allows for use of the simulated teamwork assessment scale in undergraduate medical ward-round trainings to reliably measure

  1. Generalized on-shell ward identities in string theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jen-Chi

    1994-01-01

    It is demonstrated that an infinite set of string-tree level on-shell Ward identities, which are valid to all σ-model loop orders, can be systematically constructed without referring to the string field theory. As examples, bosonic massive scattering amplitudes are calculated explicitly up to the second massive excited states. Ward identities satisfied by these amplitudes are derived by using zero-norm states in the spectrum. In particular, the inter-particle Ward identity generated by the D 2 xD 2' zero-norm state at the second massive level is demonstrated. The four physical propagating states of this mass level are then shown to form a large gauge multiplet. This result justifies our previous consideration on higher inter-spin symmetry from the generalized worldsheet σ-model point of view. (author)

  2. Characterization of indoor bioaerosols from a hospital ward in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Characterization of indoor bioaerosols from a hospital ward in a tropical ... assessment of indoor air quality and determine pathogenic microorganisms due to particle fall-out. Key words: Indoor air, bioaerosols, hospital ward, tropical setting ...

  3. Analysis of Ward identities in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Sajid; Bergner, Georg; Gerber, Henning; Montvay, Istvan; Münster, Gernot; Piemonte, Stefano; Scior, Philipp

    2018-05-01

    In numerical investigations of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on a lattice, the supersymmetric Ward identities are valuable for finding the critical value of the hopping parameter and for examining the size of supersymmetry breaking by the lattice discretisation. In this article we present an improved method for the numerical analysis of supersymmetric Ward identities, which takes into account the correlations between the various observables involved. We present the first complete analysis of supersymmetric Ward identities in N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(3). The results indicate that lattice artefacts scale to zero as O(a^2) towards the continuum limit in agreement with theoretical expectations.

  4. A pilot study on implementation of an e-learning course for clinical education in oral medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlaho Brailo

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This study presents the process of implementing an e-learning course for clinical education in oral medicine and examines its impact on students’ knowledge and satisfaction. Thirty six (39.6% fifth-year undergraduate students participated in the study. Every week before their clinical practice, students studied relevant e-learning materials and completed an assessment test. At the end of the semester, students’ knowledge and attitudes towards e-learning were assessed by the knowledge test and anonymous questionnaire. Students who had access to the e-learning course had significantly better knowledge than students who did not have access to the e-learning course. Exposure to the e-learning course contributed to a better understanding of oral medicine curriculum, increased confidence with oral medicine patients and easier participation in oral medicine clinical practice. This study provided evidence that the e-learning can be implemented as a valuable adjunct to clinical education in oral medicine.

  5. Medication reconciliation and prescribing reviews by pharmacy technicians in a geriatric ward

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buck, Thomas Croft; Gronkjaer, Louise Smed; Duckert, Marie-Louise

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Incomplete medication histories obtained on hospital admission are responsible for more than 25% of prescribing errors. This study aimed to evaluate whether pharmacy technicians can assist hospital physicians' in obtaining medication histories by performing medication reconciliation an...... reconciliation and focused medication reviews. Further randomized, controlled studies including a larger number of patients are required to elucidate whether these observations are of significance and of importance for securing patient safety....... and prescribing reviews. A secondary aim was to evaluate whether the interventions made by pharmacy technicians could reduce the time spent by the nurses on administration of medications to the patients. METHODS: This observational study was conducted over a 7 week period in the geriatric ward at Odense...... University Hospital, Denmark. Two pharmacy technicians conducted medication reconciliation and prescribing reviews at the time of patients' admission to the ward. The reviews were conducted according to standard operating procedures developed by a clinical pharmacist and approved by the Head of the Geriatric...

  6. Regulation (EC No 1901/2006 on medicinal products for paediatric use & clinical research in vulnerable populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lehmann Birka

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Before any medicinal product is authorised for use in adults, it must undergo extensive pharmaceutical consistency and stability tests, toxicological tests and clinical trials to ensure that it is of high quality, safe and effective. The same approach may not always be applied to medicinal products used to treat children. Studies showed that over 50% of the medicinal products used in children may not have been tested for use in this age group. The absence of suitable authorised medicinal products to treat conditions in children results from the fact that pharmaceutical companies do not adapt medicinal products to the needs of the paediatric population. This leaves health care professionals with no alternative other than to use medicinal products "off-label" and to use unauthorised products with the associated risks of inefficacy and/or adverse reactions. The Regulation (EC No 1901/2006 sets up a system of requirements, rewards and incentives, together with horizontal measures, to ensure that medicinal products are researched, developed and authorised to meet the therapeutic needs of children. The Regulation is addressed to: 1. The pharmaceutical industry by setting out the legal framework for receiving rewards and incentives by conducting clinical trials in the paediatric population. 2. The Member States to set out to support research into, and the development and availability of, medicinal products for paediatric use. 3. The Community as funds for research into medicinal products for the paediatric population shall be provided for in the Community budget in order to support studies relating to medicinal products or active substances not covered by a patent or a supplementary protection certificate. The legal framework for conducting clinical trials, including children/minors, is set up in Directive 2001/20/EC, the Clinical Trials Directive (CTD, for the European Union (EU. The CTD establishes specific provisions regarding conduct of

  7. Radioprotection in nuclear medicine department of 'Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dias, T.M.; Pinto, A.L.; Bacelar, A.L.; Dytz, A.S.; Bernasiuk, M.E.; Baptista, I.S.

    1996-01-01

    The use of ionizing radiation in medicine allows great benefits. Nuclear Medicine uses ionizing radiation for medical diagnostic, such as: tumor, cancer, and dysfunctions location. However the use of ionizing radiation must be controlled in order to avoid likely biological effects in human beings. In order to extremely minimize that these effects appear, the Medical Physics Department of the Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital has implemented some procedures to assure that handling and use of radioactive material are in a safe way. This preoccupation is considered in all the places of nuclear medicine sector since the moment when the radioactive material is brought into including its manipulation and retirement, the exam process being accompanied. (authors). 4 refs

  8. Problems associated with clinical trials of Ayurvedic medicines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashish K Sharma

    Full Text Available Herbal drugs have been used since ancient times as medicines for the treatment of various diseases. Especially in countries like India many of herbal drugs and formulations are used in different practices of treatment like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. It is estimated that about 25% of all modern medicines are directly or indirectly derived from plants sources. The contribution of developing countries in global herbal business is very poor due to lack of quality control and standardization measures. There is lack of common standards and appropriate methods for evaluating Traditional Medicine to ensure the safety, efficacy and quality control. This indicates the importance and necessity to develop a standard operational procedure for the standardization of herbal drugs and formulations. Benchmarking the evaluation protocols including both quality control and quality assurance of herbal drugs would play a major role in providing highly reliable and effective herbals drugs and to attract international trade, thus generating revenue. The article highlights various problems being faced by developing countries and suggests a unique approach for the preparation of SOP/guidelines for the standardization of all herbal based formulations, also there is a need for systematic clinical trials of traditional plant based medicines to enhance global acceptance

  9. Microbiological assessment of indoor air of teaching hospital wards ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Thus, the objective of this study is to provide fundamental data related to the microbial quality of indoor air of Jimma University Specialized Hospital wards, to estimate the health hazard and to create standards for indoor air quality control. METHODS: The microbial quality of indoor air of seven wards of Jimma University ...

  10. The European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine: Code of Conduct, Version 2--2008.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McMurray, Janet

    2009-01-01

    In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 10 years, more than 2000 specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine have joined the Register. In 2007, EC4 merged with the Federation of European Societies of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (FESCC) to form the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFCC). A Code of Conduct was adopted in 2003 and a revised and updated version, taking account particularly of the guidelines of the Conseil Européen des Professions Libérales (CEPLIS) of which EFCC is a member, is presented in this article. The revised version was approved by the EC4 Register Commission and by the EFCC Executive Board in Paris on 6 November, 2008.

  11. NMR clinical imaging and spectroscopy: Its impact on nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    This is a collection of four papers describing aspects of past and future use of nuclear magnetic resonance as a clinical diagnostic tool. The four papers are entitled (1) What Does NMR Offer that Nuclear Medicine Does Not? by Jerry W. Froelich, (2) Oncological Imaging: Now, Future and Impact Jerry W. Froelich, (3) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/Spectroscopic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine: Past, Present and Future by H. Cecil Charles, and (4) MR Cardiology: Now, Future and Impact by Robert J. Herfkens

  12. Ward Identities for the 2PI effective action in QED

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reinosa, Urko; Serreau, Julien

    2007-01-01

    We study the issue of symmetries and associated Ward-like identities in the context of two-particle-irreducible (2PI) functional techniques for abelian gauge theories. In the 2PI framework, the n-point proper vertices of the theory can be obtained in various different ways which, although equivalent in the exact theory, differ in general at finite approximation order. We derive generalized (2PI) Ward identities for these various n-point functions and show that such identities are exactly satisfied at any approximation order in 2PI QED. In particular, we show that 2PI-resummed vertex functions, i.e. field-derivatives of the so-called 2PI-resummed effective action, exactly satisfy standard Ward identities. We identify another set of n-point functions in the 2PI framework which exactly satisfy the standard Ward identities at any approximation order. These are obtained as field-derivatives of the two-point function φ, which defines the extremum of the 2PI effective action. We point out that the latter is not constrained by the underlying symmetry. As a consequence, the well-known fact that the corresponding gauge-field polarization tensor is not transverse in momentum space for generic approximations does not constitute a violation of (2PI) Ward identities. More generally, our analysis demonstrates that approximation schemes based on 2PI functional techniques respect all the Ward identities associated with the underlying abelian gauge symmetry. Our results apply to arbitrary linearly realized global symmetries as well

  13. Ward identities of higher order Virasoro algebra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zha Chaozeng; Dolate, S.

    1994-11-01

    The general formulations of primary fields versus quasi-primary ones in the context of high order Virasoro algebra (HOVA) and the corresponding Ward identity are explored. The primary fields of conformal spins up to 8 are given in terms of quasi-primary fields, and the general features of the higher order expressions are also discussed. It is observed that the local fields, either primary of quasi-primary, carry the same numbers of central charges, and not all the primary fields contribute to the anomalies in the Ward identities. (author). 6 refs

  14. Summative Evaluation on the Hospital Wards. What Do Faculty Say to Learners?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasley, Peggy B.; Arnold, Robert M.

    2009-01-01

    No previous studies have described how faculty give summative evaluations to learners on the medical wards. The aim of this study was to describe summative evaluations on the medical wards. Participants were students, house staff and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh. Ward rotation evaluative sessions were tape recorded. Feedback was…

  15. The intended and unintended consequences of communication systems on general internal medicine inpatient care delivery: a prospective observational case study of five teaching hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Robert C; Lo, Vivian; Morra, Dante; Wong, Brian M; Sargeant, Robert; Locke, Ken; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo; Quan, Sherman D; Rossos, Peter; Tran, Kim; Cheung, Mark

    2013-01-01

    Effective clinical communication is critical to providing high-quality patient care. Hospitals have used different types of interventions to improve communication between care teams, but there have been few studies of their effectiveness. To describe the effects of different communication interventions and their problems. Prospective observational case study using a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative methods. General internal medicine (GIM) inpatient wards at five tertiary care academic teaching hospitals. Clinicians consisting of residents, attending physicians, nurses, and allied health (AH) staff working on the GIM wards. Ethnographic methods and interviews with clinical staff (doctors, nurses, medical students, and AH professionals) were conducted over a 16-month period from 2009 to 2010. We identified four categories that described the intended and unintended consequences of communication interventions: impacts on senders, receivers, interprofessional collaboration, and the use of informal communication processes. The use of alphanumeric pagers, smartphones, and web-based communication systems had positive effects for senders and receivers, but unintended consequences were seen with all interventions in all four categories. Interventions that aimed to improve clinical communications solved some but not all problems, and unintended effects were seen with all systems.

  16. Practical clinical applications of the computer in nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Price, R.R.; Erickson, J.J.; Patton, J.A.; Jones, J.P.; Lagan, J.E.; Rollo, F.D.

    1978-01-01

    The impact of the computer on the practice of nuclear medicine has been felt primarily in the area of rapid dynamic studies. At this time it is difficult to find a clinic which routinely performs computer processing of static images. The general purpose digital computer is a sophisticated and flexible instrument. The number of applications for which one can use the computer to augment data acquisition, analysis, or display is essentially unlimited. In this light, the purpose of this exhibit is not to describe all possible applications of the computer in nuclear medicine but rather to illustrate those applications which have generally been accepted as practical in the routine clinical environment. Specifically, we have chosen examples of computer augmented cardiac, and renal function studies as well as examples of relative organ blood flow studies. In addition, a short description of basic computer components and terminology along with a few examples of non-imaging applications are presented

  17. Institute of Medicine's Report on Viral Hepatitis

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2010-05-18

    In this podcast, Dr. John Ward, Director of CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis, discusses the 2010 report, Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C, from the Institute of Medicine.  Created: 5/18/2010 by National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP).   Date Released: 5/18/2010.

  18. Optimizing the Internal Medicine Clinic at Evans Army Community Hospital

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bonilla, Jose

    2003-01-01

    ...) 2002, the Internal Medicine (IM) clinic at Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, Colorado, failed to meet access to care standards for routine appointments, and was only marginally successful in meeting standards for urgent appointments...

  19. Application of virtual reality technology in clinical medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lan; Yu, Fei; Shi, Dongquan; Shi, Jianping; Tian, Zongjun; Yang, Jiquan; Wang, Xingsong; Jiang, Qing

    2017-01-01

    The present review discusses the application of virtual reality (VR) technology in clinical medicine, especially in surgical training, pain management and therapeutic treatment of mental illness. We introduce the common types of VR simulators and their operational principles in aforementioned fields. The clinical effects are also discussed. In almost every study that dealt with VR simulators, researchers have arrived at the same conclusion that both doctors and patients could benefit from this novel technology. Moreover, advantages and disadvantages of the utilization of VR technology in each field were discussed, and the future research directions were proposed.

  20. Patient Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines in an Outpatient Pediatric Neurology Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenney, Daniel; Jenkins, Sarah; Youssef, Paul; Kotagal, Suresh

    2016-05-01

    This article describes the use of complementary and alternative medicines in an outpatient pediatric neurology clinic, and assesses family attitudes toward the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines versus prescription medications. Complementary and alternative medicine is an important element of the modern health care landscape. There is limited information about whether, and to what extent, families perceive its utility in childhood neurological disorders. Surveys were distributed to 500 consecutive patients at a child neurology clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Questions pertained to the child's diagnoses, use of complementary and alternative medicines, and the specific complementary and alternative medicine modalities that were used. Opinions were also gathered on the perceived efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines and prescription medications. Data were compared using χ(2) or Fisher exact tests as indicated. A total of 484 surveys were returned, of which 327 were usable. Only 17.4% admitted to use of complementary and alternative medicine to treat neurological problems. However, in follow-up questioning, actually 41.6% of patients recognized that they were using one or more types of complementary and alternative medicines. Disorders associated with a statistically significant increased prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use were headache (50.8% with headache used complementary and alternative medicine versus 35.7% without headache; P = 0.008, Fisher exact test), chronic fatigue (63.2% vs 38.8%; P = 0.005, Fisher exact test), and sleep disorders (77.1% vs 37.3%; P complementary and alternative medicine. Only 38.5% of these recognize themselves as using complementary and alternative medicine, underlining the need to inquire in-depth about its use. Patients who are less satisfied with their prescription medications are more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine, perhaps reflecting the less tractable

  1. Effect of ambulatory medicine tutorial on clinical performance of 5th year medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phisalprapa, Pochamana; Pandejpong, Denla

    2013-02-01

    The present study provided a group learning activity called "Ambulatory Medicine Tutorial-AMT" for 5th year medical students in order to facilitate learning experience at ambulatory setting and to improve medical students' clinical performance. This research aimed specifically to study the effect of AMT. Two groups of twenty 5th-year medical students were enrolled during their ambulatory medicine blocks. Each medical student was assigned to have 8 ambulatory sessions. AMT was assigned to one group while the other group only used conventional learning activity. At the end of the present study, total internal medicine scores, patient satisfaction surveys, and data on average time spent on each clinical encounter were collected and compared. The AMT group received a higher total internal medicine score as compared to the conventional group (76.2 +/- 3.6 vs. 72.9 +/- 2.8, p = 0.003). The AMT group could reduce average time spent on each clinical encounter within their first-6 ambulatory sessions while the conventional group could acquire the same skill later in their last 2 ambulatory sessions. There was no significant difference found on comparing patient satisfaction scores between the 2 groups. AMT helped improving medical students' outcomes as shown from higher total internal medicine score as well as quicker improvement during real-life clinical encounters, AMT could be a good alternative learning activity for medical students at ambulatory setting.

  2. Airflow and Contaminant Distribution in Hospital Wards with a Displacement Ventililation System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qian, H.; Nielsen, Peter Vilhelm; Li, Y.

    2004-01-01

    Airflow and Contaminant Distribution in Hospital Wards with a Displacement Ventilalation System. The 2nd International Conference on Build Environment and Public Health, BEPH 2004, Shenzhen , China . ABSTRACT Displacement ventilation has not been considered to be an applicable system for hospital...... to accurately predict three-dimensional distribution of air velocity, temperature, and contaminant concentration in the ward. Indoor airflow in a displacement ventilation system involves a combination of different flow streams such as the gravity currents and thermal plumes. It is important to choose...... ventilation system in hospital wards. It is for this purpose that we study the performance of displacement ventilation in hospital wards as one of the steps to optimize the ventilation design. When the prospect of applying displacement ventilation system in a hospital ward is examined, it should be necessary...

  3. Doctor Ward's Accidental Terrarium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hershey, David R.

    1996-01-01

    Presents the story of the accidental invention of the Wardian case, or terrarium, by Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward. Advocates the use of this story in teaching precollege biology as an illustration of how a chance event can lead to a major scientific advancement and as an example of the common occurrence of multiple discovery in botany. Contains 34…

  4. Correlation between levels of conflict and containment on acute psychiatric wards: the city-128 study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowers, Len; Stewart, Duncan; Papadopoulos, Chris; Iennaco, Joanne DeSanto

    2013-05-01

    OBJECTIVE Attainment of safe, calm inpatient psychiatric wards that are conducive to positive therapeutic care is crucial. On such wards, rates of coerced medication, seclusion, manual restraint and other types of containment are comparatively low, and, usually, rates of conflict-for example, aggression, substance use, and absconding-are also low. Sometimes, however, wards maintain low rates of containment even when conflict rates are high. This study investigated wards with the counterintuitive combination of low containment and high conflict or high containment and low conflict. METHODS The authors conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected from 136 acute psychiatric wards across England in 2004-2005. The wards were categorized into four groups on the basis of median splits of containment and conflict rates: high conflict and high containment, high conflict and low containment, low conflict and low containment, and low conflict and high containment. Features significantly associated with these ward types were identified. RESULTS Among the variables significantly associated with the various typologies, some-for example, environmental quality-were changeable, and others-such as social deprivation of the area served-were fixed. High-conflict, low-containment wards had higher rates of male staff and lower-quality environments than other wards. Low-conflict, high-containment wards had higher numbers of beds. High-conflict, high-containment wards utilized more temporary staff as well as more unqualified staff. No overall differences were associated with low-conflict, low-containment wards. CONCLUSIONS Wards can make positive changes to achieve a low-containment, nonpunitive culture, even when rates of patient conflict are high.

  5. [Establishing Individualized Medicine for Intractable Cancer Based on Clinical Molecular Pathogenesis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jono, Hirofumi

    2018-01-01

     Although cancer treatment has dramatically improved with the development of molecular-targeted agents over the past decade, identifying eligible patients and predicting the therapeutic effects remain a major challenge. Because intratumoral heterogeneity represents genetic and molecular differences affecting patients' responses to these therapeutic agents, establishing individualized medicine based on precise molecular pathological analysis of tumors is urgently required. This review focuses on the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a common head and neck neoplasm, and introduces our approaches toward developing novel anticancer therapies particularly based on clinical molecular pathogenesis. Deeper understanding of more precise molecular pathogenesis in clinical settings may open up novel strategies for establishing individualized medicine for OSCC.

  6. Implementation strategies of Systems Medicine in clinical research and home care for cardiovascular disease patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montecucco, Fabrizio; Carbone, Federico; Dini, Frank Lloyd; Fiuza, Manuela; Pinto, Fausto J; Martelli, Antonietta; Palombo, Domenico; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Mach, François; De Caterina, Raffaele

    2014-11-01

    Insights from the "-omics" science have recently emphasized the need to implement an overall strategy in medical research. Here, the development of Systems Medicine has been indicated as a potential tool for clinical translation of basic research discoveries. Systems Medicine also gives the opportunity of improving different steps in medical practice, from diagnosis to healthcare management, including clinical research. The development of Systems Medicine is still hampered however by several challenges, the main one being the development of computational tools adequate to record, analyze and share a large amount of disparate data. In addition, available informatics tools appear not yet fully suitable for the challenge because they are not standardized, not universally available, or with ethical/legal concerns. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a very promising area for translating Systems Medicine into clinical practice. By developing clinically applied technologies, the collection and analysis of data may improve CV risk stratification and prediction. Standardized models for data recording and analysis can also greatly broaden data exchange, thus promoting a uniform management of CVD patients also useful for clinical research. This advance however requires a great organizational effort by both physicians and health institutions, as well as the overcoming of ethical problems. This narrative review aims at providing an update on the state-of-art knowledge in the area of Systems Medicine as applied to CVD, focusing on current critical issues, providing a road map for its practical implementation. Copyright © 2014 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Short Sleep Times Predict Obesity in Internal Medicine Clinic Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buscemi, Dolores; Kumar, Ashwani; Nugent, Rebecca; Nugent, Kenneth

    2007-01-01

    Study Objectives: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between short sleep times and obesity as defined by body mass index (BMI). We wanted to determine whether this association occurs in patients with chronic medical diagnoses since the number of confounding factors is likely higher in patients than the general population. Methods: Two hundred patients attending internal medicine clinics completed a survey regarding sleep habits, lifestyle characteristics, and medical diagnoses. An independent surveyor collected the information on the questionnaires and reviewed the medical records. Height and weight were measured by clinic personnel. Data were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. Results: Subjects with short sleep times (< 7 hours) had an increased likelihood of obesity as defined by a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 when compared to the reference group of (8, 9] hours (odds ratio 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–8.09). There was a U-shaped relationship between obesity and sleep time in women but not in men. Young age (18 to 49 years), not smoking, drinking alcohol, hypertension, diabetes, and sleep apnea were also associated with obesity in the overall model. Conclusions: This study demonstrates an association between short sleep times and obesity in undifferentiated patients attending an internal medicine clinic using models adjusting for age, lifestyle characteristics, and some medical diagnoses. The U-shaped relationship in women suggests that sleep patterns may have gender specific associations. These observations provide the background for therapeutic trials in weight loss in patients with established medical problems. Citation: Buscemi D; Kumar A; Nugent R; Nugent K. Short sleep times predict obesity in internal medicine clinic patients. J Clin Sleep Med 2007;3(7):681–688. PMID:18198800

  8. Results of prospective multicenter study on heart failure on Campania Internal Medicine wards: the FASHION study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Gallucci

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Heart failure (HF is characterized by a high prevalence and hospitalization rate with considerable health and social impact; the knowledge of its epidemiological features remains the mainstay to assess adequacy of the health care needs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HF in Internal Medicine Units of the Campania region (Italy and patients’ characteristics. We recruited all patients with HF admitted between April 1 and June 30, 2014, in 23 Units of Internal Medicine: 975 patients (19.5% of 5000 admissions, 518 women and 457 men, mean age 76.9±9.9 (range 34-100 with 741 (76% older than 70 years. The mean age was higher in women than men; 35.8% of patients had atrial fibrillation, with higher prevalence in women than in men. Coronary artery disease represented the leading etiology while prevalence of non-ischemic heart failure was higher in women. New York Heart Association class was indicated in 926 patients. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF was measured in 503 patients; 18.4% of patients had a severely reduced LVEF<35%, mostly men (P=0.0001 and 67.4% presented a LVEF>40%. At least one hospital admission in the previous 12 months was registered in 39.6% of patients. One, two and more than two relevant comorbidities were present in 8.6%, 24.7% and 64.8% of patients, respectively. Arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease were more frequent in female. In conclusion, advanced age and clinical complexity were the main characteristics of HF patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Units in Campania. Gender differences also emerged from the analysis of demographic parameters and etiopathogenetic features. Some diagnostic and therapeutic aspects not in line with that recommended by the most recent HF international guidelines were registered.

  9. Patient's medicines brought to hospital: an overlooked resource?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ware, G J

    1993-10-27

    To quantify potential cost advantages and identify practical safeguards required for utilising patients own medicines while in hospital, and returning them on discharge. All medicines brought in by patients in two wards of a geriatric assessment and rehabilitation unit at Auckland Hospital were examined by the pharmacist, and their suitability for re-issue assessed. Medicines were regarded as suitable for use where they could be positively identified, had been dispensed within 3 months of admission, or if packed in foil, provided the expiry date and manufacturer identification were on the foil. Medicines (260 items) totalling $2,976, assessed over a 6 month period, were regarded as suitable for use by the patient, with a mean value of $11.36 per patient. Patients own medicines used within the hospital with a unit-of-issue distribution system, and taken home by them on discharge, would provide appreciable savings for the hospital medicine budget and reduction in waste of the overall health dollar.

  10. [Clinical study of integrative medicine in treatment of nephropathy: strategy and innovation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yi-Ping

    2008-05-01

    The author analyzed the main issues in current clinical study of integrative medicine in treatment of renal diseases, and proposed the target-oriented strategy for clinical study of different renal diseases, emphasizing the importance of method improvement for academic innovation.

  11. Clostridium Difficile Infection in the Nephrology Ward

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylwia Dudzicz

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium difficile is currently the most frequently identified pathogen causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and the main cause of nosocomial diarrhea. In recent years, increases incidence of infection, severe infection, recurrent infection and mortality from Clostridium difficile infection (CDI have been observed. This may be a consequence of excessive antibiotic use and spread of the hypervirulent epidemic BI/NAP1/027 strain of Clostridium difficile. The main risk factors for CDI are: antibiotic therapy, previous hospitalizations and number of comorbid conditions. Prevention of CDI mainly is focused in two directions: reducing the exposure of patients to the disease pathogen by intensifying hygiene measures, and reducing the impact of risk factors. A meta-analyses of clinical studies (observational, cohort and case control showed significantly higher risk of CDI and CDI recurrence in patients with chronic kidney disease and increased mortality risk in chronic kidney disease patients with CDI comparing those without CDI. Increased risk of CDI in patients with chronic kidney disease can be caused by: frequent antibiotic therapy associated with numerous infections resulting in intestinal microflora dysfunction, frequent hospitalizations, older age of the patients and an impaired immune system. Among preventative measures against CDI, the use of probiotics were also studied. In patients hospitalized in nephrology ward highly significant reduction of the CDI incidence was observed after the introduction of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v as CDI prophylaxis. Therefore, the use of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v seems to be a promising method of CDI prevention in chronic kidney disease patients hospitalized in nephrology ward.

  12. Nurses caring for ENT patients in a district general hospital without a dedicated ENT ward score significantly less in a test of knowledge than nurses caring for ENT patients in a dedicated ENT ward in a comparable district general hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foxton, C R; Black, D; Muhlschlegel, J; Jardine, A

    2014-12-01

    To assess whether there is a difference in ENT knowledge amongst nurses caring for patients on a dedicated ENT ward and nurses caring for ENT patients in a similar hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. A test of theoretical knowledge of ENT nursing care was devised and administered to nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward and then to nurses working on generic non-subspecialist wards regularly caring for ENT patients in a hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. The test scores were then compared. A single specialist ENT/Maxillo-Facial/Opthalmology ward in hospital A and 3 generic surgical wards in hospital B. Both hospitals are comparable district general hospitals in the south west of England. Nursing staff working in hospital A and hospital B on the relevant wards were approached during the working day. 11 nurses on ward 1, 10 nurses on ward 2, 11 nurses on ward 3 and 10 nurses on ward 4 (the dedicated ENT ward). Each individual test score was used to generate an average score per ward and these scores compared to see if there was a significant difference. The average score out of 10 on ward 1 was 6.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward two was 4.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward three was 5.5 (+/-2.1). The average score on ward 4, which is the dedicated ENT ward, was 9.7 (+/-0.5). The differences in average test score between the dedicated ENT ward and all of the other wards are statistically significant. Nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward have an average higher score in a test of knowledge than nurses working on generic surgical wards. This difference is statistically significant and persists despite banding or training. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: Utilization of Oral Medicine-specific software for support of clinical care, research, and education: current status and strategy for broader implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brailo, Vlaho; Firriolo, Francis John; Tanaka, Takako Imai; Varoni, Elena; Sykes, Rosemary; McCullough, Michael; Hua, Hong; Sklavounou, Alexandra; Jensen, Siri Beier; Lockhart, Peter B; Mattsson, Ulf; Jontell, Mats

    2015-08-01

    To assess the current scope and status of Oral Medicine-specific software (OMSS) utilized to support clinical care, research, and education in Oral Medicine and to propose a strategy for broader implementation of OMSS within the global Oral Medicine community. An invitation letter explaining the objectives was sent to the global Oral Medicine community. Respondents were interviewed to obtain information about different aspects of OMSS functionality. Ten OMSS tools were identified. Four were being used for clinical care, one was being used for research, two were being used for education, and three were multipurpose. Clinical software was being utilized as databases developed to integrate of different type of clinical information. Research software was designed to facilitate multicenter research. Educational software represented interactive, case-orientated technology designed for clinical training in Oral Medicine. Easy access to patient data was the most commonly reported advantage. Difficulty of use and poor integration with other software was the most commonly reported disadvantage. The OMSS presented in this paper demonstrate how information technology (IT) can have an impact on the quality of patient care, research, and education in the field of Oral Medicine. A strategy for broader implementation of OMSS is proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. [Perceiving gender or profession: the practical experience of male nursing students in the obstetrics and gynecology ward].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ya-Fen; Yang, Yu-O; Tu, Chia-Ling

    2013-06-01

    The impact of general gender stereotypes on nursing is severe and influential, especially with regard to male nursing students working in obstetrics and gynecology wards. This study examined the experience of male nursing students in obstetrics and gynecology wards. We used a phenomenological qualitative research approach and a sample of 10 male nursing students currently studying at a nursing college in central Taiwan. All participants had obstetrics and gynecology ward experience. Individual interviews were transcribed into the procedural record. Colaizzi content analysis analyzed and categorized research data. Based on participants practical experiences in the obstetrics and gynecology ward, the main stages of participants professional development through their internship experience included: (1) Unbalanced self-role recognition; (2) being defined by the gender framework (gender stereotypes); (3) the difference between male doctor and male nurse; (4) learning appropriate communication techniques; (5) mutual and empathetic understanding of the female psychology during childbirth; (6) gaining sources for positive feedback; (7) releasing the shackles of gender and gaining full insight into and comprehension of nursing functions; and (8) given the opportunity to learn. Through ongoing examination and learning, participant internships in the obstetrics and gynecology wards were significant and essential learning experiences that validated their necessity. Nursing schools and internship institutions alike must realize the importance of gender-equality education to the nursing profession. Medical institutions are encouraged to offer equal learning opportunities to male and female nursing students and provide targeted assistance to males to help them master clinical nursing care practices in the obstetrics and gynecology department.

  15. Crisis management on surgical wards: a simulation-based approach to enhancing technical, teamwork, and patient interaction skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, Sonal; Hull, Louise; Fitzpatrick, Maureen; Sevdalis, Nick; Birnbach, David J

    2015-05-01

    To establish the efficacy of simulation-based training for improving residents' management of postoperative complications on a surgical ward. Effective postoperative care is a crucial determinant of patient outcome, yet trainees learn this through the Halstedian approach. Little evidence exists on the efficacy of simulation in this safety-critical environment. A pre-/postintervention design was employed with 185 residents from 5 hospitals. Residents participated in 2 simulated ward-based scenarios consisting of a deteriorating postoperative patient. A debriefing intervention was implemented between scenarios. Resident performance was evaluated by calibrated, blinded assessors using the validated Global Assessment Toolkit for Ward Care. This included an assessment of clinical skills (checklist of 35 tasks), team-working skills (score range 1-6 per skill), and physician-patient interaction skills. Excellent interrater reliability was achieved in all assessments (reliability 0.89-0.99, P pre = 73.7% vs post = 94.8%, P pre = 21.1% vs post = 84.2% P pre = 42.1% vs post = 100%, P pre = 36.8% vs post = 89.8%, P pre = 1.75 vs post = 3.43), leadership (pre = 2.43 vs post = 4.20), and decision-making skills (pre = 2.20 vs post = 3.81, P < 0.001). Finally, residents improved in all elements of interaction with patients: empathy, organization, and verbal and nonverbal expression (Ps < 0.001). The study provides evidence for the efficacy of ward-based team training using simulation. Such exercises should be formally incorporated into training curricula to enhance patient safety in the high-risk surgical ward environment.

  16. Lessons from the history of medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waller, John

    2008-01-01

    What is the point of teaching the history of medicine? Many historians and clinicians find it regrettable that some medical students today will graduate knowing almost nothing of such "greats" of the past as Hippocrates, Galen, Vesalius, Harvey, Lister, and Pasteur. But does this really matter? After all, traditional history of medicine curricula tended to distort medicine's past, omitting the countless errors, wrong turns, fads, blunders, and abuses, in order to tell the sanitized stories of a few scientific superheroes. Modern scholarship has seriously challenged most of these heroic dramas; few of our heroes were as farsighted, noble, or obviously correct as once thought. Joseph Lister, for example, turns out to have had filthy wards, whereas William Harvey was devoted to the Aristotelianism he was long said to have overthrown [1]. But as the history of medicine has become less romanticized, it has also become much more relevant, for it promises to impart useful lessons in the vital importance of scientific scepticism.

  17. Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Nuclear Medicine (Spanish Edition)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    The application of radiation in human health, for both diagnosis and treatment of disease, is an important component of the work of the IAEA. The responsibility for the increasingly technical aspects of this work is undertaken by the medical physicist. To ensure good practice in this vital area, structured clinical training programmes are required to complement academic learning. This publication is intended to be a guide to the practical implementation of such a programme for nuclear medicine. There is a general and growing awareness that radiation medicine is increasingly dependent on well trained medical physicists who are based in a clinical setting. However an analysis of the availability of medical physicists indicates a large shortfall of qualified and capable professionals. This is particularly evident in developing countries. While strategies to increase educational opportunities are critical to such countries, the need for guidance on structured clinical training was recognized by the members of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA) for the Asia-Pacific region. Consequently, a technical cooperation regional project (RAS6038) under the RCA programme was formulated to address this need in this region by developing suitable material and establishing its viability. Development of a clinical training guide for medical physicists specialising in nuclear medicine was started in 2009 with the appointment of a core drafting committee of regional and international experts. The publication drew on the experience of clinical training in Australia, Croatia and Sweden and was moderated by physicists working in the Asian region. The present publication follows the approach of earlier IAEA publications in the Training Course Series, specifically Nos 37 and 47, Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Radiation Oncology and Clinical Training of Medical Physicists

  18. Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Nuclear Medicine (French Edition)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    The application of radiation in human health, for both diagnosis and treatment of disease, is an important component of the work of the IAEA. The responsibility for the increasingly technical aspects of this work is undertaken by the medical physicist. To ensure good practice in this vital area, structured clinical training programmes are required to complement academic learning. This publication is intended to be a guide to the practical implementation of such a programme for nuclear medicine. There is a general and growing awareness that radiation medicine is increasingly dependent on well trained medical physicists who are based in a clinical setting. However an analysis of the availability of medical physicists indicates a large shortfall of qualified and capable professionals. This is particularly evident in developing countries. While strategies to increase educational opportunities are critical to such countries, the need for guidance on structured clinical training was recognized by the members of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA) for the Asia-Pacific region. Consequently, a technical cooperation regional project (RAS6038) under the RCA programme was formulated to address this need in this region by developing suitable material and establishing its viability. Development of a clinical training guide for medical physicists specialising in nuclear medicine was started in 2009 with the appointment of a core drafting committee of regional and international experts. The publication drew on the experience of clinical training in Australia, Croatia and Sweden and was moderated by physicists working in the Asian region. The present publication follows the approach of earlier IAEA publications in the Training Course Series, specifically Nos 37 and 47, Clinical Training of Medical Physicists Specializing in Radiation Oncology and Clinical Training of Medical Physicists

  19. Differences in antimicrobial consumption, prescribing and isolation rate of multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii on surgical and medical wards.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Zivanovic

    Full Text Available In order to provide guidance data for clinically rational use of an antibiotics consuption, prescribing and prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were monitored on the surgical (S and medical (M wards of the University Hospital Center "Dr. Dragisa Misovic-Dedinje" (Belgrade, Serbia, in the study period from 2012 to 2015. Appropriateness of antimicrobial use was evaluated using the Global-Prevalence Survey method designed by the University of Antwerp. The percentages of MDR pathogens relative to the total number of isolates of K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa were higher on the S (86.2% and 49.1% than on the M (63.2% and 36.9% wards. The percentage of MDR A. baumannii was not different between S (93.7% and M (79.5% wards. An overall antibiotics consumption (defined daily doses/100 bed-days during study was 369.7 and 261.5 on the S and M wards, respectively. A total of 225 prescriptions of antimicrobials were evaluated in138 adults admitted to wards on the day of the survey. The percentage of antimicrobials prescribed for prophylaxis on the M and S wards were 0% and 25%, respectively. Therapies were more frequently empiric (S, 86.8% and M, 80%. The percentages of medical errors on the S and M wards were 74.6% and 27.3%, respectively. The quality indicators for antibiotic prescribing on the S and M wards were as follows: the incorrect choice of antimicrobials (35.6% vs. 20.0%, inappropriate dose interval (70.6% vs. 16.9% or duration of therapy (72.5% vs. 23.1%, a non-documented stop/review data (73.6% vs. 16.9% and divergence from guidelines (71.9% vs. 23.1%. Treatment based on biomarkers was more common on the M wards as compared to the S wards. The increasing prevalence of MDR pathogens, a very high consumption and incorrect prescribing of antimicrobials need special attention, particularly on the S wards.

  20. Malnutrition and nutritional care practices in hospital wards for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderwee, Katrien; Clays, Els; Bocquaert, Ilse; Verhaeghe, Sofie; Lardennois, Miguel; Gobert, Micheline; Defloor, Tom

    2011-04-01

    This paper is a report of a study conducted to gain a better insight into the current nutritional care practices in Belgian hospital wards for older people, and to study the association between these practices and the prevalence of malnutrition. In 1999, the Council of Europe assessed nutritional care practices and support in 12 European countries and showed them to be sparse and inconsistent. At the time of research, no studies had described the association between nutritional care practices and malnutrition prevalence in Belgium. In 2007, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in a representative sample of Belgian hospital wards for older people. In total, 2094 patients from 140 wards for older people were included. The overall prevalence rate of malnutrition in wards for older people was 31.9%. Nutritional care practices such as nutritional screening and assessment, use of a standardized screening instrument and a nutritional protocol were suboptimal. Multilevel analysis revealed that ward characteristics explained for 9.1% whether a patient was malnourished or not. None of the registered nutritional care practices could explain a patient's individual risk. Malnutrition is a frequently occurring problem on hospital wards for older people. Increased consciousness among healthcare professionals and hospital policy makers of the importance of nutritional care will contribute to further improvement in care quality. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Views of pharmacists on involvement in ward rounds in selected ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Pharmacist participation in ward rounds is of increasing interest for better pharmaceutical care, yet most pharmacists do not engage in this activity. Objective: The objective was to obtain public sector pharmacistsf views and perceptions on their involvement in ward rounds. Method: A rapid assessment was ...

  2. Knowledge, Skills and Experience Managing Tracheostomy Emergencies: A Survey of Critical Care Medicine trainees

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Nizam, AA

    2016-10-01

    Since the development of percutaneous tracheostomy, the number of tracheostomy patients on hospital wards has increased. Problems associated with adequate tracheostomy care on the wards are well documented, particularly the management of tracheostomy-related emergencies. A survey was conducted among non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) starting their Critical Care Medicine training rotation in a university affiliated teaching hospital to determine their basic knowledge and skills in dealing with tracheostomy emergencies. Trainees who had received specific tracheostomy training or who had previous experience of dealing with tracheostomy emergencies were more confident in dealing with such emergencies compared to trainees without such training or experience. Only a minority of trainees were aware of local hospital guidelines regarding tracheostomy care. Our results highlight the importance of increased awareness of tracheostomy emergencies and the importance of specific training for Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine trainees.

  3. Current status, challenges and the way forward for clinical pharmacy service in Ethiopian public hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilal, Arebu Issa; Tilahun, Zelalem; Gebretekle, Gebremedhin Beedemariam; Ayalneh, Belete; Hailemeskel, Bisrat; Engidawork, Ephrem

    2017-05-19

    Clinical pharmacy service has evolved steadily over the past few decades and is now contributing to the 'patient care journey' at all stages. It is improving the safety and effectiveness of medicines and has made a significant contribution to the avoidance of medication errors. In Ethiopia, clinical pharmacy service is in its initial phase, being started in July 2013. This study therefore aimed at assessing the status, challenges and way forward of clinical pharmacy service in the country. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six regional states and one city- administration in September 2014. A total of 51 hospitals were included in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed for data collection. A total of 160 pharmacy graduates, and 51 pharmacy heads participated in the study. Internal Medicine and Pediatric wards were the major wards where the graduates provide clinical pharmacy service. Almost 94% of the new graduates were found to be involved in clinical pharmacy service, but 47% of them rated their service as poor. The overall satisfaction of the graduates was close to 36%. Thirteen hospitals discontinued and two hospitals not even initiated the service largely due to shortage of pharmacists and lack of management support. About 44% of the surveyed hospitals documented the clinical pharmacy service provided using either developed or adopted formats. Lack of awareness by the medical fraternity, high attrition rate, lack of support from the management as well as from the health care team, readiness of the graduates to deliver the service, and shortage of pharmacists were identified by the key informants as the major stumbling block to deliver clinical pharmacy service. Clinical pharmacy service is initiated in most of the surveyed hospitals and a large proportion of the graduates were involved in the service. Although there is a great enthusiasm to promote clinical pharmacy service in the surveyed hospitals, efforts made to

  4. Changes in medicine: residency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robbins RA

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. The most important time in a physician’s educational development is residency, especially the first year. However, residency work and responsibility have come under the scrutiny of a host of agencies and bureaucracies, and therefore, is rapidly changing. Most important in the alphabet soup of regulatory agencies is the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME which accredits residencies and ultimately makes the governing rules.Resident work hours have received much attention and are clearly decreasing. However, the decline in work hours began in the 1970’s before the present political push to decrease work hours. The residency I entered in 1976 had every third night call during the first year resident’s 6-9 months on general medicine or wards. It had changed from every other night the year before. On wards, we normally were in the hospital for our 24 hours of call and followed this with a 10-12 hour day before …

  5. [Application of Delphi method in traditional Chinese medicine clinical research].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Ying-fei; Mao, Jing-yuan

    2012-03-01

    In recent years, Delphi method has been widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical research. This article analyzed the present application situation of Delphi method in TCM clinical research, and discussed some problems presented in the choice of evaluation method, classification of observation indexes and selection of survey items. On the basis of present application of Delphi method, the author analyzed the method on questionnaire making, selection of experts, evaluation of observation indexes and selection of survey items. Furthermore, the author summarized the steps of application of Delphi method in TCM clinical research.

  6. Clinical research of traditional Chinese medicine in big data era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Junhua; Zhang, Boli

    2014-09-01

    With the advent of big data era, our thinking, technology and methodology are being transformed. Data-intensive scientific discovery based on big data, named "The Fourth Paradigm," has become a new paradigm of scientific research. Along with the development and application of the Internet information technology in the field of healthcare, individual health records, clinical data of diagnosis and treatment, and genomic data have been accumulated dramatically, which generates big data in medical field for clinical research and assessment. With the support of big data, the defects and weakness may be overcome in the methodology of the conventional clinical evaluation based on sampling. Our research target shifts from the "causality inference" to "correlativity analysis." This not only facilitates the evaluation of individualized treatment, disease prediction, prevention and prognosis, but also is suitable for the practice of preventive healthcare and symptom pattern differentiation for treatment in terms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and for the post-marketing evaluation of Chinese patent medicines. To conduct clinical studies involved in big data in TCM domain, top level design is needed and should be performed orderly. The fundamental construction and innovation studies should be strengthened in the sections of data platform creation, data analysis technology and big-data professionals fostering and training.

  7. The European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine: guide to the Register, version 3-2010.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McMurray, Janet

    2010-07-01

    In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 12 years, more than 2200 specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine have joined the Register. In 2007, EC4 merged with the Forum of European Societies of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (FESCC) to form the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFCC). Two previous Guides to the Register have been published, one in 1997 and another in 2003. The third version of the Guide is presented in this article and is based on the experience gained and development of the profession since the last revision. Registration is valid for 5 years and the procedure and criteria for re-registration are presented as an Appendix at the end of the article.

  8. Ethnographic nexus analysis in clinical nursing education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjær, Malene

    2016-01-01

    Purpose/aim(s): Internationally, student nurses' attrition after clinical practice is an increasing problem (Hamshire, Willgoss, & Wibberley, 2012; Pilegård Jensen, 2006). A better understanding of 'becoming a nurse' as situated practice in the hospital wards might help avoid pitfalls...... in the clinical practice. Thus a thorough insight into the field is necessary in order to change it. The purpose of this paper is to show and discuss how it is possible methodologically to do ethnographic research in clinical education and how the field of clinical nursing education in the hospital wards might...... be improved after insights obtained through ethnographic research. Methods: Using nexus analysis (Scollon & Scollon, 2004, 2007) as an ethnographic framework in four Danish hospital wards, a study of the development of a professional identity among student nurses in Denmark was conducted. Scollon and Scollon...

  9. [Regular discussion of serious complications during admission to an internal medicine department].

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, M.C.H.; Koopmans †, P.P.; Gurp, P.J.M. van

    2010-01-01

    Three patients, two women aged 54 and 84 years, and a man aged 76 years, had serious complications during a stay in an internal medicine ward. The complications were discussed at monthly multidisciplinary complication meetings, which we organise from 2007 and which are aimed at improving care

  10. Clinical implications for substandard, nonproprietary medicines in multiple sclerosis: focus on fingolimod

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Correale J

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Jorge Correale,1 Erwin Chiquete,2 Alexey Boyko,3 Roy G Beran,4–6 Jorge Barahona Strauch,7,8 Snezana Milojevic,9 Nadina Frider101Department of Neurology, Raúl Carrea Institute for Neurological Research, Foundation for the Fight against Infant Neurological Illnesses (FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 2Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Mexico City, Mexico; 3Clinical and Research Center “MS and Other Demyelinating Diseases” at the Neuroclinical Hospital, Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia; 4South Western Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Liverpool, 5Department of Neurology, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 6School of Medicine, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia; 7Department of Neurology, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, 8School of Medicine, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile; 9Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland; 10Novartis Latin America and Canada Region, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaAbstract: Both proprietary and nonproprietary medicines are expected to undergo rigorous preapproval testing and both should meet stringent health authority regulatory requirements related to quality to obtain approval. Nonproprietary (also known as copy, or generic medicines, which base their authorization and use on the proprietary documentation and label, are often viewed as a means to help lower the cost and, thus, increase patient access. If these medicines fail to meet quality standards, such as good manufacturing practice and bioequivalence (in humans, they are then defined as substandard copies and can pose serious risks to patients in terms of safety and efficacy. Potentially noncontrolled or different manufacturing process and excipients in nonproprietary medicines may result in poor batch-to-batch reproducibility (accurate and consistent quantity of

  11. Frequency of nursing tasks in medical and surgical wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farquharson, Barbara; Bell, Cheryl; Johnston, Derek; Jones, Martyn; Schofield, Pat; Allan, Julia; Ricketts, Ian; Morrison, Kenny; Johnston, Marie

    2013-09-01

    To explore the frequency of different nursing tasks in medical and surgical wards. The time nurses spend on direct patient care is important for both patients and nurses. However, little is known about the time nurses spend on various nursing tasks. A real-time, repeated measures design conducted amongst 67 (n = 39 medical, n = 28 surgical) UK hospital nurses. Between September 2011 and August 2012 participants completed an electronic diary version of a classification of nursing tasks (WOMBAT) during shifts. A total of 961 real-time measures of nursing task were obtained. Direct patient care [median = 37.5%, interquartile range = 27.8], indirect care (median = 11.1%, interquartile range = 19.4) and medication (median = 11.1%, interquartile range = 18.8) were most commonly reported. Participants were interrupted in 62% of entries (interquartile range = 35), reported adequate time in 78% (interquartile range = 31) and adequate resources in 89% (interquartile range = 36). Ward-related tasks were significantly more frequent on medical wards than surgical wards but otherwise there were no significant differences. Nurses spend the highest proportion of time in direct patient care and majority of this on core nursing activities. Interruptions to tasks are common. Nurses tend to report adequate time/resources. The frequency of nursing tasks is similar in medical and surgical wards. Nurse managers should review the level of interruptions to nurses' work and ensure appropriate levels of supervision. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. [Skills lab training in veterinary medicine. Effective preparation for clinical work at the small animal clinic of the University for Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelskirchen, Simon; Ehlers, Jan; Kirk, Ansgar T; Tipold, Andrea; Dilly, Marc

    2017-09-20

    During five and a half years of studying veterinary medicine, students should in addition to theoretical knowledge acquire sufficient practical skills. Considering animal welfare and ethical aspects, opportunities for hands-on learning on living animals are limited because of the high annual number of students. The first German veterinary clinical-skills lab, established in 2013 at the University for Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo), offers opportunities for all students to learn, train and repeat clinical skills on simulators and models as frequently as they would like, until they feel sufficiently confident to transfer these skills to living animals. This study describes the establishment of clinical-skills lab training within the students' practical education, using the example of the small-animal clinic of the TiHo. Two groups of students were compared: without skills lab training (control group K) and with skills lab training (intervention group I). At the end of both the training and a subsequent 10-week clinical rotation in different sections of the clinic, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was performed, testing the students' practical skills at 15 stations. An additional multiple-choice test was performed before and after the clinical rotation to evaluate the increased theoretical knowledge. Students of group I achieved significantly (p ≤ 0.05) better results in eight of the 15 tested skills. The multiple-choice test revealed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) gain of theoretical knowledge in both groups without any differences between the groups. Students displayed a high degree of acceptance of the skills lab training. Using simulators and models in veterinary education is an efficient teaching concept, and should be used continually and integrated in the curriculum.

  13. HIV infection, tuberculosis and workload in a general paediatric ward

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    South African Journal of Child Health ... To describe the impact of HIV infection and tuberculosis on the workload of a general paediatric ward at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2007. Methods. Prospective descriptive surveillance of the patient composition of a general paediatric ward over a 1-year period.

  14. Service audit of a forensic rehabilitation ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Susan; Gudjonsson, Gisli H; Needham-Bennett, Humphrey; Chick, Kay

    2009-10-01

    An open forensic rehabilitation ward provides an important link bridging the gap between secure and community provisions. This paper provides an audit of such a service by examining the records of an open forensic rehabilitation ward over a five-year period from 1 June 2000 until 31 May 2005. During the audit period there were 51 admissions, involving 45 different patients, and 50 discharges. The majority of the patients came from secure unit facilities, acute psychiatric wards or home. Thirty-nine patients were discharged either into hostels (66%) or their home (12%). The majority of patients (80%) had on admission a primary diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Most had an extensive forensic history. The focus of their admission was to assess and treat their mental illness/disorder and offending behaviour and this was successful as the majority of patients were transferred to a community placement after a mean of 15 months. It is essential that there is a well-integrated care pathway for forensic patients, involving constructive liaison with generic services and a well-structured treatment programme which integrates the key principles of the 'recovery model' approach to care.

  15. What scares patients to get admitted in a psychiatry ward? An exploratory study

    OpenAIRE

    Sushmita Bhattacharya; Bir Singh Chavan

    2018-01-01

    Background: There has been very little focus on understanding the experiences of people suffering from mental illness during their treatment in the outpatient and inpatient treatment facilities. Majority of the decisions regarding their treatment are taken by the mental health professionals in consultation with the caregivers, and the patient remains a passive recipient of the services. It is commonly seen that patients refuse admission in the psychiatry ward even when clinical needs warrant ...

  16. Clinical evidence for orphan medicinal products-a cause for concern?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picavet, Eline; Cassiman, David; Hollak, Carla E; Maertens, Johan A; Simoens, Steven

    2013-10-16

    The difficulties associated with organising clinical studies for orphan medicinal products (OMPs) are plentiful. Recent debate on the long-term effectiveness of some OMPs, led us to question whether the initial standards for clinical evidence for OMPs, set by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at the time of marketing authorization, are too low. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the characteristics and quality of clinical evidence that is presented for OMPs to obtain marketing authorization in Europe, using the new and validated COMPASS tool. We quantitatively assessed the characteristics and quality of clinical evidence of the pivotal studies of 64 OMPs as described in the European Public Assessment Report and/or the Scientific Discussion document prepared by the Committee for Human Medicinal Products of the EMA. The 64 OMPs were altogether authorized for 78 orphan indications, for which 117 studies were identified as 'pivotal' or 'main' studies. In approximately two thirds of the studies, the allocation was randomized (64.8%) and a control arm was used (68.5%). Half of the studies applied some type of blinding. Only a minority (26.9%) of the studies included a Quality-of-Life (QoL) related endpoint, of which a third claim an improvement in QoL. Upon analyzing the quality of reporting, we found that some aspects (i.e. the endpoints, the sampling criteria, and the interventions) are well described, whereas other items (i.e. a description of the patients and of potential biases) are not reported for all studies. In conclusion, the pivotal studies that are the basis for marketing authorization of OMPs are a cause for concern, as they exhibit methodological flaws i.e. the lack of QoL-related endpoints as outcome, lack of blinding in the study design and the use of surrogate endpoints. Additionally, there are shortcomings in the reporting of those studies that complicate the interpretation. A more demanding regulatory process for OMPs is

  17. General practitioners, complementary therapies and evidence-based medicine: the defence of clinical autonomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, J

    2000-12-01

    Amidst the substantial change currently gripping primary health care are two developments central to contemporary debate regarding the very nature, territory and identity of general practice - the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and the rise of evidence-based medicine (EBM). This paper reports findings from a study based upon 25 in-depth interviews with general practitioners (GPs) personally practising complementary therapies alongside more conventional medicine to treat their NHS patients. The paper outlines the GPs' perceptions of EBM, its relationship to their personal development of CAM, and their notions of good clinical practice more generally. Analysis of the GPs' accounts demonstrates how CAM can be seen as a useful resource with which some GPs defend their clinical autonomy from what they perceive to be the threat of EBM. Copyright 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

  18. The labour ward analgesic service at King Edward VIII Hospital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The labour ward analgesic service at King Edward VIII. Hospital, Durban. D. A. ROCKE, C. C. ROUT, H. D. RUSSELL, S. SINGH. Abstract The provision of analgesic services to the labour ward at King Edward VIII Hospital was studied during a I-week period. Of249 patients, 113 (45%) received no analgesia whatsoever.

  19. Urinary catheterization in medical wards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirmanmoh Bhatia

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims : The study aims to determine the: 1. frequency of inappropriate catheterization in medical wards and the reasons for doing it. 2. various risk factors associated with inappropriate catheterization, catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI and bacterial colonization on Foley′s catheters (BCFC. Settings and Design: Hospital-based prospective study. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty five patients admitted consecutively in the medical wards of a tertiary care hospital, who underwent catheterization with a Foley′s catheter, at admission, have been included in the study. Patient profiles were evaluated using the following parameters: age, sex, diagnosis, functional status, mental status, indication, duration and place of catheterization, development of BCFC and CAUTI. Statistical tests used: Chi-square test. Results: Thirty-six out of 125 (28.8% patients included were inappropriately catheterized. BCFC developed in 52.8% and 22.4% were diagnosed with a CAUTI. The most frequent indication for inappropriate catheterization was urinary incontinence without significant skin breakdown (27.8%. The risk factors for inappropriate catheterization were female sex (RR=1.29, 95% CI=0.99, 1.69, P60 years (RR=0.65, 95% CI=0.48, 0.89, P3 days (RR=0.62, 95% CI=0.43, 0.89, P60 years (RR=0.47, 95% CI=0.25, 0.90, P3 days (RR=0.24, 95% CI=0.10, 0.58, P< 0.01. Conclusions : Inappropriate catheterization is highly prevalent in medical wards, especially in patients with urinary incontinence. The patients catheterized in the medical emergency and female patients in particular are at high risk. Careful attention to these factors can reduce the frequency of inappropriate catheterization and unnecessary morbidity.

  20. Thinking and practice of accelerating transformation of traditional Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Baoyan; Zhang, Yanhong; Hu, Jingqing; He, Liyun; Zhou, Xuezhong

    2011-06-01

    The gradual development of Chinese medicine is based on constant accumulation and summary of experience in clinical practice, but without the benefit of undergoing the experimental medicine stage. Although Chinese medicine has formed a systematic and unique theory system through thousands of years, with the development of evidence-based medicine, the bondage of the research methods of experience medicine to Chinese medicine is appearing. The rapid transition and transformation from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine have become important content in the development of Chinese medicine. According to the features of Chinese medicine, we propose the research idea of "taking two ways simultaneously," which is the study both in the ideal condition and in the real world. Analyzing and constructing the theoretical basis and methodology of clinical research in the real world, and building the stage for research technique is key to the effective clinical research of Chinese medicine. Only by gradually maturing and completing the clinical research methods of the real world could we realize "taking two ways simultaneously" and complementing each other, continuously produce scientific and reliable evidence of Chinese medicine, as well as transform and develop Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

  1. Assessing the appropriateness of parenteral nutrition use in hospitalized patients. A comparison on parenteral nutrition bag prescription in different wards and nutritional outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponta, Monica Laura; Rabbione, Laura; Borgio, Cristina; Quirico, Eliana; Patrito, Elena; Petrachi, Maria Novella; Girotto, Elisabetta; Sillano, Marisa; Geninatti, Silvio; Zanardi, Michela; Pezzana, Andrea

    2018-06-01

    Our aim is to assess parenteral nutrition (PN) bag prescription in hospitalized patients and evaluate clinical outcomes linked to PN therapy. We performed an observational longitudinal retrospective study on PN prescription in a General Public Hospital in Turin, Italy, on ninety-five patients receiving PN prescribed by the Nutrition Support Team (NST). We described patients' demography and assessed nutritional outcomes, as well as PN bag prescription in different wards. Medians were calculated for several clinical parameters before and after PN therapy. A z-test for proportions has been performed to better understand the impact of various conditions on clinical outcomes and to compare differences between administered nutrients and required amounts. The NST resulted responsible for only 18% of bags prescribed in the geriatrics ward and for 48% in the surgery wards. PN was not able to fulfill nutritional requirements resulting in a median lack of 3.1 calories and 0.23 g of proteins per kilogram of reference body weight per day. Despite this, PN therapy was able to improve total blood proteins and calcium blood levels in our cohort. The NST changed the prescription in 55.8% of the pre-existing PN regimens. More strict adherence to guidelines is needed in order to maximize effectiveness of PN and observe a positive impact on clinical parameters. Copyright © 2018 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A survey of Korean medicine doctors' clinical practice patterns for autism spectrum disorder: preliminary research for clinical practice guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jihong; Lee, Sun Haeng; Lee, Boram; Yang, In Jun; Chang, Gyu Tae

    2018-03-13

    The aim of this study was to investigate autism spectrum disorder (ASD) clinical practice patterns of Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) through questionnaire survey. Questionnaires on Korean medicine (KM) treatment for ASD were distributed to 255 KMDs on December 5, 2016. The KMDs were psychiatrists, pediatricians, or general practitioners, who treated patients with ASD. The questionnaire covered items on treatment methods, aims of treatment, KM syndrome differentiation, diagnostic tools, and sociodemographic characteristics. Frequency analysis was conducted to describe the participants and their practices. A total 22.4% KMDs (n = 57/255) completed the questionnaires and 54 KMDs (21.2%) matched the inclusion criteria. The KMDs utilized herbal medicine (27.3%), body acupuncture (17.6%), scalp acupuncture (10.7%), moxibustion (6.4%), and Korean medical psychotherapy (5.9%) to treat ASD. The most commonly prescribed herbal medicine was Yukmijihwang-tang. Forty-eight (88.9%) KMDs responded that they used KM syndrome differentiation. 'Organ system, Qi, Blood, Yin, Yang, Fluid and Humor diagnosis' was most frequently used for syndrome differentiation. ASD was mainly diagnosed based on the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and DSM-5. The present study demonstrated the current status of KMDs' diagnosis and treatment of ASD. In future clinical trials and clinical practice guidelines, these findings will provide meaningful information on the actual practice patterns of KMDs.

  3. The efficacy of the direct clinical intervention for infectious diseases by a pediatric infectious disease specialist in the pediatric ward of a tertiary medical facility without a pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshina, T; Yamamoto, N; Ogawa, M; Nakamoto, T; Kusuhara, K

    2017-08-01

    Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have been introduced in most hospital complexes; however, they are not always useful for pediatric patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of direct clinical intervention for infectious diseases by a pediatric infectious disease specialist in a tertiary medical facility without pediatric ASP. This retrospective study included 1,821 patients who were hospitalized in the pediatric ward of a large metropolitan hospital from 2010 to 2015. The clinical course, the use of intravenous antimicrobial agents and the results of a microbiological analysis were compared between the period after the beginning of direct intervention by the specialist (post-intervention period) and the previous period (pre-intervention period). In the post-intervention period, the proportion of the patients who received intravenous antimicrobial agents, the number of antimicrobial agents used for each episode, and the proportion of episodes in which an antimicrobial agent was re-administrated were significantly lower (P = 0.006, P = 0.004, P = 0.036, respectively), and the duration of antimicrobial treatment was significantly shorter (P infectious diseases specialist is useful for the treatment of infectious diseases in the pediatric ward of a tertiary medical facility without a pediatric ASP. The creation of a pediatric ASP is recommended in hospital complexes.

  4. Technical Developments and Clinical Use of Telemedicine in Sleep Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Bruyneel

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The use of assistive technology and telemedicine is likely to continue to shape our medical practice in the future, notably in the field of sleep medicine, especially within developed countries. Currently, the number of people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS is increasing. Telemedicine (TM can be used in a variety of ways in sleep medicine: telediagnostics, teleconsultation, teletherapy and telemonitoring of patients being treated with positive pressure devices. In this review, we aim to summarize the recent scientific progresses of these techniques and their potential clinical applications and give consideration to the remaining problems related to TM application.

  5. Interprofessional collaboration between junior doctors and nurses in the general ward setting: A qualitative exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Charmaine J; Zhou, Wen T; Chan, Sally W-C; Liaw, Sok Y

    2018-01-01

    To explore the collaboration experiences of junior physicians and nurses in the general ward setting. Junior physicians and nurses do not always work collaboratively and this could affect the quality of patient care. The understanding of the issues affecting junior physicians and nurses working together is needed to inform strategies to improve interprofessional collaboration. Nineteen junior physicians and nurses were interviewed in 2012 and 2013. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Junior physicians and nurses acknowledged the importance of working collaboratively to achieve better patient care, but they are struggling to cope due to heavy clinical workload, organisational constraints and differing power relationships. Nurses have to take on more responsibilities in the decision-making process of patients' care to foster effective interprofessional collaboration. The study calls for educational and organisational strategies to improve interprofessional collaboration between junior physicians and nurses. Nurse leaders should ensure that ward nurses are given a designated time to participate in ward rounds with physicians and have access to a communication tool that assists them in contributing proactively in the decision-making process of patient care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Balancing certainty and uncertainty in clinical medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayward, Richard

    2006-01-01

    Nothing in clinical medicine is one hundred per cent certain. Part of a doctor's education involves learning how to cope with the anxiety that uncertainty in decisions affecting life and death inevitably produces. This paper examines: (1) the role of anxiety -- both rational and irrational -- in the provision of health care; (2) the effects of uncertainty upon the doctor-patient relationship; (3) the threat uncertainty poses to medical authority (and the assumption of infallibility that props it up); (4) the contribution of clinical uncertainty to the rising popularity of alternative therapies; and (5) the clash between the medical and the legal understanding of how certainty should be defined, particularly as it affects the paediatric community. It concludes by suggesting some strategies that might facilitate successful navigation between the opposing and ever-present forces of certainty and uncertainty.

  7. An outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis colonization in a nasal ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lijun; Wang, Mei; Zhang, Junyi; Wu, Wei; Lu, Yuan; Fan, Yanyan

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to describe an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis colonization among patients in a nasal ward. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used for the molecular typing of B. stabilis isolates. Microbiological records were reviewed to delineate the colonization outbreak period. One hundred seventy-one cultures of environment and equipment samples from the nasal ward were performed to trace the source of contamination. Infection control measures were taken in order to end the outbreak. All B. stabilis isolates were identified as a new MLST type, ST821. A total of 53 patients carried this B. stabilis in the nasal ward between March and September 2013, which was defined as the outbreak period. The source of the colonization was not determined because all environment cultures were negative for Burkholderia cepacia complex. No further B. stabilis carriers have been found in the ward since the implementation of interventions. Attention must be paid to asymptomatic colonization in order to identify outbreaks early. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Ward Identity and Scattering Amplitudes for Nonlinear Sigma Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Low, Ian; Yin, Zhewei

    2018-02-01

    We present a Ward identity for nonlinear sigma models using generalized nonlinear shift symmetries, without introducing current algebra or coset space. The Ward identity constrains correlation functions of the sigma model such that the Adler's zero is guaranteed for S -matrix elements, and gives rise to a subleading single soft theorem that is valid at the quantum level and to all orders in the Goldstone decay constant. For tree amplitudes, the Ward identity leads to a novel Berends-Giele recursion relation as well as an explicit form of the subleading single soft factor. Furthermore, interactions of the cubic biadjoint scalar theory associated with the single soft limit, which was previously discovered using the Cachazo-He-Yuan representation of tree amplitudes, can be seen to emerge from matrix elements of conserved currents corresponding to the generalized shift symmetry.

  9. Complementary and alternative medicine use by visitors to rural Japanese family medicine clinics: results from the international complementary and alternative medicine survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shumer, Gregory; Warber, Sara; Motohara, Satoko; Yajima, Ayaka; Plegue, Melissa; Bialko, Matthew; Iida, Tomoko; Sano, Kiyoshi; Amenomori, Masaki; Tsuda, Tsukasa; Fetters, Michael D

    2014-09-25

    There is growing interest in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) throughout the world, however previous research done in Japan has focused primarily on CAM use in major cities. The purpose of this study was to develop and distribute a Japanese version of the International Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q) to assess the use of CAM among people who visit rural Japanese family medicine clinics. Using a Japanese version of the International Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q), a cross-sectional survey was conducted in three rural family medicine clinics. All patients and those accompanying patients who met inclusion criteria were eligible to participate. Data were entered into SPSS Statistics and analyzed for use by age, gender, and location. Of the 519 respondents who participated in the project, 415 participants reported CAM use in the past 12 months (80.0%). When prayer is excluded, the prevalence of CAM use drops to 77.3% in the past year, or 403 respondents. The most common forms of CAM used by respondents were pain relief pads (n = 170, 32.8%), herbal medicines/supplements (n = 167, 32.2%), and massage by self or family (n = 166, 32.0%). Female respondents, individuals with higher levels of education, and those with poorer overall health status were more likely to use CAM than respondents without these characteristics. Only 22.8% of CAM therapies used were reported to physicians by survey participants. These data indicate that CAM use in rural Japan is common. The results are consistent with previous studies that show that Japanese individuals are more interested in forms of CAM such as pain relief pads and massage, than in mind-body forms of CAM like relaxation and meditation. Due to the high utilization of certain CAM practices, and given that most CAM users do not disclose their CAM use to their doctors, we conclude that physicians in rural Japan would benefit by asking about CAM use

  10. Child-Parent Wellbeing in a Paediatric Ward: The Role of Music Therapy in Supporting Children and Their Parents Facing the Challenge of Hospitalisation

    OpenAIRE

    Carolyn Ayson

    2008-01-01

    This report, based on clinical practice on a children’s ward in New Zealand, examines the role of short-term music therapy in supporting children and their parents[1] facing the difficulties of hospitalisation. It endeavours to explore three questions. How might music therapy support hospitalised children? How can it support parents of hospitalised children? Is it important/valuable for music therapists working in a paediatric ward to involve parent(s) in music therapy sessions? Three ho...

  11. Implementation of Releasing Time to Care - the productive ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Gwyneth

    2009-07-01

    This paper describes the implementation of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement Productive Ward - releasing time to care programme. It will discuss the benefits and key successes and provides advice for those wishing to implement the programme. In Lord Darzi's Next Stage Review, he advocates an ambitious vision of patient centred - clinician led, locally driven NHS. The Releasing Time to Care programme is a unique opportunity for everyone working within the NHS to improve effectiveness, safety and reliability of the services we provide. Whilst being situated within a National Health Service policy environment learning from this work can be translated nationally and internationally, as the principles underpin the provision of high quality care. Evaluation is currently in relation to each of the 15 modules rather than as the programme as a whole. It uses various methods including audit, observation, activity follow through, satisfaction surveys and process mapping. Each month data is colated for each of the 11 metrics which has shown a reduction in falls, drug administration errors and improvement in the recording of patient observations. One of the key issues is that an essential component for the success of the programme lies in the tangible support of the Trust Board/Board of Directors. Evidence shows that this programme improves patient satisfaction as it enables the provision of an increase in direct patient care by staff and subsequently improved clinical and safety outcomes. Ward Sister/Charge Nurse development includes Leadership, Project management and Lean Methodology techniques. The Releasing Time to Care programme is a key component of the Next Stage Review. It will create productive organisations by being a catalyst for the transformation of Trust services, enabling staff to spend more time caring for patients and users. This release in time will result in better outcomes and subsequent improvement with patient and staff satisfaction and

  12. Advanced Bayesian processing of clinical data in nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jirsa, L.

    1999-11-01

    The Bayesian methodology was applied with a view to improving the quality of thyroid gland disease treatment at a nuclear medicine department. The specific tasks included: formulation of the estimation tasks from the theoretical point of view; elaborating algorithms to estimate various physical, medical and dosimetric quantities used in radiodiagnosis and radiotherapy of thyroid gland diseases; testing their numerical precision; testing their numerical stability on a large set of clinical data; implementation of the algorithms at a level applicable in routine conditions of the nuclear medicine department and replace by them the data processing methods used there so far; exploring and testing the quality improvement of the estimates; and in dependence on the results, proposing hints where improvement of the data measurement methodology is necessary

  13. Poverty and violence, frustration and inventiveness: hospital ward life in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaman, Shahaduz

    2004-11-01

    An ethnographic exploration was done in an orthopaedic ward of a government teaching hospital in Bangladesh to understand the nature of hospital culture in the context of Bangladeshi society at large. Life and work in the ward result in a culture that is simultaneously created by its inhabitants and the conditions in which they are situated. The study shows that biomedicine is a product of particular social conditions and that the hospital reflects features of its society. Behind the injuries and broken limbs in the ward are stories of violence, crime, and intolerance occurring in a society where masses of people fight over limited resources. In the ward people interact in an extremely hierarchical manner. The patients, who are mainly from poor economic backgrounds, remain at the bottom of the hierarchy. Doctors and other staff members are often professionally frustrated. Strikes related to hospital staff's various professional demands hamper the regular flow of work in the ward. Family members are engaged in nursing and provide various kinds of support to their hospitalized relatives. Patients give small bribes to ward boys and cleaners to obtain their day-to-day necessities. Patients joke with each other and mock senior doctors. Thus, they neutralize their powerlessness and drive away the monotony of their stay. Doctors develop 'indigenous' solutions to orthopaedic problems. Instead of using high-tech devices, they employ instruments made of bamboo, bricks, and razor blades. This study shows how medical practice takes shape in an understaffed, under-resourced and poorly financed hospital operating in a low-income country.

  14. Prevalence of Nosocomial Infection in Different Wards of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamal Falahi

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background The CDC defines a nosocomial infection as a localized or systemic condition caused by an adverse reaction to the presence of an infectious agent(s or its toxin(s. It is an infection that occurs between 48 to 72 hours after admission of patients in the hospital or as soon after the hospital discharge and on the admission time, patients don't have this infection. Objectives This study aimed to characterize the prevalence of nosocomial infection in Ghaem hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in all wards of the Ghaem hospital, Mashhad during the 1 year period (2013; the data were collected from the wards records and HIS system and analyzed by the SPSS software (version16. Results In the present study, of total 35979 hospitalized patients in different wards of the Ghaem hospital was reported 1.1% of nosocomial infection. In the meantime, overall, the most prevalent organism was Acinetobacter baumannii with a prevalence of 37.2% and the minimum was linked to the Bacillus species with a prevalence 0.3%. The highest and lowest prevalence of the nosocomial infection was in the ICU and CCU with 49.9% and 0.3%, respectively. In general, among all wards of the mentioned hospital, the most frequent nosocomial infection was pneumonia (47.4% and the lowest belonged to CSF (2.3%. Conclusions In our study, the ICU ward was accounted for the highest rate of nosocomial infection, due to the critical importance of this ward. Preventive measures and survivelance system for reduction of nosocomial infections is needed.

  15. Geometrical formulation of the conformal Ward identity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kachkachi, M.

    2002-08-01

    In this paper we use deep ideas in complex geometry that proved to be very powerful in unveiling the Polyakov measure on the moduli space of Riemann surfaces and lead to obtain the partition function of perturbative string theory for 2, 3, 4 loops. Indeed, a geometrical interpretation of the conformal Ward identity in two dimensional conformal field theory is proposed: the conformal anomaly is interpreted as a deformation of the complex structure of the basic Riemann surface. This point of view is in line with the modern trend of geometric quantizations that are based on deformations of classical structures. Then, we solve the conformal Ward identity by using this geometrical formalism. (author)

  16. Do-not-resuscitate policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gendt, de C.; Bilsen, J.J.; Stichele, van der R.; Lambert, M.; Noortgate, N. Den; Deliens, L.H.J.

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To describe the historical development and status of a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium, and to compare it with the international situation. DESIGN: Structured mail questionnaires. SETTING: All 94 acute geriatric wards in hospitals in Flanders

  17. Stress in hospital medicine: a problem for key hospital staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, I

    2001-08-01

    Many factors which contribute to stress in the workplace apply to both consultants and ward sisters. Both groups find that their roles have become more complex while they have increasingly lost control of their own clinical and professional territory in a managerial culture. The erosion of the key relationship between consultants and ward sisters is of concern and the need for teamworking is insufficiently recognized.

  18. 78 FR 14543 - Ward Transformer Superfund Site; Raleigh, Wake County, NC; Notice of Settlement

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-06

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL 9788-2; CERCLA-04-2013-3754] Ward Transformer Superfund Site... Ward Transformer Superfund Site located in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. Under the terms of the.... Submit your comments by Site name Ward Transformer Superfund Site by one of the following methods: [[Page...

  19. Techniques and Behaviors Associated with Exemplary Inpatient General Medicine Teaching: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houchens, Nathan; Harrod, Molly; Moody, Stephanie; Fowler, Karen; Saint, Sanjay

    2017-07-01

    Clinician educators face numerous obstacles to their joint mission of facilitating high-quality learning while also delivering patient-centered care. Such challenges necessitate increased attention to the work of exemplary clinician educators, their respective teaching approaches, and the experiences of their learners. To describe techniques and behaviors utilized by clinician educators to facilitate excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. An exploratory qualitative study of inpatient teaching conducted from 2014 to 2015. Inpatient general medicine wards in 11 US hospitals, including university-affiliated hospitals and Veterans Affairs medical centers. Participants included 12 exemplary clinician educators, 57 of their current learners, and 26 of their former learners. In-depth, semi-structured interviews of exemplary clinician educators, focus group discussions with their current and former learners, and direct observations of clinical teaching during inpatient rounds. Interview data, focus group data, and observational field notes were coded and categorized into broad, overlapping themes. Each theme elucidated a series of actions, behaviors, and approaches that exemplary clinician educators consistently demonstrated during inpatient rounds: (1) they fostered positive relationships with all team members by building rapport, which in turn created a safe learning environment; (2) they facilitated patient-centered teaching points, modeled excellent clinical exam and communication techniques, and treated patients as partners in their care; and (3) they engaged in coaching and collaboration through facilitation of discussion, effective questioning strategies, and differentiation of learning among team members with varied experience levels. This study identified consistent techniques and behaviors of excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

  20. [Role and management of cancer clinical database in the application of gastric cancer precision medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuanfang; Zhou, Zhiwei

    2016-02-01

    Precision medicine is a new medical concept and medical model, which is based on personalized medicine, rapid progress of genome sequencing technology and cross application of biological information and big data science. Precision medicine improves the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer to provide more convenience through more profound analyses of characteristics, pathogenesis and other core issues in gastric cancer. Cancer clinical database is important to promote the development of precision medicine. Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the construction and management of the database. The clinical database of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center is composed of medical record database, blood specimen bank, tissue bank and medical imaging database. In order to ensure the good quality of the database, the design and management of the database should follow the strict standard operation procedure(SOP) model. Data sharing is an important way to improve medical research in the era of medical big data. The construction and management of clinical database must also be strengthened and innovated.

  1. The locked psychiatric ward: hotel or detention camp for people with dual diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terkelsen, Toril Borch; Larsen, Inger Beate

    2013-10-01

    The concepts of autonomy and liberty are established goals in mental health care; however, involuntary commitment is used towards people with mental health and substance abuse problems (dual diagnosis). To explore how patients and staff act in the context of involuntary commitment, how interactions are described and how they might be interpreted. Ethnographic methodology in a locked psychiatric ward in Norway. Two parallel images emerged: (a) The ward as a hotel. Several patients wanted a locked ward for rest and safety, even when admission was classified as involuntary. The staff was concerned about using the ward for real treatment of motivated people, rather than merely as a comfortable hotel for the unmotivated. (b) The ward as a detention camp. Other patients found involuntary commitment and restrictions in the ward as a kind of punishment, offending them as individuals. Contrary, the staff understood people with dual diagnoses more like a generalized group in need of their control and care. Patients and staff have different perceptions of involuntary commitment. Based on the patients' points of view, mental health care ought to be characterized by inclusion and recognition, treating patients as equal citizens comparable to guests in a hotel.

  2. Experiences of psychiatric nurses exposed to hostility from patients in a forensic ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tema, T R; Poggenpoel, M; Myburgh, C P H

    2011-10-01

    Hostile behaviour is becoming a way of life in South Africa. Hostility prevails at all settings, including in the health sector. In a forensic ward psychiatric nurses are subjected to hostile behaviour by the patients. The aim of the present study was to explore and describe the psychiatric nurses' experiences of hostile behaviour by patients in a forensic ward and make recommendations for nurse managers to empower these psychiatric nurses to cope with the patients' aggression. Qualitative, in-depth, phenomenological interviews were conducted with nine psychiatric nurses exposed to hostility from patients in a forensic ward. Recommendations were derived from the results from nurse managers to assist psychiatric nurses. It became apparent from the findings that psychiatric nurses in a forensic ward work in a stressful environment. Hostile behaviour in the forensic ward is consistently experienced by the psychiatric nurses as hindering therapeutic relationships. The psychiatric nurses experienced being disempowered. Psychiatric nurses experience hostile behaviour by patients in a forensic ward as disempowering. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSE MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers can facilitate psychiatric nurses' empowerment by providing them access to: information, support, resources, opportunity and growth. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Pain in the nursing home: assessment and treatment on different types of care wards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Achterberg, W.P.; Pot, A.M.; Scherder, E.J.A.; Ribbe, M.W.

    2007-01-01

    ). Patients on psychogeriatric wards who had pain received less pain medication, adjusted for frequency and intensity of pain (OR 0.37 [95% CI = 0.23–0.59]), compared to patients on somatic wards. We conclude that admission to a psychogeriatric care ward, independent of cognition, is associated with

  4. Integrating Simulation Scenarios and Clinical Practices Guided by Concepts of Translational Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jing; Huang, Si-min; Li, Ze-jian; Feng, Lie; Lu, Chun-ting

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: To develop a novel method for closely and effectively integrating simulation scenarios and clinical practices to improve clinical skills training in the concepts of translational medicine. Methods: Forty-two and 38 third-year medical students in the classes of 2010 and 2009 at Jinan University were selected as an observation group and a…

  5. The survival time of chocolates on hospital wards: covert observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajendragadkar, Parag R; Moualed, Daniel J; Nicolson, Phillip L R; Adjei, Felicia D; Cakebread, Holly E; Duehmke, Rudolf M; Martin, Claire A

    2013-12-14

    To quantify the consumption of chocolates in a hospital ward environment. Multicentre, prospective, covert observational study. Four wards at three hospitals (where the authors worked) within the United Kingdom. Boxes of Quality Street (Nestlé) and Roses (Cadbury) on the ward and anyone eating these chocolates. Observers covertly placed two 350 g boxes of Quality Street and Roses chocolates on each ward (eight boxes were used in the study containing a total of 258 individual chocolates). These boxes were kept under continuous covert surveillance, with the time recorded when each chocolate was eaten. Median survival time of a chocolate. 191 out of 258 (74%) chocolates were observed being eaten. The mean total observation period was 254 minutes (95% confidence interval 179 to 329). The median survival time of a chocolate was 51 minutes (39 to 63). The model of chocolate consumption was non-linear, with an initial rapid rate of consumption that slowed with time. An exponential decay model best fitted these findings (model R(2)=0.844, P<0.001), with a survival half life (time taken for 50% of the chocolates to be eaten) of 99 minutes. The mean time taken to open a box of chocolates from first appearance on the ward was 12 minutes (95% confidence interval 0 to 24). Quality Street chocolates survived longer than Roses chocolates (hazard ratio for survival of Roses v Quality Street 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 0.93, P=0.014). The highest percentages of chocolates were consumed by healthcare assistants (28%) and nurses (28%), followed by doctors (15%). From our observational study, chocolate survival in a hospital ward was relatively short, and was modelled well by an exponential decay model. Roses chocolates were preferentially consumed to Quality Street chocolates in a ward setting. Chocolates were consumed primarily by healthcare assistants and nurses, followed by doctors. Further practical studies are needed.

  6. 75 FR 81269 - Ward Transformer Superfund Site Raleigh, Wake County, NC; Notice of Settlements

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-27

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket EPA-RO4-SFUND-2010-1053, FRL-9243-2] Ward Transformer... entered into a five settlements for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Ward Transformer... Docket ID No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2010-1053 or Site name Ward Transformer Superfund Site by one of the...

  7. Evidence-based clinical practice, [corrected] evidence-based medicine and the Cochrane collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gambrill, E

    1999-03-01

    Encouraging professionals in training and later to consider practice-related research findings when making important clinical decisions is an on-going concern. Evidenced-Based Medicine (EBM) and the Cochrane Collaboration (CC) provide a source of tools and ideas for doing so, as well as a roster of colleagues who share this interest. Evidenced-based medicine involves integrating clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research as well as considering the values and expectations of patients/clients. Advantage can be taken of educational formats developed in EBM, such as problem-based learning and critical-appraisal workshops in which participants learn how to ask key answerable questions related to important clinical practice questions (e.g., regarding effectiveness, accuracy of assessment measures, prediction, prevention, and quality of clinical practice guidelines) and to access and critically appraise related research. The Cochrane Collaboration is a world-wide network of centers that prepare, maintain, and disseminate high-quality systematic reviews on the efficacy of healthcare. These databases allow access to evidence related to clinical practice decisions. Forging reciprocal working relationships with those involved in EBM reciprocal and the CC should contribute to the pursuit of shared goals such as basing clinical decisions on the best-available evidence and involving clients as informed consumers.

  8. Light-front Ward-Takahashi identity for two-fermion systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinho, J. A. O.; Frederico, T.; Pace, E.; Salme, G.; Sauer, P. U.

    2008-01-01

    We propose a three-dimensional electromagnetic current operator within light-front dynamics that satisfies a light-front Ward-Takahashi identity for two-fermion systems. The light-front current operator is obtained by a quasipotential reduction of the four-dimensional current operator and acts on the light-front valence component of bound or scattering states. A relation between the light-front valence wave function and the four-dimensional Bethe-Salpeter amplitude both for bound or scattering states is also derived, such that the matrix elements of the four-dimensional current operator can be fully recovered from the corresponding light-front ones. The light-front current operator can be perturbatively calculated through a quasipotential expansion, and the divergence of the proposed current satisfies a Ward-Takahashi identity at any given order of the expansion. In the quasipotential expansion the instantaneous terms of the fermion propagator are accounted for by the effective interaction and two-body currents. We exemplify our theoretical construction in the Yukawa model in the ladder approximation, investigating in detail the current operator at the lowest nontrivial order of the quasipotential expansion of the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The explicit realization of the light-front form of the Ward-Takahashi identity is verified. We also show the relevance of instantaneous terms and of the pair contribution to the two-body current and the Ward-Takahashi identity

  9. Comparing Efficacy of Implementing Two Teaching Methods Contract Learning and Traditional Instruction on Clinical Skills of Nursing Students in Psychiatric Wards of Hospitals of Tehran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamileh Mohtashami

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and purpose: A learning contract is defined as a written agreement between teacher and student which makes explicit what a learner will do to achieve specified learning outcomes.Learning contracts have been used as a teaching and learning strategy for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students in many countries.Methods : This research is a quasi-experimental study that compares effect of two different teaching methods , Contract learning and traditional on clinical skills for a group of nursing students who were in fourth year of study in a pre-registration bachelor of nursing degree program in Tehran . A learning contract was implemented as a learning tool in the students clinical placement in psychiatric nursing .Data were connected from questionnaires , interviews and clinical evaluation papers with students .Results : The results showed that students agreed that there was an increase in students autonomy and motivation in learning with the use of learning contract . It also increased the sharing between students and clinical instructors.Conclusion : According to the findings of this study , contract learning is considered beneficial to students learning and has the potential to be used in clinical learning .Key words : NURSING STUDENTS, LEARNING CONTRACTS , TRADITIONAL METHOD , MOTIVATION , AUTONOMY, PSYCHIATRIC WARDS .

  10. Impact of Pharmacy Student Interventions in an Urban Family Medicine Clinic

    OpenAIRE

    Ginzburg, Regina

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. To determine the number of interventions made by pharmacy students at an urban family medicine clinic and the acceptance rate of these recommendations by the healthcare providers. The secondary objective was to investigate the cost avoidance value of the interventions.

  11. User participation in a Municipal Acute Ward in Norway: dilemmas in the interface between policy ideals and work conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johannessen, Anne-Kari; Tveiten, Sidsel; Werner, Anne

    2017-08-23

    User participation has become an increasingly important principle in health care over the last few decades. Healthcare professionals are expected to involve patients in treatment decisions. Clear guidance as to what this should entail for professionals in clinical work is not accounted for in legislation. In this study, we explore how healthcare professionals in a Municipal Acute Ward perceived, experienced and performed user participation. The ward represents a new short-time service model for emergency assistance in Norway. We focused on the challenges the professionals faced in clinical work and how they dealt with these. Data were drawn from qualitative interviews with 11 healthcare professionals and from 10 observations in relation to previsits and physician's rounds in the ward. Transcripts of interviews and observations were analysed using a method for systematic text condensation. In the analysis, we applied Lipsky's perspective on dilemmas of street-level bureaucrats. The results show that that the professionals perceived user participation as an important and natural part of their work. They experienced difficulties related to collaboration with patients, caregivers, and professionals in other services, and with framework conditions that caused conflicting expectations, responsibility, and priorities. The professionals seemed to take a pragmatic approach to user participation, managing it within narrow perspectives. Our study indicates that the participants dealt with the dilemmas at the cost of user participation. The results demonstrate that there is a gap between the outlined health policy and the professionals' opportunities to fulfil this policy in clinical work regarding user participation. The policy decision-makers should recognise the balancing work required of healthcare professionals to deal with difficulties in clinical work. The knowledge that professionals possess as performers of services and the need for valuing in policy processes should

  12. Estimation of Internal Radiation Dose to Nuclear Medicine Workers at Siriraj Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asawarattanapakdee, J.; Sritongkul, N.; Chaudakshetrin, P.; Kanchanaphiboon, P.; Tuntawiroon, M.

    2012-01-01

    Every type of work performed in a nuclear medicine department will make a contribution to both external and internal exposure of the worker. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential risks of internal contamination to staff members during nuclear medicine practices and to conclude about the requirement of a routine internal monitoring. Following the method describes in the ICRP Publication 78 and the IAEA Safety Standard Series No. RS- G-1.2, in vivo thyroid bioassays using NaI(Tl) thyroid probe were performed to determine the intake estimates on 7 groups of nuclear medicine personnel working with I-131 and Tc-99m, based on working conditions and amount of radionuclides being handled. Frequency of measurements was between 7 and 14 days. These include (1) physicians and physicists, (2) radiochemists (3) technologists, (4) nurses and assistant nurses, (5) imaging room assistants, (6) hot lab workers and (7) hospital ward housekeepers/cleaners. Among all workers, the intake estimates of I-131 in the thyroid ranged from 0 to 76.7 kBq and of the technetium-99m from 0 to 35.4 MBq. The mean committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) from both I-131 and Tc-99m were 0.63, 1.44 0.53, 0.57, 0.73, 0.98, and 1.36, mSv, for group 1 through group 7 respectively. However, the highest mean CEDE of 1.44 (max. 1.75) and 1.36 (max. 2.11) mSv observed in groups of radiochemists and hospital ward housekeepers were within the permissible level. Our results showed that CEDE for internal exposure in this study were less than investigate level of 5 mSv according to the ICRP Publication 78 and the IAEA Basic Safety Standards. However, the mean CEDE for radiochemists and hospital ward housekeepers were considered in exceed of the limits of recording level (1 mSv).The increasing use of I-131 and Tc-99m in nuclear medicine poses significant risks of internal exposure to the staff. This study suggests that a routine monitoring program for internal exposures should be implemented for

  13. Chinese Herbal Medicine for Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome: From Clinical Findings to Basic Understandings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tao; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Li; Zhong, Linda

    2016-01-01

    Functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS) is one of the less common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Conventional therapy has unsatisfactory response to it so people turn to Chinese medicine for help. Currently, we reviewed the whole picture of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) clinical and basic application in the treatment of FAPS, especially the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome, the single herb, and Chinese medicine formulae, thus to provide a solid base to further develop evidence-based study for this common gastrointestinal complaint in the future. We developed the search strategy and set the inclusion and exclusion criteria for article search. From the included articles, we totally retrieved 586 records according to our searching criteria, of which 16 were duplicate records and 291 were excluded for reasons of irrelevance. The full text of 279 articles was retrieved for detailed assessment, of which 123 were excluded for various reasons. The number one used single herb is Radix Ginseng. The most common syndrome was liver qi depression. The most frequently used classic formula was Si-Mo-Tang. This reflected the true situation of clinical practice of Chinese medicine practitioners and could be further systematically synthesized as key points of the therapeutic research for FAPS.

  14. Rolling out Productive Ward foundation modules across a hospital trust.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Sam; Gordon, Pete; McSherry, Wilfred

    The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust has spent the last 12 months rolling out the Productive Ward foundation modules across the whole organisation. This has resulted in measurable increases in time spent on direct care, and reduced infection rates and ward non-pay (non-staffing) expenditure. This article discusses the initiative and looks at how problems with the hospital supply chain are being addressed.

  15. Door locking and exit security measures on acute psychiatric admission wards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijman, H.L.I.; Bowers, L.; Haglund, K.; Muir-Cochrane, E.; Simpson, A.; Merwe, M. van der

    2011-01-01

    Locking the exit doors of psychiatric wards is believed to reduce the risk of patients absconding. The aims of the study were to investigate both the prevalence of door locking and other exit security measures on UK admission wards, as well as whether door locking appears to be effective in keeping

  16. A systematic literature review of Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Stella; McSherry, Wilfred

    2013-05-01

    This systematic review provides an overview of the literature published on Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward between 2005 and June 2011. Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward programme was developed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and launched in England in 2007. The programme comprises thirteen modules that aim to increase time for direct patient care, improve the patient and staff experience and make changes to the ward environment to improve efficiency. A systematic literature review. The terms 'Releasing Time to Care' and 'Productive Ward' were applied to key healthcare databases; CINAHL, Medline, Science Direct, ProQuest, Health Business Elite, British Nursing Index, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium and PsychInfo. All papers were read and subject to a quality assessment. The literature search identified 95 unique sources. A lack of research on The Productive Ward programme meant it was necessary to include non-empirical literature. In total, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. Seven key themes were identified: the patient and staff experience, direct care time, patient safety, financial impact, embedding and sustainability, executive support and leadership, and common barriers and determinants of success. It also highlighted areas that require further exploration such as long-term sustainability of the programme and consistent data measurement between organisations. The review tentatively reports how The Productive Ward programme has been used to transform nursing practice for the benefit of patients and frontline staff, and how it resulted in cost savings. The literature review identified a potential positive results bias in the current literature whereby favourable outcomes were reported. This paper summarises the types of evidence and current literature on The Productive Ward providing a reference for frontline staff implementing the programme. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. MERGING conventional and complementary medicine in a clinic department - a theoretical model and practical recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérard, Marion; Mittring, Nadine; Schweiger, David; Kummer, Christopher; Witt, Claudia M

    2015-06-09

    Today, the increasing demand for complementary medicine encourages health care providers to adapt and create integrative medicine departments or services within clinics. However, because of their differing philosophies, historical development, and settings, merging the partners (conventional and complementary medicine) is often difficult. It is necessary to understand the similarities and differences in both cultures to support a successful and sustainable integration. The aim of this project was to develop a theoretical model and practical steps that are based on theories from mergers in business to facilitate the implementation of an integrative medicine department. Based on a literature search and expert discussions, the cultures were described and model domains were developed. These were applied to two case studies to develop the final model. Furthermore, a checklist with practical steps was devised. Conventional medicine and complementary medicine have developed different corporate cultures. The final model, which should help to foster integration by bridging between these cultures, is based on four overall aspects: culture, strategy, organizational tools and outcomes. Each culture is represented by three dimensions in the model: corporate philosophy (core and identity of the medicine and the clinic), patient (all characteristics of the professional team's contact with the patient), and professional team (the characteristics of the interactions within the professional team). Overall, corporate culture differs between conventional and complementary medicine; when planning the implementation of an integrative medicine department, the developed model and the checklist can support better integration.

  18. The evolution of integration: innovations in clinical skills and ethics in first year medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunger, Fern; Duke, Pauline S

    2012-01-01

    Critical self-reflection, medical ethics and clinical skills are each important components of medical education but are seldom linked in curriculum development. We developed a curriculum that builds on the existing integration of ethics education into the clinical skills course to more explicitly link these three skills. The curriculum builds on the existing integration of clinical skills and ethics in first year medicine. It refines the integration through scheduling changes; adds case studies that emphasise the social, economic and political context of our province's patient population; and introduces reflection on the "culture of medicine" as a way to have students articulate and understand their own values and moral decision making frameworks. This structured Clinical Skills course is a model for successfully integrating critical self-reflection, reflection on the political, economic and cultural contexts shaping health and healthcare, and moral decision making into clinical skills training.

  19. Light-front zero-mode contribution to the Ward Identity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sales, J.H.O.; Suzuki, A.T.

    2010-01-01

    In a covariant gauge we implicitly assume that the Green's function propagates information from one point of the space-time to another, so that the Green's function is responsible for the dynamics of the relativistic particle. In the light front form one would naively expect that this feature would be preserved. In this manner, the fermionic field propagator can be split into a propagating piece and a non-propagating ('contact') term. Since the latter ('contact') one does not propagate information, and therefore, supposedly can be discarded with no harm to the field dynamics we wanted to know what would be the impact of dropping it off. To do that, we investigated its role in the Ward identity in the light front. Here we use the terminology Ward identity to identify the limiting case of photon's zero momentum transfer in the vertex from the more general Ward-Takahashi identity with nonzero momentum transfer.

  20. Roadmap to a Comprehensive Clinical Data Warehouse for Precision Medicine Applications in Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foran, David J; Chen, Wenjin; Chu, Huiqi; Sadimin, Evita; Loh, Doreen; Riedlinger, Gregory; Goodell, Lauri A; Ganesan, Shridar; Hirshfield, Kim; Rodriguez, Lorna; DiPaola, Robert S

    2017-01-01

    Leading institutions throughout the country have established Precision Medicine programs to support personalized treatment of patients. A cornerstone for these programs is the establishment of enterprise-wide Clinical Data Warehouses. Working shoulder-to-shoulder, a team of physicians, systems biologists, engineers, and scientists at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have designed, developed, and implemented the Warehouse with information originating from data sources, including Electronic Medical Records, Clinical Trial Management Systems, Tumor Registries, Biospecimen Repositories, Radiology and Pathology archives, and Next Generation Sequencing services. Innovative solutions were implemented to detect and extract unstructured clinical information that was embedded in paper/text documents, including synoptic pathology reports. Supporting important precision medicine use cases, the growing Warehouse enables physicians to systematically mine and review the molecular, genomic, image-based, and correlated clinical information of patient tumors individually or as part of large cohorts to identify changes and patterns that may influence treatment decisions and potential outcomes.

  1. Design in mind: eliciting service user and frontline staff perspectives on psychiatric ward design through participatory methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csipke, Emese; Papoulias, Constantina; Vitoratou, Silia; Williams, Paul; Rose, Diana; Wykes, Til

    2016-01-01

    Psychiatric ward design may make an important contribution to patient outcomes and well-being. However, research is hampered by an inability to assess its effects robustly. This paper reports on a study which deployed innovative methods to capture service user and staff perceptions of ward design. User generated measures of the impact of ward design were developed and tested on four acute adult wards using participatory methodology. Additionally, inpatients took photographs to illustrate their experience of the space in two wards. Data were compared across wards. Satisfactory reliability indices emerged based on both service user and staff responses. Black and minority ethnic (BME) service users and those with a psychosis spectrum diagnosis have more positive views of the ward layout and fixtures. Staff members have more positive views than service users, while priorities of staff and service users differ. Inpatient photographs prioritise hygiene, privacy and control and address symbolic aspects of the ward environment. Participatory and visual methodologies can provide robust tools for an evaluation of the impact of psychiatric ward design on users.

  2. Student attitudes towards clinical teaching resources in complementary medicine: a focus group examination of Australian naturopathic medicine students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardle, Jonathan Lee; Sarris, Jerome

    2014-06-01

    Complementary medicine is forming an increasingly large part of health care in developed countries and is increasingly being formally taught in tertiary academic settings. An exploratory study of naturopathic student perceptions of, use of and attitudes towards teaching resources in naturopathic clinical training and education. Focus groups were conducted with current and recent students of 4-year naturopathic degree programmes in Brisbane and Sydney to ascertain how they interact with clinical teaching materials, and their perceptions and attitudes towards teaching materials in naturopathic education. Naturopathic students have a complex and critical relationship with their learning materials. Although naturopathic practice is often defined by traditional evidence, students want information that both supports and is critical of traditional naturopathic practices, and focuses heavily on evidence-based medicine. Students remain largely ambivalent about new teaching technologies and would prefer that these develop organically as an evolution from printed materials, rather than depart from dramatically and radically from these previously established materials. Findings from this study will assist publishers, librarians and academics develop clinical information sources that appropriately meet student expectations and support their learning requirements. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Group.

  3. Ward-based, nurse-led, outpatient chest tube management: analysis of impact, cost-effectiveness and patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tcherveniakov, Peter; De Siqueira, Jonathan; Milton, Richard; Papagiannopoulos, Kostas

    2012-06-01

    Prolonged drainage and air leaks are recognized complications of elective and acute thoracic surgery and carry significant burden on inpatient stay and outpatient resources. Since 2007, we have run a ward-based, nurse-led clinic for patients discharged with a chest drain in situ. The aim of this study is to assess its cost-effectiveness and safety. We present a retrospective review of the activity of the clinic for a period of 12 months (November 2009-10). An analysis of the gathered data is performed, focusing specifically on the duration of chest tube indwelling, the indications, complications and cost efficiency. The nurse-led clinic was housed in the thoracic ward with no additional fixed costs. Seventy-four patients were reviewed (53 males, 21 females, mean age of 59) and subsequently discharged from the clinic in this time period, accounting for 149 care episodes. Thirty-three (45%) of the patients underwent a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery procedure, 35 (47%) of them a thoracotomy and 7 (9%) had a bedside chest tube insertion. Following hospital discharge, the chest tubes were removed after a median of 14 days (range 1-82 days). Fifty-eight percent of the patients were reviewed because of a prolonged air leak, 26% for persistent fluid drainage and 16% due to prolonged drainage following evacuation of empyemas. For the care episodes analysed, we estimate that the clinic has generated an income of €24,899 for the department. Hourly staffing costs for the service are significantly lower compared with those of the traditional outpatient clinic: €15 vs. €114. Our results show that a dedicated chest tube monitoring clinic is a safe and efficient alternative to formal outpatient clinic review. It can lead to shorter hospital stays and is cost effective.

  4. An Innovative Clinical Skills “Boot Camp” for Dental Medicine Residents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenny Castillo

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available During a 1-year hospital-based residency, dental residents are required to rotate through many departments including surgery, medicine, and emergency medicine. It became apparent that there was a gap between clinical skills knowledge taught in dental school curriculum and skills required for hospital-based patient care. In response, a simulation-based intensive clinical skill “boot camp” was created. The boot camp provided an intensive, interactive 3-day session for the dental residents. During the 3 days, residents were introduced to medical knowledge and skills that were necessary for their inpatient hospital rotations but were lacking in traditional dental school curriculum. Effectiveness of the boot camp was assessed in terms of knowledge base and comfort through presession and postsession surveys. According to resident feedback, this intensive introduction for the dental residents improved their readiness for their inpatient hospital-based residency.

  5. Dynamic change of surface microbiota with different environmental cleaning methods between two wards in a hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chang-Hua; Tu, Chi-Chao; Kuo, Han-Yueh; Zeng, Rong-Fong; Yu, Cheng-Sheng; Lu, Henry Horng-Shing; Liou, Ming-Li

    2017-01-01

    Terminal disinfection and daily cleaning have been performed in hospitals in Taiwan for many years to reduce the risks of healthcare-associated infections. However, the effectiveness of these cleaning approaches and dynamic changes of surface microbiota upon cleaning remain unclear. Here, we report the surface changes of bacterial communities with terminal disinfection and daily cleaning in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) and only terminal disinfection in a respiratory care center (RCC) using 16s ribosomal RNA (rRNA) metagenomics. A total of 36 samples, including 9 samples per sampling time, from each ward were analysed. The clinical isolates were recorded during the sampling time. A large amount of microbial diversity was detected, and human skin microbiota (HSM) was predominant in both wards. In addition, the colonization rate of the HSM in the MICU was higher than that in the RCC, especially for Moraxellaceae. A higher alpha-diversity (p = 0.005519) and a lower UniFrac distance was shown in the RCC due to the lack of daily cleaning. Moreover, a significantly higher abundance among Acinetobacter sp., Streptococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. was shown in the RCC compared to the MICU using the paired t test. We concluded that cleaning changes might contribute to the difference in diversity between two wards.

  6. Human Amniotic Membrane-Derived Products in Sports Medicine: Basic Science, Early Results, and Potential Clinical Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riboh, Jonathan C; Saltzman, Bryan M; Yanke, Adam B; Cole, Brian J

    2016-09-01

    Amniotic membrane (AM)-derived products have been successfully used in ophthalmology, plastic surgery, and wound care, but little is known about their potential applications in orthopaedic sports medicine. To provide an updated review of the basic science and preclinical and clinical data supporting the use of AM-derived products and to review their current applications in sports medicine. Systematic review. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The search term amniotic membrane was used alone and in conjunction with stem cell, orthopaedic, tissue engineering, scaffold, and sports medicine. The search identified 6870 articles, 80 of which, after screening of the titles and abstracts, were considered relevant to this study. Fifty-five articles described the anatomy, basic science, and nonorthopaedic applications of AM-derived products. Twenty-five articles described preclinical and clinical trials of AM-derived products for orthopaedic sports medicine. Because the level of evidence obtained from this search was not adequate for systematic review or meta-analysis, a current concepts review on the anatomy, physiology, and clinical uses of AM-derived products is presented. Amniotic membranes have many promising applications in sports medicine. They are a source of pluripotent cells, highly organized collagen, antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory cytokines, immunomodulators, and matrix proteins. These properties may make it beneficial when applied as tissue engineering scaffolds, improving tissue organization in healing, and treatment of the arthritic joint. The current body of evidence in sports medicine is heavily biased toward in vitro and animal studies, with little to no human clinical data. Nonetheless, 14 companies or distributors offer commercial AM products. The preparation and formulation of these products alter their biological and mechanical properties, and a thorough understanding of these

  7. A comparison of two tools to screen potentially inappropriate medication in internal medicine patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanc, A-L; Spasojevic, S; Leszek, A; Théodoloz, M; Bonnabry, P; Fumeaux, T; Schaad, N

    2018-04-01

    Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) is an important issue for inpatient management; it has been associated with safety problems, such as increases in adverse drugs events, and with longer hospital stays and higher healthcare costs. To compare two PIM-screening tools-STOPP/START and PIM-Check-applied to internal medicine patients. A second objective was to compare the use of PIMs in readmitted and non-readmitted patients. A retrospective observational study, in the general internal medicine ward of a Swiss non-university hospital. We analysed a random sample of 50 patients, hospitalized in 2013, whose readmission within 30 days of discharge had been potentially preventable, and compared them to a sample of 50 sex- and age-matched patients who were not readmitted. PIMs were screened using the STOPP/START tool, developed for geriatric patients, and the PIM-Check tool, developed for internal medicine patients. The time needed to perform each patient's analysis was measured. A clinical pharmacist counted and evaluated each PIM detected, based on its clinical relevance to the individual patient's case. The rates of screened and validated PIMs involving readmitted and non-readmitted patients were compared. Across the whole population, PIM-Check and STOPP/START detected 1348 and 537 PIMs, respectively, representing 13.5 and 5.4 PIMs/patient. Screening time was substantially shorter with PIM-Check than with STOPP/START (4 vs 10 minutes, respectively). The clinical pharmacist judged that 45% and 42% of the PIMs detected using PIM-Check and STOPP/START, respectively, were clinically relevant to individual patients' cases. No significant differences in the rates of detected and clinically relevant PIM were found between readmitted and non-readmitted patients. Internal medicine patients are frequently prescribed PIMs. PIM-Check's PIM detection rate was three times higher than STOPP/START's, and its screening time was shorter thanks to its electronic interface. Nearly

  8. Pharmaceutical interventions by collaboration between staff pharmacists and clinical pharmacists and implementation of Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards on medication use may optimize pharmacotherapy in geriatric patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen M

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Meng Chen, Quan Zhou Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of ChinaWe read with great interest the prospective study by Cortejoso et al,1 which describes the characteristics of pharmaceutical interventions in two geriatric wards (orthogeriatric ward and geriatric day unit of a general teaching hospital. We strongly agree with their finding that shows the importance of clinical pharmacist involvement in the optimization of pharmacotherapy in elderly patients. Furthermore, we especially appreciate their new and interesting findings that the clinical pharmacist was more frequently requested by physicians and nurses for information about the pharmacotherapy of the patients on the geriatric day unit, compared with the orthogeriatric ward at admission and discharge (5.7% vs 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively, P<0.05, and that the pharmacist asked for more confirmation of the physician orders on the geriatric day unit rather than the orthogeriatric ward (19.8% vs 1.8% and 15.7% at admission and discharge, respectively, P<0.05. We are from a Joint Commission International (JCI-accredited academic medical center hospital with 3200 beds in China. Safe medication management and use are pivotal to patient safety and quality of care on which the state-of-the-art standards of the Joint Commission focus. We would like to share our perspectives in the following paragraphs.View original paper by Cortejoso and colleagues. 

  9. The role of prudent love in the practice of clinical medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcum, James A

    2011-10-01

    Virtues are an important component in the practice of clinical medicine. Prudence or wisdom and charity or love are often viewed as crucial for virtuous practice. Generally, the two virtues are discussed separately, with no connection between them; however, a synergy exists between the two virtues as a compound virtue of prudent love in which the properties of the compound virtue transcend those of the individual virtues. To examine the nature of prudent love and to discuss its role in the practice of clinical medicine. Philosophical and conceptual analyses. Prudent love exhibits properties, which are the result of a synergistic interaction between the two individual virtues. Succinctly, prudent love synergism is an outcome of a particular structural relationship between the two virtues in which motivational love prompts the prudent clinician to acquire and utilize clinical competence, which then allows the loving clinician to take care of an individual patient's health care needs. In turn, the virtuous clinician's ability to meet those needs successfully feedbacks onto the motivation to satisfy them initially, thereby encouraging and enhancing the clinician to fulfil them even more prudently and lovingly, not only for the individual patient but also for other patients. The compound virtue of prudent love provides a comprehensive approach to practising medicine that meets not only the needs of patients but also fulfils the physician's sense as healer. Although challenges face teaching virtues in the medical curriculum, strategies are available for incorporating training in virtues into the curriculum. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. [Clinical application evaluation of Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Internal Diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xue-Jie; Liu, Meng-Yu; Lian, Zhi-Hua; Wang, Li-Ying; Shi, Nan-Nan; Zhao, Jun

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the applicability and clinical applications of Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Internal Diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine, so as to provide the basis for the revision of the guidelines. This study was completed by the research and promotion base for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) standard. The methods of applicability evaluation and application evaluation were used in the study. The questionnaires were filled out to evaluate applicability of the guideline, including doctor's familiarity with the guideline,the quality of the guideline, applicable conditions and clinical applications. The prospective case study analysis method was used to evaluate application of the guideline, including evaluation of clinical application compliance and application results(such as clinical effects, safety and economy). There were two parts in the guideline, which were TCM guideline and Western medicine guideline. The results of applicability evaluation showed that there were no obvious differences between TCM guideline and Western medicine guideline in doctor's familiarity with guideline(85.43%, 84.57%) and the use of the guideline(52.10%, 54.47%); the guidelines with good quality, and higher scores in the scope of application and the use of the term rationality(91.94%, 93.35%); the rationality scores of relevant contents in syndrome differentiation and treatment were more than 75%; the applicable conditions were better, and the safety score was the the highest. The comprehensive applicability evaluation showed that the proportion of the application of TCM guideline and Western medicine guideline were 77.73%, 75.46%, respectively. The results of application evaluation showed that there was high degree coincidence between the guideline with its clinical application; except for "other treatment" and "recuperation and prevention" in TCM, other items got high scores which were more than 90%; in the evaluation of application effects, safety of the guideline

  11. Confronting zoonoses through closer collaboration between medicine and veterinary medicine (as 'one medicine').

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahn, Laura H; Kaplan, Bruce; Steele, James H

    2007-01-01

    In the 19th century, the concept of 'one medicine' was embraced by leaders in the medical and veterinary medical communities. In the 20th century, collaborative efforts between medicine and veterinary medicine diminished considerably. While there have been some notable exceptions, such as Calvin W. Schwabe's proposal for unifying human and veterinary medicine and joint efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization to control zoonotic diseases, 'one medicine' has languished in the modern milieu of clinical care, public health, and biomedical research. Risks of zoonotic disease transmission are rarely discussed in clinical care which is of particular concern if humans and/or animals are immunosuppressed. Physicians and veterinarians should advise their patients and pet-owning clients that some animals should not be pets. The risk of zoonotic disease acquisition can be considerable in the occupational setting. Collaborative efforts in biomedical research could do much to improve human and animal health. As the threat of zoonotic diseases continues to increase in the 21st century, medicine and veterinary medicine must revive 'one medicine' in order to adequately address these challenges. 'One medicine' revival strategies must involve medical and veterinary medical education, clinical care, public health and biomedical research.

  12. Feasibility and acceptability of rapid HIV screening in a labour ward in Togo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekouevi, Didier K; Kariyiare, Benjamin G; Coffie, Patrick A; Jutand, Marthe-Aline; Akpadza, Koffi; Lawson-Evi, Annette; Tatagan, Albert; Dabis, François; Sibe, Mathieu; Pitche, Vincent P; Becquet, Renaud; David, Mireille

    2012-01-01

    Background HIV screening in a labour ward is the last opportunity to initiate an antiretroviral prophylaxis among pregnant women living with HIV to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of HIV screening during labour in West Africa. Findings A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the labour ward at the Tokoin Teaching Hospital in Lomé (Togo) between May and August 2010. Pregnant women admitted for labour were randomly selected to enter the study and were interviewed on the knowledge of their HIV status. Clinical and biological data were collected from the individual maternal health chart. HIV testing or re-testing was systematically proposed to all pregnant women. Among 1530 pregnant women admitted for labour, 508 (32.2%) were included in the study. Information on HIV screening was available in the charts of 359 women (71%). Overall, 467 women accepted HIV testing in the labour ward (92%). The HIV prevalence was 8.8% (95% confidence interval: 6.4 to 11.7%). Among the 41 women diagnosed as living with HIV during labour, 34% had not been tested for HIV during pregnancy and were missed opportunities. Antiretroviral prophylaxis had been initiated antenatally for 24 women living with HIV and 17 in the labour room. Conclusions This study is the first to show in West Africa that HIV testing in a labour room is feasible and well accepted by pregnant women. HIV screening in labour rooms needs to be routinely implemented to reduce missed opportunities for intervention aimed at HIV care and prevention, especially PMTCT. PMID:22905362

  13. [Literature survey on botanical origin and clinical application of traditional Tibetan medicine "Shengdeng"].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, De-Dao; Meng, Xian-Hua; Zhang, Ying-Shan; Chen, Gen-Ping; Huang, Yu-Lan

    2012-10-01

    "Shengdeng" is its Tibetan transliteration referring to many medicines. Tibetan doctors and pharmacists in different areas use different drugs in formulation and clinical application, which are easily confused. In order to grasp the formula and clinical application accurately, we conduct a literature survey on history and current state of botanical origin and clinical application of "Shengdeng", making clear the application of various herbs named "Shengdeng" and providing reference to all Tibetan researchers and clinical workers in formulation and clinical application.

  14. Investigation of public exposure resulted from the radioiodine delay tank facility of nuclear medicine department

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yusof, Mohd Fahmi Mohd, E-mail: mfahmi@usm.my; Ali, Abdul Muhaimin Mat; Abdullah, Reduan; Idris, Abdullah Waidi [School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kota Bharu, Kelantan (Malaysia)

    2016-01-22

    The study is carried out to assess the exposure rate that could contribute to public exposure in a radioiodine ward delay tank facility of Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Department, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). The exposure rate at several locations including the delay tank room, doorway and at the public walking route was measured using Victoreen 415P-RYR survey meter. The radioactive level of the {sup 131}I waste was measured using Captus 3000 well counting system. The results showed that exposure rate and total count of the delay tank sample increased when the radioiodine ward was fully occupied with patient and reduced when the ward was vacant. Occupancy of radioiodine ward for two consecutive weeks had dramatically increased the exposure rate around the delay tank and radioactive level of {sup 131}I waste. The highest exposure rate and radioactive level was recorded when the ward was occupied for two consecutive weeks with 177.00 µR/h and 58.36 kcpm respectively. The exposure rate decreased 15.76 % when the door of the delay tank room was closed. The exposure rate at public walking route decreased between 15.58 % and 36.92 % as the distance increased between 1 and 3 m.

  15. Dynamic isolation technologies in negative pressure isolation wards

    CERN Document Server

    Xu, Zhonglin

    2017-01-01

    This book presents novel design principles and technologies for dynamic isolation based on experimental studies. These approaches have now become the local standard in Beijing and are currently being promoted for use nationwide. Further, the book provides details of measures and guidelines for the design process. Departing from the traditional understanding that isolation wards should be designed with high negative pressure, airtight doors and fresh air, it establishes the basis for designing biological clean rooms, including isolation wards, using a simple and convenient scientific approach. This book is intended for designers, engineers, researchers, hospital management staff and graduate students in heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC), air cleaning technologies and related areas.

  16. Strategies to overcome clinical, regulatory, and financial challenges in the implementation of personalized medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsimberidou, Apostolia M; Ringborg, Ulrik; Schilsky, Richard L

    2013-01-01

    This article highlights major developments over the last decade in personalized medicine in cancer. Emerging data from clinical studies demonstrate that the use of targeted agents in patients with targetable molecular aberrations improves clinical outcomes. Despite a surge of studies, however, significant gaps in knowledge remain, especially in identifying driver molecular aberrations in patients with multiple aberrations, understanding molecular networks that control carcinogenesis and metastasis, and most importantly, discovering effective targeted agents. Implementation of personalized medicine requires continued scientific and technological breakthroughs; standardization of tumor tissue acquisition and molecular testing; changes in oncology practice and regulatory standards for drug and device access and approval; modification of reimbursement policies by health care payers; and innovative ways to collect and analyze electronic patient information that are linked to prospective clinical registries and rapid learning systems. Informatics systems that integrate clinical, laboratory, radiologic, molecular, and economic data will improve clinical care and will provide infrastructure to enable clinical research. The initiative of the EurocanPlatform aims to overcome the challenges of implementing personalized medicine in Europe by sharing patients, biologic materials, and technological resources across borders. The EurocanPlatform establishes a complete translational cancer research program covering the drug development process and strengthening collaborations among academic centers, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, health technology assessment organizations, and health care systems. The CancerLinQ rapid learning system being developed by ASCO has the potential to revolutionize how all stakeholders in the cancer community assemble and use information obtained from patients treated in real-world settings to guide clinical practice, regulatory

  17. Clinical Competency in Podiatric Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanham, Richard H., Jr.

    1979-01-01

    The Council on Podiatry Education evaluates colleges of podiatric medicine with on-site accreditation teams, and has established criteria and guidelines for colleges of podiatric medicine. A Delphi technique survey, need for defining competency, and establishment of educational objectives are discussed. (MLW)

  18. Nurses' Experiences in a Turkish Internal Medicine Clinic With Syrian Refugees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevinç, Sibel

    2018-05-01

    The increasing flow of Syrian refugees to Turkey, coupled with their extended stay, highlights the need for culturally competent health care, which includes nursing interventions. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of nurses who provide care for Syrian refugees in internal medicine clinics in a hospital located in Turkey. This descriptive study was based on qualitative content analysis using an inductive approach and involved discovery and description of the data. The study sample consisted of 10 nurses who work at the internal medicine clinic of a State Hospital in Turkey. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Three themes with related subthemes were derived from the data. Nurses who participated in the study experienced: (a) Nurses found communicating with Syrian refugees and their families difficult in the clinic. (b) Nurses observed and experienced differences and similarities in caring for Turkish and Syrian patients. (c) Nurses expressed and displayed compassion toward Syrian refugees during the caring process. In order for nurses to provide the best care for Syrian refugee patients, it is important to identify cultural caring behaviors observed by nurses in the promotion of culturally congruent nursing and health care.

  19. The MedSeq Project: a randomized trial of integrating whole genome sequencing into clinical medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vassy, Jason L; Lautenbach, Denise M; McLaughlin, Heather M; Kong, Sek Won; Christensen, Kurt D; Krier, Joel; Kohane, Isaac S; Feuerman, Lindsay Z; Blumenthal-Barby, Jennifer; Roberts, J Scott; Lehmann, Lisa Soleymani; Ho, Carolyn Y; Ubel, Peter A; MacRae, Calum A; Seidman, Christine E; Murray, Michael F; McGuire, Amy L; Rehm, Heidi L; Green, Robert C

    2014-03-20

    Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is already being used in certain clinical and research settings, but its impact on patient well-being, health-care utilization, and clinical decision-making remains largely unstudied. It is also unknown how best to communicate sequencing results to physicians and patients to improve health. We describe the design of the MedSeq Project: the first randomized trials of WGS in clinical care. This pair of randomized controlled trials compares WGS to standard of care in two clinical contexts: (a) disease-specific genomic medicine in a cardiomyopathy clinic and (b) general genomic medicine in primary care. We are recruiting 8 to 12 cardiologists, 8 to 12 primary care physicians, and approximately 200 of their patients. Patient participants in both the cardiology and primary care trials are randomly assigned to receive a family history assessment with or without WGS. Our laboratory delivers a genome report to physician participants that balances the needs to enhance understandability of genomic information and to convey its complexity. We provide an educational curriculum for physician participants and offer them a hotline to genetics professionals for guidance in interpreting and managing their patients' genome reports. Using varied data sources, including surveys, semi-structured interviews, and review of clinical data, we measure the attitudes, behaviors and outcomes of physician and patient participants at multiple time points before and after the disclosure of these results. The impact of emerging sequencing technologies on patient care is unclear. We have designed a process of interpreting WGS results and delivering them to physicians in a way that anticipates how we envision genomic medicine will evolve in the near future. That is, our WGS report provides clinically relevant information while communicating the complexity and uncertainty of WGS results to physicians and, through physicians, to their patients. This project will not only

  20. Italian intersociety consensus on DOAC use in internal medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prisco, Domenico; Ageno, Walter; Becattini, Cecilia; D'Angelo, Armando; Davì, Giovanni; De Cristofaro, Raimondo; Dentali, Francesco; Di Minno, Giovanni; Falanga, Anna; Gussoni, Gualberto; Masotti, Luca; Palareti, Gualtiero; Pignatelli, Pasquale; Santi, Roberto M; Santilli, Francesca; Silingardi, Mauro; Tufano, Antonella; Violi, Francesco

    2017-04-01

    The direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are drugs used in clinical practice since 2009 for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism. The four DOACs, including the three factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban) and one direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran) provide oral anticoagulation therapy alternatives to Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Despite their clear advantages, the DOACs require on the part of the internist a thorough knowledge of their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics to ensure their correct use, laboratory monitoring and the appropriate management of adverse events. This document represents a consensus paper on the use of DOACs by representatives of three Italian scientific societies: the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI), the Federation of the Associations of Hospital Managers (FADOI), and the Society for the Study of Haemostasis and Thrombosis (SISET). This document formulates expert opinion guidance for pragmatic managing, monitoring and reversing the anticoagulant effect of DOACs in both chronic and emergency settings. This practical guidance may help the internist to create adequate protocols for patients hospitalized ion internal medicine wards, where patients are often elderly subjects affected by poly-morbidities and renal insufficiency, and, thus, require particular attention to drug-drug interactions and peri-procedural protocols.

  1. Prospective registration, bias risk and outcome-reporting bias in randomised clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Jian-Ping; Han, Mei; Li, Xin-Xue

    2013-01-01

    Clinical trials on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) should be registered in a publicly accessible international trial register and report on all outcomes. We systematically assessed and evaluated TCM trials in registries with their subsequent publications.......Clinical trials on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) should be registered in a publicly accessible international trial register and report on all outcomes. We systematically assessed and evaluated TCM trials in registries with their subsequent publications....

  2. Two birds with one stone: experiences of combining clinical and research training in addiction medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimas, J; McNeil, R; Ahamad, K; Mead, A; Rieb, L; Cullen, W; Wood, E; Small, W

    2017-01-23

    Despite a large evidence-base upon which to base clinical practice, most health systems have not combined the training of healthcare providers in addiction medicine and research. As such, addiction care is often lacking, or not based on evidence or best practices. We undertook a qualitative study to assess the experiences of physicians who completed a clinician-scientist training programme in addiction medicine within a hospital setting. We interviewed physicians from the St. Paul's Hospital Goldcorp Addiction Medicine Fellowship and learners from the hospital's academic Addiction Medicine Consult Team in Vancouver, Canada (N = 26). They included psychiatrists, internal medicine and family medicine physicians, faculty, mentors, medical students and residents. All received both addiction medicine and research training. Drawing on Kirkpatrick's model of evaluating training programmes, we analysed the interviews thematically using qualitative data analysis software (Nvivo 10). We identified five themes relating to learning experience that were influential: (i) attitude, (ii) knowledge, (iii) skill, (iv) behaviour and (v) patient outcome. The presence of a supportive learning environment, flexibility in time lines, highly structured rotations, and clear guidance regarding development of research products facilitated clinician-scientist training. Competing priorities, including clinical and family responsibilities, hindered training. Combined training in addiction medicine and research is feasible and acceptable for current doctors and physicians in training. However, there are important barriers to overcome and improved understanding of the experience of addiction physicians in the clinician-scientist track is required to improve curricula and research productivity.

  3. Patients' experiences of postoperative intermediate care and standard surgical ward care after emergency abdominal surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Thordis; Vester-Andersen, Morten; Nielsen, Martin Vedel

    2015-01-01

    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To elicit knowledge of patient experiences of postoperative intermediate care in an intensive care unit and standard postoperative care in a surgical ward after emergency abdominal surgery. BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is common, but little is known about how patie......, intermediate care patients felt hindered in doing so by continuous monitoring of vital signs. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Intermediate care may increase patient perceptions of quality and safety of care.......AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To elicit knowledge of patient experiences of postoperative intermediate care in an intensive care unit and standard postoperative care in a surgical ward after emergency abdominal surgery. BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is common, but little is known about how...... patients experience postoperative care. The patient population is generally older with multiple comorbidities, and the short-term postoperative mortality rate is 15-20%. Thus, vigilant surgeon and nursing attention is essential. The present study is a qualitative sub-study of a randomised trial evaluating...

  4. [Clinical pharmacy: Evaluation of physician's satisfactions and expectations in a French regional hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, P; Lotito, A; Baysson, H; Pineau-Blondel, E; Berlioz, J

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of the study was to evaluate physician's satisfaction with the clinical pharmacy activities in a French regional hospital. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews carried out by a public health intern with physicians from 14 different departments of medicine and surgery. A specifically designed questionnaire was used for this study. This contained 18 closed-ended questions, 3 open-ended questions and 6 questions relating to the multidisciplinary analysis of prescriptions of elderly patients. The questionnaire was proposed to 78 physicians, of which 62 replied (participation rate of 79%). Thirty-seven percent were interns (23/62), 19% were assistants (12/62) and 44% were senior physicians (27/62). Clinical pharmacy satisfaction levels were generally very high. In regard to clinical skills, 87% of the physicians were satisfied with pharmacists' competencies and 91% by the pertinence of transmitted information. Ninety-five percent of the physicians were also satisfied by the logistical aspect and the relationship with pharmacists (reactivity, availability and communication). Analysis of the open-ended questions showed that physicians were in favour of the increased presence of clinical pharmacists on the wards. This study shows a high level of physician satisfaction in relation to the clinical pharmacy activities in our hospital, and should be viewed as a strong endorsement of the work of the clinical pharmacy. This study highlights some areas of improvement such as increase presence of the clinical pharmacists on the wards. In order to assess periodically our activity, this study must be repeated in the future. Copyright © 2016 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Ward identities for scale and special conformal transformations in inflation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kundu, Nilay; Shukla, Ashish; Trivedi, Sandip P.

    2016-01-01

    We derive the general Ward identities for scale and special conformal transformations in theories of single field inflation. Our analysis is model independent and based on symmetry considerations alone. The identities we obtain are valid to all orders in the slow roll expansion. For special conformal transformations, the Ward identities include a term which is non-linear in the fields that arises due to a compensating spatial reparametrization. Some observational consequences are also discussed.

  6. Chinese Herbal Medicine for Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome: From Clinical Findings to Basic Understandings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS is one of the less common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Conventional therapy has unsatisfactory response to it so people turn to Chinese medicine for help. Currently, we reviewed the whole picture of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM clinical and basic application in the treatment of FAPS, especially the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM syndrome, the single herb, and Chinese medicine formulae, thus to provide a solid base to further develop evidence-based study for this common gastrointestinal complaint in the future. We developed the search strategy and set the inclusion and exclusion criteria for article search. From the included articles, we totally retrieved 586 records according to our searching criteria, of which 16 were duplicate records and 291 were excluded for reasons of irrelevance. The full text of 279 articles was retrieved for detailed assessment, of which 123 were excluded for various reasons. The number one used single herb is Radix Ginseng. The most common syndrome was liver qi depression. The most frequently used classic formula was Si-Mo-Tang. This reflected the true situation of clinical practice of Chinese medicine practitioners and could be further systematically synthesized as key points of the therapeutic research for FAPS.

  7. Nursing students’ valuation on their clinical clerkship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana R. Rodríguez Gonzalo

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To know how the nursing students evaluate the clinical-practical knowledge appraised at their clinical clerkship, measured through the satisfaction with the nursing staff Teaching Skills, the Perceived Support and their Global Satisfaction. Methodology: Cross-section, descriptive study carried out at the Ramon y Cajal Hospital. The target population were the 2008/09 nursing students at their clinical clerkship in the hospital, with a total number of 459 shifts. Questionnaire was self-designed and self-administered. Analyzed variables were the student academic year, the hospital ward and their relation with: 1. Teaching Skills, 2. Perceived Support, 3. General Satisfaction.Results: 314 questionnaires were filled out and returned, which is 69,41% of the total number of questionnaires. Students at the Operating Rooms and at the Paediatric Wards gave statistically significant lower qualifications (p=0,005 and p=0,003 than the Emergencies students to the nursing staff Teaching Skills. Regarding the Perceived Support, statistically significant higher scores were given to the Paediatrics (p=0,002 and the Surgical Wards (0,001 compared to the Operating Rooms staff. Finally, in General Satisfaction the lowest, but non statistically significant, scores were given also to the Operating Rooms (p>0,05.Conclusions: Nursing staff from the Operating Rooms and the Paediatric Wards should ameliorate their teaching skills, and those at the Operating Rooms, also the support given during the students clinical clerkship. The proposed improvement actions suggest that meetings between supervisors, nursing staff and professors in order to discuss the teaching objectives are necessary, as well as informational sessions between students and nursing staff at the wards.

  8. Splitting Ward identity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Safari, Mahmoud [Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), School of Particles and Accelerators, P.O. Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-04-15

    Within the background-field framework we present a path integral derivation of the splitting Ward identity for the one-particle irreducible effective action in the presence of an infrared regulator, and make connection with earlier works on the subject. The approach is general in the sense that it does not rely on how the splitting is performed. This identity is then used to address the problem of background dependence of the effective action at an arbitrary energy scale. We next introduce the modified master equation and emphasize its role in constraining the effective action. Finally, application to general gauge theories within the geometric approach is discussed. (orig.)

  9. Splitting Ward identity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Safari, Mahmoud

    2016-01-01

    Within the background-field framework we present a path integral derivation of the splitting Ward identity for the one-particle irreducible effective action in the presence of an infrared regulator, and make connection with earlier works on the subject. The approach is general in the sense that it does not rely on how the splitting is performed. This identity is then used to address the problem of background dependence of the effective action at an arbitrary energy scale. We next introduce the modified master equation and emphasize its role in constraining the effective action. Finally, application to general gauge theories within the geometric approach is discussed. (orig.)

  10. Clinical ethics in rehabilitation medicine: core objectives and algorithm for resident education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliwa, J A; McPeak, L; Gittler, M; Bodenheimer, C; King, J; Bowen, J

    2002-09-01

    Described as the balance of values on either side of a moral dilemma, ethics and ethical issues are of increasing importance in the changing practice of rehabilitation medicine. Because the substance of ethics and true ethical issues can be difficult to identify, the education of rehabilitation residents in ethics can similarly be challenging. This article discusses topics pertinent to an understanding of clinical ethics in rehabilitation medicine and provides a method of teaching residents through an algorithm of ethical issues, learning objectives, and illustrative cases.

  11. Education and training for medicines development, regulation and clinical research in emerging countries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandor - Kerpel-Fronius

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this satellite workshop held at the 17th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (WCP2014 was to discuss the needs, optimal methods and practical approaches for extending education teaching of medicines development, regulation and clinical research to Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC’s. It was generally agreed that, for efficiently treating the rapidly growing number of patients suffering from non-communicable diseases, modern drug therapy has to become available more widely and with a shorter time lag in these countries. To achieve this goal many additional experts working in medicines development, regulation and clinical research have to be trained in parallel. The competence-oriented educational programs designed within the framework of the European Innovative Medicine Initiative-PharmaTrain (IMI-PhT project were developed with the purpose to cover these interconnected fields. In addition, the programs can be easily adapted to the various local needs, primarily due to their modular architecture and well defined learning outcomes. Furthermore, the program is accompanied by stringent quality assurance standards which are essential for providing internationally accepted certificates. Effective cooperation between international and local experts and organizations, the involvement of the industry, health care centers and governments is essential for successful education. The initiative should also support the development of professional networks able to manage complex health care strategies. In addition it should help establish cooperation between neighboring countries for jointly managing clinical trials, as well as complex regulatory and ethical issues.

  12. BioChroma - A New and Patented Technology for Processing Radioactive Wastewater from Nuclear Medicine Therapy Facilities in Hospitals and Clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, José Canga

    2012-01-01

    After undergoing radionuclide therapy, patients generate wastewater with a considerable amount of radioactivity, which can reach levels of as much as 90% of the administered dose. Due to the risk of accumulation after discharge into the sewer, it is advisable to collect this effluent for its treatment prior to final discharge. Delay and decay (natural decomposition of the isotope) is the most commonly used technical method of abating radioactive iodine, but it is frequently criticized as being complex and very expensive. BioChroma is a technology that has been developed as an alternative to these complicated and expensive systems. This paper describes this new technology and presents, as an example, a system that was installed and successfully commissioned in the middle of 2008 in a nuclear medicine ward with 12 beds in Stuttgart (Germany). Based on existing legislation, the responsible authorities and the company that operated the hospital agreed on a maximum activity level of 5 Bq/l. If a typical delay and decay system would have been installed, the 180 m(3) treatment plant that was already available in the hospital cellar would have to be extended by additional 150 m(3). By implementing the patented BioChroma process, the space requirements were reduced by 75%. For instance, since the new system was integrated into the existing installation, tanks accounting for 120 m³ could be used as buffering volume in the new wastewater treatment plant. The operation of the referred plant is currently producing very good results with values below the specified limit of 5 Bq/l for the isotope (131)I. In addition, (90)Y has been reported to be eliminated at the same time. Over the past 2 years of operation, the wastewater treatment plant has been able to achieve a maximum processing capacity of more than 2,000 l/day, which equates to a nuclear medicine ward with approx. 20 beds. The highest level recorded during the test period (of 180 days after start-up) was a peak of

  13. Food hygiene on the wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steuer, Walter

    2007-09-13

    A PROBLEM THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR SIMPLY NOT GIVEN ENOUGH ATTENTION: the food served to patients from the kitchen is not sterile. If food is allowed to stand at room temperature for a long time, both in the case of food cooked for lunch and of food intended for supper which has been previously chilled, there is the possibility of massive spore germination or of dangerous toxin formation. Therefore regulations on how to handle food and beverages (e.g. tea) must be set out in the infection control policy, and checks carried out to monitor compliance with the rules relating to temperature checks, duration and type of storage, need for reheating, etc. Making staff aware of the issues involved is of paramount importance. These include monitoring hygiene standards in the ward kitchen, formulation of a cleaning policy, periodic bacteriological checks (not only of workstations but also of the dishwasher results), whenever possible the use of disposable cloths for working surfaces and equipment, changing cleaning cloths at least once daily and hygienic hand disinfection before and after handing out food. Foodstuffs brought in by visitors represent a special hygienic and organizational problem because in many cases they already have a high baseline microbial count. Visitors must be made aware that, for example, slices of cake left in the patient's room and often eaten only hours later can pose a risk of infection.In summary, the following principles of food hygiene must be observed on the wards:Maintenance of the cold-hot chainNot only reheat food, but ensure it is well heated throughout Avoid situations giving rise to spore germination in foodstuffs brought in by visitorsCleanliness and minimal contamination of kitchen worktopsCleanliness of crockery and kitchen towels Do not allow food to stand at room temperature for a long time, in particular desserts and confectionery A standard policy must be enforced to define the hygienic status and organization for food

  14. Serum concentrations of psychotropic drugs in neonates as a PROgnOstic Factor for admission to the neonatology ward and withdrawal symptoms: PROOF-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparla, Shirley C A; Coppens, Hans; Evers, Inge M; Stramrood, Claire A I; Pasker-de Jong, Pieternel C M; van der Westerlaken, Monique M L; Hogeman, Paul H G; Malingré, Mirte M

    2017-05-01

    The aim is to determine whether serum drug concentrations obtained from the neonate's umbilical cord can be used as a prognostic factor for admission to the neonatology ward and the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. A retrospective observational monocenter cohort study was carried out among pregnant women using psychotropic drugs and their baby. Binary logistic regression was used for the multivariate analysis. Of the 186 neonates included, 22.6% (n=42) were admitted to the neonatology ward, 6.5% (n=12) because of withdrawal. Among women with therapeutic concentrations of psychotropic medication, 22.0% (n=5) of the neonates had withdrawal symptoms. When comparing neonates with therapeutic versus undetectable drug concentrations, an odds ratio of 3.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.1-8.6) was found for admission to the neonatology ward and an odds ratio of 20.5 (95% confidence interval: 2.2-186.1) for the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. Therapeutic concentrations of psychotropic drugs in neonates' umbilical cord blood correspond with higher odds for admission to the neonatology ward and the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms compared with neonates with undetectable drug concentrations. The measurement of drug concentrations in the neonate may contribute toward the general clinical assessment of the physician to predict the necessity of admission to the neonatology ward and the risk of withdrawal symptoms.

  15. The impact of a good practice manual on professional practice associated with psychotropic PRN in acute mental health wards: an exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, J A; Lovell, K; Harris, N

    2008-10-01

    As required or pro re nata (PRN) psychotropic medicines are frequently used in acute mental health wards. PRN is known to contribute to polypharmacy and high doses of antipsychotic medication. Few studies have attempted to improve clinician's use of these potentially harmful drugs. The objectives of the study were to determine the impact and acceptability of a good practice manual on prescribing and administration practices of PRN psychotropic medication in acute mental health wards. The study used a pre-post exploratory design with two acute mental health wards in the NW of England. Over the total trial period of 10 weeks, 28 of 35 patients received 484 doses of PRN. Patients had a mean of 3.6 prescriptions of 14 different PRN medications in 34 different dose combinations prescribed. Medication errors beyond poor quality of prescribing occurred in 23 of the 35 patients (65.7%). Prescription quality improved following the introduction of the intervention but quality of nursing notes reduced. Acceptability of the manual to both nursing and medical staff was high. The introduction of the manual appeared to influence some of the practices associated with the prescribing and administration of PRN psychotropic medications. Further, larger, more robust studies are required in this area. In particular research is required to identify the reasons why professionals continue to rely so heavily on using PRN medication.

  16. Efficacy of clinical diagnostic procedures utilized in nuclear medicine. Nine month progress report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1978-01-01

    This study is designed to determine the efficacy of nuclear medicine procedures in clinical practice. Several methods of determining efficacy will be evaluated to determine those most suitable. Nuclear medicine methods will be confined to the study of lung diseases by pulmonary perfusion and ventilation. In addition to evaluating the above methods data will be obtained to determine the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value and efficiency of the test under consideration. These values, corrected for prevalence of the disease processes under consideration will then be compared to the values obtained by the MACRO and MICRO methods and will help to bound the clinical reliability of the diagnostic method depending on the degree to which the several methods trend together. Depending on the practicality of these two methods, in addition to the determination of efficacy, cost effectiveness factors and benefit-risk estimates which are used to apply to radiation effects will be determined for nuclear medicine studies of the brain, bone, heart, liver and thyroid subsequently. The measurement techniques will then be utilized to establish guidelines for the most useful applications of the given procedure so that clinicians will be able to obtain a pretest estimate of the utility of the nuclear medicine test.

  17. 06. Facilitating Collection of Research and Quality Data in Integrative Medicine Clinical Settings: Views From Academic, Health System and Private Clinics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolor, Rowena; Victorson, David; Amoils, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Focus Areas: Integrative Approaches to Care The purpose of this panel discussion is to share successful efforts from a practice-based research network (PBRN) including ten integrative medicine clinics. The BraveNet PBRN includes integrative medicine clinics with academic health centers, large health systems, and a stand-alone private practice clinic. While clinical care is prioritized across all of these centers, introducing research into clinical sites oriented to providing care poses challenges that vary by clinic environment. We will highlight some of the unique issues encountered when trying to standardize data collection in sites practicing a patient-centered, whole-systems approach to healing as well as the solutions used to overcome these issues. We will present some operational solutions and data collected from the PBRN's ongoing data registry, entitled PRIMIER. The panel will engage attendees in a dialogue centering on potential for future analyses of existing results, ideas for possible upcoming studies, and creative ways to expand the PBRN data registry to include additional sites that may have expertise and interest in participating.

  18. Robot Assisted Surgical Ward Rounds: Virtually Always There

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie M. Croghan

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Background:  While an explosion in technological sophistication has revolutionized surgery within the operating theatre, delivery of surgical ward-based care has seen little innovation.  Use of telepresence allowing off-site clinicians communicate with patients has been largely restricted to outpatient settings or use of complex, expensive, static devices.  We designed a prospective study to ascertain feasibility and face validity of a remotely controlled mobile audiovisual drone (LUCY to access inpatients.  This device is, uniquely, lightweight, freely mobile and emulates ‘human’ interaction by swiveling and adjusting height to patients’ eye-level.     Methods: Robot-assisted ward rounds(RASWR were conducted over 3 months. A remotely located consultant surgeon communicated with patients/bedside teams via encrypted audiovisual telepresence robot (DoubleRoboticstm, California USA.  Likert-scale satisfaction questionnaires, incorporating free-text sections for mixed-methods data collection, were disseminated to patient and staff volunteers following RASWRs.  The same cohort completed a linked questionnaire following conventional (gold-standard rounds, acting as control group. Data were paired, and non-parametric analysis performed.     Results: RASWRs are feasible (>90% completed without technical difficulty. The RASWR(n=52 observations demonstrated face validity with strong correlations (r>0.7; Spearman, p-value <0.05 between robotic and conventional ward rounds among patients and staff on core themes, including dignity/confidentiality/communication/satisfaction with management plan. Patients (96.08%, n=25 agreed RASWR were a satisfactory alternative when consultant physical presence was not possible. There was acceptance of nursing/NCHD cohort (100% (n=11 willing to regularly partake in RASWR.    Conclusion: RASWRs receive high levels of patient and staff acceptance, and offer a valid alternative to conventional ward rounds

  19. Robot Assisted Surgical Ward Rounds: Virtually Always There.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croghan, Stefanie M; Carroll, Paul; Reade, Sarah; Gillis, Amy E; Ridgway, Paul F

    2018-05-02

     While an explosion in technological sophistication has revolutionized surgery within the operating theatre, delivery of surgical ward-based care has seen little innovation.  Use of telepresence allowing off-site clinicians communicate with patients has been largely restricted to outpatient settings or use of complex, expensive, static devices.  We designed a prospective study to ascertain feasibility and face validity of a remotely controlled mobile audiovisual drone (LUCY) to access inpatients.  This device is, uniquely, lightweight, freely mobile and emulates 'human' interaction by swiveling and adjusting height to patients' eye-level.   METHODS: Robot-assisted ward rounds(RASWR) were conducted over 3 months. A remotely located consultant surgeon communicated with patients/bedside teams via encrypted audiovisual telepresence robot (DoubleRoboticstm, California USA).  Likert-scale satisfaction questionnaires, incorporating free-text sections for mixed-methods data collection, were disseminated to patient and staff volunteers following RASWRs.  The same cohort completed a linked questionnaire following conventional (gold-standard) rounds, acting as control group. Data were paired, and non-parametric analysis performed.  RESULTS: RASWRs are feasible (>90% completed without technical difficulty). The RASWR(n=52 observations) demonstrated face validity with strong correlations (r>0.7; Spearman, p-value <0.05) between robotic and conventional ward rounds among patients and staff on core themes, including dignity/confidentiality/communication/satisfaction with management plan. Patients (96.08%, n=25) agreed RASWR were a satisfactory alternative when consultant physical presence was not possible. There was acceptance of nursing/NCHD cohort (100% (n=11) willing to regularly partake in RASWR).  CONCLUSION: RASWRs receive high levels of patient and staff acceptance, and offer a valid alternative to conventional ward rounds when a consultant cannot be

  20. Audit of a ward-based patient-controlled epidural analgesia service in Ireland.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tan, T

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: Ward-based patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) for postoperative pain control was introduced at our institution in 2006. We audited the efficacy and safety of ward-based PCEA from January 2006 to December 2008. METHOD: Data were collected from 928 patients who received PCEA in general surgical wards for postoperative analgesia using bupivacaine 0.125% with fentanyl 2 mug\\/mL. RESULTS: On the first postoperative day, the median visual analogue pain score was 2 at rest and 4 on activity. Hypotension occurred in 21 (2.2%) patients, excessive motor blockade in 16 (1.7%), high block in 5 (0.5%), nausea in 5 (0.5%) and pruritus in only 1 patient. Excessive sedation occurred in two (0.2%) patients but no intervention was required. There were no serious complications such as epidural abscess, infection or haematoma. CONCLUSION: Effective and safe postoperative analgesia can be provided with PCEA in a general surgical ward without recourse to high-dependency supervision.

  1. Typical investigational medicinal products follow relatively uniform regulations in 10 European Clinical Research Infrastructures Network (ECRIN) countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gluud, Christian; Kubiak, Christine; Whitfield, Kate

    2012-01-01

    In order to facilitate multinational clinical research, regulatory requirements need to become international and harmonised. The EU introduced the Directive 2001/20/EC in 2004, regulating investigational medicinal products in Europe.......In order to facilitate multinational clinical research, regulatory requirements need to become international and harmonised. The EU introduced the Directive 2001/20/EC in 2004, regulating investigational medicinal products in Europe....

  2. Evaluation of Medical Students During a Clinical Clerkship in Internal Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donohue, W. J., Jr.; Wergin, Jon F.

    1978-01-01

    During a three-month clinical clerkship in medicine 175 medical students were evaluated. A proficiency assessment process was developed that included preceptor evaluation of on-the-job performance as well as oral and written examinations. Data analysis showed small correlations among the three measurements of competence. (Author/LBH)

  3. Opening the black box in nursing work and management practice: the role of ward managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, Keith; Wilkinson, Adrian; Kellner, Ashlea

    2015-03-01

    This paper aims to identify and explore key obstacles preventing ward managers from effectively performing the human resource management (HRM) responsibilities required in their role. In the context of increasing costs and the decentralisation of responsibility to ward level, the relevance of the ward manager role within the 'black box' between human resource management and firm performance is becoming increasingly pertinent. This paper presents an intensive case study including 37 interviews across all levels of a hospital where senior management attempted to shift to a high performance model of human resource management. The findings indicated that ward managers played a critical role in maintaining and improving employee performance, although they were restricted from effectively performing their responsibilities due to budget pressure and limited managerial skill development. Our findings support the contention that hospitals would benefit from focusing on the critical role of the ward manager as the central locus of influence in high performance human resource management (HPHRM) systems. Investment into high performance human resource management is discouraged if the hospital cannot adequately enable ward managers who are responsible for implementation. Introduction of managerial skills training to potential and existing ward managers is critical. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Dispersion approach to anomalies in the axial-vector Ward-Takahashi identities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishijima, K. Sasaki, R. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physic)

    1975-01-01

    On the basis of dispersion relations and unitarity anomalous Ward-Takahashi identities for the axial-vector current are derived in quantum electrodynamics. In this derivation use of divergent unrenormalized expressions is intentionally avoided, and only finite renormalized expressions are employed from the start. The origin of the anormalies is attributed to a mismatch of the subtraction conditions present in the naive Ward-Takahashi identities. The resulting anomalous Ward-Takahashi identities are valid in every order of the perturbation expansion and can be cast in the form of an operator equation. In the course of this derivation we encounter the problem of how to regularize operator products and a possible solution of this problem is provided in terms of subtraction conditions.

  5. Dispersion approach to anomalies in the axial-vector Ward-Takahashi identities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishijima, Kazuhiko; Sasaki, Ryu

    1975-01-01

    On the basis of dispersion relations and unitarity anomalous Ward-Takahashi identities for the axial-vector current are derived in quantum electrodynamics. In this derivation use of divergent unrenormalized expressions is intentionally avoided, and only finite renormalized expressions are employed from the start. The origin of the anormalies is attributed to a mismatch of the subtraction conditions present in the naive Ward-Takahashi identities. The resulting anomalous Ward-Takahashi identities are valid in every order of the perturbation expansion and can be cast in the form of an operator equation. In the course of this derivation we encounter the problem of how to regularize operator products and a possible solution of this problem is provided in terms of subtraction conditions. (auth.)

  6. Information management to enable personalized medicine: stakeholder roles in building clinical decision support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downing, Gregory J; Boyle, Scott N; Brinner, Kristin M; Osheroff, Jerome A

    2009-10-08

    Advances in technology and the scientific understanding of disease processes are presenting new opportunities to improve health through individualized approaches to patient management referred to as personalized medicine. Future health care strategies that deploy genomic technologies and molecular therapies will bring opportunities to prevent, predict, and pre-empt disease processes but will be dependent on knowledge management capabilities for health care providers that are not currently available. A key cornerstone to the potential application of this knowledge will be effective use of electronic health records. In particular, appropriate clinical use of genomic test results and molecularly-targeted therapies present important challenges in patient management that can be effectively addressed using electronic clinical decision support technologies. Approaches to shaping future health information needs for personalized medicine were undertaken by a work group of the American Health Information Community. A needs assessment for clinical decision support in electronic health record systems to support personalized medical practices was conducted to guide health future development activities. Further, a suggested action plan was developed for government, researchers and research institutions, developers of electronic information tools (including clinical guidelines, and quality measures), and standards development organizations to meet the needs for personalized approaches to medical practice. In this article, we focus these activities on stakeholder organizations as an operational framework to help identify and coordinate needs and opportunities for clinical decision support tools to enable personalized medicine. This perspective addresses conceptual approaches that can be undertaken to develop and apply clinical decision support in electronic health record systems to achieve personalized medical care. In addition, to represent meaningful benefits to personalized

  7. Information management to enable personalized medicine: stakeholder roles in building clinical decision support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brinner Kristin M

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Advances in technology and the scientific understanding of disease processes are presenting new opportunities to improve health through individualized approaches to patient management referred to as personalized medicine. Future health care strategies that deploy genomic technologies and molecular therapies will bring opportunities to prevent, predict, and pre-empt disease processes but will be dependent on knowledge management capabilities for health care providers that are not currently available. A key cornerstone to the potential application of this knowledge will be effective use of electronic health records. In particular, appropriate clinical use of genomic test results and molecularly-targeted therapies present important challenges in patient management that can be effectively addressed using electronic clinical decision support technologies. Discussion Approaches to shaping future health information needs for personalized medicine were undertaken by a work group of the American Health Information Community. A needs assessment for clinical decision support in electronic health record systems to support personalized medical practices was conducted to guide health future development activities. Further, a suggested action plan was developed for government, researchers and research institutions, developers of electronic information tools (including clinical guidelines, and quality measures, and standards development organizations to meet the needs for personalized approaches to medical practice. In this article, we focus these activities on stakeholder organizations as an operational framework to help identify and coordinate needs and opportunities for clinical decision support tools to enable personalized medicine. Summary This perspective addresses conceptual approaches that can be undertaken to develop and apply clinical decision support in electronic health record systems to achieve personalized medical care. In

  8. Drug dispensing errors in a ward stock system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Stig Ejdrup

    2010-01-01

    . Multivariable analysis showed that surgical and psychiatric settings were more susceptible to involvement in dispensing errors and that polypharmacy was a risk factor. In this ward stock system, dispensing errors are relatively common, they depend on speciality and are associated with polypharmacy......The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of drug dispensing errors in a traditional ward stock system operated by nurses and to investigate the effect of potential contributing factors. This was a descriptive study conducted in a teaching hospital from January 2005 to June 2007. In five....... These results indicate that strategies to reduce dispensing errors should address polypharmacy and focus on high-risk units. This should, however, be substantiated by a future trial....

  9. Development of emergency medicine as academic and distinct clinical discipline in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salihefendic, Nizama; Zildzic, Muharem; Masic, Izet; Hadziahmetovic, Zoran; Vasic, Dusko

    2011-01-01

    Emergency medicine is a new academic discipline, as well as a recent independent clinical specialization with the specific principles of practice, education and research. It is also a very important segment of the overall health care and health system. Emergency medicine as a distinct specialty was introduced in the U.S. in 1970. Ten years later and relatively quickly emergency medicine was introduced in the health system in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a specialty with a special education program for specialist and a final exam. Compare the development of emergency medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the trends of development of this discipline in the world as a specialization and an academic discipline. Identify specific problems and possible solutions and learn lessons from other countries. Reviewed are the literature data on the development of emergency medicine in the world, programs of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, the organizational scheme of emergency centers and residency. This is then compared with data of the current status of emergency medicine as an academic discipline and a recognized specialization, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are substantial differences in the development of emergency medicine in the United States, European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina relatively early recognized specialty of emergency medicine in academia, it failed to mach the academic progress with the practical implementation. A&E departments in the Community Health Centers failed to meet the desired objectives even though they were led by specialists in emergency medicine. The main reason being the lack of space and equipment as well as staff needed to meet set standards of good clinical practice, education and research. Furthermore the Curriculum of undergraduate education and specialization does not match modern concept of educational programs that meet the principles set out in emergency medicine and learning through

  10. Clinical implications for substandard, nonproprietary medicines in multiple sclerosis: focus on fingolimod

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correale, Jorge; Chiquete, Erwin; Boyko, Alexey; Beran, Roy G; Strauch, Jorge Barahona; Milojevic, Snezana; Frider, Nadina

    2016-01-01

    Both proprietary and nonproprietary medicines are expected to undergo rigorous preapproval testing and both should meet stringent health authority regulatory requirements related to quality to obtain approval. Nonproprietary (also known as copy, or generic) medicines, which base their authorization and use on the proprietary documentation and label, are often viewed as a means to help lower the cost and, thus, increase patient access. If these medicines fail to meet quality standards, such as good manufacturing practice and bioequivalence (in humans), they are then defined as substandard copies and can pose serious risks to patients in terms of safety and efficacy. Potentially noncontrolled or different manufacturing process and excipients in nonproprietary medicines may result in poor batch-to-batch reproducibility (accurate and consistent quantity of each ingredient in each capsule/tablet) and lower quality. Substandard, nonproprietary copies of medicines that are immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive are of concern to patients due to their possible untoward safety and lack of efficacy events. This article reviews the potential risks associated with nonproprietary medicines that do not meet the regulatory requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, or the World Health Organization. The clinical implications for patients are described. This article focuses on nonproprietary medicines for multiple sclerosis, particularly fingolimod, that are not identical to proprietary versions and could thus fail to meet efficacy expectations or have different impact on the safety of patients with multiple sclerosis. PMID:27418809

  11. [Artificial intelligence to assist clinical diagnosis in medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugo-Reyes, Saúl Oswaldo; Maldonado-Colín, Guadalupe; Murata, Chiharu

    2014-01-01

    Medicine is one of the fields of knowledge that would most benefit from a closer interaction with Computer studies and Mathematics by optimizing complex, imperfect processes such as differential diagnosis; this is the domain of Machine Learning, a branch of Artificial Intelligence that builds and studies systems capable of learning from a set of training data, in order to optimize classification and prediction processes. In Mexico during the last few years, progress has been made on the implementation of electronic clinical records, so that the National Institutes of Health already have accumulated a wealth of stored data. For those data to become knowledge, they need to be processed and analyzed through complex statistical methods, as it is already being done in other countries, employing: case-based reasoning, artificial neural networks, Bayesian classifiers, multivariate logistic regression, or support vector machines, among other methodologies; to assist the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis, breast cancer and chronic liver disease, among a wide array of maladies. In this review we shift through concepts, antecedents, current examples and methodologies of machine learning-assisted clinical diagnosis.

  12. What does «integrative medicine» provide to daily scientific clinical care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bataller-Sifre, R; Bataller-Alberola, A

    2015-11-01

    Integrative medicine is an ambitious and noble-minded attempt to address the shortcomings of the current public health systems in our Western societies, which is restricted by the limited time available, especially in outpatient clinics. Integrative medicine also does not limit the possibilities of useful therapies that have been tested over the centuries (from China, India, etc.) or of certain resources that do not achieve the level of desired scientific credibility but that present certain therapeutic support in specific cases (homeopathy, acupuncture, etc.) but still require a scientific approach. Finally, the resource of botanical products (phytotherapy) constitutes a wide range of possibilities that universities can (and do) make progress on by providing drug brands for these products through the use of the scientific method and evidence-based medical criteria. This approach will help avoid the irrationality of the daily struggle between conventional scientific medicine (which we apply to the immense majority of patients) and the other diagnostic-therapeutic «guidelines» (natural medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, patient-focused medicine and others). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  13. Respiratory support in oncology ward setting: a prospective descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Seema; Bhatnagar, Sushma; Gupta, Deepak; Goyal, Gaurav Nirvani; Agrawal, Ravi; Jain, Roopesh; Chauhan, Himanshu

    2009-01-01

    Mechanical ventilation in cancer patients is a critical issue The present prospective descriptive study was designed (1) to assess the patient population needing respirator support in ward setting at a premier state-run oncology institute in India, (2) to observe and analyze the course of their disease while on respirator, and (3) to coordinate better quality of life measures in cancer patients at the institute based on the present study's outcomes. Beginning from March 2005 to March 2006, all cancer patients who were connected to respirator in the wards were enrolled in the current study. Our anesthesiology department at the cancer institute also has primary responsibility for airway management and mechanical ventilation in high dependency units of oncology wards. Preventilation variables in cancer patients were assessed to judge the futility of mechanical ventilation in ward setting. Subsequently, patients were observed for disease course while on respirator. Final outcome with its etio-pathogenesis was correlated with predicted futility of mechanical ventilation. Over a period of 1 year, 132 (46 men and 86 women) cancer patients with median age 40 years (range 1-75 years) were connected to respirator in oncology wards. Based on the preventilation variables and indications for respirator support, right prediction of medical futility and hospital discharge was made in 77% of patients. Underestimation and overestimation of survival to hospital discharge was made in 10% cases and 13% cases, respectively. Based on preventilation variables, prediction of outcome in cancer patients needing respirator support can be made in 77% cases. This high probability of prediction can be used to educate patients, and their families and primary physicians, for well-informed and documented advance directives, formulated and regularly revised DNAR policies, and judicious use of respirator support for better quality-of-life outcomes.

  14. Relationship among Translational Medicine, Evidence-Based Medicine and Precision Medicine

    OpenAIRE

    Xin-en HUANG

    2016-01-01

    Translational medicine is a new concept in international medical field. It integrates experimental research results and clinical guidance into the optimal implementation criteria for promoting the prediction, prevention and treatment of diseases. Based on people’s higher demand for medicine and health, appearance of translational medicine changes the mode of medical research.Evidence-based medicine (EBM) refers to cautious and accurate application of the current best research evidence and com...

  15. Clinical Reasoning Education at US Medical Schools: Results from a National Survey of Internal Medicine Clerkship Directors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rencic, Joseph; Trowbridge, Robert L; Fagan, Mark; Szauter, Karen; Durning, Steven

    2017-11-01

    Recent reports, including the Institute of Medicine's Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, highlight the pervasiveness and underappreciated harm of diagnostic error, and recommend enhancing health care professional education in diagnostic reasoning. However, little is known about clinical reasoning curricula at US medical schools. To describe clinical reasoning curricula at US medical schools and to determine the attitudes of internal medicine clerkship directors toward teaching of clinical reasoning. Cross-sectional multicenter study. US institutional members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM). Examined responses to a survey that was emailed in May 2015 to CDIM institutional representatives, who reported on their medical school's clinical reasoning curriculum. The response rate was 74% (91/123). Most respondents reported that a structured curriculum in clinical reasoning should be taught in all phases of medical education, including the preclinical years (64/85; 75%), clinical clerkships (76/87; 87%), and the fourth year (75/88; 85%), and that more curricular time should be devoted to the topic. Respondents indicated that most students enter the clerkship with only poor (25/85; 29%) to fair (47/85; 55%) knowledge of key clinical reasoning concepts. Most institutions (52/91; 57%) surveyed lacked sessions dedicated to these topics. Lack of curricular time (59/67, 88%) and faculty expertise in teaching these concepts (53/76, 69%) were identified as barriers. Internal medicine clerkship directors believe that clinical reasoning should be taught throughout the 4 years of medical school, with the greatest emphasis in the clinical years. However, only a minority reported having teaching sessions devoted to clinical reasoning, citing a lack of curricular time and faculty expertise as the largest barriers. Our findings suggest that additional institutional and national resources should be dedicated to developing clinical reasoning curricula to improve

  16. Factors impacting perceived safety among staff working on mental health wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haines, Alina; Brown, Andrew; McCabe, Rhiannah; Rogerson, Michelle; Whittington, Richard

    2017-09-01

    Safety at work is a core issue for mental health staff working on in-patient units. At present, there is a limited theoretical base regarding which factors may affect staff perceptions of safety. This study attempted to identify which factors affect perceived staff safety working on in-patient mental health wards. A cross-sectional design was employed across 101 forensic and non-forensic mental health wards, over seven National Health Service trusts nationally. Measures included an online staff survey, Ward Features Checklist and recorded incident data. Data were analysed using categorical principal components analysis and ordinal regression. Perceptions of staff safety were increased by ward brightness, higher number of patient beds, lower staff to patient ratios, less dayroom space and more urban views. The findings from this study do not represent common-sense assumptions. Results are discussed in the context of the literature and may have implications for current initiatives aimed at managing in-patient violence and aggression. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

  17. Regulatory requirements for clinical trial and marketing authorisation application for cell-based medicinal products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmikangas, P; Flory, E; Reinhardt, J; Hinz, T; Maciulaitis, R

    2010-01-01

    The new era of regenerative medicine has led to rapid development of new innovative therapies especially for diseases and tissue/organ defects for which traditional therapies and medicinal products have not provided satisfactory outcome. Although the clinical use and developments of cell-based medicinal products (CBMPs) could be witnessed already for a decade, robust scientific and regulatory provisions for these products have only recently been enacted. The new Regulation for Advanced Therapies (EC) 1394/2007 together with the revised Annex I, Part IV of Directive 2001/83/EC provides the new legal framework for CBMPs. The wide variety of cell-based products and the foreseen limitations (small sample sizes, short shelf life) vs. particular risks (microbiological purity, variability, immunogenicity, tumourigenicity) associated with CBMPs have called for a flexible, case-by-case regulatory approach for these products. Consequently, a risk-based approach has been developed to allow definition of the amount of scientific data needed for a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) of each CBMP. The article provides further insight into the initial risk evaluation, as well as to the quality, non-clinical, and clinical requirements of CBMPs. Special somatic cell therapies designed for active immunotherapy are also addressed.

  18. Job satisfaction in mainland China: comparing critical care nurses and general ward nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Aihua; Tao, Hong; Ellenbecker, Carol Hall; Liu, Xiaohong

    2013-08-01

    To explore the level of nurses' job satisfaction and compare the differences between critical care nurses and general ward nurses in Mainland China. Hospitals continue to experience high nurse turnover. Job satisfaction is a key factor to retain skilled nurses. The differences in job satisfaction among critical care nurses and general ward nurses are unknown. A cross-sectional design was selected for this descriptive correlation study. Cross-sectional study of critical care nurses (n = 446) and general ward nurses (n = 1118) in 9 general hospitals by means of questionnaires that included the Chinese Nurses Job Satisfaction Scale and demographic scale. The data were collected from June 2010-November 2010. Chinese nurses had moderate levels of job satisfaction, were satisfied with co-workers and family/work balance; and dissatisfied with pay and professional promotion. Critical care nurses were younger; less educated and had less job tenure when compared with nurses working on general wards. Critical care nurses were significantly less satisfied than general ward nurses with many aspects of their job. Levels of nurses' job satisfaction can be improved. The lower job satisfaction of critical care nurses compared with general ward nurses should warn the healthcare administrators and managers of potentially increasing the critical care nurses turn over. Innovative and adaptable managerial interventions need to be taken to improve critical care nurse' job satisfaction and retain skilled nurse. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Progressing a human embryonic stem-cell-based regenerative medicine therapy towards the clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiting, Paul; Kerby, Julie; Coffey, Peter; da Cruz, Lyndon; McKernan, Ruth

    2015-10-19

    Since the first publication of the derivation of human embryonic stem cells in 1998, there has been hope and expectation that this technology will lead to a wave of regenerative medicine therapies with the potential to revolutionize our approach to managing certain diseases. Despite significant resources in this direction, the path to the clinic for an embryonic stem-cell-based regenerative medicine therapy has not proven straightforward, though in the past few years progress has been made. Here, with a focus upon retinal disease, we discuss the current status of the development of such therapies. We also highlight some of our own experiences of progressing a retinal pigment epithelium cell replacement therapy towards the clinic. © 2015 The Author(s).

  20. Radiation safety in the nuclear medicine department: impact of the UK Ionising Radiations Regulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harding, L.K.

    1987-01-01

    The new 1985 regulations and guidance on radiation protection in the U.K. are discussed in relation to the needs for controlled areas in the nuclear medicine department and patient wards, admittance to hospital to comply with legislation, classification of workers, patient waiting rooms, handling flood sources, pregnancy and breast feeding. (U.K.)

  1. Advancing medicine one research note at a time: the educational value in clinical case reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabán-Martinez, Alberto J; Beltrán, Wilfredo F García

    2012-07-06

    A case report--a brief written note that describes unique aspects of a clinical case--provides a significant function in medicine given its rapid, succinct, and educational contributions to scientific literature and clinical practice. Despite the growth of, and emphasis on, randomized clinical trials and evidenced-based medicine, case reports continue to provide novel and exceptional knowledge in medical education. The journal BMC Research Notes introduces a new "case reports" section to provide the busy clinician with a forum in which to document any authentic clinical case that provide educational value to current clinical practice. The aim is for this article type to be reviewed, wherever possible, by specialized Associate Editors for the journal, in order to provide rapid but thorough decision making. New ideas often garnered by and documented in case reports will support the advancement of medical science--one research note at a time.

  2. Identifying the nontechnical skills required of nurses in general surgical wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Dianne C; Finlayson, Mary P

    2018-04-01

    To identify the nontechnical skills (NTS) required of nurses in general surgical wards for safe and effective care. As the largest occupational group, nurses are in an ideal position to block the vulnerabilities of patient adverse events in a surgical ward. Previous studies in the surgical environment have identified the NTS required of nurses for safe care in operating rooms; however, these skills have not been identified for nurses in general surgical wards. A nonparticipant observational descriptive design was used. A purposive sample of 15 registered nurses was recruited from four surgical wards and observed for a full shift on a morning, afternoon or night shift. Nonparticipant observations were conducted using field notes to collect data. A coding frame was developed, and an inductive process was used to analyse the data. A taxonomy comprising seven NTS required of nurses in their roles in surgical ward teams emerged from the data analysis. They are communication, leadership and management, planning, decision-making, situation awareness, teamwork and patient advocacy. Patient care provided by general surgical nurses involved the seven identified key NTS. These particular NTS are an important component of safe nursing practice as they underpin the provision of safe and effective care for general surgical patients. Nurses block the trajectory of error by using NTS to address the vulnerabilities in the system that can lead to adverse patient events. Identifying general surgical nurses' NTS enables the development of teaching strategies that target the learning of those skills to achieve successful work outcomes and improve patient safety. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Emerging Utility of Virtual Reality as a Multidisciplinary Tool in Clinical Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourmand, Ali; Davis, Steven; Lee, Danny; Barber, Scott; Sikka, Neal

    2017-10-01

    Among the more recent products borne of the evolution of digital technology, virtual reality (VR) is gaining a foothold in clinical medicine as an adjunct to traditional therapies. Early studies suggest a growing role for VR applications in pain management, clinical skills training, cognitive assessment and cognitive therapy, and physical rehabilitation. To complete a review of the literature, we searched PubMed and MEDLINE databases with the following search terms: "virtual reality," "procedural medicine," "oncology," "physical therapy," and "burn." We further limited our search to publications in the English language. Boolean operators were used to combine search terms. The included search terms yielded 97 potential articles, of which 45 were identified as meeting study criteria, and are included in this review. These articles provide data, which strongly support the hypothesis that VR simulations can enhance pain management (by reducing patient perception of pain and anxiety), can augment clinical training curricula and physical rehabilitation protocols (through immersive audiovisual environments), and can improve clinical assessment of cognitive function (through improved ecological validity). Through computer-generated, life-like digital landscapes, VR stands to change the current approach to pain management, medical training, neurocognitive diagnosis, and physical rehabilitation. Additional studies are needed to help define best practices in VR utilization, and to explore new therapeutic uses for VR in clinical practice.

  4. Holographic Ward identities for symmetry breaking in two dimensions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Argurio, Riccardo [Physique Théorique et Mathématique and International Solvay Institutes,Université Libre de Bruxelles,C.P. 231, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Giribet, Gaston [Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University,Waltham, Massachusetts 02453 (United States); Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires FCEN-UBA and IFIBA-CONICET,Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, 1428, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Marzolla, Andrea; Naegels, Daniel [Physique Théorique et Mathématique and International Solvay Institutes,Université Libre de Bruxelles,C.P. 231, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Sierra-Garcia, J. Anibal [Department of Particle Physics and IGFAE, University of Santiago de Compostela,E-15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

    2017-04-03

    We investigate symmetry breaking in two-dimensional field theories which have a holographic gravity dual. Being at large N, the Coleman theorem does not hold and Goldstone bosons are expected. We consider the minimal setup to describe a conserved current and a charged operator, and we perform holographic renormalization in order to find the correct Ward identities describing symmetry breaking. This involves some subtleties related to the different boundary conditions that a vector can have in the three-dimensional bulk. We establish which is the correct prescription that yields, after renormalization, the same Ward identities as in higher dimensions.

  5. 3D reconstruction from X-ray fluoroscopy for clinical veterinary medicine using differential volume rendering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khongsomboon, K.; Hamamoto, Kazuhiko; Kondo, Shozo

    2007-01-01

    3D reconstruction from ordinary X-ray equipment which is not CT or MRI is required in clinical veterinary medicine. Authors have already proposed a 3D reconstruction technique from X-ray photograph to present bone structure. Although the reconstruction is useful for veterinary medicine, the technique has two problems. One is about exposure of X-ray and the other is about data acquisition process. An x-ray equipment which is not special one but can solve the problems is X-ray fluoroscopy. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method for 3D-reconstruction from X-ray fluoroscopy for clinical veterinary medicine. Fluoroscopy is usually used to observe a movement of organ or to identify a position of organ for surgery by weak X-ray intensity. Since fluoroscopy can output a observed result as movie, the previous two problems which are caused by use of X-ray photograph can be solved. However, a new problem arises due to weak X-ray intensity. Although fluoroscopy can present information of not only bone structure but soft tissues, the contrast is very low and it is very difficult to recognize some soft tissues. It is very useful to be able to observe not only bone structure but soft tissues clearly by ordinary X-ray equipment in the field of clinical veterinary medicine. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new method to determine opacity in volume rendering process. The opacity is determined according to 3D differential coefficient of 3D reconstruction. This differential volume rendering can present a 3D structure image of multiple organs volumetrically and clearly for clinical veterinary medicine. This paper shows results of simulation and experimental investigation of small dog and evaluation by veterinarians. (author)

  6. Designing better medicines delivery in the UK National Health Services (NHS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. John Clarkson

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Prescribed medicines are delivered through a variety ofroutes to patients in the UK National Health Service (NHSand are regulated by a host of health and trade related policy and law. These ensure the efficient and safe supply of medicines of appropriate quality from the pharmaceutical manufacturer through to the end-user, the patient. However, persisting medication errors and therecent discovery of counter feit medicines in the bona fide supply chain have meant there are growing concerns aboutthe timely, accurate and safe supply of medicines in the NHS. Methods: This study undertakes a systems design approach to processmodelling and understanding three key supply routes fromthe manufacturer through to the patient, across bothprimary and secondary care. A systems design approachwas deployed to investigate complex interactions betweenprofessionals, products and processes to improve patient safety in collaboration with twenty five clinical and non-linical stakeholders across the supply chain and six enduser patients.Results: Several system process models were developed from the literature, field observations and alongside the interviewees. The results reveal that risk to medication safety is perceived as occurring most at the patient-end ofthe medicines supply chain: the pharmacy and the ward.There are differences observed in the responses ofinterviewees when they engage with system models.Conclusions: This paper reflects on the use of a systems design, a mainly engineering approach, to understanding a health care domain problem of medication errors. The approach provided an enhanced insight into the complex set of system factors and interactions involved in generating medication errors. This study is among the first to develop asystems-wide view of the medicines supply process ‘as-is’and identify opportunities for re-design to improve patient safety.

  7. Concurrent Use of Herbal and Orthodox Medicines among Residents of Tamale, Northern Ghana, Who Patronize Hospitals and Herbal Clinics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Mohammed; Ibrahim, Halimatu-Sadia; Habib, Rabiatu Hamisu; Gbedema, Stephen Yao

    2018-01-01

    Despite the development of more researched and formulated orthodox medicines, herbal medicines continue to be well patronized for persons across the world with some patrons concurrently using both forms, oblivious of the unwanted effects that may occur. Using a multistage sampling procedure, a semistructured questionnaire was used to collect data in April 2016 from 240 informants from three selected hospitals and three herbal clinics in Tamale, a city in northern Ghana. Using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, binary logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic predictors of concurrent use of herbal and orthodox medicines. Orthodox medicines were the drug of choice for 54.2% and 49.2% of patrons of hospitals and herbal clinics, respectively. Also, 67.5% of herbal clinic patrons used orthodox medicines, while 25.0% of hospital attendees used herbal medications prior to their visit to the health facilities. Up to 17.9% of respondents concurrently used herbal and orthodox medicines for their prevailing ailment with age, less than 30 years being the only predictor of this habit (p = 0.015; 95% CI, 1.183–4.793; cOR = 2.4). All health professionals including those in herbal clinics should therefore be interested in the drug history of their clients. PMID:29743917

  8. Monetary Value of a Prescription Assistance Program Service in a Rural Family Medicine Clinic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitley, Heather P.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To quantify the monetary value of medications provided to rural Alabamians through provision of pharmaceutical manufacturer-sponsored prescription assistance programs (PAPs) provided by a clinical pharmacist in a private Black Belt family medicine clinic during 2007 and 2008. Methods: Patients struggling to afford prescription medications…

  9. The management pattern carried out in a cataract surgery day ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jing; Fang, Xiaoqun; Wu, Suhong

    2013-06-01

    To evaluate the management practice and process of a cataract surgery day ward. From January to December in 2012, a portion of the cataract patients were evaluated for the pattern of day ward management. Methods were as follows: 1) Establish the cataract day ward. 2) Enroll the patients who met the following criteria: voluntary, local residents or outsiders who stayed in a hotel near the hospital, accompanied by family, and who had simple senile cataract without any systemic major diseases. 3) Establish the hospitalization process. 4) Analyze the nursing process. After cataract day surgery, the patients were followed for 2 hours and completed a questionnaire about their needs and sentiments. A total of 3971 cases were observed in this study; 49 cases were switched to a normal pattern of hospitalization because of operative complications, 1 case had a strong desire to switch to a normal pattern of hospitalization because of ocular discomfort, 8 cases went back to the hospital for treatment because of ocular pain, and 52 cases called on the phone to seek help. Overall, 3820 cases(96.2%) returned on time the next day to visit the doctor. No patients showed severe postoperative complications and 98% expressed great satisfaction with the day ward process. Only 200 cases expressed great concern about not knowing how to deal with postoperative pain, the changes in condition outside the hospital, the therapeutic effects, and the problem of expense reimburse-ment. Day ward cataract surgery is an efficient and safe mode, and has the potential to relieve the demand for inpatient beds and to ensure timely treatment of the patients. In addition, it helps the patients enjoy health care at public expense, reserving reimbursement for those who need to be hospitalized. Nurses should pay more attention to systemic evaluation of the patients, health education, and psychological guidance, and keep in close communication with doctors, which is the key to ensure the safety of day ward

  10. Clinical Complexity in Medicine: A Measurement Model of Task and Patient Complexity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, R; Weir, C; Del Fiol, G

    2016-01-01

    Complexity in medicine needs to be reduced to simple components in a way that is comprehensible to researchers and clinicians. Few studies in the current literature propose a measurement model that addresses both task and patient complexity in medicine. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated approach to understand and measure clinical complexity by incorporating both task and patient complexity components focusing on the infectious disease domain. The measurement model was adapted and modified for the healthcare domain. Three clinical infectious disease teams were observed, audio-recorded and transcribed. Each team included an infectious diseases expert, one infectious diseases fellow, one physician assistant and one pharmacy resident fellow. The transcripts were parsed and the authors independently coded complexity attributes. This baseline measurement model of clinical complexity was modified in an initial set of coding processes and further validated in a consensus-based iterative process that included several meetings and email discussions by three clinical experts from diverse backgrounds from the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using Cohen's kappa. The proposed clinical complexity model consists of two separate components. The first is a clinical task complexity model with 13 clinical complexity-contributing factors and 7 dimensions. The second is the patient complexity model with 11 complexity-contributing factors and 5 dimensions. The measurement model for complexity encompassing both task and patient complexity will be a valuable resource for future researchers and industry to measure and understand complexity in healthcare.

  11. Evolution of Quality Assurance for Clinical Immunohistochemistry in the Era of Precision Medicine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cheung, Carol C; D'Arrigo, Corrado; Dietel, Manfred

    2017-01-01

    The numbers of diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests are increasing; the implementation and validation of new IHC tests, revalidation of existing tests, as well as the on-going need for daily quality assurance monitoring present significant challenges to clinical...... to develop and maintain high quality "fit-for-purpose" IHC testing in the era of precision medicine. This is the final part of the 4-part series "Evolution of Quality Assurance for Clinical Immunohistochemistry in the Era of Precision Medicine."......The numbers of diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests are increasing; the implementation and validation of new IHC tests, revalidation of existing tests, as well as the on-going need for daily quality assurance monitoring present significant challenges to clinical...... laboratories. There is a need for proper quality tools, specifically tissue tools that will enable laboratories to successfully carry out these processes. This paper clarifies, through the lens of laboratory tissue tools, how validation, verification, and revalidation of IHC tests can be performed in order...

  12. Technology meets tradition: The perceived impact of the introduction of information and communication technology on ward rounds in the intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plumb, Jennifer J; Hains, Isla; Parr, Michael J; Milliss, David; Herkes, Robert; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2017-09-01

    Public policy in many health systems is currently dominated by the quest to find ways to 'do more with less'-to achieve better outcomes at a reduced cost. The success or failure of initiatives in support of this quest are often understood in terms of an adversarial dynamic or struggle between the professional logics of medicine and of management. Here, we use the case of the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) to a well-established ritual of medical autonomy (the medical ward round) to articulate a more nuanced explanation of how and why new ways of working with technology are accepted and adopted (or not). The study was conducted across four intensive care units (ICUs) in major teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Using interviews, we examined 48 doctors' perceptions of the impact of ICT on ward round practice. We applied the concept of institutional logics to frame our analysis. Interview transcripts were analysed using a hybrid of deductive and inductive thematic analysis. The doctors displayed a complex engagement with the technology that belies simplistic characterisations of medical rejection of managerial encroachment. In fact, they selectively welcomed into the ward round aspects of the technology which reinforced the doctor's place in the healthcare hierarchy and which augmented their role as scientists. At the same time, they guarded against allowing managerial logic embedded in ICT to de-emphasise their embodied subjectivity in relation to the patient as a person rather than as a collection of parameters. ICT can force the disruption of some aspects of existing routines, even where these are long-established rituals. Resistance arose when the new technology did not fit with the 'logic of care'. Incorporation of the logic of care into the design and customisation of clinical information systems is a challenge and potentially counterproductive, because it could attempt to apply a technological fix to what is essentially a

  13. 50th anniversary of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine--a historical overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Körber, Friedrich; Plebani, Mario

    2013-01-01

    In the early 1960s, Joachim Brugsch, one of the founders of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) (then Zeitschrift für Klinische Chemie), had the idea to found a journal in the upcoming field of clinical chemistry. He approached Ernst Schütte, who was associated with the De Gruyter publishing house through another journal, to participate, and Schütte thus became the second founder of this Journal. The aim was to create a vehicle allowing the experts to express their opinions and raise their voices more clearly than they could in a journal that publishes only original experimental papers, a laborious and difficult, but important endeavor, as the profession of clinical chemistry was still in the early stages of development at this time. The first issue of this Journal was published in early 1963, and today, we are proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CCLM. This review describes the development of this Journal in light of the political situation of the time when it was founded, the situation of the publisher Walter De Gruyter after the erection of the Berlin Wall, and the development of clinical chemistry, and later on, laboratory medicine as a well-acknowledged discipline and profession.

  14. Do “trainee-centered ward rounds” help overcome barriers to learning and improve the learning satisfaction of junior doctors in the workplace?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Acharya V

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Vikas Acharya,1Amir Reyahi,2 Samuel M Amis,3 Sami Mansour2 1Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, 2Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Luton, 3Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Abstract: Ward rounds are widely considered an underutilized resource with regard to medical education, and therefore, a project was undertaken to assess if the initiation of “trainee-centered ward rounds” would help improve the confidence, knowledge acquisition, and workplace satisfaction of junior doctors in the clinical environment. Data were collated from junior doctors, registrar grade doctors, and consultants working in the delivery suite at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton over a 4-week period in March–April 2013. A review of the relevant literature was also undertaken. This pilot study found that despite the reservations around time constraints held by both junior and senior clinicians alike, feedback following the intervention was largely positive. The junior doctors enjoyed having a defined role and responsibility during the ward round and felt they benefited from their senior colleagues’ feedback. Both seniors and junior colleagues agreed that discussing learning objectives prior to commencing the round was beneficial and made the round more learner-orientated; this enabled maximal learner-focused outcomes to be addressed and met. The juniors were generally encouraged to participate more during the round and the consultants endeavored to narrate their decision-making, both were measures that led to greater satisfaction of both parties. This was in keeping with the concept of “Legitimate peripheral participation” as described by Lave and Wenger. Overall, trainee-centered ward rounds did appear to be effective in overcoming some of the traditional barriers to teaching in the ward environment, although further work to formalize and quantify these findings

  15. Detailed molecular epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis in the population of Southampton attending the genitourinary medicine clinic in 2012-13 reveals the presence of long established genotypes and transitory sexual networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labiran, Clare; Rowen, David; Clarke, Ian Nicholas; Marsh, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in England. Our objective was to perform a detailed survey of the molecular epidemiology of C. trachomatis in the population of Southampton UK attending the genitourinary medicine clinic (GUM) to seek evidence of sexual network activity. Our hypothesis was that certain genotypes can be associated with specific demographic determinants. 380 positive samples were collected from 375 C. trachomatis positive GUM attendees out of the 3118 who consented to be part of the survey. 302 of the positive samples were fully genotyped. All six of the predominant genotypes possessed ompA locus type E. One ward of Southampton known to contain a large proportion of students had a different profile of genotypes compared to other areas of the city. Some genotypes appeared embedded in the city population whilst others appeared transient. Predominant circulating genotypes remain stable within a city population whereas others are sporadic. Sexual networks could be inferred but not conclusively identified using the data from this survey.

  16. Feasibility study of structured diagnosis methods for functional dyspepsia in Korean medicine clinics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeong Hwan Park

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD is the seventh most common disease encountered in Korean medicine (KM clinics. Despite the large number of FD patients visiting KM clinics, the accumulated medical records have no utility in evidence development, due to being unstructured. This study aimed to construct a standard operating procedure (SOP with appropriate structured diagnostic methods for FD, and assess the feasibility for use in KM clinics. Methods: Two rounds of professional surveys were conducted by 10 Korean internal medicine professors to select the representative diagnostic methods. A feasibility study was conducted to evaluate compliance and time required for using the structured diagnostic methods by three specialists in two hospitals. Results: As per the results of the professional survey, five questionnaires and one basic diagnostic method were selected. An SOP was constructed based on the survey results, and a feasibility study showed that the SOP compliance score (out of 5 was 3.45 among the subjects, and 3.25 among the practitioners. The SOP was acceptable and was not deemed difficult to execute. The total execution time was 136.5 minutes, out of which the gastric emptying test time was 129 minutes. Conclusion: This feasibility study of the SOP with structured diagnostic methods for FD confirmed it was adequate for use in KM clinics. It is expected that these study findings will be helpful to clinicians who wish to conduct observational studies as well as to generate quantitative medical records to facilitate Big Data research. Keywords: Big Data, Dyspepsia, Korean medicine, Feasibility studies, Observational study

  17. The evaluation of a hostel ward. A controlled study using modified cost-benefit analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyde, C; Bridges, K; Goldberg, D; Lowson, K; Sterling, C; Faragher, B

    1987-12-01

    A controlled modified cost-benefit evaluation of a hostel ward caring for new long-stay patients is described and results are presented for the first two years. In some respects the residents of the hostel ward had fewer psychotic impairments than those remaining on the wards of the district general hospital, mainly because the latter seem to continue to acquire such defects, while the former have remained relatively unchanged. The hostel ward residents also develop superior domestic skills, use more facilities in the community, and are more likely to be engaged in constructive activities than controls. These advantages were not purchased at a price, since the cost of providing this form of care for these patients has cost less than care provided by the district general hospital.

  18. Effect of communication skill training using group psychoeducation method on the stress level of psychiatry ward nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazavi, Zahra; Lohrasbi, Fatemeh; Mehrabi, Tayebeh

    2010-12-01

    Nursing is a dynamic and supportive job, with the main role of taking care of patients. Maintaining appropriate communication of the nurse with the patients is particularly known as the main core of care in mental health. However, in spite of the importance of providing communication, one of the main sources of stress in nurses of psychiatry wards is communication with the patients. Some important reasons for inappropriate relationship between the nurse and patient can be lack of necessary skills to communicate with patients because of insufficient training. Although training communication skills is an important part of the education of medical and paramedical students, in recent studies it has been demonstrated that the communication skills learned in theoretical courses would not necessarily be transferred to clinical settings, and proving training in clinical settings is a must. The present study was carried out to determine the effect of training communication skills using psychoeducation method on the stress level of nurses of psychiatry wards in 2010. This is a quasi-experimental study. The participants were 45 nurses; 23 and 22 in the experiment and control groups, respectively, working in psychiatry wards of Noor and Farabi hospitals, Isfahan, Iran. The sampling was carried out by the census method, and then the participants were randomly assigned to the two groups of experiment and control, using random number table. The two groups filled out the demographic data form and also the questionnaire on nurses' occupational stress, designed by the researcher. The questionnaire was filled out three times; before, immediately after, and one month after the training. Training of communication skills was carried out using group psychoeducation method, in six sessions, each lasted for 1.5 hours. The training sessions of the experiment group were held in Farabi Hospital. The findings indicated that before the intervention, the members of the two groups had a high

  19. Enacting 'team' and 'teamwork': using Goffman's theory of impression management to illuminate interprofessional practice on hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewin, Simon; Reeves, Scott

    2011-05-01

    Interprofessional teamwork is widely advocated in health and social care policies. However, the theoretical literature is rarely employed to help understand the nature of collaborative relations in action or to critique normative discourses of teamworking. This paper draws upon Goffman's (1963) theory of impression management, modified by Sinclair (1997), to explore how professionals 'present' themselves when interacting on hospital wards and also how they employ front stage and backstage settings in their collaborative work. The study was undertaken in the general medicine directorate of a large NHS teaching hospital in England. An ethnographic approach was used, including interviews with 49 different health and social care staff and participant observation of ward-based work. These observations focused on both verbal and non-verbal interprofessional interactions. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. The study findings suggest that doctor-nurse relationships were characterised by 'parallel working', with limited information sharing or effective joint working. Interprofessional working was based less on planned, 'front stage' activities, such as wards rounds, than on ad hoc backstage opportunistic strategies. These backstage interactions, including corridor conversations, allowed the appearance of collaborative 'teamwork' to be maintained as a form of impression management. These interactions also helped to overcome the limitations of planned front stage work. Our data also highlight the shifting 'ownership' of space by different professional groups and the ways in which front and backstage activities are structured by physical space. We argue that the use of Sinclair's model helps to illuminate the nature of collaborative interprofessional relations within an acute care setting. In such settings, the notion of teamwork, as a form of regular interaction and with a shared team identity, appears to have little relevance. This suggests that interventions to

  20. The role of the internal medicine specialist in the management of infective complications in general surgical wards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrizia Zoboli

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Internal medicine specialists are often asked to evaluate a patient before surgery. Perioperative risk evaluation for elderly patients is important, because complications increase with age. The increasing age of the general population increases the probabilities of surgery in the older patients. The manifestation of a surgical problem, is more likely to be severe and complicated in the elderly patients. In fact, emergency surgery treatment occurs more frequently in the elderly (e.g., it is much more common to see intestinal obstruction complicating colorectal cancer in the elderly compared with a younger population. Old age is an independent factor for long hospital stay after surgery. The role of the preoperative medical consultant is to identify and evaluate a patient’s current medical status and provide a clinical risk profile, in order to decide whether further tests are indicated prior to surgery, and to optimise the patient’s medical condition in the attempt of reducing the risk of complications. The medical consultant must know which medical condition could eventually influence the surgery, achieve a good contact and communication between the medical and surgical team, in order to obtain the best management planning. AIM OF THE STUDY This paper focuses on the rational use of antibiotic prophylaxis and on the treatment of the complications of post-surgery infections (e.g., pulmonary complication, peritonitis, intra-abdominal infection. Specific aspects of pre-operative risk evaluation and peri and post-operative management are discussed. CONCLUSIONS The internal medicin specialist in collaboration with the surgical team is necessary in the peri and post-surgery management.

  1. Situations of Agitation and Violence: the Reality in an Acute Inpatient Ward

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fátima Honrado Ferreira

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Although aggressiveness/violence is present in all individuals and societies, it may have different manifestations. Even though, on one hand, it is considered innate to Man, on the other it is viewed as a social phenomenon with a cultural, social and historical frames. Violent behaviour in a psychiatric inpatient ward cannot, and should no,t be solely at-tributed to factors that are directly linked to the patient; there is a set of factors that may contribute to a hostile environment within the inpatient ward. The environment in the ward as well as the role of the mental health care professionals, and in particular the role of the nurse, should be taken into account.

  2. Herbal medicine: biomolecular and clinical aspects

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Benzie, Iris F. F; Wachtel-Galor, Sissi

    2011-01-01

    "Responding to the increased popularity of herbal medicines and other forms of complementary or alternative medicine in countries around the world, this reference reviews and evaluates various safety...

  3. Regenerative Medicine for Epilepsy: From Basic Research to Clinical Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takao Yasuhara

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder, which presents with various forms of seizures. Traditional treatments, including medication using antiepileptic drugs, remain the treatment of choice for epilepsy. Recent development in surgical techniques and approaches has improved treatment outcomes. However, several epileptic patients still suffer from intractable seizures despite the advent of the multimodality of therapies. In this article, we initially provide an overview of clinical presentation of epilepsy then describe clinically relevant animal models of epilepsy. Subsequently, we discuss the concepts of regenerative medicine including cell therapy, neuroprotective agents, and electrical stimulation, which are reviewed within the context of our data.

  4. The International Certification of Addiction Medicine: Validating Clinical Knowledge across Borders

    Science.gov (United States)

    el-Guebaly, Nady; Violato, Claudio

    2011-01-01

    The experience of the International Society of Addiction Medicine in setting up the first international certification of clinical knowledge is reported. The steps followed and the results of a psychometric analysis of the tests from the first 65 candidates are reported. Lessons learned in the first 5 years and challenges for the future are…

  5. BioChroma – A New and Patented Technology for Processing Radioactive Wastewater from Nuclear Medicine Therapy Facilities in Hospitals and Clinics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodríguez, José Canga

    2012-01-01

    After undergoing radionuclide therapy, patients generate wastewater with a considerable amount of radioactivity, which can reach levels of as much as 90% of the administered dose. Due to the risk of accumulation after discharge into the sewer, it is advisable to collect this effluent for its treatment prior to final discharge. Delay and decay (natural decomposition of the isotope) is the most commonly used technical method of abating radioactive iodine, but it is frequently criticized as being complex and very expensive. BioChroma is a technology that has been developed as an alternative to these complicated and expensive systems. This paper describes this new technology and presents, as an example, a system that was installed and successfully commissioned in the middle of 2008 in a nuclear medicine ward with 12 beds in Stuttgart (Germany). Based on existing legislation, the responsible authorities and the company that operated the hospital agreed on a maximum activity level of 5 Bq/l. If a typical delay and decay system would have been installed, the 180 m 3 treatment plant that was already available in the hospital cellar would have to be extended by additional 150 m 3 . By implementing the patented BioChroma process, the space requirements were reduced by 75%. For instance, since the new system was integrated into the existing installation, tanks accounting for 120 m³ could be used as buffering volume in the new wastewater treatment plant. The operation of the referred plant is currently producing very good results with values below the specified limit of 5 Bq/l for the isotope 131 I. In addition, 90 Y has been reported to be eliminated at the same time. Over the past 2 years of operation, the wastewater treatment plant has been able to achieve a maximum processing capacity of more than 2,000 l/day, which equates to a nuclear medicine ward with approx. 20 beds. The highest level recorded during the test period (of 180 days after start-up) was a peak of nearly 2

  6. Advancing medicine one research note at a time: the educational value in clinical case reports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cabán-Martinez Alberto J

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A case report—a brief written note that describes unique aspects of a clinical case—provides a significant function in medicine given its rapid, succinct, and educational contributions to scientific literature and clinical practice. Despite the growth of, and emphasis on, randomized clinical trials and evidenced-based medicine, case reports continue to provide novel and exceptional knowledge in medical education. The journal BMC Research Notes introduces a new “case reports” section to provide the busy clinician with a forum in which to document any authentic clinical case that provide educational value to current clinical practice. The aim is for this article type to be reviewed, wherever possible, by specialized Associate Editors for the journal, in order to provide rapid but thorough decision making. New ideas often garnered by and documented in case reports will support the advancement of medical science — one research note at a time.

  7. [Project to improve abdominal obesity in day care ward psychiatric patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Hui-Yu; Huang, Hui-Ling; Chen, Min-Li

    2011-06-01

    Over half (57.14%) of patients in our ward suffer from abdominal obesity. This rate is on a continuing upward trend. Reasons for such obesity include lack of physical activity classes, inadequate physical activity, high calorie diets and unhealthy eating habits, chronic diseases and drug side effects, poor motivation to reduce weight, and lack of crisis awareness of abdominal obesity. This project was designed to lessen the problem of abdominal obesity among psychiatric day care inpatients. Resolution measures implemented included: (1) arranging aerobic exercise classes; (2) scheduling classes to teach patients healthy diet habits and knowledge regarding diseases and drugs; (3) holding a waistline reduction competition; (4) displaying health education bulletin boards; (5) holding a quiz contest with prizes for correct answers. The eight abdominally obese patients in the ward achieved an average waist circumference reduction of 2.9 cm and the overall abdominal obesity rate in the ward fell to 35.7%. BMI, eating habits, and awareness of weight loss importance and motivation all improved. The outcome achieved targeted project objectives. We recommend the integration of obesity prevention into routine ward activities and quality control indicators. Nurses should provide patients with weight loss concepts, regularly monitor risk factors, and encourage patient family cooperation to maintain medical care quality.

  8. Application of the MIT two-channel model to predict flow recirculation in WARD 61-pin blanket tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, T.T.; Todreas, N.E.

    1983-01-01

    The preliminary application of MIT two-channel model to WARD sodium blanket tests was presented in this report. The criterion was employed to predict the recirculation for selected completed (transient and steady state) and proposed (transient only) tests. The heat loss was correlated from the results of the WARD zero power tests. The calculational results show that the criterion agrees with the WARD tests except for WARD RUN 718 for which the criterion predicts a different result from WARD data under bundle heat loss condition. However, if the test assembly is adiabatic, the calculations predict an operating point which is marginally close to the mixed-to-recirculation transition regime

  9. Application of the MIT two-channel model to predict flow recirculation in WARD 61-pin blanket tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, T.T.; Todreas, N.E.

    1983-01-01

    The preliminary application of MIT TWO-CHANNEL MODEL to WARD sodium blanket tests was presented in this report. Our criterion was employed to predict the recirculation for selected completed (transient and steady state) and proposed (transient only) tests. The heat loss was correlated from the results of the WARD zero power tests. The calculational results show that our criterion agrees with the WARD tests except for WARD RUN 718 for which the criterion predicts a different result from WARD data under bundle heat loss condition. However, if the test assembly is adiabatic, the calculations predict an operating point which is marginally close to the mixed-to-recirculation transition regime

  10. Investigation into the acceptability of door locking to staff, patients, and visitors on acute psychiatric wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; van der Merwe, Marie; Nijman, Henk; Haglund, Kristina; Simpson, Alan; Bowers, Len

    2012-02-01

    There is disagreement among psychiatric professionals about whether the doors of acute psychiatric wards should be kept locked to prevent patients from leaving and harming themselves or others. This study explored patient, staff, and visitor perceptions about the acceptability of locking the ward door on acute psychiatric inpatient wards. Interviews were conducted with 14 registered nurses, 15 patients, and six visitors from three different acute wards. Findings revealed commonalities across all groups, with general agreement that locking the door reduced absconding. Staff expressed feelings of guilt, embarrassment, and fear of being blamed when a patient absconded. Staff also reported that open wards created anxious vigilance to prevent an abscond and increased workload in allocating staff to watch the door, whereas staff on partially-locked doors also perceived an increased workload in letting people in and out of the ward. Patients had mixed feelings about the status of the door, expressing depression, a sense of stigma, and low self-esteem when the door was locked. The issue of balancing safety and security on acute psychiatric wards against the autonomy of patients is not easily resolved, and requires focused research to develop innovative nursing practices. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  11. Is Ward Experience in Resuscitation Effort Related to the Prognosis of Unexpected Cardiac Arrest?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sen-Kuang Hou

    2007-09-01

    Conclusion: Hospital wards with more than 5 cardiac arrests per year have a better patient survival rate than those with fewer arrests. This is despite all ward staff receiving the same level of training.

  12. Costs of terminal patients who receive palliative care or usual care in different hospital wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simoens, Steven; Kutten, Betty; Keirse, Emmanuel; Berghe, Paul Vanden; Beguin, Claire; Desmedt, Marianne; Deveugele, Myriam; Léonard, Christian; Paulus, Dominique; Menten, Johan

    2010-11-01

    In addition to the effectiveness of hospital care models for terminal patients, policy makers and health care payers are concerned about their costs. This study aims to measure the hospital costs of treating terminal patients in Belgium from the health care payer perspective. Also, this study compares the costs of palliative and usual care in different types of hospital wards. A multicenter, retrospective cohort study compared costs of palliative care with usual care in acute hospital wards and with care in palliative care units. The study enrolled terminal patients from a representative sample of hospitals. Health care costs included fixed hospital costs and charges relating to medical fees, pharmacy and other charges. Data sources consisted of hospital accountancy data and invoice data. Six hospitals participated in the study, generating a total of 146 patients. The findings showed that palliative care in a palliative care unit was more expensive than palliative care in an acute ward due to higher staffing levels in palliative care units. Palliative care in an acute ward is cheaper than usual care in an acute ward. This study suggests that palliative care models in acute wards need to be supported because such care models appear to be less expensive than usual care and because such care models are likely to better reflect the needs of terminal patients. This finding emphasizes the importance of the timely recognition of the need for palliative care in terminal patients treated in acute wards.

  13. Artificial Intelligence to Assist Clinical Diagnosis in Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saúl Oswaldo Lugo-Reyes

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Medicine is one of the elds of knowledge that would most bene t from a closer interaction with Computer studies and Mathematics by optimizing complex, imperfect processes such as differential diagnosis; this is the domain of Machine Learning, a branch of Arti cial Intelligence that builds and studies systems capable of learning from a set of training data, in order to optimize classi cation and prediction processes. In Mexico during the last few years, progress has been made on the implementation of electronic clinical records, so that the National Institutes of Health already have accumulated a wealth of stored data. For those data to become knowledge, they need to be processed and analyzed through complex statistical methods, as it is already being done in other countries, employing: case-based reasoning, artificial neural networks, Bayesian classi ers, multivariate logistic regression, or support vector machines, among other methodologies; to assist the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis, breast cancer and chronic liver disease, among a wide array of maladies. In this review we sift through concepts, antecedents, current examples and methodologies of machine learning-assisted clinical diagnosis.

  14. Using AGREE II to Evaluate the Quality of Traditional Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Wei; Li, Le; Wang, Zixia; Chang, Xiaonan; Li, Rui; Fang, Ziye; Wei, Dang; Yao, Liang; Wang, Xiaoqin; Wang, Qi; An, Guanghui

    2016-03-15

    To evaluate/assess the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) of traditional medicine in China. We systematically searched the literature databases WanFang Data, VIP, CNKI and CBM for studies published between 1978 and 2012 to identify and select CPGs of traditional medicine. We used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument to evaluate these guidelines. A total of 75 guidelines were included, of which 46 guidelines (62%) were on Traditional Chinese Medicine, 19 (25%) on Chinese Integrated Medicine, and 10 (13%) on Uyghur Medicine. Most traditional medicine CPGs published in domestic journals scored medicine. In each domain of AGREE II, traditional Medicine CPGs performed clearly better than international CPGs. The same trend was seen in guidelines of Modern Medicine. An increasing amount of CPGs are being published, but their quality is low. Referring to the key points of international guidelines development, supervision through AGREE II, cooperating with international groups and exploring the strategy of guideline development could improve the quality of CPGs on traditional medicine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  15. [Clinical observation on treatment of type 2 cardiac and kidney syndrome by combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiao-Yan; Zhang, Hua; Rong, Yuan-Yuan; Zhang, Miao-Hai; Zhang, Xiang-Nong

    2017-10-01

    Clinical observation on treatment of type 2 cardiac and kidney syndrome by combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The patients were divided into two groups: the simple Western medicine treatment group (control group) and the traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine treatment group (treatment group). The patients in the two groups were treated with conventional western medicine.The treatment group was given based on Buxin Yishen decoction, a total of three courses of treatment to observe the two groups of patients before and after treatment of total efficacy, cardiac function indicators, changes in renal function indicators. The total efficacy of the treatment group and the control group were 91.80% and 72.41%, respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups (Ptraditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment can improve the clinical efficacy of type 2 heart and kidney syndrome, significantly improve heart and kidney function, better than conventional Western medicine treatment, and has good safety. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  16. Herbal Medicines: Malaysian Women’s Knowledge and Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Law Kim Sooi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study among Malay women admitted in the antenatal and postnatal ward to determine the prevalence and use of herbal medicines during pregnancy and elemental analysis in the most popular herbs. A total of 460 women were surveyed. Herbal medicine use during pregnancy was 34.3%, while 73% utilized herbal medicines during labor, because of a belief that it may shorten and ease labor. The most commonly used herbal medicines in pregnancy were Anastatica hierochuntica L. (60.1% followed by coconut oil (35.4%. The majority of women (89.2% used only one type of herbal medicines and took one capsule/glass (38% per day. Herbal medicines use by pregnant women is largely unsupervised (81%, with most women getting information from their parents (60.7% and buying the products directly from traditional midwives (32.2% and 77% agreed upon its efficacy and safety. From the 460 respondents, 89.8% women were in the low end of the herbs knowledge. There was a significant difference found between knowledge score and income (P<0.05. Microdiffraction analysis revealed significant presence of carbon, oxygen, silica, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, potassium, zinc, and iron that were found in Anastatica hierochuntica L. and proved to have good benefits for pregnancy.

  17. Do "trainee-centered ward rounds" help overcome barriers to learning and improve the learning satisfaction of junior doctors in the workplace?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Vikas; Reyahi, Amir; Amis, Samuel M; Mansour, Sami

    2015-01-01

    Ward rounds are widely considered an underutilized resource with regard to medical education, and therefore, a project was undertaken to assess if the initiation of "trainee-centered ward rounds" would help improve the confidence, knowledge acquisition, and workplace satisfaction of junior doctors in the clinical environment. Data were collated from junior doctors, registrar grade doctors, and consultants working in the delivery suite at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton over a 4-week period in March-April 2013. A review of the relevant literature was also undertaken. This pilot study found that despite the reservations around time constraints held by both junior and senior clinicians alike, feedback following the intervention was largely positive. The junior doctors enjoyed having a defined role and responsibility during the ward round and felt they benefited from their senior colleagues' feedback. Both seniors and junior colleagues agreed that discussing learning objectives prior to commencing the round was beneficial and made the round more learner-orientated; this enabled maximal learner-focused outcomes to be addressed and met. The juniors were generally encouraged to participate more during the round and the consultants endeavored to narrate their decision-making, both were measures that led to greater satisfaction of both parties. This was in keeping with the concept of "Legitimate peripheral participation" as described by Lave and Wenger. Overall, trainee-centered ward rounds did appear to be effective in overcoming some of the traditional barriers to teaching in the ward environment, although further work to formalize and quantify these findings, as well as using greater sample sizes from different hospital departments and the inclusion of a control group, is needed.

  18. Nuclear medicine. Basic knowledge and clinical applications. 6. rev. and upd. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schicha, H.; Schober, O.

    2007-01-01

    The development of imaging techniques like SPECT, SPECT-CT, PET, PET-CT and MRT has advanced rapidly during the past few years, especially in the case of hybrid technology. These techniques have become indispensable in diagnosis, differential diagnosis, therapy follow-up and prevention. This 6th revised and edited version of 'Nuclear Medicine' takes account of these developments. The general section presents fundamentals of physics, radiopharmaceutical chemistry, measuring techniques, nuclear medical examination techniques, and dosimetry. The special section presents detailed descriptions of all relevant nuclear medical techniques by organ systems and clinical pictures. There are many examples and scintiscans of organs to train the diagnostic eye and give a link to clinical practice. This successful textbook presents complex subject matter in a clear and intelligible way. It addresses newcomers and expert doctors that require training in nuclear medical methods. It has also become a standard textbook in university medicine studies and in the training of radiological assistants. (orig.)

  19. Ethical Diversity and the Role of Conscience in Clinical Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genuis, Stephen J.; Lipp, Chris

    2013-01-01

    In a climate of plurality about the concept of what is “good,” one of the most daunting challenges facing contemporary medicine is the provision of medical care within the mosaic of ethical diversity. Juxtaposed with escalating scientific knowledge and clinical prowess has been the concomitant erosion of unity of thought in medical ethics. With innumerable technologies now available in the armamentarium of healthcare, combined with escalating realities of financial constraints, cultural differences, moral divergence, and ideological divides among stakeholders, medical professionals and their patients are increasingly faced with ethical quandaries when making medical decisions. Amidst the plurality of values, ethical collision arises when the values of individual health professionals are dissonant with the expressed requests of patients, the common practice amongst colleagues, or the directives from regulatory and political authorities. In addition, concern is increasing among some medical practitioners due to mounting attempts by certain groups to curtail freedom of independent conscience—by preventing medical professionals from doing what to them is apparently good, or by compelling practitioners to do what they, in conscience, deem to be evil. This paper and the case study presented will explore issues related to freedom of conscience and consider practical approaches to ethical collision in clinical medicine. PMID:24455248

  20. Ward social workers' views of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with specialist palliative care team social workers: A grounded theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firn, Janice; Preston, Nancy; Walshe, Catherine

    2017-07-14

    Inpatient, generalist social workers in discharge planning roles work alongside specialist palliative care social workers to care for patients, often resulting in two social workers being concurrently involved in the same patient's care. Previous studies identifying components of effective collaboration, which impacts patient outcomes, care efficiency, professional job satisfaction, and healthcare costs, were conducted with nurses and physicians but not social workers. This study explores ward social workers' perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with palliative care social workers. Grounded theory was used to explore the research aim. In-depth qualitative interviews with masters trained ward social workers (n = 14) working in six hospitals located in the Midwest, United States were conducted between February 2014 and January 2015. A theoretical model of ward social workers' collaboration with palliative care social workers was developed. The emerging model of collaboration consists of: 1) trust, which is comprised of a) ability, b) benevolence, and c) integrity, 2) information sharing, and 3) role negotiation. Effective collaboration occurs when all elements of the model are present. Collaboration is facilitated when ward social workers' perceptions of trust are high, pertinent information is communicated in a time-sensitive manner, and a flexible approach to roles is taken. The theoretical model of collaboration can inform organisational policy and social work clinical practice guidelines, and may be of use to other healthcare professionals, as improvements in collaboration among healthcare providers may have a positive impact on patient outcomes.