WorldWideScience

Sample records for tertiary paediatric hospital

  1. The profile of meningitis in a tertiary paediatric hospital in South Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Meningitis in children is a major health problem worldwide, leading to high rates of mortality and morbidity. Objectives. To describe the profile of patients treated for meningitis at a leading tertiary paediatric hospital (Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital) in South Africa. Methods. This study describes all ...

  2. Tertiary paediatric emergency department use in children and young people with cerebral palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, Elaine; Reid, Susan M; Williams, Katrina; Freed, Gary L; Babl, Franz E; Sewell, Jillian R; Rawicki, Barry; Reddihough, Dinah S

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of tertiary paediatric emergency department (ED) use in children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP). A retrospective analysis of ED data routinely collected at the two tertiary paediatric hospitals in Victoria, Australia, cross-matched with the Victorian Cerebral Palsy Register. Data pertaining to the ED presentations of 2183 registered individuals born 1993-2008 were obtained. Between 2008 and 2012, 37% (n = 814) of the CP cohort had 3631 tertiary paediatric ED presentations. Overall, 40% (n = 332) of presenters were residing in inner metropolitan Melbourne; 44% (n = 356) in outer Melbourne; and 13% (n = 108) in regional Victoria. Presenters were more likely than non-presenters to be younger, non-ambulant and have epilepsy. In total, 71% of presentations were triaged as Australasian Triage Scale 1-3 (urgent), and 44% resulted in a hospital admission. Disorders of the respiratory, neurological and gastrointestinal systems, and medical device problems were responsible for 72% of presentations. Many of the tertiary paediatric ED presentations in this group were appropriate based on the high admission rate and the large proportion triaged as urgent. However, there is evidence that some families are bypassing local services and travelling long distances to attend the tertiary paediatric ED, even for less urgent complaints that do not require hospital admission. Alternative pathways of care delivery, and strategies to promote the management of common problems experienced by children and young people with CP in non-paediatric EDs or primary care settings, may go some way towards reducing unnecessary tertiary paediatric ED use in this group. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2015 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  3. Optimised paediatric CT dose at a tertiary children's hospital in Japan: a 4-y single-centre analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakada, Y.; Yamamoto, H.; Nabatame, K.; Obara, S.; Akahane, K.; Blyth, B.J.; Shimada, Y.; Fujiwara, M.; Yokoyama, T.; Shirayama, A.; Date, H.; Hoshioka, A.; Yakami, M.; Miyazaki, O.; Yagi, K.

    2016-01-01

    Since diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for children are not currently established in Japan, the authors determined local DRLs for the full range of paediatric CT examinations in a single tertiary care children's hospital. A retrospective review of 4801 CT performance records for paediatric patients (<15 y old) who had undergone CT examinations from 2008 to 2011 was conducted. The most frequent examinations were of the head (52 %), followed by cardiac (15 %), temporal bone (9 %), abdomen (7 %), chest (6 %) and others (11 %). Approximately one-third of children received two or more CT scans. The authors' investigation showed that mean CTDI vol and DLP for head, chest and abdomen increased as a function of age. Benchmarking of the results showed that CTDI vol , DLP and effective dose for chest and abdomen examinations in this hospital were below average, whereas those for the head tended to be at or slightly above average of established DRL values from five countries. The results suggest that CT examinations as performed in a tertiary children's hospital in Japan are well optimised. (authors)

  4. PAEDIATRIC POSTERIOR FOSSA TUMORS: A CLIN ICO - PATHOLOGICAL STUDY I N A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raja Sekhar Kennedy

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Tumors of the Central Nervous S ystem , are the second commonest childhood tumors and are the most common solid paediatric tumors comprising 40% - 50% of all tumors . 1 2 Posterior fossa brain tumors are one of the most devastating forms of human illnesses wh ich are more common in children. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : To study the incidence, clinicopathological features and management of paediatric posterior fossa tumors. MATERIALS AND METHOD S : This is a prospective study done in the Department of Neurosurgery, Ranga raya Medical College, Government General Hospital, Kakinada from 2012 to 2015. It is a Tertiary Care Hospital. A total of 25 paediatric patients ranging from infants to 15 years were included in the study. DISCUSSION AND CONCL USION: Posterior fossa tumors are the commonest solid brain tumors of children with a rate of 2.4 per lakh of children at risk per year. The predominant symptoms are headache and vomiting followed by cerebellar symptoms (gait disturbances. Posterior fossa tumors are predominantly seen in children with peak incidence in first decade. Commonest presenting symptoms are due to raised intracranial pressure with headache and vomiting followed by cerebellar symptoms. Meticulous microsurgical techniques are to be followed in removing these tum ors. The incidence of recurrence is very less after gross total excision. Prognosis is good in patients with total excision

  5. An outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex in the paediatric unit of a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mali, Swapna; Dash, Lona; Gautam, Vikas; Shastri, Jayanthi; Kumar, Sunil

    2017-01-01

    Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) has emerged as a serious nosocomial pathogen worldwide especially in patients with indwelling catheters and cystic fibrosis. Bcc is a common contaminant of pharmaceutical products. We describe an outbreak of Bcc bacteraemia amongst children admitted in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and paediatric ward at a tertiary care hospital, Mumbai, in Western India. Blood culture samples from paediatric patients yielded growth of non-fermenting, oxidase positive, motile, Gram negative bacilli (NFGNB) (76/909) over a period of 8 months. Based on conventional biochemical tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, these isolates were provisionally identified as Bcc. The increased, repeated and continued isolation of Bcc alerted the possibility of an outbreak confined to PICU and paediatric ward. Active surveillance was undertaken to trace the source and contain the outbreak. Isolates were subjected to recA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Expanded multilocus sequence typing (EMLST). Surveillance revealed the presence of Bcc on the upper surface of rubber stopper of sealed multidose amikacin vials. Isolates from blood culture and rubber stoppers were confirmed as Bcc by recA PCR. EMLST revealed that these isolates shared an identical novel sequence type 824 proving clonality. Timely interventions instituted led to control of the outbreak. This study highlights the importance of identification and molecular characterization of Bcc to establish its role in infection and outbreak.

  6. An outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex in the paediatric unit of a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swapna Mali

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc has emerged as a serious nosocomial pathogen worldwide especially in patients with indwelling catheters and cystic fibrosis. Bcc is a common contaminant of pharmaceutical products. We describe an outbreak of Bcc bacteraemia amongst children admitted in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU and paediatric ward at a tertiary care hospital, Mumbai, in Western India. Materials and Methods: Blood culture samples from paediatric patients yielded growth of non-fermenting, oxidase positive, motile, Gram negative bacilli (NFGNB (76/909 over a period of 8 months. Based on conventional biochemical tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, these isolates were provisionally identified as Bcc. The increased, repeated and continued isolation of Bcc alerted the possibility of an outbreak confined to PICU and paediatric ward. Active surveillance was undertaken to trace the source and contain the outbreak. Isolates were subjected to recA polymerase chain reaction (PCR and Expanded multilocus sequence typing (EMLST. Results: Surveillance revealed the presence of Bcc on the upper surface of rubber stopper of sealed multidose amikacin vials. Isolates from blood culture and rubber stoppers were confirmed as Bcc by recA PCR. EMLST revealed that these isolates shared an identical novel sequence type 824 proving clonality. Timely interventions instituted led to control of the outbreak. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of identification and molecular characterization of Bcc to establish its role in infection and outbreak.

  7. Healthcare associated infections in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in India: Hospital stay & extra costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sodhi, Jitender; Satpathy, Sidhartha; Sharma, D K; Lodha, Rakesh; Kapil, Arti; Wadhwa, Nitya; Gupta, Shakti Kumar

    2016-04-01

    Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) increase the length of stay in the hospital and consequently costs as reported from studies done in developed countries. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of HAIs on length of stay and costs of health care in children admitted to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a tertiary care hospital in north India. This prospective study was done in the seven bedded PICU of a large multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. A total of 20 children with HAI (cases) and 35 children without HAI (controls), admitted to the PICU during the study period (January 2012 to June 2012), were matched for gender, age, and average severity of illness score. Each patient's length of stay was obtained prospectively. Costs of healthcare were estimated according to traditional and time driven activity based costing methods approach. The median extra length of PICU stay for children with HAI (cases), compared with children with no HAI (controls), was seven days (IQR 3-16). The mean total costs of patients with and without HAI were ' 2,04,787 (US$ 3,413) and ' 56,587 (US$ 943), respectively and the mean difference in the total cost between cases and controls was ' 1,48,200 (95% CI 55,716 to 2,40,685, pcosts for PICU patients, especially costs due to prolongation of hospital stay, and suggests the need to develop effective strategies for prevention of HAI to reduce costs of health care.

  8. Epidemiology of paediatric poisoning reporting to a tertiary hospital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methods. We conducted a retrospective study from January 2007 to January 2012 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Ghana. Results. Poisoning is a significant health problem in the study area. A total of 253 children reported to the hospital with poisoning over the 61month period, with an average ...

  9. Paediatric mild head injury: is routine admission to a tertiary trauma hospital necessary?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tallapragada, Krishna; Peddada, Ratna Soundarya; Dexter, Mark

    2018-03-01

    Previous studies have shown that children with isolated linear skull fractures have excellent clinical outcomes and low risk of surgery. We wish to identify other injury patterns within the spectrum of paediatric mild head injury, which need only conservative management. Children with low risk of evolving neurosurgical lesions could be safely managed in primary hospitals. We retrospectively analysed all children with mild head injury (i.e. admission Glasgow coma score 13-15) and skull fracture or haematoma on a head computed tomography scan admitted to Westmead Children's Hospital, Sydney over the years 2009-2014. Data were collected regarding demographics, clinical findings, mechanism of injury, head computed tomography scan findings, neurosurgical intervention, outcome and length of admission. Wilcoxon paired test was used with P value <0.05 considered significant. Four hundred and ten children were analysed. Three hundred and eighty-one (93%) children were managed conservatively, 18 (4%) underwent evacuation of extradural haematoma (TBI surgery) and 11 (3%) needed fracture repair surgery. Two children evolved a surgical lesion 24 h post-admission. Only 17 of 214 children transferred from peripheral hospitals needed neurosurgery. Overall outcomes: zero deaths, one needed brain injury rehabilitation and 63 needed child protection unit intervention. Seventy-five percentage of children with non-surgical lesions were discharged within 2 days. Eighty-three percentage of road transfers were discharged within 3 days. Children with small intracranial haematomas and/or skull fractures who need no surgery only require brief inpatient symptomatic treatment and could be safely managed in primary hospitals. Improved tertiary hospital transfer guidelines with protocols to manage clinical deterioration could have cost benefit without risking patient safety. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  10. Paediatric tracheostomy-An 11 year experience at a Scottish paediatric tertiary referral centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, C M; Poole-Cowley, J; Morrissey, S; Kubba, H; Clement, W A; Wynne, D

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this paper was to review the indications, complications and outcomes for tracheostomy at a Scottish paediatric tertiary referral hospital. All patients undergoing tracheostomy between January 2001 and September 2012 were identified. A retrospective case note analysis was performed. 111 tracheostomies were done in the study period. The mean number per year was 11 (3-12). Full data was available for 95 patients. There were 56 (59%) males and 39 (41%) females. Age at time of tracheostomy ranged from one day to 15 years, the mean age of tracheostomy insertion was 69 weeks. The majority of patients, 75 (79%), were under one year old when they had their tracheostomy. The most common indication was long-term ventilation (20%), followed by craniofacial abnormality causing airway obstruction (18%), followed by subglottic stenosis (14%). 37% of patients were decannulated. This series reflects current trends in the indications for paediatric tracheostomy, with chronic lung disease of prematurity being the most common indication. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. [Changes in the demand for paediatric neurology care in a spanish tertiary care hospital over a 20-year period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monge Galindo, L; López-Pisón, J; Samper Villagrasa, P; Peña Segura, J L

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the profile of the demand for paediatric neurology care in a Spanish tertiary hospital over the past 20 years. We studied epidemiological data, reasons for consultation, diagnoses and complementary tests from all patients examined by our Paediatric Neurology Unit in its 20 years of service (from May 1990 to March 2010). We also reviewed data from patients whose first visit took place within the last five years (2005-2010) and compared them to data obtained from a prior study carried out in this Unit from 1990 to 1995. To compare the first 5 years (group 1) with the last 5 years (group 2), we calculated confidence intervals, P<.05, for the frequency distribution (%) in each category. Main reasons for consultation and principal diagnoses for the 12726 patients evaluated in the 20-year period, as well as results from group 1 (2046 patients) and group 2 (4488 patients) corresponding to first and the last 5 years of activity respectively, are presented with their confidence intervals in a series of tables. Variations in the reasons for consultation, diagnoses and complementary tests over time reflect changes determined by medical, scientific and social progress, and organisational changes specific to each hospital. This explains the difficulty of comparing different patient series studied consecutively, which are even more pronounced between different hospitals. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  12. Sources of funding for adult and paediatric CT procedures at a metropolitan tertiary hospital: How much do Medicare statistics really cover?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayton, Anna; Wallace, Anthony; Johnston, Peter

    2015-12-01

    The radiation dose to the Australian paediatric population as a result of medical imaging is of growing concern, in particular the dose from CT. Estimates of the Australian population dose have largely relied on Medicare Australia statistics, which capture only a fraction of those imaging procedures actually performed. The fraction not captured has been estimated using a value obtained for a survey of the adult population in the mid-1990s. To better quantify the fraction of procedures that are not captured by Medicare Australia, procedure frequency and funding data for adult and paediatric patients were obtained from a metropolitan tertiary teaching and research hospital. Five calendar years of data were obtained with a financial class specified for each individual procedure. The financial classes were grouped to give the percentage of Medicare Australia billable procedures for both adult and paediatric patients. The data were also grouped to align with the Medicare Australia age cohorts. The percentage of CT procedures billable to Medicare Australia increased from 16% to 28% between 2008 and 2012. In 2012, the percentage billable for adult and paediatric patients was 28% and 33%, respectively; however, many adult CT procedures are performed at stand-alone clinics, which bulk bill. Using Medicare Australia statistics alone, the frequency of paediatric CT procedures performed on the Australian paediatric population will be grossly under estimated. A correction factor of 4.5 is suggested for paediatric procedures and 1.5 for adult procedures. The fraction of actual procedures performed that are captured by Medicare Australia will vary with time. © 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  13. Hospital-in-the-Home — essential to an integrated model of paediatric care

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hensey, CC

    2017-01-01

    The National Clinical Programme for Paediatrics and Neonatology is proposing a model of care that will determine the future delivery of children’s health services in Ireland1. The focus is on the provision of an integrated service with improved co-ordination between primary, secondary, and tertiary level facilities. A parallel goal is improvements in chronic care and medical care in the home. An expanded role for ambulatory care and hospital at home schemes with a reduced reliance on inpatient care is proposed in line with international best practice. Achieving these goals requires a paradigm shift in delivery of children’s health care, and reconfiguration of current services to deliver multidisciplinary care in hospital and at home. The recently approved planning application for the new children’s hospital provides an opportunity and heralds a change in the structure of paediatric services in Ireland. It will act as the nexus of paediatric care throughout Ireland; supporting paediatric services nationally through outreach programmes, and ensuring children are treated as close to home as possible. A Hospital-in-the-Home (HITH) program would help meet these objectives; and could provide home based acute paediatric care, leading to economic benefits, and the delivery of quality family-centred care.

  14. Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Drugs Used in the Treatment of Pneumonia in Paediatric Population in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India-A Cost-of-Illness Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Lekha; Kaur, Sharonjeet; Khosla, Pratibha; Kumari, Sweta; Rani, Alka

    2017-12-11

    The cost of antibiotic therapy for the treatment of pneumonia in the inpatient paediatric population can have a major impact on the healthcare expenditure. We planned to assess the direct and indirect costs of diagnosis and medical treatment of paediatric patients with community acquired pneumonia who are hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital in India. 125 children with a diagnosis of pneumonia who were admitted to the inpatient department of a paediatric hospital receiving antibiotic treatment were observed. Data on clinical presentation and resources consumed were collected and the costs of pneumonia treatment were calculated. Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) were used to evaluate data regarding demographics, drugs prescribed and cost (direct and indirect cost). Multivariate regression analysis was used to find out predictors of direct and indirect cost. Among all pneumonia admissions, mild-to-moderate pneumonia constitutes 76.8%, and 23.2% children were admitted with severe pneumonia; 105 children out of 125 (84%) were suffering from associated disorders along with pneumonia. The majority of antibiotics prescribed belonged to beta lactams (52%) followed by aminoglycosides (19%), macrolides (13%) and peptides (11%). Parenteral routes of administration were used in a majority of patients as compared to oral. The average cost per patient in management of pneumonia was 12245 ± 593 INR ($187.34 ± 9.07).

  15. Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Drugs Used in the Treatment of Pneumonia in Paediatric Population in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India—A Cost-of-Illness Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lekha Saha

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Aims and objectives: The cost of antibiotic therapy for the treatment of pneumonia in the inpatient paediatric population can have a major impact on the healthcare expenditure. We planned to assess the direct and indirect costs of diagnosis and medical treatment of paediatric patients with community acquired pneumonia who are hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital in India. Methods: 125 children with a diagnosis of pneumonia who were admitted to the inpatient department of a paediatric hospital receiving antibiotic treatment were observed. Data on clinical presentation and resources consumed were collected and the costs of pneumonia treatment were calculated. Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviation (SD were used to evaluate data regarding demographics, drugs prescribed and cost (direct and indirect cost. Multivariate regression analysis was used to find out predictors of direct and indirect cost. Results: Among all pneumonia admissions, mild-to-moderate pneumonia constitutes 76.8%, and 23.2% children were admitted with severe pneumonia; 105 children out of 125 (84% were suffering from associated disorders along with pneumonia. The majority of antibiotics prescribed belonged to beta lactams (52% followed by aminoglycosides (19%, macrolides (13% and peptides (11%. Parenteral routes of administration were used in a majority of patients as compared to oral. The average cost per patient in management of pneumonia was 12245 ± 593 INR ($187.34 ± 9.07.

  16. What impact did a Paediatric Early Warning system have on emergency admissions to the paediatric intensive care unit? An observational cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sefton, G; McGrath, C; Tume, L; Lane, S; Lisboa, P J G; Carrol, E D

    2015-04-01

    The ideology underpinning Paediatric Early Warning systems (PEWs) is that earlier recognition of deteriorating in-patients would improve clinical outcomes. To explore how the introduction of PEWs at a tertiary children's hospital affects emergency admissions to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the impact on service delivery. To compare 'in-house' emergency admissions to PICU with 'external' admissions transferred from District General Hospitals (without PEWs). A before-and-after observational study August 2005-July 2006 (pre), August 2006-July 2007 (post) implementation of PEWs at the tertiary children's hospital. The median Paediatric Index of Mortality (PIM2) reduced; 0.44 vs 0.60 (pemergency admissions to PICU. A 39% reduction in emergency admission total beds days reduced cancellation of major elective surgical cases and refusal of external PICU referrals. Following introduction of PEWs at a tertiary children's hospital PIM2 was reduced, patients required less PICU interventions and had a shorter length of stay. PICU service delivery improved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Interventional Radiology in Paediatrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chippington, Samantha J; Goodwin, Susie J

    2015-01-01

    As in adult practice, there is a growing role for paediatric interventional radiology expertise in the management of paediatric pathologies. This review is targeted for clinicians who may refer their patients to paediatric interventional radiology services, or who are responsible for patients who are undergoing paediatric interventional radiology procedures. The article includes a brief overview of the indications for intervention, techniques involved and the commonest complications. Although some of the procedures described are most commonly performed in a tertiary paediatric centre, many are performed in most Children's hospitals.

  18. How can general paediatric training be optimised in highly specialised tertiary settings? Twelve tips from an interview-based study of trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Yassin, Amina; Long, Andrew; Sharma, Sanjiv; May, Joanne

    2017-01-01

    Both general and subspecialty paediatric trainees undertake attachments in highly specialised tertiary hospitals. Trainee feedback suggests that mismatches in expectations between trainees and supervisors and a perceived lack of educational opportunities may lead to trainee dissatisfaction in such settings. With the 'Shape of Training' review (reshaping postgraduate training in the UK to focus on more general themes), this issue is likely to become more apparent. We wished to explore the factors that contribute to a positive educational environment and training experience and identify how this may be improved in highly specialised settings. General paediatric trainees working at all levels in subspecialty teams at a tertiary hospital were recruited (n=12). Semistructured interviews were undertaken to explore the strengths and weaknesses of training in such a setting and how this could be optimised. Appreciative inquiry methodology was used to identify areas of perceived best practice and consider how these could be promoted and disseminated. Twelve best practice themes were identified: (1) managing expectations by acknowledging the challenges; (2) educational contracting to identify learning needs and opportunities; (3) creative educational supervision; (4) centralised teaching events; (5) signposting learning opportunities; (6) curriculum-mapped pan-hospital teaching programmes; (7) local faculty groups with trainee representation; (8) interprofessional learning; (9) pastoral support systems; (10) crossover weeks to increase clinical exposure; (11) adequate clinical supervision; and (12) rota design to include teaching and clinic time. Tertiary settings have strengths, as well as challenges, for general paediatric training. Twelve trainee-generated tips have been identified to capitalise on the educational potential within these settings. Trainee feedback is essential to diagnose and improve educational environments and appreciative inquiry is a useful tool for

  19. Provision of general paediatric surgical services in a regional hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Zgraj, O

    2012-01-31

    BACKGROUND: In Ireland, specialist paediatric surgery is carried out in paediatric hospitals in Dublin. General surgeons\\/consultants in other surgical specialities provide paediatric surgical care in regional centres. There has been a failure to train general surgeons with paediatric skills to replace these surgeons upon retirement. AIM: To assess paediatric surgical workload in one regional centre to focus the debate regarding the future provision of general paediatric surgery in Ireland. METHODS: Hospital in-patient enquiry (HIPE) system was used to identify total number of paediatric surgical admissions and procedures. Cases assessed requiring hospital transfer. RESULTS: Of 17,478 surgical patients treated, 2,584 (14.8%) were under 14 years. A total of 2,154 procedures were performed. CONCLUSION: Regional centres without dedicated paediatric surgeons deliver care to large numbers of paediatric patients. The demand for care highlights the need for formal paediatric services\\/appropriate surgical training for general surgical trainees.

  20. PAEDIATRIC OCULAR INJURIES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Vinayagamurthy

    2017-08-01

    good because of prompt treatment. Facilities for treatment of ocular emergencies have significantly improved in tertiary hospitals located in mofussil areas.

  1. Prevalence of malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk of Australian paediatric inpatients: a national one-day snapshot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Melinda; Dennis, Nicole; Ramsey, Rebecca; Barwick, Katie; Graham, Christie; Kane, Sarah; Kepreotes, Helen; Queit, Leah; Sweeney, Annabel; Winderlich, Jacinta; Wong See, Denise; Littlewood, Robyn

    2015-03-01

    Low prevalence rates of malnutrition at 2.5% to 4% have previously been reported in two tertiary paediatric Australian hospitals. The current study is the first to measure the prevalence of malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk of paediatric inpatients in multiple hospitals throughout Australia. Malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk prevalence were investigated in 832 and 570 paediatric inpatients, respectively, in eight tertiary paediatric hospitals and eight regional hospitals across Australia on a single day. Malnutrition and obesity prevalence was determined using z-scores and body mass index (BMI) percentiles. High nutritional risk was determined as a Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score of 2 or more. The prevalence rates of malnourished, wasted, stunted, overweight and obese paediatric patients were 15%, 13.8%, 11.9%, 8.8% and 9.9%, respectively. Patients who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander were more likely to have lower height-for-age z-scores (P malnutrition and nutritional risk of Australian paediatric inpatients on a given day was much higher when compared with the healthy population. In contrast, the proportion of overweight and obese patients was less. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  2. Pancreaticoduodenectomy in children: optimising outcome of uncommon paediatric procedures.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Yeap, B H

    2012-02-01

    Contemporary surgical practice is increasingly dominated by subspecialisation in response to improved outcome from high volume centres, though uncertainties persist for uncommon paediatric procedures. Three paediatric pancreaticoduodenectomies performed at Our Lady\\'s Children\\'s Hospital, Dublin, over a period of 9 years were evaluated to substantiate their continuing performance by paediatric rather than adult pancreatic surgeons. With ages ranging from 18 months to 8 years old, the mean operating time was 263 minutes, while the average hospital stay was 12 days. There was no perioperative mortality, although complication rate was 100%. Re-operation was required in 33%. The long term outcome of this small paediatric cohort was comparable to adult series despite the low patient accrual, underscoring the advantages of a multidisciplinary approach afforded by tertiary paediatric institutions for intricate yet infrequent operations in children.

  3. The proposal of Paediatric Virology and its perspectives: An interview with Professor of Paediatrics Maria Theodoridou.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mammas, Ioannis N; Spandidos, Demetrios A

    2017-10-01

    Professor Maria Theodoridou, Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Athens, is one of the few paediatricians in Greece, who have experienced almost all the infectious diseases of the second half of the 20th century and their severe consequences, prior to the widespread adoption of immunisations. A milestone during her career was the establishment of a specialised National Reference Unit for the care of paediatric patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the 'Aghia Sophia' Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece. According to Professor Theodoridou, training on the prevention, management and treatment of neonatal and paediatric viral infections represents a new educational challenge for both community as well as hospital-based paediatric health professionals. The debate of the potential strategically principal role of Paediatric Virology subspecialists in the primary, secondary and tertiary clinical practice is definitely necessary and needs further discussion and evaluation, she adds. She describes the difficulties that Greece, a country under a long-standing financial crisis, faces for the hospital-based management of paediatric viral infections and refers to the future advances, which are expected in the field of diagnosis and treatment of viral infections in neonates and children. In the context of the 3rd Workshop on Paediatric Virology, which will be held in Athens on October 7th, 2017, Professor Theodoridou will focus on the immigration crisis and vaccination policy.

  4. Epidemiology of paediatric poisoning reporting to a tertiary hospital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The median age of the children was 24 months (interquartile range 24 - 48 months). Kerosene was the leading cause of poisoning (39.5%). Conclusion. Paediatric poisoning is a major health hazard in children living in Kumasi and its environs. This can possibly be attributed to a lack of adequate supervision of children and ...

  5. Paediatric surgery outreach: analysis of referrals to a tertiary paediatric surgery service to plan an outreach programme Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manickchund, Yashoda; Hadley, G P

    2017-10-01

    Paediatric surgical disease is a neglected health problem. Patients travel great distances to tertiary level care for management. This study aimed at analysing referral patterns to design an outreach programme for paediatric surgery in KwaZulu Natal. Data forms of patients referred to the service between January and July 2016 were correlated with the clinical record. Delays in management were compared to morbidity and mortality. Out of 781, 158 referrals were accepted as emergencies. The majority (62%) were children aged < 1 year. Gastro-intestinal problems (38.4%) and congenital anomalies (26.9%) formed the majority. Patients who died had a significantly longer delay in transfer. Longer total delay was associated with statistically significant greater morbidity. In a setting where a large rural population is served by single-centre tertiary care, delays exist and contribute to morbidity. The authors advocate the establishment of an outreach programme to address these issues.

  6. Assessment of Parents' Satisfaction with Paediatric Surgery Services ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ademuyıwa O Adesoji

    Items 1 - 14 ... Services at a Tertiary Hospital in South West Nigeria: A Quality Control ... literate parents of paediatric post-op patients were serially recruited from the pediatric .... such as poor electricity and water supply in a survey of dental.

  7. SAMJ Monitoring of rotavirus infection in a paediatric hospital by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    During the spring of 1987 and the autumn of 1988, stool specimens were collected from infants and young children in the paediatric unit at H. F. Verwoerd Hospital, Pretoria, and examined for the presence of rotaviruses to assess the potential for hospital-acquired infection in the paediatric wards. Stool samples were also ...

  8. Monitoring of rotavirus infection in a paediatric hospital by RNA ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    During the spring of 1987 and the autumn of 1988, stool specimens were collected from infants and young children in the paediatric unit at H. F. Verwoerd Hospital, Pretoria, and examined for the presence of rotaviruses to assess the potential for hospital-acquired infection in the paediatric wards. Stool samples were also ...

  9. The Prolonged Neonatal Admission: Implications for our National Children's Hospital

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McGlacken-Byrne, SM

    2016-06-01

    A significant number of neonates are admitted to tertiary paediatric units for prolonged stays annually, despite limited availability of neonatal beds. As the three Dublin paediatric hospitals merge, this pressure will be transferred to our new National Children’s Hospital.\\r\

  10. Sustainable Benefits of a Community Hospital-Based Paediatric Asthma Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzik, Brian A; Chen, Chee P; Hansen, Miriam J; Montgomery, Paula L

    2017-01-01

    In 2011, we reported that our paediatric asthma clinic (PAC) appeared to significantly reduce the burden of paediatric asthma in our community. Supported by these results, the PAC underwent a gradual threefold expansion while maintaining the same model of care. We now report on the outcome of that expansion and demonstrate that our PAC continues to significantly reduce the burden of paediatric asthma in our community. As previously, newly enrolled PAC patients continue to show a 12-month reduction in asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and admissions exceeding 60% and 80%, respectively. This consistent short-term benefit, coupled with clinic expansion, has contributed to a significant improvement in our rate of paediatric asthma-related ED visits or hospitalizations when compared to other Ontario hospitals.

  11. Future career intentions of higher specialist trainees in general Paediatrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Grainne; Breatnach, Colm; Harty, Sinead; Gavin, Patrick; O'Donnell, Colm; O'Grady, Michael J

    2018-03-27

    A survey of paediatric higher specialist trainees was carried out in 2002 assessing career intentions and perception of training. Fourteen years later, with increased numbers of trainees and a national model of care and a tertiary paediatric hospital on the horizon, we re-evaluated the career intentions of the current trainee workforce. To assess the career intentions of the current paediatric higher specialist trainees. A 28-item questionnaire was developed based on a previously validated instrument and distributed online using the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland trainee database. We distributed the questionnaire to 118 eligible trainees and received responses from 92 (78%). Seventy-nine (86%) respondents desire a consultant post in Ireland. Seventy-five (82%) indicated that their preferred consultant post location was in a tertiary paediatric centre. Sixty-two trainees (67%) intend to become subspecialists with 25 (27%) planning a career in general paediatrics. This contrasts with the 2002 survey when 76% wished to work in urban centres and 61% of trainees planned a career in general paediatrics. There appears to be a mismatch between the career goals of the future paediatric consultant workforce and the requirements for staffing paediatric units nationally. This has the potential to complicate the proposed expansion of general paediatricians in regional centres and result in a significant proportion of current trainees failing to secure a post in their desired location.

  12. Echocardiographic evaluation of simple versus complex congenital heart disease in a tertiary care Paediatrics Hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Uttam Kumar Sarkar; Anish Chatterjee; Suprit Basu; Atanu Pan; Sumit Periwal

    2017-01-01

    Background & Objectives:Congenital heart diseases are treatable either by catheter based intervention or open heart surgery according to their quality. In our study we aim to analyze congenital heart disease echocardiographically into simple versus complex heart disease at a tertiary care centre with a public health planning and policy making perspective.Materials & Methods:This hospital based study was done on 1010 patients, both from in-patient and out-patient, who were clinically s...

  13. Radiographic appearances of uncommon paediatric implants and devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Urquia, Arlen; Watson, Tom A.; Arthurs, Owen J. [Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Radiology, London (United Kingdom)

    2015-06-15

    As childhood survival of chronic illness improves, long-term implanted devices will be encountered more frequently in routine radiology. In our paediatric tertiary referral hospital, we have come across several types of implanted devices that were not confidently recognised or identified by front-line staff and were often only identified by discussion with the patient, family or clinical team. This pictorial review highlights the appearance of nonvascular devices on paediatric radiographs in order to help clinicians identify the most frequent complications and to improve awareness of these important devices. (orig.)

  14. Division of tongue tie: review of practice through a tertiary paediatric otorhinolaryngology service.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Glynn, R W

    2012-10-01

    Recent NICE guidance declared that evidence regarding surgical division of tongue tie was adequate to support the use of the procedure, provided that normal arrangements are in place for consent, audit and clinical governance. This work aimed to carry out a retrospective review of those patients who have previously undergone tongue tie division through a tertiary paediatric otorhinolaryngology service. We further aimed to identify the referral patterns, indications for, and outcomes following, division.

  15. Improving hand hygiene in a paediatric hospital: a multimodal quality improvement approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamal, Ahmed; O'Grady, G; Harnett, E; Dalton, D; Andresen, D

    2012-02-01

    Effective hand hygiene has long been recognised as an important way to reduce the transmission of bacterial and viral pathogens in healthcare settings. However, many studies have shown that adherence to hand hygiene remains low, and improvement efforts have often not delivered sustainable results. The Children's Hospital at Westmead is the largest tertiary paediatric hospital in Sydney, Australia. The hospital participated in a state-wide 'Clean hands save lives' campaign which was initiated in 2006. Strong leadership, good stakeholder engagement, readily accessible alcohol-based hand rub at the point of patient care, a multifaceted education programme, monitoring of staff, adherence to recommended hand hygiene practices and contemporaneous feedback of performance data have significantly improved and maintained compliance with hand hygiene. Hand hygiene compliance has increased from 23% in 2006 to 87% in 2011 (phand hygiene has been evident in the last 4 years. A decline in a set of hospital-acquired infections (including rotavirus, multiresistant organism transmission, and nosocomial bacteraemia) has also been noted as hand hygiene rates have improved. Monthly usage of alcohol-based hand rub has increased from 16 litres/1000 bed days to 51 litres/1000 bed days during this same period. This project has delivered sustained improvement in hand hygiene compliance by establishing a framework of multimodal evidence-based strategies.

  16. Review of paediatric cardiology services in district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Hannah; Singh, Yogen

    2016-03-01

    Following the Safe and Sustainable review of Paediatric Services in 2012/2013, National Health Service England recommended that local paediatric cardiology services should be provided by specially trained paediatricians with expertise in cardiology in all non-specialist hospitals. To understand the variation in local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom. An internet-based questionnaire was sent out via the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology Special Interest Group and the Neonatologists with Interest in Cardiology and Haemodynamics contact databases and the National Health Service directory. Non-responders were followed-up via telephone. The response rate was 80% (141 of 177 hospitals), and paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were available in 68% of those. Local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were provided in 96 hospitals (68%), whereas specialist outreach clinics were held in 123 centres (87%). A total of 11 hospitals provided neither specialist outreach clinics nor any local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology. Paediatric echocardiography services were provided in 83% of the hospitals, 12-lead electrocardiogram in 96%, Holter electrocardiogram in 91%, and exercise testing in only 47% of the responding hospitals. Telemedicine facilities were established in only 52% of the centres, where sharing echocardiogram images via picture archiving and communication system was used most commonly. There has been a substantial increase in the availability of paediatricians with expertise in cardiology since 2008. Most of the hospitals are well-supported by specialist cardiology centres via outreach clinics; however, there remains significant variation in the local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

  17. Current demand of paediatric otolaryngology input for children with Down's syndrome in a tertiary referral centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalid-Raja, M; Tzifa, K

    2016-11-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the activity of paediatric otolaryngology services required for children with Down's syndrome in a tertiary referral centre. A review of the paediatric otolaryngology input for children with Down's syndrome was performed; data were obtained from the coding department for a two-year period and compared with other surgical specialties. Between June 2011 and May 2013, 106 otolaryngology procedures were performed on children with Down's syndrome. This compared to 87 cardiac and 81 general paediatrics cases. The most common pathologies in children with Down's syndrome were obstructive sleep apnoea, otitis media, hearing loss and cardiac disease. The most common otolaryngology procedures performed were adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, grommet insertion and bone-anchored hearing aid implant surgery. ENT manifestations of Down's syndrome are common. Greater provisions need to be made to streamline the otolaryngology services for children and improve transition of care to adult services.

  18. Paediatric organophosphate poisoning - a rural hospital experience ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives. To document the presentation and course of organophosphate poisoning (OPP) in children and to record the frequency of atropine toxicity during treatment. Design. A retrospective observational study was conducted of all recorded paediatric cases of OPP admitted to a regional hospital over a 5-year period from ...

  19. Assessment of paediatric CT exposure in a Portuguese hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neves, A.; Nunes, A.; Rufino, M.; Madeira, P.; Vaz, P.; Pascoal, A.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, the characterisation of radiation exposure of paediatric patients in computerised tomography (CT) procedures was performed for a Portuguese hospital. Dosimetric data and technical parameters used for CT examinations were retrieved, compiled and analysed over a period of 1 y. Five paediatric age groups were considered, covering the age interval from 0 (newborn) to 18 y old and, for each age group, the relative frequency of the most frequent CT examinations (head, ears, sinuses, chest and abdomen examinations) is analysed. The exposure settings used (kilovolt and milli-ampere) were compared with the values established in the local (hospital) clinical protocols for consistency analysis. Average CT dose index vol and dose length product values, per age group, are presented as well as the corresponding estimated mean effective dose values. Results showed an evident need for a protocol review, in order to adjust practices to international guidelines for performing optimised paediatric CT examinations. Also, an increased awareness of staff to Radiological Protection principles in CT in particular, these of utmost importance, seems necessary. (authors)

  20. Regular in-situ simulation training of paediatric Medical Emergency Team leads to sustained improvements in hospital response to deteriorating patients, improved outcomes in intensive care and financial savings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theilen, Ulf; Fraser, Laura; Jones, Patricia; Leonard, Paul; Simpson, Dave

    2017-06-01

    The introduction of a paediatric Medical Emergency Team (pMET) was accompanied by weekly in-situ simulation team training. Key ward staff participated in team training, focusing on recognition of the deteriorating child, teamwork and early involvement of senior staff. Following an earlier study [1], this investigation aimed to evaluate the long-term impact of ongoing regular team training on hospital response to deteriorating ward patients, patient outcome and financial implications. Prospective cohort study of all deteriorating in-patients in a tertiary paediatric hospital requiring admission to paediatric intensive care (PICU) the year before, 1year after and 3 years after the introduction of pMET and team training. Deteriorating patients were recognised more promptly (before/1year after/3years after pMET; median time 4/1.5/0.5h, pIntroduction of pMET coincided with significantly reduced hospital mortality (p<0.001). These results indicate that lessons learnt by ward staff during team training led to sustained improvements in the hospital response to critically deteriorating in-patients, significantly improved patient outcomes and substantial savings. Integration of regular in-situ simulation training of medical emergency teams, including key ward staff, in routine clinical care has potential application in all acute specialties. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Perceptions of mothers and hospital staff of paediatric care in 13 public hospitals in northern Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mwangi, Rose; Chandler, Clare; Nasuwa, Fortunata

    2008-01-01

    User and provider perceptions of quality of care are likely to affect both use and provision of services. However, little is known about how health workers and mothers perceive the delivery of care in hospital paediatric wards in Africa. Paediatric staff and mothers of paediatric inpatients were...... interviewed to explore their opinions and experience of the admission process and conditions on the ward. Overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and lack of food were major concerns for mothers on the ward, who were deterred from seeking treatment earlier due to fears that hospital admission posed a significant...... risk of exposure to infection. While most staff were seen as being sympathetic and supportive to mothers, a minority were reported to be judgemental and authoritarian. Health workers identified lack of trained staff, overwork and low pay as major concerns. Staff shortages, lack of effective training...

  2. Barriers to and facilitators of implementing shared decision making and decision support in a paediatric hospital: A descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boland, Laura; McIsaac, Daniel I; Lawson, Margaret L

    2016-04-01

    To explore multiple stakeholders' perceived barriers to and facilitators of implementing shared decision making and decision support in a tertiary paediatric hospital. An interpretive descriptive qualitative study was conducted using focus groups and interviews to examine senior hospital administrators', clinicians', parents' and youths' perceived barriers to and facilitators of shared decision making and decision support implementation. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Fifty-seven stakeholders participated. Six barrier and facilitator themes emerged. The main barrier was gaps in stakeholders' knowledge of shared decision making and decision support. Facilitators included compatibility between shared decision making and the hospital's culture and ideal practices, perceptions of positive patient and family outcomes associated with shared decision making, and positive attitudes regarding shared decision making and decision support. However, youth attitudes regarding the necessity and usefulness of a decision support program were a barrier. Two themes were both a barrier and a facilitator. First, stakeholder groups were uncertain which clinical situations are suitable for shared decision making (eg, new diagnoses, chronic illnesses, complex decisions or urgent decisions). Second, the clinical process may be hindered if shared decision making and decision support decrease efficiency and workflow; however, shared decision making may reduce repeat visits and save time over the long term. Specific knowledge translation strategies that improve shared decision making knowledge and match specific barriers identified by each stakeholder group may be required to promote successful shared decision making and decision support implementation in the authors' paediatric hospital.

  3. [Current situation of the organisation, resources and activity in paediatric cardiology in Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez Ferrer, Francisco; Castro García, Francisco José; Pérez-Lescure Picarzo, Javier; Roses Noguer, Ferrán; Centeno Malfaz, Fernándo; Grima Murcia, María Dolores; Brotons, Dimpna Albert

    2018-04-26

    The results are presented on the «current situation of the organisation, resources and activity in paediatric cardiology in Spain». It was promoted by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart disease. An analysis was carried out on the results obtained from a specifically designed questionnaire, prepared by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart disease, that was sent to all hospitals around the country that offer the speciality of paediatric cardiology. A total of 86 questionnaires were obtained, including 14 hospitals that perform cardiac surgery on children. A total of 190 paediatric cardiology consultants, 40 cardiac surgeons, and 27 middle grade doctors performing their paediatric residency (MIR program) were identified. All hospitals had adequate equipment to perform an optimal initial evaluation of any child with a possible cardiac abnormality, but only tertiary centres could perform complex diagnostic procedures, interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery. In almost all units around the country, paediatric cardiology consultants were responsible for outpatient clinics and hospital admissions, whereas foetal cardiology units were still mainly managed by obstetricians. The number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was similar to those reported in the first survey, except for a slight decrease in the total number of closed cardiac surgery procedures, and a proportional increase in the number of therapeutic catheterisations. Paediatric Cardiology in Spain is performed by paediatric cardiology consultants that were trained initially as general paediatricians, and then completed a paediatric cardiology training period. Almost all units have adequate means for diagnosis and treatment. Efforts should be directed to create a national registry that would not only allow a prospective quantification of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, but also focus on their clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2018

  4. Paediatric horse-related trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theodore, Jane E; Theodore, Sigrid G; Stockton, Kellie A; Kimble, Roy M

    2017-06-01

    This retrospective cohort study reported on the epidemiology of horse-related injuries for patients presenting to the only tertiary paediatric trauma hospital in Queensland. The secondary outcome was to examine the use of helmets and adult supervision. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was examined in relation to helmet use. Morbidity and mortality were also recorded. Included were all patients presenting with any horse-related trauma to the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane from January 2008 to August 2014. Data were retrospectively collected on patient demographics, hospital length of stay (LOS), mechanism of injury (MOI), safety precautions taken, diagnoses and surgical procedures performed. Included in the analysis were 187 incidents involving 171 patients. Most patients were aged 12-14 years (36.9%) and female (84.5%). The most common MOI were falls while riding horses (97.1%). Mild TBI (24.6%) and upper limb fractures (20.9%) were common injuries sustained. Patients who wore helmets had significantly reduced hospital LOS and severity of TBI when compared with those who did not wear helmets (P horses, in addition to being a compulsory requirement whilst horse riding. Prompts in documentation may assist doctors to record the use of safety attire and adult supervision. This will allow future studies to further investigate these factors in relation to clinical outcomes. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  5. Identification of important and potentially avoidable risk factors in a prospective audit study of neonatal deaths in a paediatric hospital in Vietnam

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kruse, Alexandra Y; Phuong, Cam N; Ho, Binh T T

    2014-01-01

    AIM: Neonatal deaths (≤28 days) account for more than half of child mortality in Vietnam. Presumably most die in hospital, but data are scarce. This study aimed to identify risk factors of death among hospitalised neonates. METHODS: We prospectively studied all neonatal deaths and expected deaths...... (discharged alive after withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment) in a Vietnamese tertiary paediatric hospital during a 12-month period in 2009-2010. The medical files were audited classifying admission prognosis, discharge outcome, cause of death/expected death according to two classifications, and important...... and potentially avoidable risk factors during the hospital stay. RESULTS: Among 5763 neonates admitted, 235 deaths and 67 expected deaths were included. According to both classifications, major causes were congenital malformations, prematurity and severe infections. Six risk factors were identified in 85% (60...

  6. Efficacy of paediatric anaesthetic trolleys: A call for a basic standard and layout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Sian E; Boleat, Elizabeth; Goodwin, Alison; Sheikh, Asme; Goonasekera, Chulananda

    2015-01-01

    Providing safe anaesthesia to children especially in emergency situations goes hand in hand with instant availability of appropriately sized equipment and monitoring. This is best achieved using a designated paediatric anaesthetic trolley containing essential equipment. Guidance for the contents of such trolleys is neither explicit nor standard. We used a survey and a qualitative enquiry to develop a checklist suitable for standardisation of contents and layout of paediatric anaesthetic trolleys. We conducted an observational study of our current practice and paediatric anaesthetic trolleys in a tertiary care hospital. We also performed a qualitative enquiry from experienced paediatric anaesthetists and operating department practitioners.We developed an empirical checklist to ensure the minimum 'essential' equipment is available on these trolleys and implemented a standard layout to facilitate its use. We identified 11 areas in our hospital where anaesthesia is provided to children, each with a designated paediatric anaesthetic trolley. There were considerable deficiencies of items in all areas with no standard pattern or layout. Different types of trolleys contributed to the confusion. In addition, overstocking of inappropriate items hindered its efficient use. Standardising the contents and layout of the paediatric anaesthetic trolley is an essential pre-requisite for safer paediatric anaesthetic practice.

  7. Emerging trends of bloodstream infection: A six-year study at a paediatric tertiary care hospital in kabul

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tariq, T.M.; Rasool, E.

    2016-01-01

    To determine the frequency of pathogens causing bloodstream infections and evaluate their trends and antibiogram patterns among in-patients in a paediatric tertiary care centre. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC), Kabul, Afghanistan in two phases, from January 2010 to December 2015. Methodology: Results of blood cultures from suspected cases of sepsis admitted in the FMIC, from January 2010 to December 2012 (Period-1), and from January 2013 to December 2015 (Period-2) were completed. Standard microbiological methods were followed for blood culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing. Results: Out of total 1,040 cases of culture proven sepsis, 528 (50.77%) Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), 474 (45.58%) Gram-positive cocci (GPC), and 38 (3.65%) Candida species were isolated during the entire study period. Out of 528 GNB isolates, 373 (70.64%) belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae and 155 (29.36%) were non-fermenters. Among Enterobacteriaceae, 168 (31.82%) were Klebsiella species (K. pneumoniae=124, K. oxytoca=44), 70 (13.26%) were Enterobacter species (E. cloacae=52, E. aerogenes=18), 65 (12.31%) were E. coli, 37 (7.01%) were Serratia marcescens and 31 (5.87%) were others. Out of 155 non-fermenters, 88 (16.67%) were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 39 (7.39%) were Burkholderia cepacia and 18 (3.41%) were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. There was a drop in the frequency of Enterobacteriaceae from 85% in Period-1 to 58.68% in Period-2. There was an increase in the frequency of nonuniformities from 15% to 41.32%, particularly 18 new cases of sepsis caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia during Period-2. Among GPC, there was an overall rise of 16.14% in the prevalence of Staphylococcus epidermidis during Period-2 and a drop of 9.64% in the frequency of Staphylococcus aureus during Period-2. The majority of Gram-negative isolates were multidrug-resistant to commonly used antibiotics. However, most of the

  8. Identifying paediatric nursing-sensitive outcomes in linked administrative health data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilson Sally

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is increasing interest in the contribution of the quality of nursing care to patient outcomes. Due to different casemix and risk profiles, algorithms for administrative health data that identify nursing-sensitive outcomes in adult hospitalised patients may not be applicable to paediatric patients. The study purpose was to test adult algorithms in a paediatric hospital population and make amendments to increase the accuracy of identification of hospital acquired events. The study also aimed to determine whether the use of linked hospital records improved the likelihood of correctly identifying patient outcomes as nursing sensitive rather than being related to their pre-morbid conditions. Methods Using algorithms developed by Needleman et al. (2001, proportions and rates of records that identified nursing-sensitive outcomes for pressure ulcers, pneumonia and surgical wound infections were determined from administrative hospitalisation data for all paediatric patients discharged from a tertiary paediatric hospital in Western Australia between July 1999 and June 2009. The effects of changes to inclusion and exclusion criteria for each algorithm on the calculated proportion or rate in the paediatric population were explored. Linked records were used to identify comorbid conditions that increased nursing-sensitive outcome risk. Rates were calculated using algorithms revised for paediatric patients. Results Linked records of 129,719 hospital separations for 79,016 children were analysed. Identification of comorbid conditions was enhanced through access to prior and/or subsequent hospitalisation records (43% of children with pressure ulcers had a form of paralysis recorded only on a previous admission. Readmissions with a surgical wound infection were identified for 103 (4.8/1,000 surgical separations using linked data. After amendment of each algorithm for paediatric patients, rates of pressure ulcers and pneumonia reduced by

  9. Identifying paediatric nursing-sensitive outcomes in linked administrative health data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Sally; Bremner, Alexandra P; Hauck, Yvonne; Finn, Judith

    2012-07-20

    There is increasing interest in the contribution of the quality of nursing care to patient outcomes. Due to different casemix and risk profiles, algorithms for administrative health data that identify nursing-sensitive outcomes in adult hospitalised patients may not be applicable to paediatric patients. The study purpose was to test adult algorithms in a paediatric hospital population and make amendments to increase the accuracy of identification of hospital acquired events. The study also aimed to determine whether the use of linked hospital records improved the likelihood of correctly identifying patient outcomes as nursing sensitive rather than being related to their pre-morbid conditions. Using algorithms developed by Needleman et al. (2001), proportions and rates of records that identified nursing-sensitive outcomes for pressure ulcers, pneumonia and surgical wound infections were determined from administrative hospitalisation data for all paediatric patients discharged from a tertiary paediatric hospital in Western Australia between July 1999 and June 2009. The effects of changes to inclusion and exclusion criteria for each algorithm on the calculated proportion or rate in the paediatric population were explored. Linked records were used to identify comorbid conditions that increased nursing-sensitive outcome risk. Rates were calculated using algorithms revised for paediatric patients. Linked records of 129,719 hospital separations for 79,016 children were analysed. Identification of comorbid conditions was enhanced through access to prior and/or subsequent hospitalisation records (43% of children with pressure ulcers had a form of paralysis recorded only on a previous admission). Readmissions with a surgical wound infection were identified for 103 (4.8/1,000) surgical separations using linked data. After amendment of each algorithm for paediatric patients, rates of pressure ulcers and pneumonia reduced by 53% and 15% (from 1.3 to 0.6 and from 9.1 to 7.7 per

  10. Analysis of colonoscopic perforations at a local clinic and a tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sagawa, Toshihiko; Kakizaki, Satoru; Iizuka, Haruhisa; Onozato, Yasuhiro; Sohara, Naondo; Okamura, Shinichi; Mori, Masatomo

    2012-09-21

    To define the clinical characteristics, and to assess the management of colonoscopic complications at a local clinic. A retrospective review of the medical records was performed for the patients with iatrogenic colon perforations after endoscopy at a local clinic between April 2006 and December 2010. Data obtained from a tertiary hospital in the same region were also analyzed. The underlying conditions, clinical presentations, perforation locations, treatment types (operative or conservative) and outcome data for patients at the local clinic and the tertiary hospital were compared. A total of 10  826 colonoscopies, and 2625 therapeutic procedures were performed at a local clinic and 32  148 colonoscopies, and 7787 therapeutic procedures were performed at the tertiary hospital. The clinic had no perforations during diagnostic colonoscopy and 8 (0.3%) perforations were determined to be related to therapeutic procedures. The perforation rates in each therapeutic procedure were 0.06% (1/1609) in polypectomy, 0.2% (2/885) in endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), and 3.8% (5/131) in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Perforation rates for ESD were significantly higher than those for polypectomy or EMR (P hospital. Six perforations occurred with therapeutic endoscopy (perforation rate, 0.08%; 1 per 1298 procedures). Perforation rates for specific procedure types were 0.02% (1 per 5500) for polypectomy, 0.17% (1 per 561) for EMR, 2.3% (1 per 43) for ESD in the tertiary hospital. There were no differences in the perforation rates for each therapeutic procedure between the clinic and the tertiary hospital. The incidence of iatrogenic perforation requiring surgical treatment was quite low in both the clinic and the tertiary hospital. No procedure-related mortalities occurred. Performing closure with endoscopic clipping reduced the C-reactive protein (CRP) titers. The mean maximum CRP titer was 2.9 ± 1.6 mg/dL with clipping and 9.7 ± 6.2 mg/dL without clipping

  11. Ponseti treatment in the management of clubfoot deformity - a continuing role for paediatric orthopaedic services in secondary care centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Docker, Charles E J; Lewthwaite, Simon; Kiely, Nigel T

    2007-07-01

    The Ponseti technique is a well-proven way of managing paediatric clubfoot deformity. We describe a management set-up which spreads the care between secondary and tertiary care with no loss of quality. In our audit of the first 2 years of Ponseti casting in the treatment of idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV, clubfoot) deformity, we identified 77 feet having been treated in 50 patients. Forty-nine feet were treated primarily in Oswestry, a tertiary referral centre for paediatric orthopaedic conditions, and 13 feet were treated in conjunction with the physiotherapy department at one of the region's district general hospitals (Leighton Hospital, Crewe, Cheshire). Similar good results and low requirement for surgical interventions other than Achilles tenotomy, which forms part of the Ponseti regimen, were found in both cohorts. This 'hub-and-spoke' approach would appear to be efficient in terms of resource utilisation. Additional benefits for patients and their carers include ease of access to services and reduced financial and transport burdens.

  12. Inter-hospital transport of critically ill children.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Aherne, E

    2009-10-01

    Most Irish paediatric tertiary care services are centralised in Dublin. Many children are transferred there each year from regional paediatric units around the country. We aimed to quantify and describe all children transferred from one regional tertiary hospital over a two year period. Seventy three out of 75 identified transfers were examined. Sixty nine transfers (94.5%) were sent to the major tertiary centre. Fifteen (20.5%) required intensive care services for transfer. Seventeen seriously ill neonates required transfer, however only 4 (23.5%) of those met both the criteria for and the availability of the National Neonatal Transfer Team (NNTT). Significant events during transfer were only documented in 3 cases. Most transfers arrived in Dublin outside normal working hours. Standards of documentation were found to be very inconsistent. In conclusion, a national transport service for all critically ill children is urgently needed in Ireland.

  13. Hospital-acquired infections in a Nigerian tertiary health facility: An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hospital-acquired infections in a Nigerian tertiary health facility: An audit of surveillance reports. ... This study evaluated the occurrence of HAI in a foremost tertiary health facility over a 5-year period for the purpose of reinforcing control efforts. Materials and Methods: A retrospective survey of records from the infection control ...

  14. Status of hospital infection control measures at seven major tertiary care hospitals of northern Punjab

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikram, A.; Shah, S.I.H.; Naseem, S.; Absar, S.A.; Safi-Ullah; Ambreen, T.

    2010-01-01

    To determine the availability and implementation of various hospital infection control measures at tertiary care hospitals. Study Design: Survey. Place and Duration of Study: National Institute of Science and Technology, Islamabad, from June through August 2008. Methodology: Seven tertiary care very busy hospitals were selected; one from Islamabad, 5 from Rawalpindi, and one from Lahore. A detailed proforma was designed addressing all the issues pertaining to hospital infection control measures. Air sampling was done and growth yielded was identified by standard methods. Results: Analyses revealed that all of the hospitals had an Infection Control Committee. Microbiological diagnostic facilities were adequate at all the hospitals and overall microorganism yield was very high. Antibiotic policy was claimed by most, not available on ground. Majority of the operation theatres were without proper air flow system and autoclaves were not being regularly monitored. There was no proper disposal for sharps and needles. Incineration was not the usual mode for infectious waste. Conclusion: The results of the present study imply availability of proper hospital infection control policies with need of strict implementation of such measures. (author)

  15. System for radiation emergency medicine. Activities of tertiary radiation emergency hospitals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamiya, Kenji; Tanigawa, Koichi; Hosoi, Yoshio

    2011-01-01

    Japanese system for radiation emergency medicine is primarily built up by Cabinet Nuclear Safety Commission in 2001 based on previous Tokai JCO Accident (1999) and is composed from the primary, secondary and tertiary medical organizations. This paper describes mainly about roles and actions of the tertiary facilities at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident and tasks to be improved in future. The primary and secondary organizations in the system above are set up in the prefectures with or neighboring the nuclear facility, and tertiary ones, in two parts of western and eastern Japan. The western organization is in Hiroshima University having its cooperating 7 hospitals, and is responsible for such patients as exposed to high dose external radiation, having serious complication, and difficult to treat in the primary/secondary hospitals. The eastern is in National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) with 6 cooperating hospitals and responsible for patients with internal radiation exposure difficult to treat, with contaminated body surface with difficulty in decontamination and/or with causable of secondary contamination, and difficult to treat in the secondary hospitals. The tertiary organizations have made efforts for the education and training of medical staff, for network construction among the primary, secondary and other medicare facilities, for establishment of transferring system of patients, and for participation to the international network by global organizations like Response Assistance Network (RANET) in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Network (REMPAN) in World Health Organization (WHO). At the Fukushima Accident, staffs of the two tertiary hospitals began to conduct medicare on site (Mar. 12-) and learned following tasks to be improved in future: the early definition of medicare and its network system, and Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ); urgent evacuation of residents weak to disaster like elderly

  16. Ponseti Treatment in the Management of Clubfoot Deformity – A Continuing Role for Paediatric Orthopaedic Services in Secondary Care Centres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Docker, Charles EJ; Lewthwaite, Simon; Kiely, Nigel T

    2007-01-01

    INTRODUCTION The Ponseti technique is a well-proven way of managing paediatric clubfoot deformity. We describe a management set-up which spreads the care between secondary and tertiary care with no loss of quality. PATIENTS AND METHODS In our audit of the first 2 years of Ponseti casting in the treatment of idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV, clubfoot) deformity, we identified 77 feet having been treated in 50 patients. Forty-nine feet were treated primarily in Oswestry, a tertiary referral centre for paediatric orthopaedic conditions, and 13 feet were treated in conjunction with the physiotherapy department at one of the region's district general hospitals (Leighton Hospital, Crewe, Cheshire). RESULTS Similar good results and low requirement for surgical interventions other than Achilles tenotomy, which forms part of the Ponseti regimen, were found in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS This ‘hub-and-spoke’ approach would appear to be efficient in terms of resource utilisation. Additional benefits atients and their carers include ease of access to services and reduced financial and transport burdens. PMID:17688726

  17. Paediatric acute care: Highlights from the Paediatric Acute Care-Advanced Paediatric Life Support Conference, Gold Coast, 2017.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Stephen Ss; Rao, Arjun; Acworth, Jason

    2018-04-25

    The Paediatric Acute Care Conference is an annual conference organised by APLS Australia to advance paediatric acute care topics for clinicians in pre-hospital medicine, EDs, acute paediatrics, intensive care and anaesthesia. The Conference 2017 was held at Surfers Paradise, Queensland. We provide a summary of some of the presentations. © 2018 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  18. A telemedicine network to support paediatric care in small hospitals in rural Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krüger, Carsten; Niemi, Mauri

    2012-01-01

    We reviewed our experience with the Tanzanian Telemedicine Network in supporting paediatric care at 40 small, rural hospitals in the country. The network began operating in 2008. Store and forward telemedicine was provided via the open source software iPath. The 33 volunteer consultants were based in several countries, although most of them had practical experience in Tanzania. During the first three years of network operation there were 533 referrals. There were 159 paediatric cases (median age five years). Three paediatric specialists provided most consultations (64%), but other specialists provided recommendations when required. The response time was usually less than two days (median 6 h; inter-quartile range 2-24 h). A precise recommendation was not always provided, but since all consultants had an intimate knowledge of the state of health services in Tanzania, their advice was usually well adapted to the local circumstances of the hospitals. Referral to a higher level of care was recommended in 26 cases (16%). A simple web-based telemedicine system combined with email alerts is feasible in remote locations in Tanzania, even where fast Internet connections are not available. Copyright © 2012 by the Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd

  19. Measuring case-mix complexity of tertiary care hospitals using DRGs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hayoung; Shin, Youngsoo

    2004-02-01

    The objectives of the study were to develop a model that measures and evaluates case-mix complexity of tertiary care hospitals, and to examine the characteristics of such a model. Physician panels defined three classes of case complexity and assigned disease categories represented by Adjacent Diagnosis Related Groups (ADRGs) to one of three case complexity classes. Three types of scores, indicating proportions of inpatients in each case complexity class standardized by the proportions at the national level, were defined to measure the case-mix complexity of a hospital. Discharge information for about 10% of inpatient episodes at 85 hospitals with bed size larger than 400 and their input structure and research and education activity were used to evaluate the case-mix complexity model. Results show its power to predict hospitals with the expected functions of tertiary care hospitals, i.e. resource intensive care, expensive input structure, and high levels of research and education activities.

  20. Echocardiographic evaluation of simple versus complex congenital heart disease in a tertiary care Paediatrics Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uttam Kumar Sarkar

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objectives:Congenital heart diseases are treatable either by catheter based intervention or open heart surgery according to their quality. In our study we aim to analyze congenital heart disease echocardiographically into simple versus complex heart disease at a tertiary care centre with a public health planning and policy making perspective.Materials & Methods:This hospital based study was done on 1010 patients, both from in-patient and out-patient, who were clinically suspected to have heart disease from January 2015 to September 2016 at Dr.B.C.Roy P.G.I.P.S. Kolkata and echocardiographically categorized.Results:A VSD was the commonest acyanotic heart disease (17. 08%.Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF was commonest complex cyanotic heart disease (10.64%, VSD +ASD was the commonest combined lesion (8.12%. Simple heart lesions (63.1% were commoner than complex (36.9% congenital heart diseases.Conclusion:Health policy makers should give due care to manage Congenital Heart Disease either catheter based or surgically keeping in mind about 63.1% of the lesions are simple cardiac lesions and 36.9% lesions are complex cardiac lesion where complex surgery is required. 

  1. In-hospital paediatric accidents: an integrative review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Da Rin Della Mora, R; Bagnasco, A; Sasso, L

    2012-12-01

    Paediatric hospitals can be perceived by children, parents, health professionals as 'safe' places, but accidents do occur. To review publications relating to in-hospital paediatric accidents and highlight the state-of-the-science concerning this issue especially in relation to falls, and the evolution of research addressing this issue. Integrative review of papers published before March 2011 on accidents and falls occurred in hospitalized children. Electronic databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Cochrane Library databases) and further hand searching through references were searched. The inclusion criteria were articles involving observational, quasi-experimental or experimental studies in English or Italian. Exclusion criteria were articles addressing the outcomes of falls caused by suspect violence on children. Thirteen studies in English were included. Of the 13 studies conducted between 1963 and 2010, 10 had been conducted in the last 5 years; 10 in the USA. The studies were divided into two categories: contextualization and prevention of the 'accident' or 'fall' phenomenon (10 studies), and fall risk assessment (three studies). The most frequent type of design was observational explorative/descriptive. Several areas of investigation were explored (hazardous environment, children's characteristics correlated to accidents/falls, characteristics of the accidents/falls and their outcomes, paediatric fall risk factors and risk assessment tools, fall risk prevention programmes, parents' perceptions of accident/fall risks, etc.). No comparable methods were used to investigate the contextualization and prevention of the 'accident' and 'fall' phenomena; proposed fall risk assessment tools were not evaluated for their reliability and validity. Consensus would be needed around the approach to accidents in terms of: the definition of 'accident' and 'fall'; 'fall-related injury' and respective classifications; the frequency and

  2. Changing indications for paediatric tracheostomy and the role of a multidisciplinary tracheostomy clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaneza, M M C; James, H L; James, H P; Davies, P; Harrison, S; McAlorum, L; Clement, W A; Kubba, H

    2015-09-01

    This paper presents our experience of managing children with a tracheostomy in a multidisciplinary team clinic consisting of an ENT consultant, paediatric respiratory consultant, a nurse specialist, and speech and language therapist. A retrospective case note review was conducted of all children seen in the multidisciplinary team tracheostomy clinic (at a tertiary paediatric hospital) between February 2009 and September 2014. Ninety-seven patients were examined. The most common indications for tracheostomy were: lower airway and respiratory problems (66 per cent), upper airway obstruction (64 per cent), and neurodevelopmental problems (60.8 per cent). Children with a tracheostomy are a diverse group of patients. The most common indications for paediatric tracheostomy have changed from infective causes to airway obstruction and anomalies, long-term ventilation requirement, and underlying neuromuscular or respiratory problems. Our unified approach empowers the carers and patient, as a home management plan, long-term plan and goals are generated at the end of each appointment.

  3. Prevalence and characterization of rotaviruses in children hospitalized for diarrheal disease in a tertiary care hospital, Pune

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sae Satish Pol

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Diarrhoea remains the second most common cause of death among children below 5 years globally. Among various enteric pathogens, rotavirus appears to be the most important aetiological agent of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. Increased understanding of epidemiology of rotavirus infections is needed to improve the vaccine efficacy. Aim: This study aims to determine prevalence rotavirus infection and prevalent circulating strains of rotavirus in and around Pune. Setting and Design: Prospective hospital-based study. The study was approved by Institutional Ethical Committee. Materials and Methods: Stool samples (n = 100 were collected from children aged <5 years, hospitalised for acute diarrhoea in paediatric ward at a tertiary care hospital. Samples were subjected for rotavirus antigen capture ELISA. The viral RNA was subjected to multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to amplify VP7 genotypes G1–G4, G8–G10 and G12 and VP4 genotypes P[4], P[6], P[8], P[9], P[10] and P[11]. Nontypable rotavirus strains were sequenced. Results: About 35% stool samples were positive for rotavirus antigen by ELISA. G9P[4] (28.6% was found to be the most prevalent rotavirus strain. The detection of emerging strain G12P[6] (14.3% and rare reassortant strain G9P[4] was the significant finding. Conclusion: Genotypes found in circulation are not present in the currently used vaccine. Thus, an emergence of newer genotypes over a period calls for the continued surveillance and genomic characterisation of rotaviruses to improve the vaccine efficacy.

  4. Medical tourism in India: perceptions of physicians in tertiary care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qadeer, Imrana; Reddy, Sunita

    2013-12-17

    Senior physicians of modern medicine in India play a key role in shaping policies and public opinion and institutional management. This paper explores their perceptions of medical tourism (MT) within India which is a complex process involving international demands and policy shifts from service to commercialisation of health care for trade, gross domestic profit, and foreign exchange. Through interviews of 91 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in three cities of India, this paper explores four areas of concern: their understanding of MT, their views of the hospitals they work in, perceptions of the value and place of MT in their hospital and their views on the implications of MT for medical care in the country. An overwhelming majority (90%) of physicians in the private tertiary sector and 74.3 percent in the public tertiary sector see huge scope for MT in the private tertiary sector in India. The private tertiary sector physicians were concerned about their patients alone and felt that health of the poor was the responsibility of the state. The public tertiary sector physicians' however, were sensitive to the problems of the common man and felt responsible. Even though the glamour of hi-tech associated with MT dazzled them, only 35.8 percent wanted MT in their hospitals and a total of 56 percent of them said MT cannot be a public sector priority. 10 percent in the private sector expressed reservations towards MT while the rest demanded state subsidies for MT. The disconnect between their concern for the common man and professionals views on MT was due to the lack of appreciation of the continuum between commercialisation, the denial of resources to public hospitals and shift of subsidies to the private sector. The paper highlights the differences and similarities in the perceptions and context of the two sets of physicians, presents evidence, that questions the support for MT and finally analyzes some key implications of MT on Indian health services, ethical

  5. Medical tourism in india: perceptions of physicians in tertiary care hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Senior physicians of modern medicine in India play a key role in shaping policies and public opinion and institutional management. This paper explores their perceptions of medical tourism (MT) within India which is a complex process involving international demands and policy shifts from service to commercialisation of health care for trade, gross domestic profit, and foreign exchange. Through interviews of 91 physicians in tertiary care hospitals in three cities of India, this paper explores four areas of concern: their understanding of MT, their views of the hospitals they work in, perceptions of the value and place of MT in their hospital and their views on the implications of MT for medical care in the country. An overwhelming majority (90%) of physicians in the private tertiary sector and 74.3 percent in the public tertiary sector see huge scope for MT in the private tertiary sector in India. The private tertiary sector physicians were concerned about their patients alone and felt that health of the poor was the responsibility of the state. The public tertiary sector physicians’ however, were sensitive to the problems of the common man and felt responsible. Even though the glamour of hi-tech associated with MT dazzled them, only 35.8 percent wanted MT in their hospitals and a total of 56 percent of them said MT cannot be a public sector priority. 10 percent in the private sector expressed reservations towards MT while the rest demanded state subsidies for MT. The disconnect between their concern for the common man and professionals views on MT was due to the lack of appreciation of the continuum between commercialisation, the denial of resources to public hospitals and shift of subsidies to the private sector. The paper highlights the differences and similarities in the perceptions and context of the two sets of physicians, presents evidence, that questions the support for MT and finally analyzes some key implications of MT on Indian health services, ethical

  6. Assessment of nutritional status of children attending paediatric outpatient department at a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shreyash J Gandhi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background The nutrition status is always neglected issue of public health. The high prevalence of malnutrition in NFHS data gives alarm to work for the children who are assets of our country in future. Objectives To study the nutritional status of children attending pediatric OPD by anthropometric measurements and to know the health status of these children and their relation with nutritional status. Methods The nutritional profile of children of age group 0-5 years attending Paediatric OPD at New Civil Hospital (NCH, Surat was studied. Stratification to get equal representation of both gender by enrolling 50 boys and 50girls of each age group 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-4 years and 4-5 years was done. Total 600 children of age group of 0-5 years were enrolled. Results As per WHO growth standards, 17.5%, 46% and 39.33% children had wasting, stunting and underweight respectively. Total malnutrition cases were 386 with a prevalence of 64.3 %. Age group wise prevalence of under nutrition was highest in 37-48 months age group (69.2 %. As per assessment of nutritional status of children aged 6-60 months using MUAC, 45.8 % children have mild to moderate malnutrition whereas 1.8 % has severe malnutrition. Conclusion Malnutrition is more in boys compared to girls. Malnutrition was more prevalent in 12-60 months age group children and was found statistically significant. Reduction of malnutrition in 0-5 age group can be ensured by availability of supplementary feed.

  7. Hospitalizations for varicella in children and adolescents in a referral hospital in Hong Kong, 2004 to 2008: A time series study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan WM

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Varicella accounts for significant morbidities and remains a public health issue worldwide. Climatic factors have been shown to associate with the incidence and transmission of various infectious diseases. We describe the epidemiology of varicella in paediatric patients hospitalized at a tertiary referral hospital in Hong Kong from 2004 to 2008, and to explore the possible association between the occurrence of varicella infection and various climatic factors. Methods The hospital discharge database of Princess Margaret Hospital was retrospectively analyzed for admissions associated with varicella from 2004 to 2008. Meteorological data were obtained from the monthly meteorological reports from the Hong Kong Observatory website. Time series analysis was performed with Poisson regression using a Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE approach. Results During the study period, 598 children were hospitalized for varicella. The mean age on admission was 57.6 months, and the mean duration of hospitalization was 3.7 days. The overall complication rate was 47%. The mean monthly relative humidity, especially in cool seasons, was inversely correlated with the monthly varicella cases of the same month. Conclusions Varicella can lead to serious complications and prolonged hospitalization, even in previously healthy children. Lower relative humidity in cool seasons is associated with higher number of paediatric varicella hospital admissions. These findings are useful for a better understanding of the pattern of paediatric varicella hospitalization in Hong Kong.

  8. Paediatric day-case neurosurgery in a resource challenged setting: Pattern and practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owojuyigbe, Afolabi Muyiwa; Komolafe, Edward O.; Adenekan, Anthony T.; Dada, Muyiwa A.; Onyia, Chiazor U.; Ogunbameru, Ibironke O.; Owagbemi, Oluwafemi F.; Talabi, Ademola O.; Faponle, Fola A.

    2016-01-01

    Background: It has been generally observed that children achieve better convalescence in the home environment especially if discharged same day after surgery. This is probably due to the fact that children generally tend to feel more at ease in the home environment than in the hospital setting. Only few tertiary health institutions provide routine day-case surgery for paediatric neurosurgical patients in our sub-region. Objective: To review the pattern and practice of paediatric neurosurgical day-cases at our hospital. Patients and Methods: A prospective study of all paediatric day-case neurosurgeries carried out between June 2011 and June 2014. Results: A total of 53 patients (34 males and 19 females) with age ranging from 2 days to 14 years were seen. Majority of the patients (77.4%) presented with congenital lesions, and the most common procedure carried out was spina bifida repair (32%) followed by ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (26.4%) for hydrocephalus. Sixty-eight percentage belonged to the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class 2, whereas the rest (32%) belonged to class 1. General anaesthesia was employed in 83% of cases. Parenteral paracetamol was used for intra-operative analgesia for most of the patients. Two patients had post-operative nausea and vomiting and were successfully managed. There was no case of emergency re-operation, unplanned admission, cancellation or mortality. Conclusion: Paediatric day-case neurosurgery is feasible in our environment. With careful patient selection and adequate pre-operative preparation, good outcome can be achieved. PMID:27251657

  9. Frequency of paediatric medical imaging examinations performed at a European teaching hospital over a 7-year period

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Portelli, Jonathan L.; Bezzina, Paul [University of Malta, Department of Radiography, Faculty of Health Sciences, Msida (Malta); McNulty, Jonathan P.; Rainford, Louise [University College Dublin, Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine and Medical Science, Dublin (Ireland)

    2016-12-15

    The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to gain an insight into frequencies by which a range of medical imaging (MI) examinations were performed on paediatric patients at the main acute general teaching hospital in Malta between 2008 and 2014. Frequency data of MI examinations performed on paediatric patients were retrospectively collected from relevant information systems. All data was coded accordingly to facilitate data analysis. A total of 95,805 MI examinations were performed on 39,707 unique paediatric patients (<18 years) between 2008 and 2014. Overall, the total number of paediatric MI examinations performed decreased over time, with use varying depending on modality type and paediatric age. Coincidentally the use of ultrasound and MRI increased year after year. Some paediatric patients underwent at least three MI examinations involving the same anatomical region being scanned, and which may collectively contribute to effective doses exceeding 10 mSv. Knowledge of how MI examinations are used within the paediatric population can help practices evaluate and address any trends highlighted for particular examinations or age category of paediatric patients. Furthermore, awareness of current trends of MI in children can be helpful for the planning of future paediatric radiology departments. (orig.)

  10. Frequency of paediatric medical imaging examinations performed at a European teaching hospital over a 7-year period

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Portelli, Jonathan L.; Bezzina, Paul; McNulty, Jonathan P.; Rainford, Louise

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to gain an insight into frequencies by which a range of medical imaging (MI) examinations were performed on paediatric patients at the main acute general teaching hospital in Malta between 2008 and 2014. Frequency data of MI examinations performed on paediatric patients were retrospectively collected from relevant information systems. All data was coded accordingly to facilitate data analysis. A total of 95,805 MI examinations were performed on 39,707 unique paediatric patients (<18 years) between 2008 and 2014. Overall, the total number of paediatric MI examinations performed decreased over time, with use varying depending on modality type and paediatric age. Coincidentally the use of ultrasound and MRI increased year after year. Some paediatric patients underwent at least three MI examinations involving the same anatomical region being scanned, and which may collectively contribute to effective doses exceeding 10 mSv. Knowledge of how MI examinations are used within the paediatric population can help practices evaluate and address any trends highlighted for particular examinations or age category of paediatric patients. Furthermore, awareness of current trends of MI in children can be helpful for the planning of future paediatric radiology departments. (orig.)

  11. STUDY OF CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH SEXUAL PRECOCITY TO A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binoy Kumar Mohanty

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Precocious puberty is a common paediatric endocrine disorder seen in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE To study the various aetiologies and clinical presentations of patients presenting with sexual precocity to a tertiary care hospital. DESIGN Cross sectional study. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected and analysed the clinical data including hormonal status of 24 consecutive patients who presented to our department from January 2014 to December 2015 for evaluation of sexual precocity. RESULTS Most of the patients presenting to us had evidence of precocious puberty (n=16, followed by premature adrenarche (n=5 and premature thelarche (n=3 respectively. The females outnumbered males in our study (68.75% of total cases. Females presenting with central precocious puberty had no appreciable cause (idiopathic in majority (85.72% of cases. While, males presenting with central precocious puberty had an organic cause (60% in majority of cases. CONCLUSIONS Precocious puberty is more common among females as compared to males. Organic lesion must be ruled out in all patients presenting with central precocious puberty especially in males.

  12. STUDY OF PAEDIATRIC SOLID TUMOURS FOR A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Basumitra Das

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Paediatric Solid Neoplasms (PSN are a global problem. There is significant variation of incidence of paediatric solid neoplasms in various regions of the world. Benign tumours are more common than cancer. In an effort to better understand the prevalence of paediatric solid tumours in our region, a retrospective review of the tumours diagnosed histopathologically was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective study undertaken in a tertiary care hospital for a period of five years. All the benign and malignant paediatric solid tumours of children below 14 years from January 2012 to December 2016 were retrieved and analysed according to age, sex and histopathological diagnosis. Leukaemias were excluded from our study. All tumours were diagnosed on conventional haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. RESULTS A total of 109 cases of solid paediatric tumours were received during this period. Of these, maximum of 30 tumours were of soft tissue tumours followed by Central Nervous System (CNS and bone tumours with 24 and 23 cases, respectively. 7 cases of blastomas were also observed. CONCLUSION This study showed benign and malignant tumours to be of near-equal prevalence. Soft tissue tumours were the most common. Ratio of benign tumours to malignant were almost equal below 4 years. Malignant tumours were higher in 5-9 years group.

  13. Presentation and analysis of work at the emergency department – of the University children’s Hospital Ljubljana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tina Bregant

    2013-05-01

    Conclusions: Since 2010, the paediatric emergency department of the University Children’s Hospital Ljubljana has functioned in compliance wtih the guidelines used in similar international tertiary centres. However, there is still room for improvement in organization and staffing.

  14. Frequency of hospital acquired hyponatremia in a pediatric tertiary care setting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bibi, S.; Haq, A.U.; Billo, A.G.; Bibi, S.; Gilani, S.Y.H.; Shah, S.R.A.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Hyponatremia is the most commonly encountered electrolyte disorder in children. In our country the epidemiology of hospital acquired hyponatremia has hardly ever been explored whereas the administration of hypotonic IV fluids is widely practiced here. Therefore we pioneered to conduct this study to determine the frequency of hospital acquired hyponatremia. Method: This was a cross sectional study carried out at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi in paediatric ward and ICU over a period of 12 months. All children (>1 month and <15 years of age) admitted in paediatric units and on maintenance IV fluids who had serum sodium level measured on admission were included in the study and followed to identify patients who had a drop in serum sodium during hospitalization. Informed consent was taken from parents and collected data was recorded on a proforma. Results: A total of 865 patients were enrolled in the study. Hyponatremia was recorded in 405 patients on admission (46.8 percentage) while hospital acquired hyponatremia was documented in 240. children (27.7 percentage). Out of these 142 (59.2 percentage) were male and 98 (40.8 percentage) were female. Mean age of children in hospital acquired hyponatremia group was 60.67 months. Severity of hospital acquired hyponatremia was recorded as mild in 191 (79.6 percentage), moderate in 35 (14.6 percentage) and severe in 14 (5.8) children. Major disease categories included gastrointestinal disorder (30.4 percentage), respiratory illness (12.5 percentage), oncological disease (16.3 percentage), cardiovascular disease (11.7 percentage), infectious disease (9.2 percentage) and neurological illness (8.3 percentage). Conclusion: Hospital acquired hyponatremia is frequently encountered in our hospitalized children with majority of them receiving hypotonic IV solutions. (author)

  15. Accessibility of tertiary hospitals in Finland: A comparison of administrative and normative catchment areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huotari, Tiina; Antikainen, Harri; Keistinen, Timo; Rusanen, Jarmo

    2017-06-01

    The determination of an appropriate catchment area for a hospital providing highly specialized (i.e. tertiary) health care is typically a trade-off between ensuring adequate client volumes and maintaining reasonable accessibility for all potential clients. This may pose considerable challenges, especially in sparsely inhabited regions. In Finland, tertiary health care is concentrated in five university hospitals, which provide services in their dedicated catchment areas. This study utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), together with grid-based population data and travel-time estimates, to assess the spatial accessibility of these hospitals. The current geographical configuration of the hospitals is compared to a normative assignment, with and without capacity constraints. The aim is to define optimal catchment areas for tertiary hospitals so that their spatial accessibility is as equal as possible. The results indicate that relatively modest improvements can be achieved in accessibility by using normative assignment to determine catchment areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Paediatric case mix in a rural clinical school is relevant to future practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Helen M; Maley, Moira A L; Playford, Denese E; Nicol, Pam; Evans, Sharon F

    2017-11-29

    Exposure to a representative case mix is essential for clinical learning, with logbooks established as a way of demonstrating patient contacts. Few studies have reported the paediatric case mix available to geographically distributed students within the same medical school. Given international interest in expanding medical teaching locations to rural contexts, equitable case exposure in rural relative to urban settings is topical. The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia locates students up to 3500 km from the urban university for an academic year. There is particular need to examine paediatric case mix as a study reported Australian graduates felt unprepared for paediatric rotations. We asked: Does a rural clinical school provide a paediatric case mix relevant to future practice? How does the paediatric case mix as logged by rural students compare with that by urban students? The 3745 logs of 76 urban and 76 rural consenting medical students were categorised by presenting symptoms and compared to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) database Major Diagnostic Categories (MDCs). Rural and urban students logged core paediatric cases, in similar order, despite the striking difference in geographic locations. The pattern of overall presenting problems closely corresponded to Australian paediatric hospital admissions. Rural students logged 91% of cases in secondary healthcare settings; urban students logged 90% of cases in tertiary settings. The top four presenting problems were ENT/respiratory, gastrointestinal/urogenital, neurodevelopmental and musculoskeletal; these made up 60% of all cases. Rural and urban students logged similar proportions of infants, children and adolescents, with a variety of case morbidity. Rural clinical school students logged a mix of core paediatric cases relevant to illnesses of Australian children admitted to public hospitals, with similar order and pattern by age group to urban students, despite major differences

  17. Paediatric day-case neurosurgery in a resource challenged setting: Pattern and practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afolabi Muyiwa Owojuyigbe

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: It has been generally observed that children achieve better convalescence in the home environment especially if discharged same day after surgery. This is probably due to the fact that children generally tend to feel more at ease in the home environment than in the hospital setting. Only few tertiary health institutions provide routine day-case surgery for paediatric neurosurgical patients in our sub-region. Objective: To review the pattern and practice of paediatric neurosurgical day-cases at our hospital. Patients and Methods: A prospective study of all paediatric day-case neurosurgeries carried out between June 2011 and June 2014. Results: A total of 53 patients (34 males and 19 females with age ranging from 2 days to 14 years were seen. Majority of the patients (77.4% presented with congenital lesions, and the most common procedure carried out was spina bifida repair (32% followed by ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (26.4% for hydrocephalus. Sixty-eight percentage belonged to the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class 2, whereas the rest (32% belonged to class 1. General anaesthesia was employed in 83% of cases. Parenteral paracetamol was used for intra-operative analgesia for most of the patients. Two patients had post-operative nausea and vomiting and were successfully managed. There was no case of emergency re-operation, unplanned admission, cancellation or mortality. Conclusion: Paediatric day-case neurosurgery is feasible in our environment. With careful patient selection and adequate pre-operative preparation, good outcome can be achieved.

  18. Management for the children with otitis media with effusion in the tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choung, Yun-Hoon; Shin, You Ree; Choi, Seong Jun; Park, Keehyun; Park, Hun Yi; Lee, Jong Bin; Han, Dong Hee; Kahng, Hison

    2008-12-01

    Recently, new evidence-based recommendations have been introduced for diagnosing and managing otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. However, there are some difficulties to follow the general guidelines in the tertiary hospitals. The purpose is to evaluate the efficiency of antibiotics or antihistamines for treatment of children with OME in the tertiary hospital with a randomized prospective clinical study. Eighty-four children with OME who had been diagnosed in the tertiary hospital were randomized to receive 5 different medications for 2 weeks. We prescribed antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate syrup) in Group I (n=16), antibiotics/steroids (prednisolone) in Group II (n=18), antibiotics/antihistamines (ebastine) in Group III (n=15), antibiotics/steroids/antihistamines in Group IV (n=17), and mucolytics (ivy leaf extract) in Group V (n=17) for control. We followed-up children every 2 weeks and evaluated the state of OME at 3 months. Thirty six (42.9%) of 84 children were resolved within average 6.9 weeks after the treatments. Thirty-six (42.9%) were treated with ventilation tube insertion and 12 patients (14.3%) were observed. There was no difference in the resolution rates of OME among the five different protocols (P>0.05). There was no difference in the resolution rates among groups who used steroids, antihistamines, steroids and antihistamines, or other medications to manage 42 children with allergies (P>0.05). In the tertiary hospital, the cure rate of children with OME was not as high as well-known, and antibiotics or anti-allergic medications were not more effective than control. We may, therefore, need any other guidelines which are different from the previous evidence-based recommendations, including early operation in the tertiary hospitals.

  19. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics: Editorial Policies

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr. Austine I Omoigberale FWACP (Paed) Professor of Paediatrics, Neonatology & Infectious diseases. Dept of Child Health University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City Nigeria isigboge@gmail.com +2348030750641. Dr. Felix Akinbami FWACP (Paed) Professor of Paediatrics & Gastroenterology Dept of Paediatrics

  20. Management of radiation dose to paediatric patients undergoing CT examination at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Accra-Ghana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gedel, A.M.

    2010-01-01

    In this work management of paediatric patients doses for Computed Tomography examinations have been studied at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The assessment of the management system involved: evaluation of the frequency of examinations, comparison of techniques factors used for adult and children; estimation of CTDI w , CTDI vol , DLP and effective dose; evaluation of quality assurance and quality control programmes to optimise paediatric patient doses. The frequency of CT examinations for paediatric patients accounted for 1300 out 5200 examinations (25%) of the total examinations recorded for the year 2008 which is five times that of the East European countries, indicating an overuse of CT examinations for children not taking into account paediatric patient anatomy and the section of the body being scanned. Adult CT exposure parameters such as the KV, mAs, scan length, pitch, and collimation values were being used in paediatric CT examination. Effective dose estimated for children were higher than that for adults by factors 5.1, 1.8, 3.1 and 3.9 more for head, chest, abdomen and pelvis examinations respectively. From the questionnaire administered and dosimetry results there was no established justification policy, procedures and referral criteria for CT examination requests for children. There was no Quality Assurance Committee to see to the implementation of dose management system dedicated to paediatrics patients. There was the need for the Hospital Authorities to formulate policies in the training of CT equipment operators, radiographers and radiographers and radiologist in modern CT technology as well as in the selection of appropriate parameters tailored to individual patient size that can achieve desirable diagnostic image quality at low doses. (au)

  1. Determining the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized paediatric patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino, L V; Goddard, E; Workman, L

    2006-09-01

    To determine the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalised paediatric patients at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. A 1-day cross-sectional survey was completed in all medical and surgical wards and some specialist outpatient clinics. A total of 227 children participated in the study. Thirty-five per cent of patients were moderately malnourished (malnutrition seen, a nutrition risk-screening tool, identifying risk factors for malnutrition such as food access and vulnerability, should be developed. The tool should be used to assess nutrition status and risk during the course of hospitalisation, in addition to planning appropriate nutrition care plan interventions for discharge.

  2. Malnutrition in paediatric oncology patients

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nutritional status of paediatric cancer patients at diagnosis ... Professor and Executive Head, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, .... can lead to decreased oral intake, weight loss.

  3. Dose measurements using thermoluminescent dosimeters and DoseCal software at two paediatric hospitals in Rio de Janeiro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamadain, K.E.M.; Azevedo, A.C.P.; Rosa, L.A.R. da; Guebel, M.R.N.; Boechat, M.C.B.

    2003-01-01

    A dosimetric survey in paediatric radiology is currently being carried out at the paediatric units of two large hospitals in Rio de Janeiro city: IPPMG (Instituto de Pediatria e Puericultura Martagao Gesteira, University Hospital of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) and IFF (Instituto Fernandes Figueira, FIOCRUZ). Chest X-ray examination doses for AP, PA and LAT projections of paediatric patients have been obtained with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and with use of a software package DoseCal. In IPPMG and IFF 100 patients have been evaluated with the use of the TLDs and another group of 100 patients with the DoseCal software. The aim of this work was to estimate the entrance skin dose (ESD) for frontal, back and lateral chest X-rays exposure of paediatric patients. For ESD evaluation, three different TL dosimeters have been used, namely LIF:Mg, Ti (TLD100), CaSO 4 :Dy and LiF:Mg, Cu, P (TLD100H). The age intervals considered were 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years. The results obtained with all dosimeters are similar, and it is in good agreement with the DoseCal software, especially for AP and PA projections. However, some larger discrepancies are presented for the LAT projection

  4. Indications for admission, treatment and improved outcome of paediatric haematology/oncology patients admitted to a tertiary paediatric ICU.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Owens, C

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: Overall survival in paediatric cancer has improved significantly over the past 20 years. Treatment strategies have been intensified, and supportive care has made substantial advances. Historically, paediatric oncology patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) have had extremely poor outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study over a 3-year period in a single centre to evaluate the outcomes for this particularly vulnerable group of patients admitted to a paediatric ICU. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were admitted a total of 66 times to the ICU during the study period. The mortality rate of this group was 23% compared with an overall ICU mortality rate of 5%. 11\\/15 patients who died had an underlying haematological malignancy. Twenty-eight percent of children with organism-identified sepsis died. CONCLUSIONS: While mortality rates for paediatric oncology patients admitted to a ICU have improved, they are still substantial. Those with a haematological malignancy or admitted with sepsis are most at risk.

  5. Feelings of women accompanying children hospitalized in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cassiana Mendes Bertoncello Fontes

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Analise feelings of women accompanying children in a paediatric intensive care unit Materials and Methods: Data were collected from August to October 2015 by the authors from individual interviews recorded with 15 women. The instrument was structured with the identification of qualitative variables, described in absolute and relative frequencies, and a guiding question. The "corpus" of each interview was electronically transcribed, floating readings were held and statements were categorized and analysed according Analise Content.  Results: 14 (93% are biological mothers; average age 30 years; 11 (73% have completed primary education; six (46% have an occupation or a profession. The four themes were inferred: ambivalence of feelings and coping were related to how individuals express and deal with the hospitalized patient’s situation; empathy with the health team and the structural condition of the critical environment can also generate feelings. Nursing diagnoses were formulated from the reported feelings. Conclusion: It was observed that the feelings identified could be originated by the health-illness hospitalization process as well as the structural components of the critical environment. Keywords: Paediatric Intensive Care Units; Women; Feelings.

  6. Quality of paediatric blood transfusions in two district hospitals in Tanzania: a cross-sectional hospital based study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mosha, Dominic; Poulsen, Anja; Reyburn, Hugh

    2009-01-01

    respectively, prior to the BT decision. Pre-transfusion haemoglobin and body temperature were recorded in 2/3 of the patients, but respiratory rate and pulse rate were not routinely recorded. In 40% of BTs, the transfusion time exceeded the recommended 4 hours. The zonal blood bank (ZBB) and local donors......BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion (BT) can be lifesaving for children; however, monitoring the quality of BT is important. The current study describes the quality of paediatric BT delivered in two district hospitals in north-east Tanzania in order to identify areas for quality assurance and improvement...... in the administration of BT. METHODS: All 166 children admitted in the paediatric wards and receiving BT through April to June 2007 were prospectively observed. Medical records, request forms and registers in the laboratories were reviewed to identify blood source, blood screening and indications for BT. BT...

  7. Culture of Safety among Nurses in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To assess the culture of safety among nurses in a tertiary teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in King Khaled University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A random sample of 492 nurses was included in the survey using a pre-validated instrument, Safety Attitudes ...

  8. Identification of important and potentially avoidable risk factors in a prospective audit study of neonatal deaths in a paediatric hospital in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruse, Alexandra Y; Phuong, Cam N; Ho, Binh T T; Stensballe, Lone G; Pedersen, Freddy K; Greisen, Gorm

    2014-02-01

    Neonatal deaths (≤28 days) account for more than half of child mortality in Vietnam. Presumably most die in hospital, but data are scarce. This study aimed to identify risk factors of death among hospitalised neonates. We prospectively studied all neonatal deaths and expected deaths (discharged alive after withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment) in a Vietnamese tertiary paediatric hospital during a 12-month period in 2009-2010. The medical files were audited classifying admission prognosis, discharge outcome, cause of death/expected death according to two classifications, and important and potentially avoidable risk factors during the hospital stay. Among 5763 neonates admitted, 235 deaths and 67 expected deaths were included. According to both classifications, major causes were congenital malformations, prematurity and severe infections. Six risk factors were identified in 85% (60/71) of the neonates with a relatively good prognosis: recognition or response to danger signs, internal transfers, nosocomial infections, sepsis management, access to usual equipment/staff, and family perception. Among 302 neonatal deaths/expected deaths, the major causes were congenital malformations, prematurity and severe infections. Six important and potentially avoidable risk factors could be addressed in the subgroup with relatively good admission prognosis, without implementing new technology or major organisational changes. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Health professional perspectives on lifestyle behaviour change in the paediatric hospital setting: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elwell, Laura; Powell, Jane; Wordsworth, Sharon; Cummins, Carole

    2014-03-13

    Research exists examining the challenges of delivering lifestyle behaviour change initiatives in practice. However, at present much of this research has been conducted with primary care health professionals, or in acute adult hospital settings. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators associated with implementing routine lifestyle behaviour change brief advice into practice in an acute children's hospital. Thirty-three health professionals (nurses, junior doctors, allied health professionals and clinical support staff) from inpatient and outpatient departments at a UK children's hospital were interviewed about their attitudes and beliefs towards supporting lifestyle behaviour change in hospital patients and their families. Responses were analysed using thematic framework analysis. Health professionals identified a range of barriers and facilitators to supporting lifestyle behaviour change in a children's hospital. These included (1) personal experience of effectiveness, (2) constraints associated with the hospital environment, (3) appropriateness of advice delivery given the patient's condition and care pathway and (4) job role priorities, and (5) perceived benefits of the advice given. Delivery of lifestyle behaviour change advice was often seen as an educational activity, rather than a behaviour change activity. Factors underpinning the successful delivery of routine lifestyle behaviour change support must be understood if this is to be implemented effectively in paediatric acute settings. This study reveals key areas where paediatric health professionals may need further support and training to achieve successful implementation.

  10. Second Malignant Neoplasms in Childhood Cancer Survivors Treated in a Tertiary Paediatric Oncology Centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Jia Wei; Yeap, Frances Sh; Chan, Yiong Huak; Yeoh, Allen Ej; Quah, Thuan Chong; Tan, Poh Lin

    2017-01-01

    Introduction : One of the most feared complications of childhood cancer treatment is second malignant neoplasms (SMNs). This study evaluates the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of SMNs in a tertiary paediatric oncology centre in Singapore. Materials and Methods : A retrospective review was conducted on patients diagnosed with childhood cancer under age 21 and treated at the National University Hospital, Singapore, from January 1990 to 15 April 2012. Case records of patients with SMNs were reviewed. Results : We identified 1124 cases of childhood cancers with a median follow-up of 3.49 (0 to 24.06) years. The most common primary malignancies were leukaemia (47.1%), central nervous system tumours (11.7%) and lymphoma (9.8%). Fifteen cases developed SMNs, most commonly acute myeloid leukaemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 7). Median interval between the first and second malignancy was 3.41 (0.24 to 18.30) years. Overall 20-year cumulative incidence of SMNs was 5.3% (95% CI, 0.2% to 10.4%). The 15-year cumulative incidence of SMNs following acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was 4.4% (95% CI, 0% to 8.9%), significantly lower than the risk after osteosarcoma of 14.2% (95% CI, 0.7% to 27.7%) within 5 years ( P <0.0005). Overall 5-year survival for SMNs was lower than that of primary malignancies. Conclusion : This study identified factors explaining the epidemiology of SMNs described, and found topoisomerase II inhibitor use to be a likely risk factor in our cohort. Modifications have already been made to our existing therapeutic protocols in osteosarcoma treatment. We also recognised the importance of other risk management strategies, including regular long-term surveillance and early intervention for detected SMNs, to improve outcomes of high risk patients.

  11. Maternal near miss and mortality in a tertiary care hospital in Rwanda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rulisa, S.; Umuziranenge, I.; Small, M; van Roosmalen, J.

    2015-01-01

    Background: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with severe ('near miss') maternal morbidity and mortality in the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali - Rwanda. Methods: We performed a cross sectional study of all women admitted to the tertiary care University Hospital in Kigali

  12. Assessment of pediatric residents burnout in a tertiary academic centre

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roaa S. Jamjoom

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To study burnout among pediatric residents at King Abdulazaiz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey that was administered to all pediatric residents enrolled in the Saudi Paediatric Board program (PGY1-PGY4 in a large tertiary academic hospital in the Western region of Saudi Arabia (King Abdulaziz University Hospital. The survey were sent via E-mail to 50 registered general pediatric residents. Results: Seventy percent of the pediatric residents completed the survey. More than 70% of residents experiencing severe burnout. Forty-three percent suffering emotional exhaustion, 71.8% experiencing depersonalization and 40.6% suffering from low accomplishment. Conclusion: Burnout syndrome appear to be a serious threat to resident well-being in our program. Moreover, pediatric residents in our institute experienced higher levels of depersonalization than their peers nationally and internationally.

  13. Paediatric utilisation of a teaching hospital and a community health ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    to Red Cross Children's Hospital (RXH) that could be more ... better access and perceived quality. S Atr Med ... tertiary resources, low levels of efficiency and staff ... However, central to improved patterns of utilisation is the .... the modei were: (/) age of the child; (it) duration of residence ... There was no significant association.

  14. Employees' Assessment Of Customer Focus In A Tertiary Hospital In ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Employees' Assessment Of Customer Focus In A Tertiary Hospital In ... tool 'Are we making progress?' were used by respondents to rate customer focus. ... that they were allowed to take decisions to solve problems for customers (p < 0.001).

  15. Hospital to home paediatric enteral nutrition--parents need support.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Shortall, C

    2015-02-01

    This study assessed the provision of education and support to parents of children on home enteral nutrition (HEN), current dietetic support available and perceived challenges facing parents and carers. From the 39 responses (13%), 29 (83%, n = 35) parents suggested services for HEN need improvement. 29 (74%, n = 39) parents wanted more structured follow up and 22 (56%) would like one person to co-ordinate HEN, education and discharge. 7 parents (18%) reported a need for further education of health care professionals (HCP). Hospital dietitians were the most common HCPs reported to provide support to patients following discharge. Specialist paediatric HEN dietetic services working in a dedicated HEN team, who would provide accurate training and education and liaise with both parents and community care services post discharge should be in place. This would facilitate transfer to community care, reduce hospital re-admissions, outpatient department attendances and costs.

  16. Positive effects of tertiary centres for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on outcome and use of hospital facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiò, A; Bottacchi, E; Buffa, C; Mutani, R; Mora, G

    2006-08-01

    To evaluate the effects of tertiary centres for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on ALS outcome and the use of hospital facilities. The study was based on the data of an epidemiological, prospective, population-based register on ALS (Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Register for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, PARALS). The 221 patients recruited between 1995 and 1996 were prospectively followed up for outcome and use of hospital-based services. In all, 97 patients were followed up by tertiary ALS centres and 124 by general neurological clinics. Patients followed up by tertiary ALS centres were found to be 4 years younger and underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy and non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation more often. Patients followed up by tertiary ALS centres were found to have a considerably longer median survival time (1080 v 775 days), even when stratifying by age, site of onset and respiratory function at diagnosis. In Cox multivariate analysis, attending a tertiary ALS centre was observed to be an independent positive prognostic factor. Moreover, patients attending a tertiary ALS centre were admitted to hospital less often (1.2 v 3.3) and were more frequently admitted for planned interventions. Conversely, patients followed up by general neurological clinics were more frequently admitted for acute events. Also, the hospital stay was considerably shorter for patients attending tertiary ALS centres (5.8 v 12.4 days). Improved survival was seen in patients with ALS attending tertiary ALS centres, independently from all other known prognostic factors, possibly through a better implementation of supportive treatments. Moreover, because of these centres, the hospitalisation rate was markedly reduced, thus offering a cost-effective service to patients with ALS and to the community as a whole.

  17. Patterns of Antimicrobial Prescribing in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdulrahman Al-Yamani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Antimicrobial stewardship programs have been designed to measure and improve the use of antimicrobials to achieve optimal clinical outcomes and reduce bacterial resistance. The aim of this study was to review patterns of antimicrobial prescribing for hospitalized patients in the acute care setting and assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial use among prescribers in a tertiary care hospital in Oman. Methods: We conducted a retrospective audit of the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing in patients admitted to acute care settings in a tertiary care hospital in Oman over a four-week period (1 November to 28 November 2012. The data of all discharged patients were retrieved from the department databases. Patient records and prescriptions were reviewed by an infectious disease consultant. The rationality of antimicrobial use was evaluated, analyzed, and judged based on local standard guidelines and the experience of the evaluating consultant. Results: There were 178 patients discharged from acute medical teams over the study period. Sixty-four percent of the patients received a total of 287 antimicrobial agents during admission. The average number of antimicrobials prescribed per patient in those prescribed antimicrobials was 2.5±1.1. The most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agent was piperacillin/tazobactam. Most patients had infections from gram-negative organisms, and high rates of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing organisms were observed. Cultures were obtained before antimicrobial initiation in 25% of patients. Variability in antimicrobial selection for common infections was observed. Conclusions: National guidelines for the management of common infections are needed to minimize the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial agents in tertiary care hospitals. A large surveillance study on antimicrobial prescribing appropriateness in different hospital settings is warranted.

  18. Determinants of antibiotic prescription in paediatric patients: The case of two hospitals in Maputo, Mozambique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L G S Monteiro

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background. The need for healthcare in paediatric patients is often due to respiratory diseases, acute diarrhoea and viral fever, which suggests a limited need for the use of antibiotics. Objectives. To identify the determinants of antibiotic prescription in hospitalised paediatric patients in Mozambique. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2015. A total of 454 medical prescriptions and clinical records of children aged 0 - 14 years from Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM and Hospital Geral de Mavalane (HGM were analysed. Results. Antibiotics were used in 97.6% of the patients, with no significant differences (p>0.05 in the prescription rates of the hospitals. The most commonly used antibiotics were beta-lactams (57.3%, aminoglycosides (28.3% and co-trimoxazole (9.4%. Antibiotics were prescribed in all cases of bronchopneumonia, fever, sepsis and acute gastroenteritis. For malaria and undefined diagnoses, antibiotics were prescribed 97.8% and 99.3% of cases, respectively. It was clear that most severe clinical conditions (odds ratio (OR 9.06; 1.13 - 12.14 and age <5 years (OR 5.47;1.54 - 7.60 were treated with antibiotics. Conclusion. The prescription of antibiotics for paediatric patients at both HCM and HGM was largely influenced by patients’ clinical condition and age. It showed that physicians used an empirical approach, in the absence of laboratory tests, often leading to unnecessary antibiotic treatments with negative causative effects. Physicians should be encouraged to use an evidence-based approach for managing the cases correctly.

  19. [S. Pyogenes invasive disease in a paediatric hospital: 1996-2009].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caetano, Joana Serra; Neto, Paula; Alves, Manuela Costa; Rodrigues, Fernanda

    2010-01-01

    S. pyogenes is among the most common bacteria in Pediatrics, and is associated with a wide variety of infections and large range of severity. The aim was to evaluate trends of Group A Streptococcal invasive disease in a paediatric tertiary hospital. Retrospective analyses of the medical records of all children with group A streptococcal invasive disease (positive culture obtained from sterile sites), from January 1996 to December 2009 (14 years). There were 24 cases, with a maximum of four cases/year. Eighteen cases (75%) ocurred in the second half of the study. Sixty-seven percent were boys and the median age was three years. The most frequent clinical manifestations were fever (79%), rash (54%) and arthalgia/limbs' pain (46%). The diagnoses were bacteriemia (six), osteoarticular infection (five), celulitis (three), pyomyositis, mastoiditis, surgical wound infection, toxic shock syndrome (two each), necrotizing fasciitis and pneumonia (one each). Four cases occurred during the course of varicella. Other risk factors were present in six cases. Median neutrophyl count was 10.690 x 105/L (2.013-19.180 x 105/L) and median C reactive protein was 146 mg/L (3-425 mg/L). Bacteria were isolated mainly from blood (71%). The outcome was good for most cases but there were two deaths due to toxic shock syndrome. M typing and the presence of virulence factors genes were not assessed. Although the number is small, there was an increase of S. pyogenes invasive disease in the second half of the study. Several cases occurred in the course of varicela or in the presence of other risk factors. Fatal outcome was associated with two toxic shock syndrome cases. Microbiological investigation is essential to understand which M types or virulence factors genes are involved.

  20. Distribution of branchial anomalies in a paediatric Asian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Neville Wei Yang; Ibrahim, Shahrul Izham; Tan, Kun Kiaang Henry

    2015-04-01

    The objective of the present study was to review the distribution and incidence of branchial anomalies in an Asian paediatric population and highlight the challenges involved in the diagnosis of branchial anomalies. This was a retrospective chart review of all paediatric patients who underwent surgery for branchial anomalies in a tertiary paediatric hospital from August 2007 to November 2012. The clinical notes were correlated with preoperative radiological investigations, intraoperative findings and histology results. Branchial anomalies were classified based on the results of the review. A total of 28 children underwent surgery for 30 branchial anomalies during the review period. Two children had bilateral branchial anomalies requiring excision. Of the 30 branchial anomalies, 7 (23.3%) were first branchial anomalies, 5 (16.7%) were second branchial anomalies, 3 (10.0%) were third branchial anomalies, and 4 (13.3%) were fourth branchial anomalies (one of the four patients with fourth branchial anomalies had bilateral branchial anomalies). In addition, seven children had 8 (26.7%) branchial anomalies that were thought to originate from the pyriform sinus; however, we were unable to determine if these anomalies were from the third or fourth branchial arches. There was inadequate information on the remaining 3 (10.0%) branchial anomalies for classification. The incidence of second branchial anomalies appears to be lower in our Asian paediatric population, while that of third and fourth branchial anomalies was higher. Knowledge of embryology and the related anatomy of the branchial apparatus is crucial in the identification of the type of branchial anomaly.

  1. Incidence of Hospital Acquired Thrombosis (HAT) in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Khan, MI

    2017-04-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. In spite of guidelines, VTE prophylaxis continues to be underutilised, and hospital acquired thrombosis (HAT) continues to be a problem. This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of HAT in a tertiary referral centre and to examine whether VTE risk assessment and thromboprophylaxis (TP) were implemented. Patients 18 years and above, with a radiologically-confirmed acute VTE during the study period of 15 weeks were included. Acute VTE was diagnosed in 100 patients and HAT was diagnosed in 48. There were 12,024 admissions over the study period, therefore the incidence of HAT was 0.4%. TP was prescribed in only 35% of patients, and 65% did not receive any or appropriate TP. Hospitals without active implementation of a formal risk assessment tool and TP policy are likely to continue to have increased incidence of HAT.

  2. Post-operative pain management in paediatric surgery at Sylvanus Olympio University Teaching Hospital, Togo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamza Doles Sama

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate pain management in paediatric surgery at Sylvanus Olympio University Teaching Hospital, Lome. Patients and Methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital from 1 January to 30 June 2012. Data collected include: demography, type of surgery, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA classification, anaesthetic protocol, analgesia technique, post-operative complications and cost of analgesia. Results: The study includes 106 post-operative children. Abdominal surgery was performed in 41.5% and orthopaedic surgery in 31.1%. A total of 75% of patients were classified ASA 1. General anaesthesia (GA was performed in 88%. Anaesthetists supervised post-operative care in 21.7% cases. Multimodal analgesia was used in every case and 12% of patients received a regional block. The most frequently unwanted effects of analgesics used were nausea and/or vomiting in 12.3%. At H24, child under 7 years have more pain assessment than those from 7 to 15 years (46% vs 24% and this difference was statistically significant (chi-square = 4.7598; P = 0.0291 < 0.05. The average cost of peri-operative analgesia under loco regional analgesia (LRA versus GA during the first 48 h post-operative was US $23 versus $46. Conclusion: Our study showed that post-operative pain management in paediatric surgery is often not well controlled and paediatric loco regional analgesia technique is under practiced in sub Saharan Africa.

  3. Paediatric conscious sedation: views and experience of specialists in paediatric dentistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolley, S M; Hingston, E J; Shah, J; Chadwick, B L

    2009-09-26

    The objectives were three-fold: to investigate the level of conscious sedation training received prior to and during specialist training in paediatric dentistry; to establish the use of conscious sedation during and following specialisation; and to determine the attitudes of specialists in paediatric dentistry to conscious sedation. A self-administered postal questionnaire was sent to all specialists in paediatric dentistry registered with the General Dental Council in January 2008. Non-responders were contacted again after a four-week period. A response rate of 60% was achieved. Of the 122 respondents, 67 (55%) had received sedation training as an undergraduate; 89 (75%) had been trained during specialisation. All respondents performed dental treatment under sedation as a trainee and the majority used nitrous oxide inhalation sedation (NOIS). Over 90% of respondents felt that NOIS should be available to all children, both in appropriate primary care settings and in hospitals. One hundred and twenty-one (99%) respondents thought that all trainees in paediatric dentistry should have sedation training. The most popular form of sedation amongst specialists in paediatric dentistry was NOIS. However, some of the respondents felt that children should have access to other forms of sedation in both the primary care and hospital settings. Additional research on other forms of sedation is required to evaluate their effectiveness and safety.

  4. A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN A PERIPHERAL TERTIARY HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Karunahara

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Acute pancreatitis (AP is one of the most common diseases in gastroenterology. Two percent of all patients admitted to hospital are diagnosed with AP. During the last decade, an increasing incidence was observed, mostly because of a higher sensitivity of diagnostic tests. Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis is still symptomatic and no specific medication is available today. As a result of popular belief that the pancreas should be put to rest during acute pancreatitis, the parenteral route for nutrition is still predominantly used in Acute Pancreatitis. There has been increasing evidence; however, about gut being main source of microorganisms causing infectious pancreatic complications and multiorgan failure. In patients with severe pancreatitis, oral intake is inhibited by nausea and subileus. Although some reports show that enteral feeding is possible in acute pancreatitis and associated with fewer septic complications. Although the evidence is inconclusive to support enteral nutrition in all patients with severe acute pancreatitis, the enteral route may be used if tolerated. Supportive treatment is the most important line of management in acute pancreatitis. The aim is to study the management of acute pancreatitis in a peripheral tertiary hospital and to assess the outcome of the management. METHODS & MATERIALS Data Collection: Patients with acute abdominal pain are admitted in hospital and diagnosed as acute pancreatitis based on blood investigations and radiological findings. Patients categorised- Revised Atlanta Classification. Different medical management modes followed and outcomes recorded, tabulated and analysed. Research Design: Retrospective study. Research Settings: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Trichy, Tamilnadu. Duration: 5 yrs. (2010-2015 Sample Size: 186. Inclusion Criteria: Patients between 12 and 75 yrs. of age, patients admitted to the hospital as a case of acute pancreatitis, both sexes

  5. Characteristics of out-of-hospital paediatric emergencies attended by ambulance- and helicopter-based emergency physicians

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eich, Christoph; Russo, Sebastian G.; Heuer, Jan F.; Timmermann, Arnd; Gentkow, Uta; Quintel, Michael; Roessler, Markus

    Background: In Germany, as in many other countries, for the vast majority of cases, critical out-of-hospital (OOH) paediatric emergencies are attended by non-specialised emergency physicians (EPs). As it is assumed that this may lead to deficient service we aimed to gather robust data on the

  6. Anaesthesia for paediatric patients: Minimising the risk

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    to paediatric patients need to be offset against the need for optimal utilisation of national ... Risk stratification of paediatric patients for specific procedures in ... support colleagues in smaller district hospitals by means of telephonic advice, the ... techniques that can minimise risk in the paediatric surgical population. S Afr Med ...

  7. Radiation doses from paediatric x-ray examinations in some hospitals in Khartoum Area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elshiekh, E.H.A.

    2007-10-01

    The aim of study was to evaluate the entrance surface doses (ESDs) and the effective dose (ED) to patients undergoing some common diagnostic x-ray examinations in large paediatric public hospitals in Khartoum State. ESD per examination was estimated from x-ray tube parameters in three hospitals comprising three units and sample of 449 radiographs. The entrance surface dose (ESD) and the effective dose (ED) were evaluated for chest, skull, abdomen, lumbar spine, and pelvis in antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA) and lateral (LAT) projections. For each examination, four age groups 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years were studied. The DoseCal software was used to calculate these doses. In comparison between Sudanese hospitals with NRPB reference levels, all hospitals showed lower doses than reference levels except for the case of chest in A. Gasim and Khartoum hospitals. Wide variations for the chest examination have been detected. These variation were evident, in Sudan, from previous work. ESDs at Omdurman Hospital meet the reference levels for all years range. ESDs at Omdurman hospital were found to be 41μGy and 62 μGy for range 0-1 year, and 1-5 years, respectively, ESDs at A. Gasim Hospital was found found to be 65 μGy and 100 μGy for range 0-1 year, and 1-5 years, respectively. These values are above NRPB reference levels but lower than CEC1996 reference levels, and meet NRPB reference dose levels in range 5-10 years. In Khartoum Hospital the results present higher ESD than NRPB and CEC reference levels. The high ESDs reflect that ALARA principle is not being applied in chest examinations in Sudan. From comparison between results in this work with previous performed for chest cases in these Sudanese Hospitals at 2004, the ESDs in A. Gasim Hospital were above the previous result but meet the reference levels only range 5-10 years. Omdurman Hospital result but meet the reference levels for all years ranges and are lower than 2002 results. Khartoum Hospital

  8. audit of blood transfusion practices in the paediatric medical ward

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2013-01-01

    Jan 1, 2013 ... AUDIT OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION PRACTICES IN THE PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL WARD OF A TERTIARY ..... services and even where available, beneficiaries have ... due to lack of existence of quality assurance protocol.

  9. Impact of the physical environment in paediatric hospitals on health outcomes: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Robin; Wilson, Sally

    Nesmith identified two roles for the physical settings in which health care is provided. One is as a tool to support productivity and effectiveness and the second is as healer: "… they are an end in themselves - aiding in the healing and wellness process through psychological and physiological effect…" (p. 671). Research to confirm this statement has been slowly accumulating over the last two decades, but primarily in the area of adult care. Although there are a plethora of articles describing the various creative and innovative approaches to physical design in paediatric hospitals, very few of these innovations have been evaluated in terms of their impact on the health outcomes of children and their families. The objective of this review was to determine from the available evidence the impact of the physical paediatric hospital environment on health outcomes of children and adolescents. Using a defined search and retrieval method, a wide range of indexes of periodical articles were accessed for the period 1980 to 2008 including both health and architectural databases. Unpublished studies from 1991 were sought using a variety of sources including Dissertation Abstracts, Index to Theses, conference proceedings, research and clinical trials registers and web sites of relevant professional associations. The review considered studies using either quantitative or qualitative methodologies or mixed methods that assessed the impact of physical design elements of a paediatric hospital environment including architectural, interior design, ambient features and /or features that supported patient and family centred care. The primary outcomes of interest were clinical or psychological, with other outcomes of interest being patient - family perceptions, including safety and security. Each study was assessed independently by two reviewers prior to inclusion in the review using standardised critical appraisal instruments developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. As both

  10. Drug-induced diseases (DIDs: An experience of a tertiary care teaching hospital from India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishal R Tandon

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Drug-induced diseases (DIDs are well known but least studied. Data on DIDs from India are not available. Hence, this retrospective cross-sectional study was undertaken using suspected adverse drug reaction (ADR data collected form Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI to evaluate profile of DIDs over two years, in a tertiary care teaching hospital from north India. Methods: The suspected ADRs in the form of DID were evaluated for drug and disease related variables and were classified in terms of causality. Results: DID rate was 38.80 per cent. Mean duration of developing DIDs was 26.05 ± 9.6 days; 25.16 per cent had more than one co-morbid condition. Geriatric population (53.99% accounted for maximum DIDs followed by adult (37.79% and paediatric (8.21%. Maximum events were probable (93.98% followed by possible (6.04%. All DIDs required intervention. Gastritis (7.43%, diarrhoea (5.92%, anaemia (4.79%, hypotension (2.77%, hepatic dysfunction (2.69%, hypertension (1.51%, myalgia (1.05%, and renal dysfunction (1.01% were some of the DIDs. Anti-tubercular treatment (ATT, anti- retroviral treatment (ART, ceftriaxone injection, steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antimicrobials and anticancer drugs were found as commonly offending drugs. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings show that DIDs are a significant health problem in our country, which need more attention.

  11. Review of six year cardiovascular mortality at a tertiary hospital in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Review of six year cardiovascular mortality at a tertiary hospital in south-east Nigeria. ... E Iheanyi, OM Oghale, K Uwanuruochi, CO Odigwe, A Chuku ... The mean age at death was highest for stroke, 65.0years, likewise the mean duration of ...

  12. Hidden Costs in Paediatric Psychiatry Consultation Liaison Services

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kehoe, C

    2018-03-01

    It is recognised that children attending paediatric services have an increased rate of mental health (MH) problems1. Hospital based Mental Health services, interchangeably termed Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Services (PCLS), or Psychological Medicine, exist in the large hospitals, and collaborate with their paediatric colleagues, offering assessment and intervention as required. However, PCLS may also have a role in providing Emergency MH assessments for young people presenting to the Emergency Department (ED), a role independent of their paediatric colleagues. In some cases, these children will need to be admitted to an acute paediatric bed for the management of their mental health illness or psychological distress, awaiting transfer to a child psychiatry specialised bed, or discharge to community services. The profile and costs of these cases are inadequately captured by both HSE CAMHS Annual Reporting System3,4 and the Healthcare Pricing Office (HIPE)2 as they often inadequately record MH referrals. This study explores the costs associated with a cohort of patients presenting to a large paediatric hospital ED, and managed by PCLS, in a one-year period.

  13. Urinary catheter related nosocomial infections in paediatric intensive care unit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tullu M

    1998-04-01

    Full Text Available The present prospective study was carried out in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Mumbai. The objective was to determine the incidence, risk factors, mortality and organisms responsible for urinary catheter related infections (UCRI. Colonization and/or bacteriuria was labelled as urinary catheter related infection (UCRI. Forty-four patients with 51 urinary catheters were studied. Incidence of UCRI was 47.06%. Age, female sex and immunocompromised status did not increase the risk of UCRI. Duration of catheter in-situ and duration of stay in the PICU were associated with higher risk of UCRI. The mortality was not increased by UCRI. Commonest organism isolated in UCRI was E. coli, which had maximum susceptibility to nitrofurantoin and amikacin.

  14. Prevalence and outcome of severe malnutrition in children less than five-year-old in Omdurman Paediatric Hospital, Sudan

    OpenAIRE

    Kanan, Shaza O H; Swar, Mohammed Osman

    2016-01-01

    This is a retrospective observational hospital-based study aimed to determine the prevalence and outcome of severe acute malnutrition in children less than five years admitted to Omdurman Paediatric Hospital during the period January 2014 to December 2014. Data was collected from patient’s hospital records during the study period. Ethical approval and permission to access patients’ record were obtained. A total of 593 children with severe malnutrition were identified; 305 of cases were male (...

  15. Paediatric sunburn: the experience of an Australian paediatric burns unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mah, Latifa; Di Giovine, Paul; Quinn, Linda; Sparnon, Anthony

    2013-08-01

    The number of hospital presentations and admissions for treatment of sunburn remains significant, despite efforts to educate the public regarding sun protection. Current literature chiefly examines public health campaigns and sun protection behaviours and attitudes. There are very few articles that explore paediatric sunburn requiring hospital presentation. This study was therefore undertaken to provide a snapshot of this issue and to identify patterns and causative factors in the development of severe sunburn requiring hospital presentation. Data were collected for retrospective analysis from case records of patients who presented with sunburn and were registered on the Burns Service database at the Women's and Children's Hospital in South Australia. This study includes patients who presented during the period of October 2006 to March 2011. There were 81 cases identified over the period of 2006-2011 from the Burns database that had sufficient information for the purpose of this study. Factors such as outdoor activity and water sports were predictably apparent, with patients being burned on days with extremely high ultraviolet ratings. Key patterns that emerged were location of sunburn and sun protection use, which were gender and age specific. Larger-scale studies are warranted to further delineate the contributing factors and to identify the specific populations of children at risk of sunburn. Future educational programmes can therefore target these subgroups and behaviours for effective prevention of sunburn. Tailored campaigns that address these factors may be of greater impact in reducing hospital presentations and admissions of significant sunburn. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  16. Causes of prolonged jaundice in infancy: 3-year experience in a tertiary paediatric centre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andre, Margaret; Day, Andrew S

    2016-01-29

    Although prolonged jaundice (PJ) commonly occurs in infancy, there is not yet agreement as to the appropriate extent of investigations, particularly in otherwise well children. Significant pathologies may present with PJ in this age group and need to be considered. The aim of this retrospective study was to ascertain the causes of PJ in infants referred to a single tertiary paediatric centre. Infants referred with PJ over a 3-year period were identified. Clinical documentation, electronic notes and results of investigations performed prior to and after referral were reviewed. One hundred and sixty-seven infants with PJ were seen. Fifty-eight percent were over 28 days of age. Four patients had conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia. Eighteen percent of patients were found to have a specific medical diagnosis causing or contributing to PJ, almost half of whom had normal clinical examination. The single most common pathological cause for PJ was hypothyroidism found in six patients. This study demonstrates that normal clinical examination and exclusion of conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia are insufficient to exclude pathological causes of PJ. Overall, these children were referred late. Guidelines, in conjunction with education initiatives, are required to optimise the management of prolonged jaundice in infancy.

  17. Paediatric cardiology programs in countries with limited resources: how to bridge the gap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulafa, K M Ali

    2010-07-01

    Establishing paediatric cardiology service in a country with limited resources like Sudan is a challenging task. A paediatric cardiac team was formed then the services in different disciplines were gradually established. Echocardiography (echo) clinics were founded in tertiary and peripheral hospitals. Cardiac catheterization (cath) was established at the Sudan Heart Centre (SHC) in 2004 and over 400 procedures had been performed including interventional catheterization like pulmonary valve dilatation, patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal defect device closure. Congenital heart surgery started in 2001, currently 200 cases are done each year including closed procedures as well as open heart procedures for patients weighing more than 8 kg. Cardiology-cardiac surgery as well as adult congenital heart disease meetings were held and contributed positively to the services. The cardiology-cardiac surgery scientific club meeting was founded as a forum for academic discussions. A fellowship program was established in 2004 and included seven candidates trained in paediatric cardiology and intensive care. Two training courses had been established: congenital heart disease echo and paediatric electrocardiogram interpretation. Links with regional and international cardiac centres had important roles in consolidating our program. Significant obstacles face our service due to the small number of trained personnel, high cost of procedures, the lack of regular supplies and lack of cardiac intensive care facilities for young infants. Bridging the huge gap needs extensive official as well as non-governmental efforts, training more staff, supporting families and collaboration with regional and international centres.

  18. Consultant paediatric outreach clinics--a practical step in integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, N J

    1993-04-01

    Ten years' experience of paediatric outreach clinics is reviewed and evaluated. The advantages and disadvantages of paediatric outreach and its possible place in the new era of contracting and more developed community paediatric services are discussed. It is concluded that paediatric outreach increases parental and professional choice and access to paediatric consultant services, increases service flexibility, reduces unnecessary hospital visits, and enables more rational and relevant clinical decision making. Outreach is particularly relevant in areas of deprivation where paediatric needs are greatest.

  19. Ocular disorders in stroke patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-08-06

    Aug 6, 2015 ... Abstract. Background: Stroke is a medical emergency of public health ... Aim: To determine the prevalence of ocular disorders in patients with stroke in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. ... Risk factors include old age, high blood pressure, previous .... such as cataract, refractive errors, and age‑related changes.

  20. Characterisation of virulence genes in methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a paediatric population in a university hospital of Medellín, Colombia

    OpenAIRE

    Jiménez,Judy Natalia; Ocampo,Ana María; Vanegas,Johanna Marcela; Rodríguez,Erika Andrea; Garcés,Carlos Guillermo; Patiño,Luz Adriana; Ospina,Sigifredo; Correa,Margarita María

    2011-01-01

    Virulence and antibiotic resistance are significant determinants of the types of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and paediatric groups remain among the most commonly affected populations. The goal of this study was to characterise virulence genes of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from a paediatric population of a Colombian University Hospital during 2009. Sixty MSSA and MRSA isolates were obtained from paediatric...

  1. The profile of meningitis in a tertiary paediatric hospital in South Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methods. This study describes all patients treated for suspected meningitis at our hospital from 2010 to 2012. Data were .... Weight loss, neck stiffness, altered level of consciousness and lethargy were ..... Direct application of MALDI-TOF mass.

  2. Challenges in managing paediatric osteomyelitis in the developing world: Analysis of cases presenting to a tertiary referral centre in Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam M Ali

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The literature on paediatric osteomyelitis in the developing world is scarce, and there have been calls for further characterisation of its epidemiology and the identification of factors that limit effective management in order to guide local service delivery. Our centre is a hospital serving a population of 11 million people in Tanzania. Materials and Methods: We identified patients 3 months. Twelve out of 13 with a time from symptom onset to presentation of <2 months did not develop recurrence. Conclusions: This is, to the best of our knowledge, the second largest study of paediatric osteomyelitis in the developing world. Major challenges facing this centre include a lack of availability of bacterial cultures and failure to attend follow-up. Delayed presentation of osteomyelitis to our centre is associated with recurrence of infection.

  3. Bed Utilisation in an Irish Regional Paediatric Unit A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Paediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (PAEP)

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ó hAiseadha, Coilín

    2016-05-01

    Increasing demand for limited healthcare resources raises questions about appropriate use of inpatient beds. In the first paediatric bed utilisation study at a regional university centre in Ireland, we conducted a cross-sectional study to audit the utilisation of inpatient beds at the Regional Paediatric Unit (RPU) in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Limerick, Ireland and also examined hospital activity data, to make recommendations for optimal use of inpatient resources.

  4. Pilomatricoma in childhood: a retrospective study from three European paediatric centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cigliano, Bruno; Baltogiannis, Nikolaos; De Marco, Marianna; Faviou, Elsa; Settimi, Alesandro; Tilemis, Stefanos; Soutis, Michail; Papandreou, Evangellos; D'Agostino, Sergio; Fabbro, Maria Angelica

    2005-11-01

    Pilomatricoma is characterised as a common, slowly growing benign cutaneous tumour that appears generally within the first decades of life. The clinical diagnosis is frequently missed, especially by the paediatrician unfamiliar with these tumours. We present the experience gained in three European tertiary care paediatric centres with the treatment of pilomatricoma and also current data on the aetiology, clinical presentation and management. A retrospective study was carried out in 83 patients suspected for pilomatricoma during a 7-year period (1996-2002) at the departments of Paediatric Surgery of the Children's University Hospital "Federico II", Naples, Hospital "San Bortolo", Vicenza and "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens. The age range was from 10 months to 17 years, median age 8 years. All patients were treated by surgical excision and all specimens were examined by histopathological assessment. The follow-up varied from 5 months to 6 years. The correct diagnosis was made preoperatively in 68 patients (82%). The female/male ratio was 2:1. The sites of occurrence were the head (47.5%), especially in the periorbital region, the neck (9%), the upper limbs (35.5%), the inferior limbs (4%) and the thorax (4%). Each patient exhibited a single pilomatricoma except for two patients who had multiple lesions (2.4%). One of them had Steinert disease (myotonic dystrophy). No recurrences were observed during the follow-up period. Pilomatricoma is one of the most common cutaneous adnexal neoplasms in children. Surgical excision including clear margins and its overlying skin in most cases is the treatment of choice. The recurrence as well as malignant evolution is rare.

  5. Paediatric nurses' perceptions and practices of family-centred care in Saudi hospitals: A mixed methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alabdulaziz, Hawa; Moss, Cheryle; Copnell, Beverley

    2017-04-01

    Family-centred care is widely accepted as the underlying philosophy of paediatric nursing. Studies of family-centred care have mainly been conducted in western countries and little is known of its practice in other contexts. No studies have been undertaken in the Middle East. To explore family-centred care in the Saudi context from the perspectives of paediatric nurses. A mixed methodology was utilised with an explanatory sequential design. In the quantitative phase a convenience sample of 234 nurses from six hospitals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia completed the Family Centred Care Questionnaire. The qualitative phase took place in one hospital and involved 140h of non-participant observation of paediatric nurses' practice. A convenience sample of 14 nurses was involved. Additionally, 10 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with key staff members. A purposeful sample of 10 nurses was involved. The findings from both phases were integrated in the final analysis. The survey results indicated that participants identified most elements of family-centred care as necessary for its practice. They were less likely to incorporate them into their practice (pworked with the elements as a set of core tasks. In the current study, there were similarities between what has been found in the Saudi context and findings from other studies using the same tool in western contexts. There is general agreement regarding the differences between theory and practice. Nurses do believe and acknowledge the importance of family-centred care; however, they struggle with practising this model in their everyday work. In the current study, many factors contributed to this issue, including language barriers, communication issues, cultural issues and hospital policies. Western concepts of family-centred care appear to be accepted by paediatric nurses in Saudi Arabia. However, full adoption of family-centred care in keeping with western values is likely not to be appropriate or successful

  6. Casemix funding for a specialist paediatrics hospital: a hedonic regression approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridges, J F; Hanson, R M

    2000-01-01

    This paper inquires into the effects that Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) have had on the ability to explain patient-level costs in a specialist paediatrics hospital. Two hedonic models are estimated using 1996/97 New Children's Hospital (NCH) patient level cost data, one with and one without a casemix index (CMI). The results show that the inclusion of a casemix index as an explanatory variable leads to a better accounting of cost. The full hedonic model is then used to simulate a funding model for the 1997/98 NCH cost data. These costs are highly correlated with the actual costs reported for that year. In addition, univariate regression indicates that there has been inflation in costs in the order of 4.8% between the two years. In conclusion, hedonic analysis can provide valuable evidence for the design of funding models that account for casemix.

  7. Is paediatric trauma severity overestimated at triage?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    DO, H Q; Hesselfeldt, R; Steinmetz, J

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Severe paediatric trauma is rare, and pre-hospital and local hospital personnel experience with injured children is often limited. We hypothesised that a higher proportion of paediatric trauma victims were taken to the regional trauma centre (TC). METHODS: This is an observational...... follow-up study that involves one level I TC and seven local hospitals. We included paediatric (trauma patients with a driving distance to the TC > 30 minutes. The primary end-point was the proportion of trauma patients arriving in the TC. RESULTS: We included 1934...... trauma patients, 238 children and 1696 adults. A total of 33/238 children (13.9%) vs. 304/1696 adults (17.9%) were transported to the TC post-injury (P = 0.14). Among these, children were significantly less injured than adults [median Injury Severity Score (ISS) 9 vs. 14, P 

  8. Cost-Effective Recruitment need for 24x7 Paediatricians in the State General Hospitals in Relation to the Reduction of Infant Mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, Ranjana; Chatterjee, Sukanta

    2016-10-01

    According to World Health Organisation (WHO), improvement of hospital based care can have an impact of upto 30% in reducing Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), whereas, strengthening universal outreach and family-community based care is known to have a greater impact. The study intends to assess how far gaps in the public health facilities contribute towards infant mortality, as 2/3 rd of infant mortality is due to suboptimum care seeking and weak health system. To identify cost-effectiveness of employment of additional paediatric manpower to provide round the clock skilled service to reduce IMR in the present state health facilities at the district general hospitals. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital and district hospitals of 2 districts (Hooghly and Howrah in West Bengal). Factors affecting infant mortality and shift wise analysis of proportion of infant deaths were analysed in both tertiary and district level hospitals. Information was gathered in a predesigned proforma for one year period by verifying hospital records and by personal interview with service personnel in the health establishment. SPSS software version 17 (Chicago, IL) was used. The p-value was calculated by Fischer exact t-test. Available hospital beds per 1000 population were 1.1. Percentage of paediatric beds available in comparison to total hospital bed was disproportionately lower (10%). Dearth of skilled medical care provider at odd hours in district hospitals resulted in significantly greater infant death (p based infant mortality and it is cost-effective.

  9. Hearing the voices of children and young people to develop and test a patient-reported experience measure in a specialist paediatric setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wray, Jo; Hobden, Sylvie; Knibbs, Sarah; Oldham, Geralyn

    2018-03-01

    To develop and test patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) for children and young people in a specialist paediatric hospital setting. Six PREMs were developed and tested by children and young people for children and young people aged 8-11, 12-13 and 14-16 years in inpatient and outpatient settings. A week-long pilot was implemented across inpatient wards and outpatient clinics to identify facilitators and barriers to the routine use of PREMs in a real-time setting across our organisation. Tertiary paediatric hospital. Final PREMs; identified facilitators and barriers to implementation. 543 children and young people aged 8-16 years attending outpatient clinics or inpatient wards across a range of specialties. Three key themes about hospital experience were identified during focus groups: facilities, treatment and tests and people working at the hospital, and these provided the structure for the questionnaires. During cognitive testing the questionnaires were generally understood but some revisions to language and length of the questionnaires were required. Two designs were selected for the final PREMs. During acceptability and feasibility testing it was evident that children and young people liked the PREMs and wanted to give feedback on their hospital experience. Particular challenges for routine use of the PREMs focused on sustainability and resources. The new PREMs will provide children and young people receiving care in specialist paediatric hospitals with the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience. Sustainability and ensuring that feedback results in improvements need to be addressed in future work. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. [Status of subjective well-being for medical staff in a tertiary hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yunlong; Liu, Yan; Xu, Shaorong; Zhao, Min; Li, Junping; Xiong, Yan

    2016-06-28

    To investigate the status of subjective well-being (SWB) for medical staffs who contact with patients directly in a tertiary hospital.
 Staffs from a tertiary hospital in Hunan province were investigated the SWB Scale (SWBS-cc20) from 2012 to 2014.
 The scores of SWB for medical staffs are high (81.67±12.33). Among the 10 sub-dimensions of SWB, medical staffs performed the best in family atmosphere, personal growth, and interpersonal adaptation, while performed the worst in physical health, mental health and material contentment. Title, job nature, education and occupation significantly affected the status of SWB. Staffs who directly connected with patients have less scores of SWB than those who do not (t=-4.80, Pmental health (OR=1.315, 95% CI 1.023 to 1.690, Phealth (OR=1.313, 95% CI 1.029 to 1.677, Pmental health and physical health.

  11. Assessing process of paediatric care in a resource-limited setting: a cross-sectional audit of district hospitals in Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hategeka, Celestin; Shoveller, Jeannie; Tuyisenge, Lisine; Lynd, Larry D

    2018-05-01

    Routine assessment of quality of care helps identify deficiencies which need to be improved. While gaps in the emergency care of children have been documented across sub-Saharan Africa, data from Rwanda are lacking. To assess the care of sick infants and children admitted to Rwandan district hospitals and the extent to which it follows currently recommended clinical practice guidelines in Rwanda. Data were gathered during a retrospective cross-sectional audit of eight district hospitals across Rwanda in 2012/2013. Medical records were randomly selected from each hospital and were reviewed to assess the process of care, focusing on the leading causes of under-5 mortality, including neonatal conditions, pneumonia, malaria and dehydration/diarrhoea. Altogether, 522 medical records were reviewed. Overall completion of a structured neonatal admission record was above 85% (range 78.6-90.0%) and its use was associated with better documentation of key neonatal signs (median score 6/8 and 2/8 when used and not used, respectively). Deficiencies in the processes of care were identified across hospitals and there were rural/urban disparities for some indicators. For example, neonates admitted to urban district hospitals were more likely to receive treatment consistent with currently recommended guidelines [e.g. gentamicin (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.03-6.43) and fluids (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.2-6.2)] than those in rural hospitals. Likewise, children with pneumonia admitted to urban hospitals were more likely to receive the correct dosage of gentamicin (OR 4.47, 95% CI 1.21-25.1) and to have their treatment monitored (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.57-8.3) than in rural hospitals. Furthermore, children diagnosed with malaria and admitted to urban hospitals were more likely to have their treatment (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.15-6.41) monitored than those in rural hospitals. Substantial gaps were identified in the process of neonatal and paediatric care across district hospitals in Rwanda. There is a need to (i

  12. Congenital malformations in paediatric and neurosurgical practices ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Congenital malformations in paediatric and neurosurgical practices: problems and pattern (A preliminary report) ... Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... over a 5-year period (1998 to 2002) with congenital anomalies to the Paediatric Surgery and Neurosurgery units of the University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.

  13. Implementation of subcutaneous insulin protocol for non-critically ill hospitalized patients in andalusian tertiary care hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Brocca, María Asunción; Morales, Cristóbal; Rodríguez-Ortega, Pilar; González-Aguilera, Beatriz; Montes, Cristina; Colomo, Natalia; Piédrola, Gonzalo; Méndez-Muros, Mariola; Serrano, Isabel; Ruiz de Adana, Maria Soledad; Moreno, Alberto; Fernández, Ignacio; Aguilar, Manuel; Acosta, Domingo; Palomares, Rafael

    2015-02-01

    In 2009, the Andalusian Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition designed a protocol for subcutaneous insulin treatment in hospitalized non-critically ill patients (HIP). To analyze implementation of HIP at tertiary care hospitals from the Andalusian Public Health System. A descriptive, multicenter study conducted in 8 tertiary care hospitals on a random sample of non-critically ill patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia (n=306) hospitalized for ≥48 hours in 5 non-surgical (SM) and 2 surgical (SQ) departments. Type 1 and other specific types of diabetes, pregnancy and nutritional support were exclusion criteria. 288 patients were included for analysis (62.5% males; 70.3±10.3 years; 71.5% SM, 28.5% SQ). A scheduled subcutaneous insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction protocol was started in 55.9% (95%CI: 50.5-61.2%) of patients, 63.1% SM vs. 37.8% SQ (P<.05). Alternatives to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction included sliding scale insulin (43.7%), diet (31.3%), oral antidiabetic drugs (17.2%), premixed insulin (1.6%), and others (6.2%). For patients previously on oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was 0.32±0.1 IU/kg/day. In patients previously on insulin, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 17% [-13-53], and in those on insulin plus oral antidiabetic drugs, in-hospital insulin dose was increased by 26.4% [-6-100]. Supplemental insulin doses used for<40 IU/day and 40-80 IU/day were 72.2% and 56.7% respectively. HbA1c was measured in 23.6% of patients (95CI%: 18.8-28.8); 27.7% SM vs. 13.3% SQ (P<.05). Strategies are needed to improve implementation of the inpatient subcutaneous insulin protocol, particularly in surgical departments. Sliding scale insulin is still the most common alternative to insulin regimen based on basal-bolus-correction scheduled insulin. Metabolic control assessment during hospitalization should be encouraged. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. Prevalence of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae from a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pravin K. Nair

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The emergence of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE in recent times has become a serious threat to public health due to the high mortality, potential dissemination rates and limited treatment options associated with these organisms. Thus, the present study was conducted in our tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, to retrospectively analyze the prevalence of CRE in the hospital. Methods: The study was carried out in the microbiology department of the tertiary care hospital over a period of 12 months. The samples tested were clinical samples from hospitalized and Out-Patient Department (OPD patients sent to the department for microbiological testing. CRE isolates were identified using the Vitek 2- Compact system (BioMérieux, France. Results: A CRE prevalence rate of 12.26% was obtained from the study, from which the majority of the isolates were detected in urine samples (46%. Although most of the CRE isolates were detected in patient samples from the wards (42% and the ICU (26%, a significant number of isolates was also detected from the OPD patients (19%. Conclusion:Thus, the study shows a significant rate of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae isolated from hospitalized and OPD patients. This emphasizes the urgent need for CRE control at the hospital and community level, and to rationalize the use of antibiotics. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2013;3(4: 207-210

  15. Environment surveillance of filamentous fungi in two tertiary care hospitals in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Zhen-feng; Ao, Jun-hong; Hao, Fei; Yang, Rong-ya; Zhu, He; Zhang, Jie

    2011-07-05

    Invasive fungal infections have constituted an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. In this study, a surveillance project was conducted in three different intensive care units of two large tertiary hospitals in China. A one-year surveillance project was conducted in two tertiary hospitals which located in northern China and southwest China respectively. Air, surfaces and tap water were sampled twice a month in a central intensive care unit, a bone marrow transplant unit, a neurosurgery intensive care unit and a live transplant department. Environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature and events taking place, for example the present of the visitors, healthcare staff and cleaning crew were also recorded at the time of sampling. The air fungal load was 91.94 cfu/m(3) and 71.02 cfu/m(3) in the southwest China hospital and the northern China hospital respectively. The five most prevalent fungi collected from air and surfaces were Penicillium spp., Cladospcrium spp., Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp. and Saccharomyces spp. in the southwest China hospital, meanwhile Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Alternaria spp. and Cladospcrium spp. in the northern China hospital. The least contaminated department was intensive care units, and the heaviest contaminated department was neurosurgery intensive care unit. Seventy-three percent of all surfaces examined in the northern China hospital and eighty-six percent in the southwest China hospital yielded fungi. Fifty-four percent of water samples from the northern China hospital and forty-nine percent from the southwest China hospital yielded fungi. These findings suggested that the fungus exist in the environment of the hospital including air, surface and water. Air and surface fungal load fluctuated over the year. Air fungal load was lower in winter and higher in summer and autumn, but seldom exceeded acceptable level. The higher values were created during

  16. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery - Vol 11, No 3 (2014)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Oesophageal foreign body in children: 15 years experience in a tertiary care paediatric centre · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. A Singh, M Bajpai, SS Panda, K Chand, M Jana, A Ali, 238-241 ...

  17. Emergency readmissions to paediatric surgery and urology: The impact of inappropriate coding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peeraully, R; Henderson, K; Davies, B

    2016-04-01

    Introduction In England, emergency readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharge after an elective admission are not reimbursed if they do not meet Payment by Results (PbR) exclusion criteria. However, coding errors could inappropriately penalise hospitals. We aimed to assess the accuracy of coding for emergency readmissions. Methods Emergency readmissions attributed to paediatric surgery and urology between September 2012 and August 2014 to our tertiary referral centre were retrospectively reviewed. Payment by Results (PbR) coding data were obtained from the hospital's Family Health Directorate. Clinical details were obtained from contemporaneous records. All readmissions were categorised as appropriately coded (postoperative or nonoperative) or inappropriately coded (planned surgical readmission, unrelated surgical admission, unrelated medical admission or coding error). Results Over the 24-month period, 241 patients were coded as 30-day readmissions, with 143 (59%) meeting the PbR exclusion criteria. Of the remaining 98 (41%) patients, 24 (25%) were inappropriately coded as emergency readmissions. These readmissions resulted in 352 extra bed days, of which 117 (33%) were attributable to inappropriately coded cases. Conclusions One-quarter of non-excluded emergency readmissions were inappropriately coded, accounting for one-third of additional bed days. As a stay on a paediatric ward costs up to £500 a day, the potential cost to our institution due to inappropriate readmission coding was over £50,000. Diagnoses and the reason for admission for each care episode should be accurately documented and coded, and readmission data should be reviewed at a senior clinician level.

  18. Adult and paediatric mortality patterns in a referral hospital in Liberia 1 year after the end of the war.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huerga, Helena; Vasset, Brigitte; Prados, Elisa

    2009-05-01

    The aim of this study was to describe and analyse hospital mortality patterns after the Liberian war. Data were collected retrospectively from January to July 2005 in a referral hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. The overall fatality rate was 17.2% (438/2543) of medical admissions. One-third of deaths occurred in the first 24h. The adult fatality rate was 23.3% (241/1034). Non-infectious diseases accounted for 56% of the adult deaths. The main causes of death were meningitis (16%), stroke (14%) and heart failure (10%). Associated fatality rates were 48%, 54% and 31% respectively. The paediatric fatality rate was 13.1% (197/1509). Infectious diseases caused 66% of paediatric deaths. In infants or =1 month old were respiratory infections (27%), malaria (23%) and severe malnutrition (16%). Associated fatality rates were 12%, 10% and 19%. Fatality rates were similar to those found in other sub-Saharan countries without a previous conflict. Early deaths could decrease through recognition and early referral of severe cases from health centres to the hospital and through assessment and priority treatment of these patients at arrival.

  19. Unlicensed and off-label use of drugs in pediatric surgical units at tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aamir, Muhammad; Khan, Jamshaid Ali; Shakeel, Faisal; Asim, Syed Muhammad

    2017-08-01

    Background Unlicensed and off-label prescribing practice is global dilemma around the world. This pioneering study was designed to determine unlicensed and off-label use of drug in surgical wards of tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan. Objective To assess unlicensed and off-label use of drugs in pediatric surgical unit at three tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. Setting Two government and one private tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Method Drug profiles of 895 patients from three different clinical settings were evaluated for unlicensed and off-label use of drugs using Micromedex DRUGDEX. Main outcome measure Characteristics of the unlicensed and off-label drug prescriptions. Result Total of 3168 prescribed drugs were analyzed in this study. Indication (38.7%) and dose (34.8%) were the most frequent off-label categories. In comparison with the corresponding reference categories, infants and children, male patients and having less than five prescribed drugs were significant predictors of unlicensed prescriptions. In comparison with the corresponding reference categories, significant predictors of off-label drug prescribing were children younger than two year, children between 2-12 years, patient staying at hospital less than 5 days and patients having less than five prescribed drugs. Conclusion The prevalence of unlicensed and off-label drug prescriptions are high at pediatric surgical ward of tertiary care hospitals. More awareness of the efficacy and safety of drugs are required in pediatrics. In addition, new formulations with advanced dosing for children are also required to minimize the risk of adverse outcomes.

  20. The HOPE (Helping to Outline Paediatric Eating Disorders) Project: development and debut of a paediatric clinical eating disorder registry

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background The HOPE (Helping to Outline Paediatric Eating Disorders) Project is an ongoing registry study made up of a sequential cross-sectional sample prospectively recruited over 17 years, and is designed to answer empirical questions about paediatric eating disorders. This paper introduces the HOPE Project, describes the registry sample to-date, and discusses future directions and challenges and accomplishments. The project and clinical service were established in a tertiary academic hospital in Western Australia in 1996 with a service development grant. Research processes were inbuilt into the initial protocols and data collection was maintained in the following years. Recognisable progress with the research agenda accelerated only when dedicated research resources were obtained. The registry sample consists of consecutive children and adolescents assessed at the eating disorder program from 1996 onward. Standardised multidisciplinary data collected from family intake interview, parent and child clinical interviews, medical review, parent, child and teacher psychometric assessments, and inpatient admission records populate the HOPE Project database. Results The registry database to-date contains 941 assessments, of whom 685 met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder at admission. The majority of the sample were females (91%) from metropolitan Perth (83%). The cases with eating disorders consist of eating disorders not otherwise specified (68%), anorexia nervosa (25%) and bulimia nervosa (7%). Among those with eating disorders, a history of weight loss since illness onset was almost universal (96%) with fear of weight gain (71%) common, and the median duration of illness was 8 months. Conclusions Over the next five years and more, we expect that the HOPE Project will make a strong scientific contribution to paediatric eating disorders research and will have important real-world applications to clinical practice and policy as the research unfolds

  1. Determinants of the direct cost of heart failure hospitalization in a public tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parissis, John; Athanasakis, Kostas; Farmakis, Dimitrios; Boubouchairopoulou, Nadia; Mareti, Christina; Bistola, Vasiliki; Ikonomidis, Ignatios; Kyriopoulos, John; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Lekakis, John

    2015-02-01

    Heart failure (HF) is the first reason for hospital admission in the elderly and represents a major financial burden, the greatest part of which results from hospitalization costs. We sought to analyze current HF hospitalization-related expenditure and identify predictors of cost in a public tertiary hospital in Europe. We performed a retrospective chart review of 197 consecutive patients, aged 56±16years, 80% male, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30±10%, hospitalized for HF in a major university hospital in Athens, Greece. The survey involved the number of hospitalization days, laboratory investigations and medical therapies. Patients who were hospitalized in CCU/ICU or underwent interventional procedures or device implantations were excluded from analysis. Costs were estimated based on the Greek healthcare system perspective in 2013. Patients were hospitalized for a median of 7 days with a total direct cost of €3198±3260/patient. The largest part of the expenses (79%) was attributed to hospitalization (ward), while laboratory investigations and medical treatment accounted for 17% and 4%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, pre-admission New York Heart Association NYHA class (p=0.001), serum creatinine (p=0.003) and NT-proBNP (p=0.004) were significant independent predictors of hospitalization cost. Direct cost of HF hospitalization is high particularly in patients with more severe symptoms, profound neurohormonal activation and renal dysfunction. Strategies to lower hospitalization rates are warranted in the current setting of financial constraints faced by many European countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Variation in radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McFadden, S L; Hughes, C M; Winder, R J

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this work is to determine current radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) in the UK and Ireland. To do this we investigated which imaging parameters/protocols are commonly used in IC in different hospitals, to identify if a standard technique is used and illustrate any variation in practice. A questionnaire was sent to all hospitals in the UK and Ireland which perform paediatric IC to obtain information on techniques used in each clinical department and on the range of clinical examinations performed. Ethical and research governance approval was sought from the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland and the individual trusts. A response rate of 79% was achieved, and a wide variation in technique was found between hospitals. The main differences in technique involved variations in the use of an anti-scatter grid and the use of additional filtration to the radiation beam, frame rates for digital acquisition and pre-programmed projections/paediatric specific programming in the equipment. We conclude that there is no standard protocol for carrying out paediatric IC in the UK or Ireland. Each hospital carries out the IC procedure according to its own local protocols resulting in a wide variation in radiation dose. (paper)

  3. Variation in radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFadden, S L; Hughes, C M; Winder, R J

    2013-06-01

    The aim of this work is to determine current radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) in the UK and Ireland. To do this we investigated which imaging parameters/protocols are commonly used in IC in different hospitals, to identify if a standard technique is used and illustrate any variation in practice. A questionnaire was sent to all hospitals in the UK and Ireland which perform paediatric IC to obtain information on techniques used in each clinical department and on the range of clinical examinations performed. Ethical and research governance approval was sought from the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland and the individual trusts. A response rate of 79% was achieved, and a wide variation in technique was found between hospitals. The main differences in technique involved variations in the use of an anti-scatter grid and the use of additional filtration to the radiation beam, frame rates for digital acquisition and pre-programmed projections/paediatric specific programming in the equipment. We conclude that there is no standard protocol for carrying out paediatric IC in the UK or Ireland. Each hospital carries out the IC procedure according to its own local protocols resulting in a wide variation in radiation dose.

  4. AN AUDIT OF PRESCRIPTION FOR ANTIBIOTIC IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN KOLKATA, INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anjan Adhikari

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotics are most commonly prescribed drugs in tertiary care hospitals; more than 30% of the hospitalised patients were treated with antibiotics. Rational use of antibiotics is very important to ensure the optimum treatment outcomes and to limit the emergence of bacterial resistance. Present study is a hospital based cross-sectional study carried out for a period of three months in different clinical departments of a tertiary care hospital to find out the antibiotics prescribing pattern. Out of total 551 evaluated prescriptions, an antibiotic was prescribed in 45.5% cases. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were Moxifloxacin 19.5%, Metronidazole 10.4% and Amoxicillin+Cloxacillin 10.2%, broad spectrum antibiotics usage was higher & 87.7% of the antibiotics were prescribed by brand names. The appropriate use of antibiotic is a greatest need of the current situation all over the world. The rising antibiotic resistance is a global problem which is directly related with the irrational prescription of antibiotics.

  5. A STUDY ON PAEDIATRIC DERMATOSES IN CHILDREN ATTENDING OPD OF GVR HOSPITAL, KURNOOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Bhuvaneswari

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Paediatric dermatoses include various diseases of neonates such as sebaceous hyperplasia, milia, sucking blisters etc., cutaneous infections such as impetigo, folliculitis, furuncles etc., arthropod bites and infestations such as scabies, pediculosis, nutritional dermatoses such as acrodermatitis enteropathica, essential fatty acid deficiency, kwashiorkor etc., eczematous disorders such as atopic dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, etc., vesiculobullous disorders such as erythema multiforme, SJS/TEN, hypersensitivity disorders like urticaria, papular urticaria, angioedema etc., photosensitivity diseases like acute sunburn reactions, phototoxic reactions, porphyrias etc., epidermal diseases like psoriasis, lichen planus etc., keratinisation disorders like ichthyosis vulgaris, palmoplantar keratosis, etc., The epidemiological aspects of various childhood dermatoses have been the subject of study by various researchers for over a century, but the accurate incidence or prevalence could not be made out because: lack of properly designed guidelines for evaluation, inadequate and improper compilation, lack of parental awareness and knowledge about the problems, home remedies, treatment by quacks not being reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS It is a hospital based observational study, which was conducted at Govt. general hospital, Kurnool and GVR Hospital, Kurnool. The study included 14,730 children who attended the above departments, of them, 5775 children were males and 5995 children are females. The study was conducted during the period of 1 year from March 2015-June 2016. RESULTS Infections are the commonest (30.44% followed by Infestations (14.40%. Secondary Infections were the commonest bacterial infections (25.37%. Among the infestations Scabies was the most prevalent (77.76% CONCLUSION In our study, it was observed that 28-30% of the children aged below 12 years attending paediatric outpatient department, GVR Hospital and 30-40% of the

  6. Difference between Japanese Secondary and Tertiary Medical Facilities Regarding Changes in the Hospitalization of Children for Pneumonia after the Introduction of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haro, Kaoru; Ogawa, Masato; Hoshina, Takayuki; Kojiro, Masumi; Kusuhara, Koichi

    2017-05-24

    This study aimed to compare hospitalization of children for pneumonia between secondary and tertiary medical facilities, which hospitalize many children without and with underlying diseases, respectively, after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Our retrospective study included children admitted to the Department of Pediatrics at Kitakyushu General Hospital, a secondary medical facility, and the Hospital of the University of Occupational and Environment Health, Japan, a tertiary medical facility, from 2009 to 2013 for pneumonia. We compared the change in the rate of hospitalization for pneumonia after the introduction of the 7-valent PCV between the secondary and tertiary medical facilities. Hospitalization of patients with pneumonia declined by 28.8% in our secondary medical facility. In particular, hospitalization for pneumonia other than confirmed mycoplasmal or viral pneumonia was significantly reduced by 49.2%. In contrast, hospitalization of patients with pneumonia did not decline in our tertiary medical facility. After the introduction of PCV, hospitalization of children for pneumonia was not reduced at the tertiary medical facility. Various other pathogens besides pneumococcus may be associated with the development of pneumonia in children with underlying diseases.

  7. Paediatric interventional radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLaren, Clare

    2014-01-01

    Paediatric interventional radiology (PIR) is a rapidly-growing subspecialty, which offers a wide range of procedures applicable to almost all areas of hospital paediatrics. There are many important differences between paediatric and adult practice in interventional radiology, including disease processes and treatment goals, anatomical considerations, periprocedural patient management, radiation exposure optimisation and legal aspects. The use of retrievable or absorbable interventional devices such as stents will probably become more widespread in PIR practice. Recent advances in the technology of imaging equipment have been accompanied by an increase in the complexity of the work done by the radiographer. These developments present challenges and opportunities related to training and maintenance of skills, staffing arrangements, and the potential for advanced practice. It is likely that specialisation in PIR will become a more common role for radiographers in the future

  8. Paediatric treadmill friction injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeremijenko, Luke; Mott, Jonathan; Wallis, Belinda; Kimble, Roy

    2009-05-01

    The aim of this study was to report on the severity and incidence of children injured by treadmills and to promote the implementation of safety standards. This retrospective review of children with treadmill friction injuries was conducted in a single tertiary-level burns centre in Australia between January 1997 and June 2007. The study revealed 37 children who sustained paediatric treadmill friction injuries. This was a presentation of 1% of all burns. Thirty-three (90%) of the injuries occurred in the last 3.5 years (January 2004 to June 2007). The modal age was 3.2 years. Thirty-three (90%) injuries were either full thickness or deep partial friction burns. Eleven (30%) required split thickness skin grafts. Of those who became entrapped, 100% required skin grafting. This study found that paediatric treadmill friction injuries are severe and increasing in incidence. Australian standards should be developed, implemented and mandated to reduce this preventable and severe injury.

  9. The prevalence of pressure ulcers in the paediatric population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habiballah, Laila; Tubaishat, Ahmad

    2016-05-01

    A paucity of research related to the problem of pressure ulcers in paediatrics is found, with a variety of reported prevalence rates. To record the prevalence, location and categories of PU in the inpatient paediatric wards, and to identify the characteristics of pressure ulcer patients. A descriptive point prevalence study. All paediatric inpatient wards in two hospitals in Jordan. One of which is a university-affiliated hospital and the other a paediatric public hospital. Isolation, burn and emergency units, outpatients' clinics and psychiatric wards were excluded. One sixty six paediatric patients aged from one day up to 18 years from both hospitals. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were included and examined for the existence of pressure ulcers on one day in each hospital by the primary investigator. The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel classification system was used to categorise each identified ulcer. The characteristics of ulcers were collected as well. Sixteen ulcers were identified in 11 patients, giving a prevalence rate of 6.6%.When Category I ulcers were excluded, the prevalence rate dropped to 2.4%. All except one of the PU patients were being treated in critical care units (n = 10, 90.9%), and most of the ulcers were category one (n = 7, 63.6%) and caused by devices (n = 7, 63.6). The face was the most frequently reported location of PUs (n = 6, 54.5%), followed by the occiput (n = 2, 18.2%). Most PU patients were male (n = 6, 54.5%), and less than 12 months old (n = 8, 72.7%). PU patients had experienced longer hospital stays than patients free from PU (U = 499.0, p = 0.02). Jordanian paediatric patients do have pressure ulcers, with a prevalence rate congruent with previously reported international rates. Most of the ulcers found were caused by devices used in critical care units. This should encourage nurses to pay extra attention to their paediatric patients when they are connected to medical devices. Copyright

  10. The proposed Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, Johannesburg: providing the best care for children in the developing world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton, Keith

    2011-01-01

    Construction will soon commence on the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital (NMCH) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Hospital will have 250-300 beds and will provide tertiary and quaternary care to children in specific Centers of Excellence. Admission to this referral facility will be based entirely on medical needs. The disciplines that are catered for include Paediatric surgery, oncology, nephrology, cardiology, intensive care and imaging. The NMCH will be South Africa's first "Private Hospital - Not for Gain". Funding for capital expenditure is currently being raised by the Trust. Operational expenditure will come from the Department of Health, private insurers and neighbouring governments.

  11. Smoking trends amongst young doctors of a tertiary care hospital - Mayo Hospital, Lahore - Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chudhary, M.K.; Younis, M.; Bukhari, M.H.

    2011-01-01

    The World Health Organization cites tobacco use as one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of disability and death. Tobacco has many negative health effects which many of the smokers know them well. In Pakistan tobacco use is common in general public and the health professionals don't lack behind this habit. To study the smoking trends amongst young doctors of Mayo Hospital. Questionnaire based descriptive study. This study was conducted at the Institute of Chest Medicine, Mayo Hospital - A tertiary care hospital affiliated with King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Out of 250 doctors, 180 (72%) were males and 70 (28%) were female. Amongst 180 male doctors 97 (53.88%) were smokers and 83 (46.21%) were non smokers. Amongst 70 female doctors 8 (11.43%) were smokers and 62 (88.57%) were non smokers. Smoking is common among male young doctors but it is less common in female doctors. (author)

  12. Paediatric medical emergency calls to a Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Kasper; Mikkelsen, Søren; Jørgensen, Gitte

    2018-01-01

    with a supporting physician-manned mobile emergency care unit (56.4%). The classification of medical issues and the dispatched pre-hospital units varied with patient age. DISCUSSION: We believe our results might help focus the paediatric training received by emergency medical dispatch staff on commonly encountered......BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding paediatric medical emergency calls to Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres (EMDC). This study aimed to investigate these calls, specifically the medical issues leading to them and the pre-hospital units dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. METHODS: We...... records to establish how the medical issues leading to these calls were classified and which pre-hospital units were dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Of a total of 7052 emergency calls in February 2016, 485 (6.9%) concerned patients ≤ 15...

  13. Prevalence and molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a tertiary Greek hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kachrimanidou, M; Tsorlini, E; Katsifa, E; Vlachou, S; Kyriakidou, S; Xanthopoulou, K; Tsergouli, K; Samourli, T; Papa, A

    2014-01-01

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of health- and community-associated infections; its prevalence in Greece is among the highest in Europe. We investigated the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of MRSA in a tertiary Greek hospital. Spa typing and random polymorphic DNA analysis were used to investigate the molecular epidemiology of 28 MRSA isolates during May 2010 to May 2011 in a tertiary hospital in Northern Greece. Nine spa types were detected; t003 was the predominant (32.1%) one, detected in various wards and throughout the study period, while t037 was recovered only from intensive care unit patients, and only in April 2011, suggestive of an epidemic. Additional rare types were detected for the first time in Greece. Spa typing and random polymorphic DNA analysis gave an insight into the epidemiology of MRSA in a Northern Greece hospital. Concerning the distribution in the hospital, the predominant spa type t003 was present in various wards, and was constantly detected throughout the study period, very suggestive of an epidemic, while other types were detected only in specific wards. Our data underline the need for surveillance, typing and constant reassessment of existing strategies to control MRSA.

  14. Auditing surgical service provision at a South African tertiary institution: Implications for the development of district services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laing, G L; Skinner, D L; Bruce, J L; Aldous, C; Govindasamy, V; Thomson, S R; Clarke, D L

    2017-11-01

    The optimal management of resources within South African state hospitals has been hampered by a paucity of data due to a lack of robust auditing information systems. This study reviews the use of a Hybrid Electronic Medical Record (HEMR) system to capture and aggregate data pertaining to the inpatient service demands on a South African tertiary surgical service. This dataset was used to analyse the appropriateness of tertiary surgical resource utilisation. The HEMR system was implemented at Greys Hospital, in the city of Pietermaritzburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa on 1 January 2013. Inpatient data pertaining to surgical admissions and operative interventions were captured prospectively. Following an 18-month study period, the data were extracted, aggregated and analysed. The district referral hospitals were mapped, and district surgical procedures performed within the tertiary center were identified and quantified. Results: 7314 patients were admitted and managed by the tertiary surgical service during the study period. The median patient age was 33 years (IQR 6.5-42.4 years). 59.7% were male and 40.3% were female. General, trauma and paediatric surgical admissions constituted 54.8%, 28.6% and 16.6% respectively. Emergency admissions constituted 62.4% and elective admissions 37.6%. Referral sources were captured for 6653 (91%) of the cohort. 4338 (65.2%) patients were referred from district hospitals. The district hospital (Northdale) closest to Greys Hospital was responsible for 1675 (25.2%) of surgical referrals. 4174 operative procedures were performed during the study period, 54.7% performed as an emergency, 34.1% electively and 11.2% semi-electively. The median waiting time for emergency operative intervention was 535 minutes (IQR 130-663). A total of 1272 (30.5%) operative procedures performed were assessed as district-level operations. The time intervals of 07:00-07:59 and 17:00-17:59 were identified as the time periods during which the least number of

  15. [Association between occupational stress and presenteeism among medical staff at grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Junming; Hua, Yujie; Zhang, Hao; Huang, Li; Fu, Hua

    2015-10-01

    To investigate the current status of occupational stress and presenteeism among medical staff at grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China, and to analyze the association between occupational stress and presenteeism. A total of 2356 healthcare workers from eight grade A tertiary hospitals in Shanghai were investigated by stratified random sampling. All the subjects were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires with informed consent. The occupational stress was assessed by the occupational stress core questionnaire. The presenteeism was evaluated by the Stanford Presenteeism Scale. In all subjects, the average score of presenteeism was 15.23 ± 3.89, and 72.5% felt occupational stress in self-evaluation. There were significant differences in the score of presenteeism between subjects with different ages, education levels, occupations, lengths of service, job titles, and shifts (all Poccupational stress, including job demand, control, social support, and demand-control ratio (Poccupational stress in medical staff from grade A tertiary hospitals is positively correlated with the level of presenteeism. It is important to promote social support to reduce the loss of work efficiency due to presenteeism.

  16. Job-sharing in paediatric training in Australia: availability and trainee perceptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitelaw, C M; Nash, M C

    2001-04-16

    To examine the current availability of job-sharing in paediatric training hospitals in Australia and to evaluate job-sharing from the trainees' perspective. National survey with structured telephone interviews and postal questionnai res. The eight major paediatric training hospitals in Australia. Directors of Paediatric Physician Training (DPPTs) at each hospital (or a staff member nominated by them) provided information by phone interview regarding job-sharing. All paediatric trainees who job-shared in 1998 (n=34) were sent written questionnaires, of which 25 were returned. Hospitals differed in terms of whether a trainee was required to give a reason for wishing to job-share, and what reasons were acceptable. One hospital stated that two specialty units (Intensive Care and Neonatal Intensive Care) were excluded from job-sharing, and another stated that certain units were unlikely to be allocated job-sharers. The remaining six hospitals said that all units were available for job-sharing, but the majority of their trainees disagreed. Only one hospital had a cap on the number of job-share positions available yearly. Trainees perceived benefits of job-sharing to include decreased tiredness, increased enthusiasm for work, and the ability to strike a balance between training and other aspects of life. Trainees believed job-sharing did not adversely affect the quality of service provided to patients, and that part-time training was not of lower quality than full-time training. Job-sharing in Australian paediatric training hospitals varies in terms of the number of positions available, eligibility criteria, and which units are available for job-sharing. In our survey, trainees' experience of job-sharing was overwhelmingly positive.

  17. "Know your audience": A hospital community engagement programme in a non-profit paediatric hospital in Cambodia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sreymom Pol

    Full Text Available The purpose of this evaluation is to explore the impact of the new hospital community engagement programme (comprised of a Young Persons Advisory Group and a Science Café on community members and other stakeholders, with regard to their attitudes, skills and degree of engagement in a paediatric hospital in Cambodia.Data collection included feedback questionnaires and reflections produced after each YPAG and Science Café event. Further questionnaires and reflective interviews were conducted to gather the views of key stakeholders. Data were analysed by thematic content analysis and numerical data were expressed using descriptive statistics.The vast majority of participants expressed their enjoyment and satisfaction of the hospital community engagement programme. Delivering the programme in the right manner for the target audiences, by prioritising their needs was key to this. Participants valued the programmes in terms of the knowledge delivered around good health practices, the skills developed such as confidence and responsibility for their health, and the provision of opportunities to voice their opinions. All stakeholders recognised the importance of the programme in improving the quality of the healthcare service provided at the hospital.In order to have a successful hospital community engagement programme, understanding the target audience is essential. The engagement programme must be delivered in the right way to meet the needs of community members, including right communication, right setting, right people and right timing. This will ultimately result in a meaningful programme that is able to empower community members, potentially resulting in lasting change in healthcare practices. In conclusion, the gap between hospitals and the community could narrow, allowing everyone to interact and learn from each other.

  18. Movie making as a cognitive distraction for paediatric patients receiving radiotherapy treatment: qualitative interview study

    OpenAIRE

    Shrimpton, Bradley J M; Willis, David J; Tongs, C?thal D; Rolfo, Aldo G

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To establish the outcomes achieved by using an innovative movie-making programme designed to reduce fear of radiotherapy among paediatric patients. Design Qualitative descriptive evaluation based on semistructured, qualitative interviews with purposeful sampling and thematic analysis. Setting Tertiary Cancer Centre. Participants 20 parents of paediatric patients who had produced a movie of their radiation therapy experience and were in a follow-up phase of cancer management. Result...

  19. Hospital discharge summary scorecard: a quality improvement tool used in a tertiary hospital general medicine service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, G; Harvey, R; Dyne, A; Said, A; Scott, I

    2015-12-01

    We assessed the impact of completion and feedback of discharge summary scorecards on the quality of discharge summaries written by interns in a general medicine service of a tertiary hospital. The scorecards significantly improved summary quality in the first three rotations of the intern year and could be readily adopted by other units as a quality improvement intervention for optimizing clinical handover to primary care providers. © 2015 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  20. Pylephlebitis: incidence and prognosis in a tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belhassen-García, Moncef; Gomez-Munuera, Mercedes; Pardo-Lledias, Javier; Velasco-Tirado, Virginia; Perez-Persona, Ernesto; Galindo-Perez, Inmaculada; Alvela-Suárez, Lucia; Romero-Alegría, Angela; Muñoz-Bellvis, Luis; Cordero-Sánchez, Miguel

    2014-01-01

    Septic thrombophlebitis of the portal vein or its branches, most often secondary to intra-abdominal infection is known as pylephlebitis. The frequency and the prognosis of this complication are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the global and relative incidence of the most frequent intra-abdominal infections and the real prognosis of this disease. An observational retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital (University Hospital of Salamanca, Spain) from January 1999 to December 2008. A total of 7796 patients with intra-abdominal infection were evaluated, of whom 13 (0.6%) had been diagnosed with pylephlebitis. Diverticulitis was the most frequent underlying process, followed by biliary infection. Early mortality was 23%. Survivors had no recurrences, but one of them developed portal cavernomatosis. Pylephlebitis is a rare complication of intra-abdominal infection, with a high early mortality, but with a good prognosis for survivors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  1. Non-adherence to standard treatment guidelines in a rural paediatric hospital in Sierra Leone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Bruycker, M; Van den Bergh, R; Dahmane, A; Khogali, M; Schiavetti, B; Nzomukunda, Y; Alders, P; Allaouna, M; Cloquet, C; Enarson, D A; Satyarayanan, S; Magbity, E; Zachariah, R

    2013-06-21

    A rural paediatric hospital in Bo, Sierra Leone. To assess the level of adherence to standard treatment guidelines among clinicians prescribing treatment for children admitted with a diagnosis of malaria and/or lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), and determine the association between (non) adherence and hospital outcomes, given that non-rational use of medicines is a serious global problem. Secondary analysis of routine programme data. Data were collected for 865 children admitted with an entry diagnosis of malaria and 690 children with LRTI during the period January to April 2011; some patients were classified in both categories. Non-adherence to guidelines comprised use of non-standard drug regimens, dosage variations, non-standard frequency of administration and treatment duration. Cumulative non-adherence to guidelines for LRTI cases was 86%. For malaria, this involved 12% of patients. Potentially harmful non-adherence was significantly associated with an unfavourable hospital outcome, both for malaria and for LRTI cases. Overall non-adherence to standard treatment guidelines by clinicians in a routine hospital setting is very high and influences hospital outcomes. This study advocates for the implementation of routine measures to monitor and improve rational drug use and the quality of clinical care in such hospitals.

  2. Paediatric fever management: continuing education for clinical nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Anne M; Edwards, Helen E; Courtney, Mary D; Wilson, Jenny E; Monaghan, Sarah J

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the influence of level of practice, additional paediatric education and length of paediatric and current experience on nurses' knowledge of and beliefs about fever and fever management. Fifty-one nurses from medical wards in an Australian metropolitan paediatric hospital completed a self-report descriptive survey. Knowledge of fever management was mediocre (Mean 12.4, SD 2.18 on 20 items). Nurses practicing at a higher level and those with between one and four years paediatric or current experience were more knowledgeable than novices or more experienced nurses. Negative beliefs that would impact nursing practice were identified. Interestingly, beliefs about fever, antipyretic use in fever management and febrile seizures were similar; they were not influenced by nurses' knowledge, experience, education or level of practice. Paediatric nurses are not expert fever managers. Knowledge deficits and negative attitudes influence their practice irrespective of additional paediatric education, paediatric or current experience or level of practice. Continuing education is therefore needed for all paediatric nurses to ensure the latest clear evidence available in the literature for best practice in fever management is applied.

  3. NEEDLESTICK INJURY AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, KERALA

    OpenAIRE

    Chintha Sujatha; Jacquilene Vadasseril; Govind Jayaprakash; John K. Joy

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND Needlestick Injury (NSI) is a major occupational health and safety issue among Healthcare Workers (HCWs). In India, incidence of NSI is high, but surveillance is poor with scarce authentic data. The aim of the study is to determine the occurrence of NSI, its associated factors and assessment of knowledge and practice of preventive measures and post exposure prophylaxis among HCWs in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study ...

  4. Characteristics of Infective Endocarditis in a Tertiary Hospital in East China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Huimin; Cai, Siyu

    2016-01-01

    The epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly changed over the past few years in developed countries. However, relevant data from developing countries are different and remain scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentations, treatment and outcomes of IE patients in a tertiary hospital in East China over an 8-year period. This was a retrospective observational study of consecutive cases of definite or possible IE as per the modified Duke criteria between January 2008 and December 2015. A total of 135 definite and 39 probable IE cases were identified. The mean age was 47.8 ± 15.7 years, with a male preponderance (1.9: 1). Degenerative valve disease accounted for 30.5% cases of IE, followed by congenital heart disease (29.9%) and rheumatic heart disease (14.9%). Native cardiac valves were present in 93.7% of the IE patients. Echocardiography and blood culture were performed in all patients, of whom 55.2% were found to have large vegetations (≥10 mm) and the positive rate of blood culture was 60.3%. Streptococcus remained the chief causative agent that was identified in 61.9% of culture-positive patients. Glycopeptide antibacterials and cephalosporins were the most frequently used antimicrobial drugs for IE therapy. Seventy-six (43.7%) of the IE patients were surgically treated. The mortality rate during hospital stay was 10.9%. Our data reflected clinical and microbiological profile, and treatment of IE in a tertiary hospital located in the East China. PMID:27861628

  5. Characteristics of Infective Endocarditis in a Tertiary Hospital in East China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Huimin; Cai, Siyu; Dai, Haibin

    2016-01-01

    The epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly changed over the past few years in developed countries. However, relevant data from developing countries are different and remain scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentations, treatment and outcomes of IE patients in a tertiary hospital in East China over an 8-year period. This was a retrospective observational study of consecutive cases of definite or possible IE as per the modified Duke criteria between January 2008 and December 2015. A total of 135 definite and 39 probable IE cases were identified. The mean age was 47.8 ± 15.7 years, with a male preponderance (1.9: 1). Degenerative valve disease accounted for 30.5% cases of IE, followed by congenital heart disease (29.9%) and rheumatic heart disease (14.9%). Native cardiac valves were present in 93.7% of the IE patients. Echocardiography and blood culture were performed in all patients, of whom 55.2% were found to have large vegetations (≥10 mm) and the positive rate of blood culture was 60.3%. Streptococcus remained the chief causative agent that was identified in 61.9% of culture-positive patients. Glycopeptide antibacterials and cephalosporins were the most frequently used antimicrobial drugs for IE therapy. Seventy-six (43.7%) of the IE patients were surgically treated. The mortality rate during hospital stay was 10.9%. Our data reflected clinical and microbiological profile, and treatment of IE in a tertiary hospital located in the East China.

  6. Disease patterns and clinical outcomes of patients admitted in intensive care units of tertiary referral hospitals of Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawe, Hendry R; Mfinanga, Juma A; Lidenge, Salum J; Mpondo, Boniventura C T; Msangi, Silas; Lugazia, Edwin; Mwafongo, Victor; Runyon, Michael S; Reynolds, Teri A

    2014-09-23

    In sub-Saharan Africa the availability of intensive care unit (ICU) services is limited by a variety of factors, including lack of financial resources, lack of available technology and well-trained staff. Tanzania has four main referral hospitals, located in zones so as to serve as tertiary level referral centers. All the referral hospitals have some ICU services, operating at varying levels of equipment and qualified staff. We analyzed and describe the disease patterns and clinical outcomes of patients admitted in ICUs of the tertiary referral hospitals of Tanzania. This was a retrospective analysis of ICU patient records, for three years (2009 to 2011) from all tertiary referral hospitals of Tanzania, namely Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), Mbeya Referral Hospital (MRH) and Bugando Medical Centre (BMC). MNH is the largest of the four referral hospitals with 1300 beds, and MRH is the smallest with 480 beds. The ratio of hospital beds to ICU beds is 217:1 at MNH, 54:1 at BMC, 39:1 at KCMC, and 80:1 at MRH. KCMC had no infusion pumps. None of the ICUs had a point-of-care (POC) arterial blood gas (ABG) analyzer. None of the ICUs had an Intensive Care specialist or a nutritionist. A masters-trained critical care nurse was available only at MNH. From 2009-2011, the total number of patients admitted to the four ICUs was 5627, male to female ratio 1.4:1, median age of 34 years. Overall, Trauma (22.2%) was the main disease category followed by infectious disease (19.7%). Intracranial injury (12.5%) was the leading diagnosis in all age groups, while pneumonia (11.7%) was the leading diagnosis in pediatric patients (<18 years). Patients with tetanus (2.4%) had the longest median length ICU stay: 8 (5,13) days. The overall in-ICU mortality rate was 41.4%. The ICUs in tertiary referral hospitals of Tanzania are severely limited in infrastructure, personnel, and resources, making it difficult or impossible to provide optimum care

  7. The paediatric acute scrotum: are we still managing correctly?

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective The objective of this study was to investigate current investigation and management practice in a general district hospital in the UK of the paediatric acute scrotum. Summary background Diagnosis and management of the paediatric acute scrotum remains an elusive and often challenging area of urology.

  8. Cervical pap smear- A prospective study in a tertiary hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Pudasaini

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among women worldwide and most common gynaecological cancer in developing countries. Papanicolaou smear is a simple and cost effective screening test for cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate and interpret the cervical pap smear cytology in a tertiary hospital. The interpretation and reporting of the pap smear is based on 2001Bethesda system.Materials and methods: This is a prospective study conducted in a tertiary hospital, Nepal Medical College over a period of two and a half years (January 2013 to June 2015. All cervical pap smears received in the department of Pathology in the study period were included.Results: A total of 4160 cervical pap smears were reported in the study period. Majority of the cases were Negative for Intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (87.9%. Bacterial vaginosis, atrophy and reactive cellular changes associated with inflammation were seen in 5.3%, 2.4% and 1.5% cases respectively.   Epithelial cell abnormalities (0.5% include Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and High grade intraepithelial lesion. 88% of Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion was seen in reproductive age group (20-45 years.Conclusion: Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer in the developing countries. Pap smear is the simple and cost effective screening tool to detect pre invasive cervical epithelial lesions.

  9. Prevalence and outcome of severe malnutrition in children less than five-year-old in Omdurman Paediatric Hospital, Sudan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanan, Shaza O H; Swar, Mohammed Osman

    2016-01-01

    This is a retrospective observational hospital-based study aimed to determine the prevalence and outcome of severe acute malnutrition in children less than five years admitted to Omdurman Paediatric Hospital during the period January 2014 to December 2014. Data was collected from patient's hospital records during the study period. Ethical approval and permission to access patients' record were obtained. A total of 593 children with severe malnutrition were identified; 305 of cases were male (51.4%) with a male: female ratio of 1:0.9. The mean age these children was 22.3 months. Children 36-59 months were least affected. 35.4% were classified as low socioeconomic class, 22.9% classified as an average class and there were no sufficient data to classify the remaining. The overall prevalence of severe malnutrition was 6.5%, and the general mortality rate was 2.4% while mortality rate among children with severe malnutrition was 9.3%. Among the 593 admitted children with malnutrition, 407 (68.6%) had marasmus, 141 (23.8%) had kwashiorkor and 45 (7.6%) had marasmic-kwashiorkor. The highest prevalence and mortality rate occurred in September. The most common clinical presentations were gastroenteritis, malaria, urinary tract infections, giardiasis, tuberculosis and AIDS. Only 10.8% of the admitted children were exclusively breast fed for the first three months. 33% were fully vaccinated. Overall 75.7% improved and discharged, 15% discharged against medical advice and 9.3% died. We concluded that prevalence and mortality among children with acute severe malnutrition at Omdurman paediatrics hospital were high, and the current management strategies require review to identify the causes. We recommended adopting policies to manage malnutrition in the community and hospitals.

  10. Descriptive Analysis on the Impacts of Universal Zero-Markup Drug Policy on a Chinese Urban Tertiary Hospital.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Tian

    Full Text Available Universal Zero-Markup Drug Policy (UZMDP mandates no price mark-ups on any drug dispensed by a healthcare institution, and covers the medicines not included in the China's National Essential Medicine System. Five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China implemented UZMDP in 2012. Its impacts on these hospitals are unknown. We described the effects of UZMDP on a participating hospital, Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China (JST.This retrospective longitudinal study examined the hospital-level data of JST and city-level data of tertiary hospitals of Beijing, China (BJT 2009-2015. Rank-sum tests and join-point regression analyses were used to assess absolute changes and differences in trends, respectively.In absolute terms, after the UZDMP implementation, there were increased annual patient-visits and decreased ratios of medicine-to-healthcare-charges (RMOH in JST outpatient and inpatient services; however, in outpatient service, physician work-days decreased and physician-workload and inflation-adjusted per-visit healthcare charges increased, while the inpatient physician work-days increased and inpatient mortality-rate reduced. Interestingly, the decreasing trend in inpatient mortality-rate was neutralized after UZDMP implementation. Compared with BJT and under influence of UZDMP, JST outpatient and inpatient services both had increasing trends in annual patient-visits (annual percentage changes[APC] = 8.1% and 6.5%, respectively and decreasing trends in RMOH (APC = -4.3% and -5.4%, respectively, while JST outpatient services had increasing trend in inflation-adjusted per-visit healthcare charges (APC = 3.4% and JST inpatient service had decreasing trend in inflation-adjusted per-visit medicine-charges (APC = -5.2%.Implementation of UZMDP seems to increase annual patient-visits, reduce RMOH and have different impacts on outpatient and inpatient services in a Chinese urban tertiary hospital.

  11. Descriptive Analysis on the Impacts of Universal Zero-Markup Drug Policy on a Chinese Urban Tertiary Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Wei; Yuan, Jiangfan; Yang, Dong; Zhang, Lanjing

    2016-01-01

    Universal Zero-Markup Drug Policy (UZMDP) mandates no price mark-ups on any drug dispensed by a healthcare institution, and covers the medicines not included in the China's National Essential Medicine System. Five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China implemented UZMDP in 2012. Its impacts on these hospitals are unknown. We described the effects of UZMDP on a participating hospital, Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China (JST). This retrospective longitudinal study examined the hospital-level data of JST and city-level data of tertiary hospitals of Beijing, China (BJT) 2009-2015. Rank-sum tests and join-point regression analyses were used to assess absolute changes and differences in trends, respectively. In absolute terms, after the UZDMP implementation, there were increased annual patient-visits and decreased ratios of medicine-to-healthcare-charges (RMOH) in JST outpatient and inpatient services; however, in outpatient service, physician work-days decreased and physician-workload and inflation-adjusted per-visit healthcare charges increased, while the inpatient physician work-days increased and inpatient mortality-rate reduced. Interestingly, the decreasing trend in inpatient mortality-rate was neutralized after UZDMP implementation. Compared with BJT and under influence of UZDMP, JST outpatient and inpatient services both had increasing trends in annual patient-visits (annual percentage changes[APC] = 8.1% and 6.5%, respectively) and decreasing trends in RMOH (APC = -4.3% and -5.4%, respectively), while JST outpatient services had increasing trend in inflation-adjusted per-visit healthcare charges (APC = 3.4%) and JST inpatient service had decreasing trend in inflation-adjusted per-visit medicine-charges (APC = -5.2%). Implementation of UZMDP seems to increase annual patient-visits, reduce RMOH and have different impacts on outpatient and inpatient services in a Chinese urban tertiary hospital.

  12. Fast tracking in paediatric cardiac anaesthesia : an update.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lake Carol

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available A care plan in which cardiac surgical patients progress quickly through the perioperative course to hospital discharge is often referred to as a Fast Track. Such care plans have been used extensively in adult cardiac patients but are also applicable to paediatric patients. Although no randomised controlled trials are available to document a reduction in hospital costs and avoidance of iatrogenic complications with paediatric fast tracks, many healthcare administrators encourage their use. Fast Track clinical guidelines usually include same day surgery, use of short- acting anaesthetic drugs, early extubation, effective pain management, and reduced intensive care unit stays. These protocols are certainly appropriate for simple procedures such as repair of atrial or ventricular septal defects or ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus. However, many paediatric cardiac anaesthesiologists consider that all paediatric patients without significant pulmonary or residual cardiac pathology can be managed using expedited postoperative protocols. Essential components in a "fast track" protocol include use of minimally invasive surgical techniques, modified ultrafiltration during cardiopulmonary bypass, transoesophageal echocardiography to evaluate the cardiac repair, and postoperative pain control. Using such techniques, 80-90% of paediatric patients can be extubated in the operating room or within 2-4 hours postoperatively. Despite the opinions of recognised experts, an appropriately sized and powered multicentre, controlled, randomised, prospective study is still needed to conclusively document the efficiency and effectiveness of the Fast Track in paediatric cardiac patients.

  13. [Experience of the surgical management of the esophageal achalasia in a tertiary care hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barajas-Fregoso, Elpidio Manuel; Romero-Hernández, Teodoro; Sánchez-Fernández, Patricio Rogelio; Fuentes-Orozco, Clotilde; González-Ojeda, Alejandro; Macías-Amezcua, Michel Dassaejv

    2015-01-01

    Achalasia is a primary esophageal motor disorder. The most common symptoms are: dysphagia, chest pain, reflux and weight loss. The esophageal manometry is the standard for diagnosis. The aim of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of the surgical management in patients with achalasia in a tertiary care hospital. A case series consisting of achalasia patients, treated surgically between January and December of 2011. Clinical charts were reviewed to obtain data and registries of the type of surgical procedure, morbidity and mortality. Fourteen patients were identified, with an average age of 49.1 years. The most common symptoms were: dysphagia, vomiting, weight loss and pyrosis. Eight open approaches were performed and six by laparoscopy, with an average length of cardiomyotomy of 9.4 cm. Eleven patients received an antireflux procedure. The effectiveness of procedures performed was 85.7 %. Surgical management offered at this tertiary care hospital does not differ from that reported in other case series, giving effectiveness and safety for patients with achalasia.

  14. Paediatric urological investigations - dose comparison between urology-related and CT irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Page, Mark; Florescu, Cosmin [Southern Health, Diagnostic Imaging, Melbourne (Australia); Johnstone, Lilian [Monash Children' s Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Melbourne (Australia); Habteslassie, Daniel [Monash University, Department of Medicine, Melbourne (Australia); Ditchfield, Michael [Southern Health, Diagnostic Imaging, Melbourne (Australia); Monash Children' s Hospital, Diagnostic Imaging, Melbourne (Australia); Monash University, Department of Medicine, Melbourne (Australia)

    2013-07-15

    Urological investigation in children frequently involves high radiation doses; however, the issue of radiation for these investigations receives little attention compared with CT. To compare the radiation dose from paediatric urological investigations with CT, which is commonly regarded as the more major source of radiation exposure. We conducted a retrospective audit in a tertiary paediatric centre of the number and radiation dose of CT scans, micturating cystourethrography exams and urological nuclear medicine scans from 2006 to 2011. This was compared with radiation doses in the literature and an audit of the frequency of these studies in Australia. The tertiary centre audit demonstrated that the ratio of the frequency of urological to CT examinations was 0.8:1 in children younger than 17 years. The ratio of the radiation dose of urological to CT examinations was 0.7:1. The ratio in children younger than 5 years was 1.9:1. In Australia the frequency of urological procedures compared with CT was 0.4:1 in children younger than 17 years and 3.1:1 in those younger than 5 years. The ratio of radiation-related publications was 1:9 favouring CT. The incidence and radiation dose of paediatric urological studies is comparable to those of CT. Nevertheless the radiation dose of urological procedures receives considerably less attention in the literature. (orig.)

  15. Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial utilization in a Canadian tertiary-care teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin Lee

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: This prospective point prevalence survey provided important baseline information on antimicrobial use within a large tertiary care teaching hospital and identified potential targets for future antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. A multi-center point prevalence survey should be considered to identify patterns of antimicrobial use in Canada and to establish the first steps toward international antimicrobial surveillance.

  16. Medication communication between nurses and doctors for paediatric acute care: An ethnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borrott, Narelle; Kinney, Sharon; Newall, Fiona; Williams, Allison; Cranswick, Noel; Wong, Ian; Manias, Elizabeth

    2017-07-01

    To examine how communication between nurses and doctors occurred for managing medications in inpatient paediatric settings. Communication between health professionals influences medication incidents' occurrence and safe care. An ethnographic study was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews, observations and focus groups were conducted in three clinical areas of an Australian tertiary paediatric hospital. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using the Medication Communication Model. The actual communication act revealed health professionals' commitment to effective medication management and the influence of professional identities on medication communication. Nurses and doctors were dedicated to providing safe, effective medication therapy for children, within their scope of practice and perceived role responsibilities. Most nurses and junior doctors used tentative language in their communication while senior doctors tended to use direct language. Irrespective of language style, nurses actively engaged with doctors to promote patients' needs. Yet, the medical hierarchical structure, staffing and attendant expectations influenced communication for medication management, causing frustration among nurses and doctors. Doctors' lack of verbal communication of documented changes to medication orders particularly troubled nurses. Nurses persisted in their efforts to acquire appropriate orders for safe medication administration to paediatric patients. Collaborative practice between nurses and doctors involved complex, symbiotic relationships. Their dedication to providing safe medication therapy to paediatric patients facilitated effective medication management. At times, shortcomings in interdisciplinary communication impacted on potential and actual medication incidents. Understanding of the complexities affecting medication communication between nurses and doctors helps to ensure interprofessional respect for each other's roles and inherent demands

  17. Paediatric in-patient care in a conflict-torn region of Somalia: are hospital outcomes of acceptable quality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zachariah, R.; Hinderaker, S. G.; Khogali, M.; Manzi, M.; van Griensven, J.; Ayada, L.; Jemmy, J. P.; Maalim, A.; Amin, H.

    2013-01-01

    Setting: A district hospital in conflict-torn Somalia. Objective: To report on in-patient paediatric morbidity, case fatality and exit outcomes as indicators of quality of care. Design: Cross-sectional study. Results: Of 6211 children, lower respiratory tract infections (48%) and severe acute malnutrition (16%) were the leading reasons for admission. The highest case-fatality rate was for meningitis (20%). Adverse outcomes occurred in 378 (6%) children, including 205 (3.3%) deaths; 173 (2.8%) absconded. Conclusion: Hospital exit outcomes are good even in conflict-torn Somalia, and should boost efforts to ensure that such populations are not left out in the quest to achieve universal health coverage. PMID:26393014

  18. Risk factors for acquiring MDR pathogen in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noman, F.; Usmani, B.; Imtiaz, A.; Mahmood, F.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To find out common risk factors in patients from whose samples Multi-Drug Resistant pathogens were isolated. Study Design Prospective observational study. Setting: Microbiology department of Liaquat National Hospital Karachi, a 750-bedded tertiary care Hospital. Material and Method All multi-drug resistant pathogens (resistant to representative antibiotics of at least three different classes of antimicrobial agents including carbapenems) isolated from samples like blood, bronchial wash, sputum, pus, etc, received from different units of hospital at Microbiology laboratory Liaquat National Hospital from December 2006 through February 2007 were included in this study. Patient information was collected from their personal file and through concerned treating physicians. Results and Conclusion A total of 228 MDR pathogens were isolated from different samples in 3 months, these included: Acinetobacter spp 184 (81 %) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 44 (19%). Majority were from lower respiratory tract specimen, followed by blood. Most (86%) patients were in intensive care unit or high dependency unit. Mechanical ventilation was predominant finding in patients with Acinetobacter spp while surgical procedures were more frequently associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only 3% of Acinetobacter spp and 7 % of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated during first 48 hours of hospital stay. (author)

  19. Causes of prolonged hospitalization among general internal medicine patients of a tertiary care center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruangkriengsin, Darat; Phisalprapa, Pochamana

    2014-03-01

    Unnecessary days of prolonged hospitalization may lead to the increase in hospital-related complications and costs, especially in tertiary care center Currently, there have not been many studies about the causes of prolonged hospitalization. Some identified causes could, however, be prevented and improved. To identify the prevalence, causes, predictive factors, prognosis, and economic burden of prolonged hospitalization in patients who had been in general internal medicine wards of the tertiary care center for 7 days or more. Retrospective chart review study was conducted among all patients who were admitted for 7 days or more in general internal medicine wards of Siriraj Hospital, the largest tertiary care center in Thailand. The period of this study was from 1 August 2012 to 30 September 2012. Demographic data, principle diagnosis, comorbid diseases, complications, discharge status, total costs of admission and percentage of reimbursement were collected. The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 7, 14, 30, and 90 were assessed. Five hundred and sixty-two charts were reviewed. The average length of stay was 25.9 days. The two most common causes of prolonged admission at day 7 were treatment of main diagnosed disease with stable condition (27.6%) and waiting for completion of intravenous antibiotics administration with stable condition (19.5%). The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 14 were unstable condition from complications (22.6%) and those waiting for completion of intravenous antibiotics administration with stable condition (15.8%). The causes of prolonged admission at day 30 were unstable conditions from complications (25.6%), difficulty weaning or ventilator dependence (17.6%), and caregiver problems (15.2%). The causes of prolonged hospitalization at day 90 were unstable condition from complications (30.0%), caregiver problems (30.0%), and palliative care (25.0%). Poor outcomes were shown in the patients admitted more than 90 days. Percentage

  20. Clowning as a supportive measure in paediatrics - a survey of clowns, parents and nursing staff

    OpenAIRE

    Barkmann, Claus; Siem, Anna-Katharina; Wessolowski, Nino; Schulte-Markwort, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Background Hospital clowns, also known as clown doctors, can help paediatric patients with the stress of a hospitalization and to circumvent the accompanying feelings of fear, helplessness and sadness, thus supporting the healing process. The objectives of the present study were to clarify the structural and procedural conditions of paediatric clowning in Germany and to document the evaluations of hospital clowns, parents and hospital staff. Methods A nationwide online survey of hospital clow...

  1. Poor Compliance with Sepsis Guidelines in a Tertiary Care Children’s Hospital Emergency Room

    OpenAIRE

    Benjamin Louis Moresco; Benjamin Louis Moresco; Clinton Woosley; Clinton Woosley; Morris Sauter; Utpal Bhalala; Utpal Bhalala

    2018-01-01

    ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess factors related to adherence to the Pediatric Advanced Life Support guidelines for severe sepsis and septic shock in an emergency room (ER) of a tertiary care children’s hospital.MethodsThis was a retrospective, observational study of children (0–18 years old) in The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio ER over 1 year with the International Consensus Definition Codes, version-9 (ICD-9) diagnostic codes for “severe sepsis” and “shocks.” Patients in the adhere...

  2. Secular trends of blood isolates in patients from a rural area population hospitalized in a tertiary center in a small city in Greece

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holevas Pierros V

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Most of the studies evaluating the secular trends of blood isolates come from tertiary hospitals in urban areas. We sought to study the trends of the antimicrobial resistance of blood isolates in patients from a rural population hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece. Methods We retrospectively collected and analysed data for the first positive blood culture obtained for each admission for each patient hospitalized in General Hospital of Tripolis, Tripolis, Peloponnesus, Greece during a 5 year period (16/05/2000 – 15/05/2005. Results Sixty-seven thousand and seventy patients were hospitalized during the study period from whom 3,206 blood cultures were obtained. A higher increase of the number of obtained blood cultures than the number of admissions was noted during the study period (p Escherichia coli (29%, and Staphylococcus aureus (18.2% were the most commonly isolated pathogens. Among the Staphylococcus aureus isolates, the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA was 17.2% (5/29. The proportion of Escherichia coli resistant to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin and cefuroxime was 29.6% (32/108, 25.0% (27/108, and 8.3% (9/108 respectively. Imipenem-resistance was noted in 3.4% (1/29 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. There were only 6 (1.6% Acinetobacter baummanii blood isolates during the study period. Conclusion The antimicrobial resistance of isolates from patients receiving care at the studied tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece is considerably less compared to that noted in tertiary hospitals in larger cities of the country.

  3. Clinicomycological Characterization of Superficial Mycoses from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal

    OpenAIRE

    Khadka, Sundar; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Pokharel, Dinesh Binod; Pokhrel, Bharat Mani; Mishra, Shyam Kumar; Dhital, Subhash; Rijal, Basista

    2016-01-01

    Background. Superficial mycosis is a common fungal infection worldwide, mainly caused by dermatophytes. However, the prevalence of species varies geographically. In addition, fungal treatment is best guided according to species isolated. This study was carried out to determine the clinical as well as mycological profile of superficial mycoses in a tertiary care hospital, Nepal. Methods. This was a prospective case-control laboratory based study conducted over a period of six months from Janua...

  4. Burnout among middle-grade doctors of tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agha, Adnan; Mordy, Ayedh; Anwar, Eram; Saleh, Noha; Rashid, Imran; Saeed, Mona

    2015-01-01

    Burnout Syndrome is a mental condition caused by chronic exposure to work related stress and is identified by the presence of any of the three distinct elements of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment. Middle grade doctors are the backbone of any tertiary care hospital / medical institution, partaking in unscheduled and inpatient care. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of burnout syndrome in the middle grade doctors in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Khamis Mushyt, from August to October 2012 in departments with at least fifty inpatient admissions per month and with at least five middle grade (Resident, Registrar and Senior Registrar) doctors. The departments were Obstetrics and Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency, General Surgery and Nephrology. This was a cross sectional descriptive and analytical study using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey and a self-reported stressor-identifying questionnaire to ascertain possible precursors of, or contributing factors to, Burnout Syndrome. A total of 96 proformas/questionnaires were collected anonymously to maintain confidentiality and burnout syndrome was identified in as high as 88.5% of the respondents with high emotional exhaustion in 68.8%, high depersonalization in 63.6% and low personal accomplishment in 38.5%. The authors concluded that burnout syndrome is high among the middle-grade doctors in this medical facility and that urgent steps are needed to address this problem to ensure that these physicians remain physically and mentally healthy.

  5. Clinicians and their cameras: policy, ethics and practice in an Australian tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Kara; Belton, Suzanne

    2013-09-01

    Medical photography illustrates what people would prefer to keep private, is practiced when people are vulnerable, and has the power to freeze a moment in time. Given it is a sensitive area of health, lawful and ethical practice is paramount. This paper recognises and seeks to clarify the possibility of widespread clinician-taken medical photography in a tertiary hospital in northern Australia, examining the legal and ethical implications of this practice. A framework of Northern Territory law, state Department of Health policy and human rights theory were used to argue the thesis. Clinicians from 13 purposively chosen wards were asked to participate in an anonymous survey and confidential in-depth interviews. Questions were generated from the literature and local knowledge on the topics of 'occurrence', 'image use', 'quality of consent', 'cameras and technology', 'confidentiality', 'data storage and security', 'hospital policy and law' and 'cultural issues'. One hundred and seventy surveys and eights interviews were analysed using descriptive statistics and theme and content analysis, then triangulated for similarity, difference and unique responses. Forty-eight percent of clinicians surveyed take medical photographs, with the majority using hospital-owned cameras. However, one-fifth of clinicians reported photographing with personal mobile phones. Non-compliance with written consent requirements articulated in policy was endemic, with most clinicians surveyed obtaining only verbal consent. Labeling, storage, copyright and cultural issues were generally misunderstood, with a significant number of clinicians risking the security of patient information by storing images on personal devices. If this tertiary hospital does not develop a clinical photography action plan to address staff lack of knowledge, and noncompliance with policy and mobile phone use, patients' data is at risk of being distributed into the public domain where unauthorised publication may cause

  6. Transition from tube feeding to oral feeding: experience in a tertiary care paediatric cardiology unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shine, Anne Marie; Finn, Daragh Gerard; Allen, Noeleen; McMahon, Colin J

    2018-05-02

    Home enteral tube feeding (HETF) is imperative for many infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Tube weaning (TW) facilitates the progression from tube feeding to oral diet. There is limited literature on TW practices, protocols and success for children with CHD that have been tube fed. The objective of this study is to assess the process of weaning HETF in a tertiary referral centre for paediatric CHD. Specifically, we aimed to assess the duration of HETF, duration of TW and the interventions involved. We retrospectively reviewed the medical and dietetic records of all infants and children that were successfully weaned off HETF over a 12-month period from January 2015 to December 2015. There were 30 children included in the study, 9 boys and 21 girls. The diagnoses included 15 septal defects, 8 univentricular diagnosis and other diagnoses in 7 children. The median age at initiation of enteral tube feeding was 45 days (range 2-169). The median duration to wean from enteral tube feeding was 52 days (range 2-359). Number of dietetic consults required for successful TW varied among patients, median 5 (range 2-23). The number of days required for successful TW was associated with age and duration on HETF. Dietetic interventions included discontinuation of nutrient dense feeds, altering feed schedule and reduction of feed volume. Weaning HETF is possible in the outpatient setting. Early and frequent dietetic intervention is recommended to ensure prompt discontinuation of HETF when appropriate.

  7. Perception of leadership among health managers working in tertiary level hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahzad, Saadia; Zareen, Humaira

    2012-01-01

    Rapid growth of medical knowledge has created major changes in technology which in turn has created greater demand of the client for better health services, and health sector is constantly under pressure of great internal and external demands. Quality of services, largely depend on to what extent managers are well versed with the concept of evidence based management, team and group approach in achieving organizational objectives. Making an effective health system, addressing the double burden of diseases coupled with resource crunch in developing countries is a big challenge for policy makers and health managers. Comprehensive concepts and application knowledge of leadership is very important for health managers in the present day in order to get best output that satisfies all the stake holders. Present anthropological study was done to assess the perception and knowledge of leadership among the health managers working in tertiary level hospitals. This qualitative study was conducted in two public sector tertiary level hospitals of Lahore chosen randomly out of a total of seven such hospitals in the same city. Convenient sampling technique was used. Observation and in- depth interviews were conducted for data collection. Open ended questionnaire on the lines of MLQ was used. One main domain of leadership was developed and categorisation of the themes was done in the two evolved categories of transformational and transactional leadership. In the domain of leadership 10 of the health managers showed positive themes for transactional leadership, 6 showed positive themes for transformational leadership, and still 1 health manager showed overall negative response for the concept of leadership; he was totally in favour of dictatorship. Health managers with degrees in management/administration had better concept about the key idea of leadership and its variables. Female health managers were more inclined towards transformational leadership behaviour.

  8. 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.

  9. Knowledge and use of evidence-based nutrition : a survey of paediatric dietitians

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Thomas, DE; Kukuruzovic, R; Martino, B; Chauhan, SS; Elliott, EJ

    2003-01-01

    Objective To survey paediatric dietitians' knowledge and use of evidence-based nutrition (EBN). Design Cross-sectional survey using reply-paid questionnaires. Subjects Paediatric dietitians in Australian teaching hospitals. Main outcome measures Age, sex, appointment, clinical practice, research

  10. Clinical predictors of anticipatory emesis in patients treated with chemotherapy at a tertiary care cancer hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Qureshi, Fawad; Shafi, Azhar; Ali, Sheeraz; Siddiqui, Neelam

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the clinical predictors of anticipatory emesis in patients treated with chemotherapy at a tertiary care cancer hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 200 patients undergoing first line chemotherapy with minimum of two cycles at inpatient department and chemotherapy bay of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Pakistan. Anticipatory nausea and vomiting develops before administration of chemotherapy. Clinical signs and symp...

  11. [Governance of tertiary referral hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a critical interpretive synthesis of the literature].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karemere, H; Kahindo, J B; Ribesse, N; Macq, J

    2013-01-01

    Because hospitals are complex enterprises requiring adaptive systems, it is appropriate to apply the theory and terminology of governance or even better adaptive governance to the interpretation of their management. This study focused on understanding hospital governance in Logo, Bunia, and Katana, three hospitals in two regions of the eastern DRC, which has been characterized by intermittent armed conflict since 1996. In such a context of war and continuous insecurity, how can governance be interpreted for hospitals required to adapt to a constantly changing environment to be able to continue to provide health care? A critical interpretive synthesis of the literature, identified by searching for keywords related to governance. The concepts of governance, adaptive governance, performance, leadership, and complex adaptive system concepts are defined. The interpretation of the concepts helps us to better understand (1) the hospital as a complex adaptive system, (2) the governance of tertiary referral hospitals, (3) analysis of hospital performance, and (4) leadership for good governance of these hospitals. The interpretation of these concepts raises several questions about their application to the eastern DRC. Conclusion. This critical interpretive synthesis opens the door to a new way of exploring tertiary hospitals and their governance in the eastern DRC.

  12. The influence student placement experience can have on the employment choices of graduates: A paediatric nursing context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd-Turner, Danni; Bell, Elaine; Russell, Alison

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores how the student placement experience may influence employment choices in the context of paediatric nursing. A qualitative research methodology was used. Data was collected using semi structured interviews at a tertiary teaching hospital. The sample group comprised of six newly qualified nurses who had completed their Bachelor of Nursing less than 12 months before the interview. They had completed at least one clinical placement at the site of data collection in their 2nd or 3rd year of undergraduate nursing studies. The main themes contributing to the student nurse experience within the context of paediatric nursing included the wish to work with children, a job being available, support during clinical placements and assistance with future career planning while on placement. The support experienced by student nurses during their clinical placement was seen to have a very positive influence on their future employment choices. Group de-briefing to support mutual understanding and sharing was seen to be a highly positive aspect of a clinical placement. Also how students were treated by clinical staff was a key factor that influenced future employment choices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Characteristics of patients presenting to the vascular emergency department of a tertiary care hospital: a 2-year study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kotsikoris Ioannis

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The structure of health care in Greece is receiving increased attention to improve its cost-effectiveness. We sought to examine the epidemiological characteristics of patients presenting to the vascular emergency department of a Greek tertiary care hospital during a 2-year period. We studied all patients presenting to the emergency department of vascular surgery at Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece between 1st January 2009 and 31st December 2010. Results Overall, 2452 (49.4% out of 4961 patients suffered from pathologies that should have been treated in primary health care. Only 2509 (50.6% needed vascular surgical intervention. Conclusions The emergency department of vascular surgery in a Greek tertiary care hospital has to treat a remarkably high percentage of patients suitable for the primary health care level. These results suggest that an improvement in the structure of health care is needed in Greece.

  14. Effectiveness of mask ventilation performed by hospital doctors in an Irish tertiary referral teaching hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Walsh, K

    2012-02-03

    The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of mask ventilation performed by 112 doctors with clinical responsibilities at a tertiary referral teaching hospital. Participant doctors were asked to perform mask ventilation for three minutes on a Resusci Anne mannequin using a facemask and a two litre self inflating bag. The tidal volumes generated were quantified using a Laerdal skillmeter computer as grades 0-5, corresponding to 0, 334, 434, 561, 673 and > 800 ml respectively. The effectiveness of mask ventilation (i.e. the proportion of ventilation attempts which achieved a volume delivery of > 434 mls) was greater for anaesthetists [78.0 (29.5)%] than for non anaesthetists [54.6 (40.0)%] (P = 0.012). Doctors who had attended one or more resuscitation courses where no more effective at mask ventilation than their colleagues who had not undertaken such courses. It is likely that first responders to in-hospital cardiac arrests are commonly unable to perform adequate mask ventilation.

  15. Development and implementation of a multi-centre information system for paediatric and infant critical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maybloom, Bruce; Champion, Zahra

    2003-12-01

    With no UK collective information system, a need existed to establish an integrated information system for public and private sector hospitals providing paediatric and infant critical care services. A lack of information in the past made it difficult for those procuring, providing and monitoring services to make informed, evidence-based decisions using reliable integrated data. To develop and implement a collective multi-purpose information system for paediatric and infant critical care that was easily adaptable to any UK infant or paediatric critical care setting. Information outputs had to fulfil policy requirements and meet the needs of stakeholders. Two minimum datasets, corresponding data definitions, survey forms and a user database were developed through a process of consultation by utilising an information partnership. Design, content, development and implementation issues were identified, discussed and resolved through a co-ordinated collaborative process. Data collection was implemented in all London and Brighton National Health Service (NHS) general and cardio-thoracic paediatric intensive care (PIC) units, several private PIC units and one NHS tertiary referral neonatal unit (NNU) 24 months from project start. The development of universal integrated information systems for defined settings of care is achievable within reasonable timeframes; however, successful development and implementation requires working within an information partnership to maximise co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration. Those collecting and using data must be identified and involved in all aspects of development from project start. Financial and manpower resources must be well planned. Datasets should be as small as possible in order to make the collection of complete and valid data realistically achievable. When considering service-based information needs, considerable thought should be given to a multi-purpose; multi-use approach based on the most refined minimum dataset

  16. Avoidable iatrogenic complications of urethral catheterization and inadequate intern training in a tertiary-care teaching hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Thomas, Arun Z

    2009-10-01

    To examine the magnitude of potentially avoidable iatrogenic complications of male urethral catheterization (UC) within a tertiary-care supra-regional teaching hospital, and to evaluate risk factors and subjective feeling of interns in our institution on the adequacy of training on UC.

  17. Evaluation of health literacy status among patients in a tertiary care hospital in coastal karnataka, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    U P, Rathnakar; Belman, Madhuri; Kamath, Ashwin; B, Unnikrishnan; Shenoy K, Ashok; A L, Udupa

    2013-11-01

    People with limited health literacy are more likely to make medication errors, and they have less health knowledge, worse health status, more hospitalizations, and higher healthcare costs than people with adequate literacy. The objective of this study is to assess the health literacy status among patients who are able to read and understand English attending a tertiary care hospital by using Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine [REALM] technique and to compare the health literacy levels to educational status and other baseline characteristics. A widely used word recognition method [REALM] was used to assess the HL status of 200 patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. The number of correctly pronounced words was used to assign a grade-equivalent reading level. Scores 0 to 44 indicate reading skills at or below the 6th grade level, scores from 45 to 60 represent skills at the 7th or 8th grade level, and scores above 60 indicate skills at the high-school level or higher. HL status was found below adequate level in more than 50% of the patients. Younger age group showed better HL scores compared to those aged more than 25 years. General education level or the medium of education does not truly reflect HL levels as brought out in the study. Even those with postgraduate qualification had poor HL skills. The study was carried out to find out the HL levels among patients attending a tertiary care hospital. It was assumed that the general education levels may not reflect true HL status. In view of the results of this study it can be concluded that patient's HL skills should not be taken for granted and adequate attention should be paid in educating and briefing patients whenever patients are required to interpret and understand health care related documents.

  18. PRISMA Analysis of 30 Day Readmissions to a Tertiary Cancer Hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cooksley, Tim; Merten, Hanneke; Kellett, John

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Hospital readmissions are increasingly used as a quality indicator. Patients with cancer have an increased risk of readmission. The purpose of this study was to develop an in depth understanding of the causes of readmissions in patients undergoing cancer treatment using PRISMA...... methodology and was subsequently used to identify any potentially preventable causes of readmission in this cohort. METHODS: 50 consecutive 30 day readmissions from the 1st November 2014 to the medical admissions unit (MAU) at a specialist tertiary cancer hospital in the Northwest of England were analysed...... retrospectively. RESULTS: Q25(50%) of the patients were male with a median age of 59 years (range 19-81). PRISMA analysis showed that active (human) factors contributed to the readmission of 4 (8%) of the readmissions, which may have been potentially preventable. All of the readmissions were driven by a medical...

  19. Microbial Carriage of Cockroaches at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patience B. Tetteh-Quarcoo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cockroaches are common in the environment of many hospitals in Ghana; however, little is known about their public health risks. To evaluate potential risks, we investigated the external and internal microbial flora of 61 cockroaches from a tertiary hospital in Ghana and evaluated the antibiotic resistance profiles of the common bacterial species. Standard methods were used in all the microbiological investigations and antibiotic susceptibility testing. A rotavirus carriage rate of 19.7% was observed among the cockroaches. Four types of intestinal parasites were carried externally by the cockroaches, and the most prevalent was Hookworm (4.9%. Eight nosocomial bacteria were isolated from the cockroaches, and the most prevalent was Klebsiella pneumoniae , which occurred internally in 29.5% of the cockroaches and 26.2% externally. Multiple drug resistance among common bacteria isolated from the cockroaches ranged from 13.8% ( Escherichia coli to 41.1% ( Klebsiella pneumoniae . Cockroaches constitute an important reservoir for pathogenic microorganisms, and may be important vectors of multiple resistant nosocomial pathogens in the studied hospital.

  20. [Prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in cardiovascular outpatients from 14 tertiary general hospitals of 5 Chinese cities].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Guo; Jiang, Ronghuan; Guo, Chengjun; Liu, Meiyan; Zhang, Lijun

    2014-12-01

    To explore the prevalence of depression and (or) anxiety disorders among cardiovascular outpatients of tertiary general hospitals of five Chinese cities. A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in the cardiovascular out-patient departments of 14 tertiary general hospitals in five Chinese cities. The patients aged 18 years and over were recruited consecutively, who were conscious and with informed consent, and can finish the questionnaire independently. All the subjects were screened with Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). The subjects with HADS score of 8 and over were interviewed and diagnosed by psychiatrists using mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). The physicians made the diagnosis and management without knowing the results of MINI and HADS score. Subjects who refused MINI were defined as the case of loss of follow-up. A total 2 123 subjects were included in the survey. The adjusted prevalence rate of depressive and anxiety disorder was 4.05% (86/2 123), the depressive and/or anxiety disorder was 14.27 % (303/2 123), depressive and anxiety disorder and mixed depressive or anxiety disorder was 14.37% (305/2 123) according to MINI. The adjusted prevalence of lifetime depressive and anxiety disorder was 5.37% (114/2 123), depressive and/or anxiety disorder was 16.91% (359/2 123), depressive and anxiety disorder and mixed depressive-anxiety disorder was 17.00% (361/2 123). There is a high prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorder among cardiovascular outpatients from tertiary general hospitals in China. Therefore, doctors must pay attention to this disorder and try to reduce the impact of this disorder in cardiovascular patients.

  1. [The Use of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Paediatric residents in the City of Buenos Aires].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamui, Magalí; Ferreira, Juan Pablo; Paganini, Agustina; Torres, Fernando; Ossorio, María Fabiana; Yulitta, Horacio; Eiguchi, Kumiko; Ferrero, Fernando

    2016-01-01

    The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is considered the reference standard for competence evaluation, but its use in Latin America is limited. The City of Buenos Aires Government (CBAG) administers a Paediatric residency system that includes 400 residents distributed in 13 hospitals, sharing an admission system and education program. We aim to describe the experience of administering an OSCE for evaluating all the Paediatric residents of the CBAG. Descriptive study, including all paediatric residents of the CBAG, belonging to 13 hospitals (2 paediatric and 11 general), ending their first year of training. The OSCE included 10 stations. Eighty-five residents participated in the OSCE, and 88.2% (95% CI 79.7-93.5) passed the examination. There were no significant differences in the pass rate between residents from paediatric hospitals and from general hospitals (89.5 vs. 85.7%; OR=1.4; 95% CI 0.4-5.5; P=.8). In 2015, the OSCE was administered to all paediatric residents of the CBAG for the first time. This experience allowed identifying weaknesses in the education system, in order to develop strategies to overcome them. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluation of the entrance skin dose due to paediatric chest X-rays examinations carried out at a great hospital in Rio de Janeiro city

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamadain, K.E.M.; Azevedo, A.C.P.; Rosa, L.A.R. da; Mota, H.C.; Goncalves, O.D.; Guebel, M.R.N.

    2001-01-01

    A dosimetric survey in paediatric radiology is currently being carried out at the paediatric unit of a great hospital in Rio de Janeiro city, aiming the assessment of patient doses and image quality. The aim of this work was to estimate the entrance skin dose for frontal and lateral chest X-rays exposure to paediatric patients. Three examination techniques were investigated, namely PA, AP and lateral positions. For entrance skin dose evaluation, two different TL dosimeters were used, namely LiF:Mg,Ti and CaSO4:Dy. The age intervals considered were 0-1 year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years and 10-15 years. The results obtained with both dosimeters are similar and the entrance skin dose values evaluated for the different age intervals considered are compared with previous values found in Brazil and also in Europe. (author)

  3. Caring for paediatric patient as to broaden radiography spectrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atiti, J.S.M.

    2006-01-01

    The paediatric patient is a special group of patients in the hospital set up. thus their special needs contribute to about 75% of quality imaging services offered. Age, Psychological aspects, parents participation, departmental atmosphere and environmental make them special. this presentation aims at installing into Imaging Technologies a sense of Responsibility for purpose of improving the resultant quality of Imaging services offered to paediatrics

  4. Antibiotic-Related Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Hospital in South Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    In Young Jung

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs are any unwanted/uncomfortable effects from medication resulting in physical, mental, and functional injuries. Antibiotics account for up to 40.9% of ADRs and are associated with several serious outcomes. However, few reports on ADRs have evaluated only antimicrobial agents. In this study, we investigated antibiotic-related ADRs at a tertiary care hospital in South Korea. Methods. This is a retrospective cohort study that evaluated ADRs to antibiotics that were reported at a 2400-bed tertiary care hospital in 2015. ADRs reported by physicians, pharmacists, and nurses were reviewed. Clinical information reported ADRs, type of antibiotic, causality assessment, and complications were evaluated. Results. 1,277 (62.8% patients were considered antibiotic-related ADRs based on the World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Center criteria (certain, 2.2%; probable, 35.7%; and possible, 62.1%. Totally, 44 (3.4% patients experienced serious ADRs. Penicillin and quinolones were the most common drugs reported to induce ADRs (both 16.0%, followed by third-generation cephalosporins (14.9%. The most frequently experienced side effects were skin manifestations (45.1% followed by gastrointestinal disorders (32.6%. Conclusion. Penicillin and quinolones are the most common causative antibiotics for ADRs and skin manifestations were the most frequently experienced symptom.

  5. Ingested foreign bodies in the paediatric patient.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Brien, G C

    2012-02-03

    BACKGROUND: Paediatric foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem and while most can be managed conservatively, a sub-population require intervention. AIMS: To establish clear guidelines for management of paediatric FB ingestion. METHODS: A retrospective chart review analysing all paediatric admissions with FB ingestion over a 10-year period from 1990 to 1999. RESULTS: Of 339 patients presenting to the accident and emergency department with FB ingestion, 59 required admission. Ingestion was accidental in 93.0% of patients. The reasons for admission were as follows: large FBs; dangerous FBs; and living far from the hospital. Nineteen patients (32.2%) were discharged without intervention. Thirty-seven (62.7%) required endoscopic retrieval. In two, the FB was not identified at endoscopy. Only three (5%) required surgery. CONCLUSION: Conservative management of FB ingestion in the paediatric population is possible in the majority of cases. However, a minority require intervention. While guidelines for intervention are ill-defined, definitive indications include symptomatic patients, or dangerous objects.

  6. “[I would like] a place to be alone, other than the toilet” – Children’s perspectives on paediatric hospital care in the Netherlands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schalkers, I.; Dedding, C.; Bunders-Aelen, J.G.F.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Although it is widely recognized that children are willing, capable and legally entitled to be active participants in their health care, parents are generally invited to evaluate paediatric hospital care and services rather than children themselves. This is problematic because parents

  7. Validity of samul's paediatric appendicitis score (pas) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rehman, S.; Butt, M. Q.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To validate the paediatric appendicitis score for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children using histopathology as a gold standard. Study Design: Case control study. Place and Duration of Study: Military Hospital (MH) and Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Dec 2009 to Jul 2010. Patients and Methods: Eighty five children 1-7year old who came to our tertiary surgical department with the chief complaint of abdominal pain of less than 7 days duration were included in the study. Paediatric appendicitis score (PAS) components including fever > 380 C, anorexia, nausea/vomiting, cough/percussion/hopping tenderness, right-lower-quadrant tenderness, migration of pain, leukocytosis > 10,000 (109/1) and polymorphonuclear - neutrophilia > 7500 (109/1) were assessed and recorded on admission, but the sum was not calculated until later and the score did not play any role in the management of the patient. The diagnosis of appendicitis was made by the trainees and consultants clinically and with the aid of routine sonography of abdomen. After appendicetomies, resected specimens were sent for histopathological examination. Pre-operative PAS, histopathology report of resected appendix were endorsed on patient's performa. A two by two table was used to determine sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic efficacy of PAS. Results: Sensitivity of PAS was 92.16%, specificity 88.23%, positive predictive value 92.16%, negative predictive value 88.23% and the diagnostic efficacy 90.59%. Conclusion: PAS is a highly sensitive test with fair degree of specificity in diagnosing acute appendicitis in children and its routine usage may improve the diagnostic accuracy. (author)

  8. Hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A cross-sectional analysis of risk factors in South African tertiary public hospitals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliwe L Shuping

    Full Text Available Hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We conducted a study to determine risk factors for HA-MRSA in order to inform control strategies in South Africa.We used surveillance data collected from five tertiary hospitals in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces during 2014 for analysis. A case of HA-MRSA was defined as isolation of MRSA from a blood culture 48 hours after admission and/or if the patient was hospitalised in the six months prior to the current culture. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to determine risk factors for HA-MRSA.Of the 9971 patients with positive blood cultures, 7.7% (772 had S. aureus bacteraemia (SAB. The overall prevalence of MRSA among those with SAB was 30.9% (231/747; 95% confidence interval [CI] 27.6%- 34.3%. HA-MRSA infections accounted for 28.3% of patients with SAB (207/731; 95% CI 25.1%- 31.7%. Burns (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12.7; 95% CI 4.7-34.4, age ≤1 month (aOR 8.7; 95% CI 3.0-24.6, residency at a long-term care facility (aOR 5.2; 95% CI, 1.5-17.4, antibiotic use within two months of the current SAB episode (aOR 5.1; 95% CI 2.8-9.1, hospital stay of 13 days or more (aOR 2.8; 95% CI 1.3-5.6 and mechanical ventilation (aOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.07-4.6, were independent risk factors for HA-MRSA infection.The prevalence of MRSA remains high in South African tertiary public hospitals. Several identified risk factors of HA-MRSA infections should be considered when instituting infection and prevention strategies in public-sector hospitals, including intensifying the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes. There is an urgent need to strengthen infection prevention and control in burn wards, neonatal wards, and intensive care units which house mechanically ventilated patients.

  9. Paediatric doses from diagnostic radiology in Victoria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boal, T.J.; Cardillo, I.; Einsiedel, P.F.

    1998-01-01

    This study examines doses to paediatric patients from diagnostic radiology. Measurements were made at 29 hospitals and private radiology practices in the state of Victoria. Entrance skin doses in air were measured for the exposure factors used by hospital radiology departments and private radiology practices for a standard size 1, 5, 10 and 15 year old child, for the following procedures: chest AP/PA, lat; abdomen AP; pelvis AP; lumbar spine AP, lat; and skull AP, lat. There was a large range of doses for each particular procedure and age group. Factors contributing to the range of doses were identified. Guidance levels for paediatric radiology based on the third quartile value of the skin entrance doses have been recommended and are compared with guidance levels. Copyright (1998) Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine

  10. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mashurano Marcellina

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance is particularly harmful to infectious disease management in low-income countries since expensive second-line drugs are not readily available. The objective of this study was to implement and evaluate a computerized system for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. Methods A computerized surveillance system for antimicrobial susceptibility (WHONET was implemented at the national referral hospital in Tanzania in 1998. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of all clinical bacterial isolates received during an 18 months' period were recorded and analyzed. Results The surveillance system was successfully implemented at the hospital. This activity increased the focus on antimicrobial resistance issues and on laboratory quality assurance issues. The study identified specific nosocomial problems in the hospital and led to the initiation of other prospective studies on prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial infections. Furthermore, the study provided useful data on antimicrobial patterns in bacterial isolates from the hospital. Gram-negative bacteria displayed high rates of resistance to common inexpensive antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, leaving fluoroquinolones as the only reliable oral drugs against common Gram-negative bacilli. Gentamicin and third generation cephalosporins remain useful for parenteral therapy. Conclusion The surveillance system is a low-cost tool to generate valuable information on antimicrobial resistance, which can be used to prepare locally applicable recommendations on antimicrobial use. The system pinpoints relevant nosocomial problems and can be used to efficiently plan further research. The surveillance system also functions as a quality assurance tool, bringing attention to methodological issues in identification and susceptibility testing.

  11. admission patterns and outcomes of paediatric patients admitted at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    OBJECTIVE To determine patterns of admissions due to diarrhea and their outcomes of paediatric patients at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). METHODOLOGY A hospital-based prospective study including all children admitted to the Diarrhea Unit during the study period. Data was collected using content analysis ...

  12. Pattern of drug eruptions in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tahir, Z.; Nadeem, N.; Aman, S.; Kazmi, A.H.

    2013-01-01

    Background: An adverse drug reaction is unintentional which occurs at doses used for prophylaxis, diagnosis or treatment. Objectives: To determine the frequency of various cutaneous drug eruptions that occur in patients in a tertiary care hospital setting. Patients and Methods: All patients with cutaneous drug eruptions seen at the Dermatology Department of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, over 6 months were enrolled and the pattern of drug eruptions like urticaria, angioedema, fixed drug eruption, maculopapular rash, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis etc. were recorded, along with drugs that caused it. Results:A total of 160 patients (86 males, 74 females) were included in the study. Mean age of patients was 30.7+-15.4 years. Major eruptions were fixed drug eruption (21.3%) followed by urticaria without angioedema (10%), maculopapular rash (9.3%), lichenoid drug eruption (8.7%), acneiform drug eruption (7.5%), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (6.9%), vesiculobullous eruption (5.6%), erythema multiforme and eczematous eruption (5% each). Common drugs causing eruptions were sulfonamides (16.3%), followed by NSAIDs (14.4%), herbal and homeopathic medications (12.5%), penicillins (9.3%), tetracyclines (8.7%), antituberculous drugs, cephalosporins and antiepileptics (6.3% each). Conclusion: Fixed drug eruption and urticaria without angioedema were commonest eruptions while, sulfonamides and NSAIDs were the major causative drugs. Policy message: Reporting of adverse drug reactions is not done in Pakistan and needs to be done in each hospital. (author)

  13. Training potential in minimally invasive surgery in a tertiary care, paediatric urology centre

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schroeder, R. P. J.; Chrzan, R. J.; Klijn, A. J.; Kuijper, C. F.; Dik, P.; de Jong, T. P. V. M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is being utilized more frequently as a surgical technique in general surgery and in paediatric urology. It is associated with a steep learning curve. Currently, the centre does not offer a MIS training programme. It is hypothesized that the number of MIS

  14. Training potential in minimally invasive surgery in a tertiary care, paediatric urology centre

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schroeder, R. P. J.; Chrzan, R. J.; Klijn, A. J.; Kuijper, C. F.; Dik, P.; de Jong, T. P. V. M.

    2015-01-01

    Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is being utilized more frequently as a surgical technique in general surgery and in paediatric urology. It is associated with a steep learning curve. Currently, the centre does not offer a MIS training programme. It is hypothesized that the number of MIS procedures

  15. Healthcare associated infections in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in India: Hospital stay & extra costs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jitender Sodhi

    2016-01-01

    Interpretation & conclusions: This study highlights the effect of HAI on costs for PICU patients, especially costs due to prolongation of hospital stay, and suggests the need to develop effective strategies for prevention of HAI to reduce costs of health care.

  16. Prevalence and causes of blindness at a tertiary hospital in Douala, Cameroon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eballé, André Omgbwa; Mvogo, Côme Ebana; Koki, Godefroy; Mounè, Nyouma; Teutu, Cyrille; Ellong, Augustin; Bella, Assumpta Lucienne

    2011-01-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes of bilateral and unilateral blindness in the town of Douala and its environs based on data from the ophthalmic unit of a tertiary hospital in Douala. Methods We conducted a retrospective epidemiological survey of consultations at the eye unit of the Douala General Hospital over the last 20 years (from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2009). Results Out of the 1927 cases of blindness, 1000 were unilateral, corresponding to a hospital prevalence of 1.84% and 927 cases were bilateral, corresponding to a hospital prevalence of 1.71%. No statistically significant difference was noted between the two (P = 0.14). The leading causes of bilateral blindness were cataract (50.1%), glaucoma (19.7%), and diabetic retinopathy (7.8%) while the leading causes of unilateral blindness were cataract (40.4%), glaucoma (14.1%), and retinal detachment (9.1%). Cataract (51.2%), cortical blindness (16.3%), and congenital glaucoma (10%) were the leading causes of bilateral blindness in children aged less than 10 years. Conclusion Blindness remains a public health problem in the Douala region with a hospital prevalence which is relatively higher than the national estimate given by the National Blindness Control Program. PMID:21966211

  17. Post-operative pain management in paediatric surgery at Sylvanus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate pain management in paediatric surgery at Sylvanus Olympio University Teaching Hospital, Lome. Patients and Methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital from 1 ...

  18. Paediatric medical emergency calls to a Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre: a retrospective, observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Kasper; Mikkelsen, Søren; Jørgensen, Gitte; Zwisler, Stine Thorhauge

    2018-01-05

    Little is known regarding paediatric medical emergency calls to Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres (EMDC). This study aimed to investigate these calls, specifically the medical issues leading to them and the pre-hospital units dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. We performed a retrospective, observational study on paediatric medical emergency calls managed by the EMDC in the Region of Southern Denmark in February 2016. We reviewed audio recordings of emergency calls and ambulance records to identify calls concerning patients ≤ 15 years. We examined EMDC dispatch records to establish how the medical issues leading to these calls were classified and which pre-hospital units were dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics. Of a total of 7052 emergency calls in February 2016, 485 (6.9%) concerned patients ≤ 15 years. We excluded 19 and analysed the remaining 466. The reported medical issues were commonly classified as: "seizures" (22.1%), "sick child" (18.9%) and "unclear problem" (12.9%). The overall most common pre-hospital response was immediate dispatch of an ambulance with sirens and lights with a supporting physician-manned mobile emergency care unit (56.4%). The classification of medical issues and the dispatched pre-hospital units varied with patient age. We believe our results might help focus the paediatric training received by emergency medical dispatch staff on commonly encountered medical issues, such as the symptoms and conditions pertaining to the symptom categories "seizures" and "sick child". Furthermore, the results could prove useful in hypothesis generation for future studies examining paediatric medical emergency calls. Almost 7% of all calls concerned patients ≤ 15 years. Medical issues pertaining to the symptom categories "seizures", "sick child" and "unclear problem" were common and the calls commonly resulted in urgent pre-hospital responses.

  19. EVALUATION OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN MULTI-SPECIALITY TERTIARY HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shalini Srivastav

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Biomedical Waste (BMW, collection and proper disposal has become a significant concern for both the medical and the general community The scientific “Hospital waste Management “is of vital importance as its improper management poses risks to the health care workers ,waste handlers patients, community in general and largely the environment. Objectives: (i To assess current practices of Bio-medical Waste management including generation, collection, transportation storage, treatment and disposal technologies in tertiary health care center. (ii To assess health andsafetypracticesfor the health care personnel involved in Bio-Medical waste Management. Materials and Methods: Waste management practices in tertiary care-centre was studied during May 2010 June 2010. The information/data regarding Bio-Medical Waste Management practices and safety was collected by way of semi structured interview, proforma being the one used for WASTE AUDITING QUESTIONNAIRE. The information collected was verified by personal observations of waste management practices in each ward of hospital. Results : SRMS-IMS generates 1. 25Kgs waste per bed per day and maximum waste is generated in wards. The institute has got separate color coded bins in each ward for collection of waste but segregation practices needs to be more refined. The safety measures taken by health care workers was not satisfactory it was not due to unavailability of Personal protective measures but because of un-awareness of health hazards which may occur due to improper waste management practices. Thus it is concluded that there should be strict implementation of a waste management policy set up in the institute, training and motivation must be given paramount importance to meet the current needs and standard of bio-medical waste management.

  20. Lessons learned from the development of health applications in a tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joong-Yeol; Lee, Guna; Shin, Soo-Yong; Kim, Jeong Hun; Han, Hye-Won; Kwon, Tae-Wan; Kim, Woo Sung; Lee, Jae Ho

    2014-03-01

    Adoption of smart devices for hospital use has been increasing with the development of health applications (apps) for patient point-of-care and hospital management. To promote the use of health apps, we describe the lessons learned from developing 12 health apps in the largest tertiary hospital in Korea. We reviewed and analyzed 12 routinely used apps in three categories-Smart Clinic, Smart Patient, and Smart Hospital-based on target users and functions. The log data for each app were collected from the date of release up until December 2012. Medical personnel accessed a mobile electronic medical record app classified as Smart Clinic an average of 452 times per day. Smart Hospital apps are actively used to communicate with each other. Patients logged on to a mobile personal health record app categorized as Smart Patient an average of 222 times per day. As the mobile trend, the choice of supporting operating system (OS) is more difficult. By developing these apps, a monitoring system is needed for evaluation. We described the lessons learned regarding OS support, device choice, and developmental strategy. The OS can be chosen according to market share or hospital strategic plan. Smartphones were favored compared with tablets. Alliance with an information technology company can be the best way to develop apps. Health apps designed for smart devices can be used to improve healthcare. However, to develop health apps, hospitals must define their future goals and carefully consider all the aspects.

  1. Paediatric Low-Vision Assessment and Management in a Specialist Clinic in the UK

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lennon, Julie; Harper, Robert; Biswas, Sus; Lloyd, Chris

    2007-01-01

    This article presents a survey of the demographical, educational and visual functional characteristics of children attending a specialist paediatric low-vision assessment clinic at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Comprehensive data were collected retrospectively from children attending the paediatric low-vision clinic between January 2003 and…

  2. Subtypes of dissociative (conversion) disorder in two tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahsan, M S; Mullick, S I; Sobhan, M A; Khanam, M; Nahar, J S; Salam, M A; Ali, R; Islam, M; Kabir, M S

    2010-01-01

    Dissociative (conversion) disorders are common among the patients attending in and out patients of Psychiatry Department of tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh. This study was done to see the subtypes of dissociative (conversion) disorder according to International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). This is a descriptive, cross sectional study done on 100 consecutive patients from the Departments of Psychiatry, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Study period was July 2005 to June 2006. Among the patients of dissociative (conversion) disorder, mixed dissociative (conversion) disorder was found highest 34%, followed by dissociative convulsion 33%, dissociative motor disorders 19%, dissociative anaesthesia and sensory loss 5%, dissociative amnesia 4%, dissociative fugue 3%. However, the researcher did not find any multiple personality disorder which is relatively common in North America. This finding reflected that there are differences in prevalence of sub types of dissociative disorders in Bangladesh and Western countries.

  3. Adenovirus-associated pneumonia in South African children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH), a tertiary paediatric hospital in Cape Town ... recorded as other respiratory viruses, positive blood culture, and tuberculosis (TB) .... one-third of patients, respectively, which is consistent with ...

  4. Multidetector row CT for imaging the paediatric tracheobronchial tree

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papaioannou, Georgia; Young, Carolyn; Owens, Catherine M.

    2007-01-01

    The introduction of multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) scanners has altered the approach to imaging the paediatric thorax. In an environment where the rapid acquisition of CT data allows general hospitals to image children instead of referring them to specialist paediatric centres, it is vital that general radiologists have access to protocols appropriate for paediatric applications. Thus a dramatic reduction in the delivered radiation dose is ensured with optimal contrast bolus delivery and timing, and inappropriate repetition of the scans is avoided. This article focuses on the main principles of volumetric CT imaging that apply generically to all MDCT scanners. We describe the reconstruction techniques for imaging the paediatric thorax and the low-dose protocols used in our institution on a 16-slice detector CT scanner. Examples of the commonest clinical applications are also given. (orig.)

  5. Direct hospital costs of total laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with fast-track open hysterectomy at a tertiary hospital: a retrospective case-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhou, Yoon J J; Pather, Selvan; Loadsman, John A; Campbell, Neil; Philp, Shannon; Carter, Jonathan

    2015-12-01

    To assess the direct intraoperative and postoperative costs in women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy and fast-track open hysterectomy. A retrospective review of the direct hospital-related costs in a matched cohort of women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and fast-track open hysterectomy (FTOH) at a tertiary hospital. All costs were calculated, including the cost of advanced high-energy laparoscopic devices. The effect of the learning curve on cost in laparoscopic hysterectomy was also assessed, as was the hospital case-weighted cost, which was compared with the actual cost. Fifty women were included in each arm of the study. TLH had a higher intraoperative cost, but a lower postoperative cost than FTOH (AUD$3877 vs AUD$2776 P funding model in our hospital is inaccurate when compared to directly calculated hospital costs. © 2013 The Authors ANZJOG © 2013 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  6. Depression in chronic respiratory disorders in a tertiary rural hospital of Central India

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Sameer singhal; Pankaj Banode; Nitish Baisakhiya

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To determine prevalence of depression in chronic respiratory disorders in a tertiary rural hospital of Central India. Various studies done in past have shown that prevalence of depression in diabetes and hypertension is around 40%-57%. Few studies have been done to screen depression in chronic respiratory disorders. This study was conducted in a tertiary rural hospital of Central India to find out prevalence of depression in indoor patients suffering from chronic respiratory disorders. Methods: Total 68 patients were evaluated for depression. Patients suffering from chronic respiratory disorders (total duration of illness >3 months) were evaluated using Prime MD Questionnaire. Patients suffering from diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, having past history of psychiatric illness, drug abusers, having lack of social support and suffering from chronic upper respiratory tract infections were excluded from this study. Questionnaire was asked when treatment for acute phase of illness is over. Results: Out of 68 patients evaluated, 36 (53%) were found out to be suffering from depression. Female gender (80%) was more prone to depression, inspite of the fact that all alcoholics were male. 39% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were suffering from depression in comparison to 65% for pulmonary tuberculosis and 44% for other chronic respiratory illness. 54% of patients suffering from depression are 60 yrs of age, suggesting that age has no relation with depression. No association was seen between alcoholism and depression. Conclusion: Prevalence of depression in patients of chronic respiratory illness is very high, like in cases of diabetes and hypertension. Further community and hospital based studies are needed to find out exact prevalence of depression in chronic respiratory illnesses.

  7. Factors contributing to nursing team work in an acute care tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polis, Suzanne; Higgs, Megan; Manning, Vicki; Netto, Gayle; Fernandez, Ritin

    Effective nursing teamwork is an essential component of quality health care and patient safety. Understanding which factors foster team work ensures teamwork qualities are cultivated and sustained. This study aims to investigate which factors are associated with team work in an Australian acute care tertiary hospital across all inpatient and outpatient settings. All nurses and midwives rostered to inpatient and outpatient wards in an acute care 600 bed hospital in Sydney Australia were invited to participate in a cross sectional survey between September to October 2013. Data were collected, collated, checked and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21. Factors reporting a significant correlation with where p team leadership were 3.6 (S.D. 0.57) and 3.8 (SD 0.6) respectively. Leadership and communication between nurses were significant predictors of team work p team work.

  8. Paediatric Urinary Tract Infection: A Hospital Based Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, Khursheed Ahmed; Bhat, Javaid Ahmed; Parry, Nazir Ahmed; Shaheen, Lubna; Bhat, Sartaj Ali

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Paediatric Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is one of the commonly encountered entities by paediatricians. Studies have shown easy vulnerability of paediatric urinary tract in any acute febrile illness and a miss in diagnosis could have long term consequences like renal scaring with its adverse effects. Bearing these evidence based preludes in view we designed our study to know the prevalence of UTI in Kashmir province. Aim Aim of the present study was to know the prevalence of UTI in febrile children and to know the sensitivity of different imaging modalities like Renal and Urinary Bladder Ultrasonography (RUS), Voiding Cystourethrography (VCUG) and Dimercaptosuccinic Acid (DMSA) scan in diagnosing UTI. Materials and Methods A total of 304 patients, between 2 months to 10 years, with axillary temperature of ≥ 100.4oF (38oC), who did not have a definite source for their fever and who were not on antibiotics were included in the study. Detailed history and through clinical examination was done to rule out any potential or definite focus of infection as per the predesigned proforma. Routine urine examination with culture and sensitivity, followed by RUS and VCUG was done in all patients where routine urine examination was suggestive of UTI. DMSA was done in only culture proven cases after 6 months to document the renal scarring. Results Out of 304 children, 140 were males and 164 were females, UTI was present in 40 patients who had fever without any apparent cause giving a prevalence of 13.2%. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were the commonest isolated organism, followed by Klebsiella and Citrobacter species. Renal and Urinary Bladder Ultrasonography (RUS) detected Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) in 25% (10/40) while VCUG showed VUR in 55% (22/40) giving a RUS sensitivity of 45% for detecting VUR. DMSA done only after 6 months in UTI diagnosed patients showed a renal scarring in 25% (10/40) patients. Conclusion Missing a febrile paediatric UTI, can prove a future

  9. PROFILE OF SYPHILIS PATIENTS ATTENDING THE DERMATOLOGY VENEREOLOGY OPD AT A GOVERNMENT TERTIARY HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasuki Shanmugam

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Syphilis is one of the major sexually transmitted infections, which is showing a raising trend across the globe. The aim of the study is to study the prevalence of syphilis among Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI clinic attendees of a tertiary care hospital of south India. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of one year duration conducted at STI clinic of a government tertiary hospital in South India. Patients who have been diagnosed to have syphilis were analysed with respect to demographic profile and their sexual behaviour pattern. RESULTS 40 were persons diagnosed to have syphilis among a total of 1790 STI clinic attendees. The mean age of patients with syphilis found to be 31 years. Male-to-female ratio is 7:1. 80% of patients with syphilis had higher school level and college level education. Homosexual behaviour pattern was predominant and it was found among 60% of them (p value 0.011. 62.5% of them were alcoholic. Safe sex practices were minimal in spite of knowledge about condom. CONCLUSION There was a raising trend of syphilis among STI clinic attendees during 2016. Early infectious stage of disease is more and was found more commonly among Men Having Sex with Men (MSM.

  10. Profile of extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (ehpvo) in a tertiary care hospital in pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shah, S.K.; But, J.A.; Awan, A.

    2007-01-01

    To study the clinical and laboratory profile of patients with EHPVO in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan and to differentiate EHPVO from cirrhosis of liver and to see the effect on liver function tests. This is a prospective observational study conducted at Department of Gastroenterology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Twenty five patients of 12-55 years of age with the features of portal hypertension were included in this study. After careful history and physical examination patients were subjected for laboratory investigations including liver function test, renal function test, blood CP, PT, APTT, HbsAg and anti HCV, other specialized procedures including endoscopy, liver biopsy and ultra sound was also done in all patients. Portal vein thrombosis was the predominant cause of EHPVO, accounting for 88% of cases. All patients were presented with upper GI bleeding, splenomegaly was observed in 88% of patients. None of the patients had clinical, biochemical or liver biopsy evidence of chronic liver disease. The diagnosis of extra hepatic portal venous obstruction and differentiation from cirrhosis can be easily made by characteristic clinical features, normal liver function tests and doppler ultrasound. Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is the predominant cause of EHPVO in Pakistani patients, as seen at this tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. (author)

  11. Muddy puddles - the microbiology of puddles located outside tertiary university teaching hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furukawa, M; McCaughan, J; Stirling, J; Millar, B C; Bell, J; Goldsmith, C E; Reid, A; Misawa, N; Moore, J E

    2018-04-01

    In the British Isles, the frequency of rain results in the formation of puddles on footpaths and roads in/around hospitals. No data are available demonstrating the microbiological composition of such puddles and therefore a study was undertaken to examine the microbiology of puddles in the grounds of two tertiary university-teaching hospitals (18 sites) and compared with control puddles from non-hospital rural environments (eight sites), estimating (i) total viable count; (ii) identification of organisms in puddles; (iii) enumeration of Escherichia coli: (iv) detection of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase producing organisms and (v) direct antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A mean count of 2·3 × 10 3  CFU per ml and 1·0 × 10 9  CFU per ml was obtained for hospital and non-hospital puddles respectively. Isolates (n = 77; 54 hospital and 23 non-hospital) were isolated comprising of 23 species among 17 genera (hospital sites), where the majority (10/16; 62·5%) of genera identified were Gram-negative approximately, a fifth (20·6%) were shared by hospital and non-hospital rural samples. Escherichia coli was detected in half of the hospital puddles and under-half (37·5%) of the rural puddles extended spectrum β-lactamase organisms were not detected in any samples examined. Rainwater puddles from the hospital and non-hospital environments contain a diverse range of bacteria, which are capable of causing infections. This study demonstrated the presence of a wide diversity of bacterial taxa associated with rainwater puddles around hospitals, many of which are capable of causing human disease. Of clinical significance is the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a hospital puddle, particularly for patients with cystic fibrosis. The presence of potentially disease-causing bacteria in puddles in and around hospitals identifies a new potential environmental reservoir of bacteria. Furthermore work is now needed to define their potential of entering or

  12. CLINICAL PROFILE OF ANAEMIA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ather Akhtar

    2016-04-01

    22 and the morphology was normocytic normochromic in 20 cases. Tuberculosis leading to anaemia was seen in 24, Internal haemorrhoids/Fissures 5, Taenia infestation in 3, Haematological Malignancies 2, GI Malignancies 3, Connective tissues disorders 3, Nutritional iron deficiency 8 and Anaemia of chronic diseases in remaining cases. Among the 22 cases having macrocytic anaemia, 11 had vitamin B 12 deficiency, 6 had subclinical hypothyroidism, 5 had alcoholism. Among the 20 patients having normocytic normochromic blood picture, 4 had haemolytic anaemia, 1 had aplastic anaemia and remaining were having anaemia of chronic disease mainly chronic kidney disease. Regarding treatment, 23 patients were transfused blood. Out of total 100 patients included in the study, in-hospital mortality was 10. CONCLUSIONS Anaemia is associated with a variety of diseases. As Tuberculosis and B 12 Deficiency are among the leading causes of anaemia, hypochromic and microcytic picture was the predominant picture in peripheral blood smear. Among the patients having normocytic normochromic blood picture, majority were having chronic kidney disease which may be due to the fact that our hospital is a tertiary referral centre for chronic renal failure. In-hospital mortality due to anaemia alone is lower in tertiary care centres, but the mortality in our study is due to associated comorbid conditions like chronic renal failure and malignancy.

  13. Monitoring of Frequency and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Pathogens on the Hands of Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tselebonis Athanasios

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To monitor microbes, focusing on drug resistance, on the hands of the personnel of four departments of a tertiary hospital (ICU, neonatal unit, internal medicine ward and surgical ward and explore differences between departments, professions and genders.

  14. Protocol for hospital based-surveillance of cerebral palsy (CP) in Hanoi using the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance mechanism (PAEDS-Vietnam): a study towards developing hospital-based disease surveillance in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khandaker, Gulam; Van Bang, Nguyen; Dũng, Trịnh Quang; Giang, Nguyen Thi Huong; Chau, Cao Minh; Van Anh, Nguyen Thi; Van Thuong, Nguyen; Badawi, Nadia; Elliott, Elizabeth J

    2017-11-09

    The epidemiology, pathogenesis, management and outcomes of cerebral palsy (CP) in low-income and middle-income countries including Vietnam are unknown because of the lack of mechanisms for standardised collection of data. In this paper, we outline the protocol for developing a hospital-based surveillance system modelled on the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance (PAEDS) system in Australia. Using PAEDS-Vietnam we will define the aetiology, motor function and its severity, associated impairments, and nutritional and rehabilitation status of children with CP in Hanoi, Vietnam. These essential baseline data will inform future health service planning, health professional education and training, and family support. This is a hospital-based prospective surveillance of children with CP presenting to the rehabilitation, neurology and general paediatric services at the National Children's Hospital and St Paul Hospital in Hanoi. We will use active, prospective daily case-finding for all children with CP aged CP, known risk factors for CP, and nutrition, immunisation, education and rehabilitation status. This study was approved by the Hanoi Medical University Institutional Review Board (decision no 1722) and The University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (approval no 2016/456). Establishment of PAEDS-Vietnam will enable hospital-based surveillance of CP for the first time in Vietnam. It will identify preventable causes of CP, patient needs and service gaps, and facilitate early diagnosis and intervention. Study findings will be disseminated through local and international conferences and peer-reviewed publications. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  15. Ambient Noise Levels in Acute Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Referral Hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Sonia R. B D'Souza; Leslie Edward Lewis; Vijay Kumar; Ramesh Bhat Y; Jayashree Purkayastha; Hari Prakash

    2017-01-01

    Background: Advances in neonatal care have resulted in improved survival of neonates admitted to the intensive care of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). However, the NCU may be an inappropriate milieu, with presence of overwhelming stimuli, most potent being the continuous presence of noise in the ambience of the NICU. Aim and Objectives: To determine and describe the ambient noise levels in the acute NICU of a tertiary referral hospital. Material and Methods...

  16. Survival following orbital exenteration at a tertiary brazilian hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Mika Kato

    Full Text Available Objective: to analyze the epidemiology, clinical features and survival rate of patients undergoing orbital exenteration (OE in a tertiary referral hospital. Methods : we conducted a retrospective study of all patients undergoing OE at the Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP between January 2007 and December 2012. We collected data records related to gender, age, origin, length of stay, duration of the disease, other treatments related to the disease, number of procedures outside of the face related to the disease, follow-up and histological diagnosis. Results : we treated 37 patients in the study period. The average survival in one year was 70%, in two years, 66.1%, and 58.3% in three years. There was no significant difference in the one-year survival related to histological diagnosis (p=0.15, days of hospitalization (p=0.17, gender (p=0.43, origin (p=0.78, disease duration (p=0.27 or the number of operations for the tumor (p=0.31. Mortality was higher in elderly patients (p=0.02. The average years of life lost was 33.9 in patients under 60 years, 14.7 in patients in the 61-80 years range and 11.3 in patients over 80 years. Conclusion : the present series of cases is significant in terms of prevalence of orbital exenteration; on the other hand, it shows one of the lowest survival rates in the literature. This suggests an urgent need for improved health care conditions to prevent deforming, radical resections.

  17. Paediatric x-ray examinations in Rio de Janeiro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azevedo, A C P; Osibote, O A; Boechat, M C B

    2006-01-01

    This work presents the results of a dose survey performed for paediatric patients and carried out in two large paediatric public hospitals in Rio de Janeiro city. The entrance surface dose (ESD) and the effective dose (ED) were evaluated for chest, skull, abdomen, lumbar spine, cervical spine and pelvis in antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA) and lateral (LAT) projections. For each examination, four age groups 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years were studied. The DoseCal software was used to calculate these doses. Wide variations for the same type of examination and projection have been detected. These variations were evident, in Brazil, from previous work. In spite of the present results being still preliminary, they can give an idea of what paediatric ESDs are like in Brazil. Also, with respect to the entrance surface dose, some of the results are above the reference levels, which cause high ED, as well. On the other hand, the wide range of ESD reflects the disparity of radiographic techniques and demonstrates that the ALARA principle is not being applied in Brazilian hospitals and becomes a concern in terms of public health

  18. Tetanus immunization: perception of residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Western India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhande Priti P, Beri Shirish G, Patel Hardik R

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Prevention of tetanus is far easier than its treatment where mortality is very high. Most cases of tetanus occur due to lack of proper vaccination against the disease and incomplete immunization on exposure. Residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital constitute the first contact physicians for patients. Aim: To assess the perception about Tetanus immunization among residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Pune city. Methodology: A pre tested questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge & recommendations about tetanus immunization among randomly selected 157 residents. Results: 73.25% residents were not aware of the number of doses of tetanus vaccine recommended for children under the age of 16 years. Around 50% residents were not aware of the recommended number of doses of tetanus vaccine for adults over the age of 16 years and during pregnancy. Nearly 60% of the residents considered the wound after every injury to be tetanus prone. 75.8% of residents thought burn injuries to be prone to the development of tetanus while 13.4% and 36.9% of the residents did not consider animal bite and human bite to be tetanus prone respectively. 99.4% residents considered tetanus toxoid administration in wound with rusted iron. The knowledge regarding tetanus immunization in relation to the wound categories depending on the immunization status of the patients was very poor amongst the residents. Conclusion: Better awareness and adherence of tetanus prophylaxis recommendations is needed in residents who are the first tier of health care providers in teaching hospitals.

  19. Evidence and speculation: reimagining approaches to architecture and research within the paediatric hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLaughlan, Rebecca; Pert, Alan

    2017-11-25

    As the dominant research paradigm within the construction of contemporary healthcare facilities, evidence-based design (EBD) will increasingly impact our expectations of what hospital architecture should be. Research methods within EBD focus on prototyping incremental advances and evaluating what has already been built. Yet medical care is a rapidly evolving system; changes to technology, workforce composition, patient demographics and funding models can create rapid and unpredictable changes to medical practice and modes of care. This dynamism has the potential to curtail or negate the usefulness of current best practice approaches. To imagine new directions for the role of the hospital in society, or innovative ways in which the built environment might support well-being, requires a model that can project beyond existing constraints. Speculative design employs a design-based research methodology to imagine alternative futures and uses the artefacts created through this process to enable broader critical reflection on existing practices. This paper examines the contribution of speculative design within the context of the paediatric hospital as a means of facilitating critical reflection regarding the design of new healthcare facilities. While EBD is largely limited by what has already been built, speculative design offers a complementary research method to meet this limitation. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. Hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A cross-sectional analysis of risk factors in South African tertiary public hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuonza, Lazarus; Musekiwa, Alfred; Iyaloo, Samantha; Perovic, Olga

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We conducted a study to determine risk factors for HA-MRSA in order to inform control strategies in South Africa. Methods We used surveillance data collected from five tertiary hospitals in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces during 2014 for analysis. A case of HA-MRSA was defined as isolation of MRSA from a blood culture 48 hours after admission and/or if the patient was hospitalised in the six months prior to the current culture. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to determine risk factors for HA-MRSA. Results Of the 9971 patients with positive blood cultures, 7.7% (772) had S. aureus bacteraemia (SAB). The overall prevalence of MRSA among those with SAB was 30.9% (231/747; 95% confidence interval [CI] 27.6%– 34.3%). HA-MRSA infections accounted for 28.3% of patients with SAB (207/731; 95% CI 25.1%– 31.7%). Burns (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12.7; 95% CI 4.7–34.4), age ≤1 month (aOR 8.7; 95% CI 3.0–24.6), residency at a long-term care facility (aOR 5.2; 95% CI, 1.5–17.4), antibiotic use within two months of the current SAB episode (aOR 5.1; 95% CI 2.8–9.1), hospital stay of 13 days or more (aOR 2.8; 95% CI 1.3–5.6) and mechanical ventilation (aOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.07–4.6), were independent risk factors for HA-MRSA infection. Conclusion The prevalence of MRSA remains high in South African tertiary public hospitals. Several identified risk factors of HA-MRSA infections should be considered when instituting infection and prevention strategies in public-sector hospitals, including intensifying the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes. There is an urgent need to strengthen infection prevention and control in burn wards, neonatal wards, and intensive care units which house mechanically ventilated patients. PMID:29145465

  1. Advance Care Planning in palliative care: a qualitative investigation into the perspective of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Sarah; Dale, Jeremy

    2015-04-01

    The majority of children and young people who die in the United Kingdom have pre-existing life-limiting illness. Currently, most such deaths occur in hospital, most frequently within the intensive care environment. To explore the experiences of senior medical and nursing staff regarding the challenges associated with Advance Care Planning in relation to children and young people with life-limiting illnesses in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit environment and opportunities for improvement. Qualitative one-to-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Paediatric Intensive Care Unit consultants and senior nurses, to gain rich, contextual data. Thematic content analysis was carried out. UK tertiary referral centre Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Eight Paediatric Intensive Care Unit consultants and six senior nurses participated. Four main themes emerged: recognition of an illness as 'life-limiting'; Advance Care Planning as a multi-disciplinary, structured process; the value of Advance Care Planning and adverse consequences of inadequate Advance Care Planning. Potential benefits of Advance Care Planning include providing the opportunity to make decisions regarding end-of-life care in a timely fashion and in partnership with patients, where possible, and their families. Barriers to the process include the recognition of the life-limiting nature of an illness and gaining consensus of medical opinion. Organisational improvements towards earlier recognition of life-limiting illness and subsequent Advance Care Planning were recommended, including education and training, as well as the need for wider societal debate. Advance Care Planning for children and young people with life-limiting conditions has the potential to improve care for patients and their families, providing the opportunity to make decisions based on clear information at an appropriate time, and avoid potentially harmful intensive clinical interventions at the end of life. © The Author(s) 2015.

  2. Diagnostic Accuracy of CT in Paediatric Intracranial Neoplastic Lesions - Radiologic and Pathologic Correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qureshi, A.

    2011-01-01

    The frequency of paediatric tumours in developing countries could be attributed to the increased percentage (39% of total population of children) in the overall population. Therefore, extensive researches should be under taken in the field of Paediatric Oncology in the third world. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the diagnostic accuracy of CT by comparing the pre-operative radiological findings of paediatric brain tumours with post-operative histopathological findings on the basis of characteristic radiological features of various tumours. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out in Radiology Dept, KEMU / Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Study was conducted over a period of 3 years from June 2005 till June 2008 and comprised of 100 cases of paediatric brain tumours up to 12 years of age. Cases were also collected from Mayo and Children Hospital, Lahore. Results: Topographically, supratentorial tumours were found more than infratentorial 55 : 45. Low grade were more common than high grade 73 : 27. The most common tumour was astrocytoma with 52 cases. Medulloblastoma ranked the second with 16 cases followed by craniopharyngioma with 12 cases. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of CT scan was found to be 83% when correlated with histopathology. CT proved fairly accurate in detection of paediatric intracranial neoplastic lesions. As CT is relatively commonly available inexpensive modality than MRI so it can be used as non invasive imaging modality. (author)

  3. Anesthesia-related and perioperative mortality: An audit of 8493 cases at a tertiary pediatric teaching hospital in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Heidi M; Thomas, Jenny; Wilson, Graeme S; de Kock, Marianna

    2017-10-01

    This study aimed to quantify the incidence of anesthesia-related and perioperative mortality at a large tertiary pediatric hospital in South Africa. This study included all children aged anesthesia caused the death; (ii) anesthesia may have contributed to or influenced the timing of death; or (iii) anesthesia was entirely unrelated to the death. There were 47 deaths within 30 days of anesthesia prior to discharge from hospital during this 12-month period. The in-hospital mortality within 24 h of administration of anesthesia was 16.5 per 10 000 cases (95% confidence intervals [CI]=7.8-25.1) and within 30 days of administration of anesthesia was 55.3 per 10 000 cases (95% CI=39.5-71.2). Age under 1 year (OR 4.5; 95% CI=2.5-8.0, P=.012) and cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology procedures (OR 2.5; 95% CI=1.2-5.2, Prisk of perioperative mortality. The overall 24-h and 30-day anesthesia-related and in-hospital perioperative mortality rates in our study are comparable with other similar studies from tertiary pediatric centers. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Challenges and Perspectives for Tertiary Level Hospitals in Bolivia: The case of Santa Cruz de La Sierra Department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medici, André

    2015-01-01

    Current legislation transferred public tertiary hospitals in Bolivia from the Municipalities to the Regional Level. However, the Regional Governments are experiencing technical and financial constraints to reform infrastructure, modernize equipment and introduce reforms to allow better governance, management and sustainability of these hospitals. This articles summarizes the recent experience of the Government of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia where five tertiary hospitals and blood bank (most of them in precarious working conditions) has been transferred in 2012 from the Municipal Government of Santa Cruz (the capital) to the Regional Government of Santa Cruz. To face the challenges, the Regional Government of Santa Cruz implement several improvements, such as contract new clinical and administrative personal, increases hospital budgetary autonomy, outsource hospitals' auxiliary services, take measures to eliminate waiting lists and make several new investments to modernize and equip the hospitals. The World Bank was contracted to evaluated the future financial sustainability of these investments and to advice the Government to propose changes to increase the hospitals' management performance. The article describes the remaining challenges in these hospitals and the proposals from the World Bank Study. In the area of quality of care, the main challenge is to improve client satisfaction and continuous outcomes monitoring and evaluation according quality standards. In the area of financing, the challenge is how to assure the sustainability of these hospitals with the current level of health financing and the insufficient financial transfers from the National Government. In the area of Governance, reforms to streamline and simplify internal processes need to be introduced in order to establish mechanisms to increase transparency and accountability, allowing the hospital to have a good administration and adequate participation of the main actors in the guidance of

  5. Factors associated with patients' choice of physician in the Korean population: Database analyses of a tertiary hospital.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kidong Kim

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the factors influencing patients' choice of physician at the first visit through database analysis of a tertiary hospital in South Korea. We collected data on the first treatments performed by physicians who had treated patients for at least 3 consecutive years over 10 years (from 2003 to 2012 from the database of Seoul National University's affiliated tertiary hospital. Ultimately, we obtained data on 524,012 first treatments of 319,004 patients performed by 115 physicians. Variables including physicians' age and medical school and patients' age were evaluated as influencing factors for the number of first treatments performed by each physician in each year using a Poisson regression through generalized estimating equations with a log link. The number of first treatments decreased over the study period. Notably, the relative risk for first treatments was lower among older physicians than among younger physicians (relative risk 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 0.98. Physicians graduating from Seoul National University (SNU also had a higher risk for performing first treatments than did those not from SNU (relative risk 1.58; 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 2.10. Finally, relative risk was also higher among older patients than among younger patients (relative risk 1.03; 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.04. This study systematically demonstrated that physicians' age, whether the physician graduated from the highest-quality university, and patients' age all related to patients' choice of physician at the first visit in a tertiary university hospital. These findings might be due to Korean cultural factors.

  6. A tertiary hospital audit of the use of medical imaging in the 24 h preceding death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, D; Weil, J; Boughey, M; Sutherland, T

    2016-02-01

    This study aims to investigate the number, modality and indication for imaging studies performed on acute hospital inpatients in the 24 h prior to death. Data were obtained from retrospective analysis of deceased patients from a university affiliated tertiary hospital over a 2-year period and it was found that around one in five inpatients received medical imaging in the last 24 h of their life (364 of 1855, 19.6%). © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  7. Use of complementary/alternative medicine among paediatric patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Hanne; Andersen, Susie; Nielsen, Rasmus Gaardskaer

    2003-01-01

    Hospital during a 2 week period in the autumn of 2001 were asked to participate. In total, 622 (92%) patients participated. The data were collected in an interviewer administered questionnaire during a short structured interview with the patient and parents. CAM was divided into herbal medicine (herbal......UNLABELLED: The use of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing. The aim was to characterise the use of CAM among patients in a paediatric department. All patients (aged 0-18 years), out-patients or hospitalised, in contact with the Department of Paediatrics, Odense University...... patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases or hospitalised for observation. More than 50% of the users experienced positive effects and 6% had side-effects from AM. Of the CAM users, 11% or 2% of the total paediatric population used CAM instead of conventional medicines. CONCLUSION...

  8. Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients attending Psychotherapy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zena Al-Sharbati

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: There is significant evidence that psychotherapy is a pivotal treatment for persons diagnosed with Axis I clinical psychiatric conditions; however, a psychotherapy service has only recently been established in the Omani health care system. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of attendees at a psychotherapy clinic at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: An analysis was carried out of 133 new referrals to the Psychotherapy Service at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital. Results: The majority of referrals were females (59%, aged 18–34 years, employed (38%, had ≤12 years of formal education (51%, and were single (54%. A total of 43% were treated for anxiety disorders (including obsessive compulsive disorder, while 22% were treated for depression. A total of 65% were prescribed psychotropic medications. The utilisation of the Psychotherapy Service and its user characteristics are discussed within the context of a culturally diverse Omani community which has unique personal belief systems such as in supernatural powers (Jinn, contemptuous envy (Hassad, evil eye (Ain and sorcery (Sihr which are often used to explain the aetiology of mental illness and influence personal decisions on utilising medical and psychological treatments. Conclusion: Despite the low number of referrals to the Psychotherapy Service, there is reason to believe that psychotherapy would be an essential tool to come to grips with the increasing number of mental disorders in Oman.

  9. [Relationship between occupational stress, recovery experience, and physiological health of nurses in a municipal grade A tertiary hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, L; Zhang, C L; Yang, T; Lan, Y J

    2017-06-20

    Objective: To examine the relationship between recovery experience, occupational stress, and physiological health of nurses in a municipal grade A tertiary hospital. Methods: A total of 296 in-service nurses from 7 municipal grade A tertiary hospitals were selected from October 2015 to February 2016. Individual characteristics of the subjects were collected using a self-made questionnaire. The recovery experience, occupational stress, and physiological health of the subjects were assessed based on the physiological health dimensions in the Chinese version of Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ-C) , Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) , and Quality of Work Life (QWL7-32) . Results: The mean recovery experience score of nurses from the municipal grade A tertiary hospital was 45.04±7.72, and 51.35% of the nurses had satisfactory recovery experience. Occupational stress was identified in 81.76% of the nurses. Based on the four categories of occupational stress, 65 nurses were identified with high-strain jobs (21.95%) , 56 with relaxed (low-strain) jobs (18.92%) , 49 with passive jobs (16.55%) , and 126 with active jobs (42.57%) . In addition, the mean physiological health score of the nurses was 21.20±4.24. Physiological health was negatively correlated with occupational stress ( r =-0.173, P stress ( r =-0.116, P stress, where subjects with high-demand active jobs had the poorest recovery experience ( F =2.610, P stress of nurses, where increased job demand can lead to stronger stress response, reduced recovery experience, and poorer physiological health.

  10. Needlestick and sharps injuries among health care workers at public tertiary hospitals in an urban community in Mongolia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsolmon Muugolog

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSIs are one of the major risk factors for blood-borne infections at healthcare facilities. This study examines the current situation of NSSIs among health care workers at public tertiary hospitals in an urban community in Mongolia and explores strategies for the prevention of these injuries. Findings A survey of 621 health care workers was undertaken in two public tertiary hospitals in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in July 2006. A semi-structured and self-administered questionnaire was distributed to study injection practices and the occurrence of NSSIs. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors associated with experiencing NSSIs. Among the 435 healthcare workers who returned a completed questionnaire, the incidence of NSSIs during the previous 3 months was 38.4%. Health care workers were more likely to report NSSIs if they worked longer than 35 hours per week (odds ratio, OR: 2.47; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.31-4.66 and administered more than 10 injections per day (OR: 4.76; 95% CI: 1.97-11.49. The likelihood of self-reporting NSSIs significantly decreased if health care workers adhered to universal precautions (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17-0.68. Conclusions NSSIs are a common public health problem at public tertiary hospitals in Mongolia. The promotion of adequate working conditions, elimination of excessive injection use, and adherence to universal precautions will be important for the future control of potential infections with blood-borne pathogens due to occupational exposures to sharps in this setting.

  11. The efficacy of an extended scope physiotherapy clinic in paediatric orthopaedics.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O Mir, Marie

    2016-04-01

    The demand for paediatric orthopaedic care is growing, and providing the service required is an increasingly challenging task. Physiotherapist-led triage clinics are utilised in adult orthopaedics to enable the provision of care to patients who may not require a surgical consult. The Physiotherapy Orthopaedic Triage Clinic (POTC) was established in Our Lady\\'s Children\\'s Hospital Crumlin in response to increasing demands on the paediatric orthopaedic service. The clinic is run by physiotherapists working in an advanced practice role (APP), and is the first paediatric clinic of its type and scale in the Republic of Ireland.

  12. Retrospective chart review of elderly patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy in a tertiary general hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Mosam Phirke; Harshal Sathe; Nilesh Shah; Sushma Sonavane; Anup Bharati; Avinash DeSousa

    2015-01-01

    Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the one of the oldest and effective treatments in psychiatry today. It has been used in a wide variety of psychiatric disorders in both young and old patients. Aims of the study: The present study is a retrospective chart review of geriatric patients receiving ECT as a treatment option in a tertiary care general hospital psychiatry setting. Methodology: The study evaluated ECT records over a 5-year period between the years 2010 and 2014...

  13. Three-year follow-up of implementation of evidence-based transfusion practice in a tertiary hospital

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norgaard, A.; Stensballe, J.; de Lichtenberg, T. H.

    2017-01-01

    of the implementation of evidence-based transfusion practice. Materials and Methods: Red blood cell transfusion quality indicators were compared with the evidence-based guideline at hospital and department level. Based on this evaluation, wards were selected for interventions targeting doctors and nurses......Background and Objectives: Traditionally, Denmark has had a high rate of allogeneic red blood cell transfusion caused by a liberal transfusion practice despite the existence of restrictive guidelines. We established a Patient Blood Management programme in a tertiary hospital and report the results...... procedures and 28% in admissions (P blood cell transfusion for non-bleeding patients, and led to significantly fewer patients being exposed to transfusion....

  14. Herpes–Zoster Infection in a Tertiary Hospital in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniolli, Luciana; Azambuja, Aline; Rodrigues, Camila; Borges, Rafael; Goldani, Luciano

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background herpes zoster (HZ) is a common infection with potential complications requiring hospital care, especially for patients with multiple comorbities. However, there is little information on HZ from hospital registries. Methods we searched for hospital-based records of B02 code (ICD-10) between March 2000 and January 2017 at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, a tertiary, university hospital in south Brazil. To avoid misclassifications, we considered clinical evaluation for the diagnosis of cutaneous HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), ophthalmological evaluation for ophthalmic HZ and the combination of clinical, radiologic and cerebrospinal fluid analysis for HZ meningo-encephalitis (ME). We analyzed conditions associated with immune dysregulation, complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier estimator were used for statistical analyses. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results there were 847 records for this period, of which 801 were confirmed according to our criteria and included in the analysis. Most patients were women (n = 448; 60%), with an average of 48.8 years, standard deviation of 22.2. There were more diagnoses in the inpatients group (74.4%), and fewer in the emergency room (22.4%) and outpatient (3.3%). The median length of hospital stay was 7 days (2-10, P25-P75) when HZ was the main reason for admission. Most patients presented cutaneous HZ (n = 743, 92.8%). There were fewer cases of PHN (6.1%), ophthalmic HZ (7.6%) and ME (4.1%). Seventy percent had some kind of immune dysregulation; more frequently AIDS (31%), use of immunosuppressive agents (18.7%) and malignant disease (16.2%). We followed the subjects for a median of 28.2 (2.8-77.5) months. During this period, there were 105 (13.1%) deaths. Five were related to HZ ME. The 30-day overall mortality rate was 1.5%. There was no statistical difference in cumulative survival (graph 1, P = 0.05) or incidence of

  15. Molecular epidemiology and spatiotemporal analysis of hospital-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii infection in a tertiary care hospital in southern Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chusri, S; Chongsuvivatwong, V; Rivera, J I; Silpapojakul, K; Singkhamanan, K; McNeil, E; Doi, Y

    2017-01-01

    Acinetobacter baumannii is a major hospital-acquired pathogen in Thailand that has a negative effect on patient survival. The nature of its transmission is poorly understood. To investigate the genotypic and spatiotemporal pattern of A. baumannii infection at a hospital in Thailand. The medical records of patients infected with A. baumannii at an 800-bed tertiary care hospital in southern Thailand between January 2010 and December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. A. baumannii was identified at the genomospecies level. Carbapenemase genes were identified among carbapenem-resistant isolates associated with A. baumannii infection. A spatiotemporal analysis was performed by admission ward, time of infection and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) groups of A. baumannii. Nine PFGE groups were identified among the 197 A. baumannii infections. All A. baumannii isolates were assigned to International Clonal Lineage II. bla OXA-23 was the most prevalent carbapenemase gene. Outbreaks were observed mainly in respiratory and intensive care units. The association between PFGE group and hospital unit was significant. Spatiotemporal analysis identified 20 clusters of single PFGE group infections. Approximately half of the clusters involved multiple hospital units simultaneously. A. baumannii transmitted both within and between hospital wards. Better understanding and control of the transmission of A. baumannii are needed. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Radiopharmaceutical activities administered for paediatric nuclear medicine procedures in Australia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Towson, J.E.; Smart, R.C.; Rossleigh, M.A.; Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW

    2000-01-01

    A survey of radiopharmaceutical activities used at the eight hospital centres specialising in paediatric nuclear medicine in Australia was conducted in 1999-2000 by the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Australasian Radiation Protection Society. Data on the maximum and minimum administered activities was obtained for 43 paediatric imaging procedures. The maximum values were significantly less than the corresponding Reference Activities for adults determined in a previous study. Activities for individual patients are calculated using surface area scaling at five centres and body weight scaling at three centres. The median values of A max and A min are recommended as Paediatric Reference Activities. The effective dose to patients of various sizes for the Paediatric Reference Activities and both methods of scaling was calculated for each procedure. Copyright (2000) Australasian Radiation Protection Society Inc

  17. Optimization of paediatric radiation doses with CR systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zatelli, Giovanna; Mazzocchi, S.; Ciccarone, A.; Fonda, C.; De Otto, G.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Radiation protection of paediatric patients is a primary objective in paediatric radiology due the higher life expectance of the little patients undergoing radiology examinations and due to the higher radiosensitivity of tissues. Aim of this work is the study of the optimization process in paediatric doses needed after the recent installation of a new Computed Radiography System in the Radiology of the Meyer paediatric Hospital, in Florence, Italy. This process involves both the use of new dedicated digitizer (Agfa DX-S) and elaboration software (Agfa NX2.0). The choice of the DX-S systems has been performed in consideration of high resolution (Scanhead technology - DirectriX detector), image sharpness and portability of the cassettes that make DX-S ideal in paediatric applications as neonatal intensive care. The NX software for image processing has been installed with the 'Paediatric' licence that optimizes paediatric images especially for exposures of premature newborns. Paediatric NX automatically selects the paediatric age group, depending on the patient's birth date. Each age group contains enhanced algorithms and settings adapted to age group, for optimized visibility of fine details. All the CR system has been accepted by mean of quality control acceptance tool AGFA AutoQC2, and all the automatic exposure control devices installed on radiographic devices were previously calibrated in accordance to literature with signal to noise vs dose considerations [S. Mazzocchi et al. 'AEC set-up optimization with computed radiography imaging' Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 117, 169-173 2005]. Paediatric patients were then divided into age-weight categories and the Entrance Surface Doses (ESD) were calculated by output x-rays measurements. ESD for thorax examinations were correlated to the image evaluations performed by experienced radiologists following European Guidelines on quality criteria for diagnostic radiographic images in paediatrics (EUR 16261, European

  18. CLINICAL PROFILE AND COMMON CAUSES OF HAEMOLYTIC ANAEMIA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, NORTHERN KERALA

    OpenAIRE

    Jog Antony; Reeta J; Sreelakshmi S; Rohit Mathew4; Adarsh Surendran

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Haemolytic anaemia is a well-recognised clinical problem. This study looks into the clinical profile of haemolytic anaemia and also attempts to find out the common underlying causative disease. It also tries to group the patients according to the clinical manifestations and underlying causes. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a hospital-based observational study conducted in a tertiary care centre in Northern Kerala. Forty-four adult patients with clinical manifestati...

  19. Immunizations under sedation at a paediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia from 2012-2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Daryl R; Elia, Sonja; Perrett, Kirsten P

    2018-05-09

    Sedation for immunizations is of particular importance in a subset of paediatric patients with anxiety disorders, needle phobia, developmental or behavioural disorders. The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Melbourne offers a unique immunization under sedation service for these patients. We aimed to evaluate the number and types of patients using inpatient sedation for immunizations, distraction and sedation techniques used, and outcomes of these procedures. A medical record review was conducted on all patients who had immunization under sedation between January 2012 to December 2016 in the RCH Day Medical Unit (DMU). A total of 139 children and adolescents had 213 vaccination encounters. More than half of the vaccination encounters involved multiple vaccines. A total of 400 vaccines were administered. One third of patients (32.3%) had multiple DMU admissions for vaccinations. The median age of patients was 13 years. There were only 10 (4.7%) failed attempts at vaccination; all due to patient non-compliance with prescribed sedation. The majority of patients (58.9%) had a diagnosis of needle phobia. Sedation was most commonly adequately achieved with inhaled nitrous oxide (54.7% sole agent). Midazolam was often used as an adjunct therapy (42.8%). Local anaesthetic cream or play therapy, were used in only 5.9% and 3.9% of patients respectively, although this may reflect poor documentation rather than actual practice. For a subset of paediatric patients for which standard immunization procedures have failed, distraction techniques and conscious sedation enable immunizations to be given safely and effectively. Future research will develop protocols to streamline immunization procedures under sedation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Ventilator-associated pneumonia: Its incidence, the risk factor and drug resistance pattern in a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sourabh Mitra

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP is an infection of the lung that develops 48 h or longer after mechanical ventilation. Objectives: The present study was aimed to find out the bacteriological profile of VAP along with the resistance pattern of bacteriological isolates. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from January 2013 to May 2014 among 791 patients admitted in critical care units of our tertiary care hospital. After selection by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria endotracheal aspirates were collected from ventilated patients. Samples were subjected to further processing by Gram-staining, culture, biochemical testing and antibiogram. Results : Out of 791 patients admitted in intensive care unit in this tertiary care hospital with VAP 540 (68.2% patients were culture positive. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was most commonly isolated pathogen of both early onset and late onset VAP. In early VAP Acinetobacter baumannii showed 62.5% metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL positivity. P. aeruginosa showed 27.5% MBL positivity, whereas in late onset VAP, 71.4% A. baumannii isolates and 75.8% P. aeruginosa isolates showed MBL positivity, respectively. Conclusion : Simple prevention of aspiration, sterilization of equipments, hand washing of personnel can reduce VAP in hospital care setting.

  1. Frequency of anti hepatitis C virus antibodies amongst sanitary workers in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, A.Z.; Razzaq, K.; Ansari, J.K.; Niazzi, S.K.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequency of anti Hepatitis C Virus antibodies in sanitary workers at Military Hospital Rawalpindi and to identify additional risk factors in them for hepatitis C infection. Cross sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of medicine, Military Hospital (M.H.), Rawalpindi, Pakistan over six months. Patients and Methods: All sanitary workers working at Military Hospital Rawalpindi were tested for anti HCV antibodies by third generation ELISA. Results: Six percent of the study population was found to be positive for anti HCV antibodies. Conclusion: The frequency of anti HCV antibodies is fairly high in sanitary workers, working in this tertiary care hospital studied. HCV infection is more frequent in those sanitary workers who have longer duration of service. (author)

  2. Sexually Transmitted Infections: Experience in a Multidisciplinary Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital (2010-2013).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno-Ribera, N; Fuertes-de Vega, I; Blanco-Arévalo, J L; Bosch-Mestres, J; González-Cordón, A; Estrach-Panella, T; García-de Olalla, P; Alsina-Gibert, M

    2016-04-01

    The number of consultations for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is increasing in Spain. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the epidemiological, behavioral, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of patients registered at the STI unit of a tertiary hospital. This was a retrospective, single-center descriptive study carried out between 2010 and 2013 in a multidisciplinary unit specialized in STIs, situated in a tertiary hospital. Epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral data were gathered using a face-to-face interview and a standardized questionnaire. Samples were collected for microbiology analysis. The study included 546 patients: 96% were men, 41% had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and 56% were men who have sex with men. The reasons for consultation were the following: urethritis; genital, anal, or perianal ulcers; proctitis; oral ulcers; sexual contact with a person with a known STI; and high-risk sexual contact. The most common microbiological diagnoses were Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urethritis, Treponema pallidum in genital and anal or perianal ulcers, and Chlamydia trachomatis lymphogranuloma venereum serovars in proctitis. The highest prevalences of the main STIs studied occurred in homosexual men with HIV infection. This study confirms the increase in the incidence of STIs in recent years and the epidemiological characteristics of the HIV/STI epidemic in Spain. Copyright © 2015 AEDV. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Lithium battery lodged in the oesophagus: A report of three paediatric cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barabino, Arrigo Vittorio; Gandullia, Paolo; Vignola, Silvia; Arrigo, Serena; Zannini, Lucio; Di Pietro, Pasquale

    2015-11-01

    Over the last years the ingestion of disk batteries has become frequent in children with serious consequences. The severity of injuries is related to the growing use of new lithium batteries that may cause catastrophic damages when lodged in the oesophagus. The notes of three consecutive children with lithium batteries lodged in the oesophagus, admitted to our Institute from 2010 to 2014, were reviewed. Clinical presentation, management, and outcome were considered. The first child, a 22-month-old girl, died of a sudden exsanguination due to an aorto-oesophageal fistula. The second case, a 5-year-old boy, had an exploratory thoracotomy to exclude aortic lesion before battery removal, and a spontaneous oesophageal perforation. The third child, a 18-month-old boy, fully recovered after suffering ulcerative oesophageal burns. Lithium battery lodged in the oesophagus is a paediatric emergency requiring a multidisciplinary approach that can be implemented in a tertiary children's hospital. Copyright © 2015 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: neonatal outcomes following referral to a paediatric surgical centre.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Chukwu, J

    2012-02-01

    Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare malformation observed in approximately 1 in 3000 live births. Estimates of postnatal survival range from 50 to 70% despite advances in neonatal care. Antenatal diagnosis is associated with termination of pregnancy in 25-50% pregnancy internationally which may not be reflective of the Irish population. We aimed to evaluate the mortality of infants with CDH who survived to admission in a tertiary referral paediatric hospital between 1996 and 2007. The Hospital In-Patient Enquiry system was used to determine the number of neonatal referrals for CDH to OLHSC between 1996 and 2007. Mortality, sex distribution, length of patient stay and the number of cases per year were examined. 141 neonates with CDH were over 12 years with approximately 12 referrals per annum of which 82 (58%) were male and 59 (42%) female. The average length of stay in the hospital was 33 (range 0-364) days. Overall 71% of the patients survived to discharge. In the first epoch (1996-2001) survival was 63% compared with 78% in the later epoch (2002-7). The overall survival for neonates with CDH presenting to OLCHC during the 12 year-period was 71% although this improved to 78% in recent epoch. Further study of associated congenital anomalies, number of terminations of pregnancy, complexity of the diaphragmatic defect and degree of pulmonary hypertension are required to compare this population with other international centres.

  5. Geography does not limit optimal diabetes care: use of a tertiary centre model of care in an outreach service for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simm, Peter J; Wong, Nicole; Fraser, Lynne; Kearney, John; Fenton, Judy; Jachno, Kim; Cameron, Fergus J

    2014-06-01

    Young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus living in rural and regional Australia have previously been shown to have limited access to specialised diabetes services. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne has been running diabetes outreach clinics to Western Victoria, Australia, for over 13 years. We aim to evaluate this service by comparing the outcomes of three outreach clinics with our urban diabetes clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. We examine our tertiary, multidisciplinary team-based model of care, where visiting specialist medical staff work alongside local allied health teams. The local teams provide interim care between clinics utilising the same protocols and treatment practices as the tertiary centre. Longitudinal data encapsulating the years 2005-2010, as a cohort study with a control group, are reviewed. A total of 69 rural patients were compared with 1387 metropolitan patients. Metabolic control was comparable, with no difference in mean HbA1c (8.3%/67 mmol/mol for both groups). Treatment options varied slightly at diagnosis, while insulin pump usage was comparable between treatment settings (20.3% rural compared with 27.6% urban, P = 0.19). Of note was that the number of visits per year was higher in the rural group (3.3 per year rural compared with 2.7 urban, P < 0.001). We conclude that the outreach service is able to provide a comparable level of care when the urban model is translated to a rural setting. This model may be further able to be extrapolated to other geographic areas and also other chronic health conditions of childhood. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  6. KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS REGARDING BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG EMPLOYEES OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoj Bansal

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: A hospital is an establishment where the persons suffering with the variety of communicable and non communicable diseases are visiting to take medical care facilities. Hospitals and other healthcare establishments in India produce a significant quantity of waste, posing serious problems for its disposal, an issue that has received scant attention. Objective: To assess the level of knowledge regarding biomedical waste and its management among hospital personnel. Material and Methods: The present study was a cross sectional study carried out in a tertiary care hospital of Gwalior in year 2008. Medical, para-medical and non-medical personnel working at their current position for at least 6 months were included as study participants. Self made scoring system was used to categorize the participants as having Good, Average and Poor knowledge. Statistical Analysis: Percentage and Proportion were applied to interpret the result. Results: The score was highest for medical and least for non-medical staff. Conclusion: The present study concludes that regular training programs should be organized about the guidelines and rules of biomedical waste management at all level.

  7. Cost Burden for Accessing Paediatric Emergency Services at a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    TNHJOURNALPH

    modalities and economic impacts for accessing paediatric ... Descriptive analysis of the data was done using SPSS ... being discharged home from the emergency ... their homes to the hospital. ..... respondents could be affected by recall bias.

  8. Utilization of arterial blood gas measurements in a large tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melanson, Stacy E F; Szymanski, Trevor; Rogers, Selwyn O; Jarolim, Petr; Frendl, Gyorgy; Rawn, James D; Cooper, Zara; Ferrigno, Massimo

    2007-04-01

    We describe the patterns of utilization of arterial blood gas (ABG) tests in a large tertiary care hospital. To our knowledge, no hospital-wide analysis of ABG test utilization has been published. We analyzed 491 ABG tests performed during 24 two-hour intervals, representative of different staff shifts throughout the 7-day week. The clinician ordering each ABG test was asked to fill out a utilization survey. The most common reasons for requesting an ABG test were changes in ventilator settings (27.6%), respiratory events (26.4%), and routine (25.7%). Of the results, approximately 79% were expected, and a change in patient management (eg, a change in ventilator settings) occurred in 42% of cases. Many ABG tests were ordered as part of a clinical routine or to monitor parameters that can be assessed clinically or through less invasive testing. Implementation of practice guidelines may prove useful in controlling test utilization and in decreasing costs.

  9. Paediatric head injuries in the Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa: a developing country perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okyere-Dede, Ebenezer K; Nkalakata, Munyaradzi C; Nkomo, Tshepo; Hadley, G P; Madiba, Thandinkosi E

    2013-01-01

    We investigated the causes, management and outcome of head injuries in paediatric patients admitted to the paediatric surgery unit at King Edward VIII Hospital over a 3-year period, from 1999 to 2001. There were 506 patients (331 male; M:F ratio 2:1) and the mean age was 71.99 +36.8 months (2 weeks to 180 months). The injuries were due to: motor vehicle crashes (324); falls (121); assault (30); inadvertent injury (23); and unknown (11). Forty-nine patients (9%) were admitted with a Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8. The most common intracranial pathology on computed tomography was: intracranial haematoma/haemorrhage (44); contusion (16); and brain oedema (10). Nineteen patients (3.4%) underwent neurosurgical intervention and the rest were managed conservatively. Eighteen died in hospital (3.6%). The mean hospital stay was 5 ± 12 days. Twenty-three patients (4.5%) were discharged with neurological sequelae. Few paediatric patients are admitted with severe head injury: the majority from blunt injury caused by motor vehicle crashes. Management mainly requires simple neurological observation in a general ward with a surprisingly good prognosis. Specific protocols for paediatric head injuries have been proposed based on these findings.

  10. Impact of intervention on healthcare waste management practices in a tertiary care governmental hospital of Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapkota, Binaya; Gupta, Gopal Kumar; Mainali, Dhiraj

    2014-09-26

    Healthcare waste is produced from various therapeutic procedures performed in hospitals, such as chemotherapy, dialysis, surgery, delivery, resection of gangrenous organs, autopsy, biopsy, injections, etc. These result in the production of non-hazardous waste (75-95%) and hazardous waste (10-25%), such as sharps, infectious, chemical, pharmaceutical, radioactive waste, and pressurized containers (e.g., inhaler cans). Improper healthcare waste management may lead to the transmission of hepatitis B, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This evaluation of waste management practices was carried out at gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, medicine and orthopaedics wards at Government of Nepal Civil Service Hospital, Kathmandu from February 12 to October 15, 2013, with the permission from healthcare waste management committee at the hospital. The Individualized Rapid Assessment tool (IRAT), developed by the United Nations Development Program Global Environment Facility project, was used to collect pre-interventional and post-interventional performance scores concerning waste management. The healthcare waste management committee was formed of representing various departments. The study included responses from focal nurses and physicians from the gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, medicine and orthopaedics wards, and waste handlers during the study period. Data included average scores from 40 responders. Scores were based on compliance with the IRAT. The waste management policy and standard operating procedure were developed after interventions, and they were consistent with the national and international laws and regulations. The committee developed a plan for recycling or waste minimization. Health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and waste handlers, were trained on waste management practices. The programs included segregation, collection, handling, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste, as well as occupational health and safety issues

  11. Effect of handrubbing using locally-manufactured alcohol-based handrubs in paediatric wards in Harare, Zimbabwe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muchaneta Gudza-Mugabe

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract We assessed bacterial contamination of hands of adults present in paediatric wards in two tertiary-care hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe and the microbiologic efficacy of locally-manufactured alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR. During unannounced visits, samples were collected using hand-print and hand-rinse methods. Samples were collected from 152 individuals (16 nurses, 10 doctors, 28 students, 86 parents/guardians, 12 others. Contamination of hands with Gram-negative bacteria was found in 91% of adults tested with a mean of 14.6 CFU (hand-rinse method; IQR 3–65, representing a high risk for transmission of pathogens potentially leading to nosocomial infections. A single application of ABHR under controlled conditions achieved an average of 82% (or 0.72 log reduction in detectable counts. Amongst 49 Enterobacteriaceae isolates from hands, 53% were resistant to gentamicin and 63% were resistant to cefpodoxime. Use of ABHR represents an attractive intervention for reducing nosocomial infections in this setting.

  12. Frequency of Cardiorenal Syndrome Type-I in Hospitalized Children with Acute Heart Failure in a Tertiary-Care Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaidi, M.; Rahman, A. J.; Haque, A.; Sadqani, S.; Maheshwari, P. K.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequency of cardiorenal syndrome in hospitalized children with acute heart failure. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from December 2010 to December 2011. Methodology: Sixty eight (68) children with acute heart failure fulfilling the selection criteria were evaluated for worsening of renal function (WRF). Serum creatinine was done at baseline and repeated at 72 hours to see the worsening of renal function. Estimated serum creatinine clearance was calculated by Schwartz formula. Results: Mean age of patients was 43.6 +- 55.2 months. There were 43 (63%) males, 70% were under 57 months of age. Mean weight on admission was 14.7 +- 19.13 kg and mean height was 83 cm (+- 31.08 SD). Mean serum creatinine on admission was 0.77 mg/dl (+- 1.18 SD). Worsening renal function was noted in 55 (81%) of children, out of those, majority 36 (70.5%) were under 5 years of age. Conclusion: Worsening renal function was found in 81% of children admitted with the diagnosis of acute heart failure. Majority (70.5%) were under 5 years of age indicating a closer observation of renal status in younger age group to reduce, morbidity and mortality. (author)

  13. Screening of HBsAg and anti HCV from tertiary care, private and public sector hospitals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, R.A.W.; Ahmed, W.; Alam, S.E.; Arif, A

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: To find out the frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C antibodies in patients referred from a tertiary care public sector hospital, other public sector and private hospitals of Karachi. Settings and duration: Pakistan Medical Research Council's Specialized Research Centre for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi from January to December 2009. Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted where patients were referred from different departments of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (tertiary care public sector hospital), other public sector hospitals, private hospitals and clinics for the screening of hepatitis B and C virus infection. Three ml blood was collected from each patient, serum separated and tested for HBsAg and Anti HCV using Abbott Murex fourth Generation ELISA kits. Results: A total of 2965 cases were referred in a year. Overall sero prevalence of HBsAg and Anti-HCV was 5.9% and 12.8% respectively. HBsAg positivity in patient referred from public sector hospitals was 5.8%, those from private hospitals/clinics were 7.2%, and self-referred patients was 5.6%. Anti HCV positivity rates amongst these cases were 12.5%, 16.7% and 8.5% respectively. Co-infection of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus was seen in 0.9, 2.5 and 1.4% cases respectively. Breakdown of viral positivity within different departments of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi showed HBsAg positivity of 7.1% in Medical department, 5.2% in Surgical department, 5.0% in Gynaecology department, 6.6% in other departments of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre while, only 1.7% were positive from Pakistan Railway, hospital Anti HCV positivity was maximally (20.3%) seen in medical department followed by 14% in other departments, 10.9% in surgical department, 7.9% in gynaecology and 5.1% in railway hospital. Co-infection of HBV and HCV was seen in 2% cases referred from medical department, while rest of the

  14. Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri in a tertiary hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V S Tshisevhe

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents in pathogenic bacteria is a significant public health threat, as there are limited effective antimicrobial agents for infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR bacteria. Several MDR bacteria are now frequently detected. Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is often plasmid mediated, necessitating stringent infection control practices. We describe an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri involving 4 patients admitted to intensive care and high-care units at a tertiary hospital. Clinical and demographic characteristics of 4 patients with carbapenem-resistant P. rettgeri were documented. All P. rettgeri isolated in these cases had a carbapenem-resistant antibiogram, with resistance to imipenem, ertapenem and meropenem. These cases could be epidemiologically linked. A multiprong approach, simultaneously targeting antibiotic stewardship, universal precautions and appropriate transmission-based precaution practices, is integral to prevention and control of nosocomial infections.

  15. Implementation of pharmacists’ interventions and assessment of medication errors in an intensive care unit of a Chinese tertiary hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang SP

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Sai-Ping Jiang,1,* Jian Chen,2,* Xing-Guo Zhang,1 Xiao-Yang Lu,1 Qing-Wei Zhao1 1Department of Pharmacy, 2Intensive Care Unit, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Pharmacist interventions and medication errors potentially differ between the People’s Republic of China and other countries. This study aimed to report interventions administered by clinical pharmacists and analyze medication errors in an intensive care unit (ICU in a tertiary hospital in People’s Republic of China.Method: A prospective, noncomparative, 6-month observational study was conducted in a general ICU of a tertiary hospital in the People’s Republic of China. Clinical pharmacists performed interventions to prevent or resolve medication errors during daily rounds and documented all of these interventions and medication errors. Such interventions and medication errors were categorized and then analyzed.Results: During the 6-month observation period, a total of 489 pharmacist interventions were reported. Approximately 407 (83.2% pharmacist interventions were accepted by ICU physicians. The incidence rate of medication errors was 124.7 per 1,000 patient-days. Improper drug frequency or dosing (n=152, 37.3%, drug omission (n=83, 20.4%, and potential or actual occurrence of adverse drug reaction (n=54, 13.3% were the three most commonly committed medication errors. Approximately 339 (83.4% medication errors did not pose any risks to the patients. Antimicrobials (n=171, 35.0% were the most frequent type of medication associated with errors.Conclusion: Medication errors during prescription frequently occurred in an ICU of a tertiary hospital in the People’s Republic of China. Pharmacist interventions were also efficient in preventing medication errors. Keywords: pharmacist, medication error, preva­lence rate, type, severity, intensive care

  16. Challenges of safe medication practice in paediatric care--a nursing perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Star, Kristina; Nordin, Karin; Pöder, Ulrika; Edwards, I Ralph

    2013-05-01

    To explore nurses' experiences of handling medications in paediatric clinical practice, with a focus on factors that hinder and facilitate safe medication practices. Twenty nurses (registered nurses) from four paediatric wards at two hospitals in Sweden were interviewed in focus groups. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. Six themes emerged from the analysed interviews: the complexity specific for nurses working on paediatric wards is a hindrance to safe medication practices; nurses' concerns about medication errors cause a considerable psychological burden; the individual nurse works hard for safe medication practices and values support from other nurse colleagues; circumstances out of the ordinary are perceived as critical challenges for maintaining patient safety; nurses value clear instructions, guidelines and routines, but these are often missing, variable or changeable; management, other medical professionals, the pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry and informatics support need to respond to the requirements of the nurses' working situations to improve safe medication practices. Weaknesses were apparent in the long chain of the medication-delivery process. A joint effort by different professions involved in that delivery process, and a nationwide collaboration between hospitals is recommended to increase safe medication practices in paediatric care. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Ethics consultation in paediatric and adult emergency departments: an assessment of clinical, ethical, learning and resource needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colaco, Keith A; Courtright, Alanna; Andreychuk, Sandra; Frolic, Andrea; Cheng, Ji; Kam, April Jacqueline

    2018-01-01

    We sought to understand ethics and education needs of emergency nurses and physicians in paediatric and adult emergency departments (EDs) in order to build ethics capacity and provide a foundation for the development of an ethics education programme. This was a prospective cross-sectional survey of all staff nurses and physicians in three tertiary care EDs. The survey tool, called Clinical Ethics Needs Assessment Survey, was pilot tested on a similar target audience for question content and clarity. Of the 123 participants surveyed, 72% and 84% of nurses and physicians fully/somewhat agreed with an overall positive ethical climate, respectively. 69% of participants reported encountering daily or weekly ethical challenges. Participants expressed the greatest need for additional support to address moral distress (16%), conflict management with patients or families (16%) and resource issues (15%). Of the 23 reported occurrences of moral distress, 61% were associated with paediatric mental health cases. When asked how the ethics consultation service could be used in the ED, providing education to teams (42%) was the most desired method. Nurses report a greater need for ethics education and resources compared with their physician colleagues. Ethical challenges in paediatric EDs are more prevalent than adult EDs and nurses voice specific moral distress that are different than adult EDs. These results highlight the need for a suitable educational strategy, which can be developed in collaboration with the leadership of each ED and team of hospital ethicists. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  18. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Health Seeking Behaviour of patients at a tertiary care hospital.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aman Deep

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia is a widely prevalent conditionaffecting elderly men throughout the world. With increasinglife expectancy, there has been a rise in the percentage ofelderly men and so for this disease across the globe. There islack of information about health seeking behaviour of patientswith Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Therefore the study wasdesigned with the objectives of assessing health-seekingbehaviour and the effect of literacy on it among adult andolder subjects suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasiaattending a tertiary care hospital.MethodA series of 81 patients suffering from Benign ProstaticHyperplasia above the age of 50 years, attending surgical OutPatient Department of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, wereassessed for their health seeking behaviour using a pre-testedand a modified questionnaire designed for assessing healthseeking behaviour.ResultsPositive health seeking behaviour of patients was observed in44%, who reported to a doctor within a month of noticingtheir problem. A greater proportion of the literates was awareabout the symptoms suggestive of enlarged prostate andconsulted a qualified health care practitioner as their firstaction. More literates approached the higher level of healthcare facility on being referred and had maximum faith inallopathic system of medicine. Also, lesser number of literateshad performed pooja (Hindi word for worship or othertraditional rituals for relief of their problems.ConclusionWe concluded that majority of subjects suffering fromBenign Prostatic Hypertrophy were not aware of theirdisease and their health-seeking behaviour was poor andcould be related to literacy. Our data highlights the needfor public awareness program targeting the younger malepopulation so that early detection and treatment can beoffered.

  19. Clinical response and hospital costs associated with the empirical use of vancomycin and linezolid for hospital-acquired pneumonia in a Chinese tertiary care hospital: a retrospective cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Song Y

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Yuanlin Song,1,* Yicheng Yang,2,* Wendong Chen,3,4 Wei Liu,2 Kai Wang,2 Xuehai Li,5 Ke Wang,2 Manny Papadimitropoulos,3,6 William Montgomery7 1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 2Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Shanghai Branch, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 3Division of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 4Normin Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5VitalStrategic Research Institute, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 6Global Health Outcomes Research, Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 7Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd, West Ryde, NSW, Australia *These authors contributed equally to this work Aims: To evaluate clinical outcomes and allocation of hospital costs associated with empirical use of vancomycin or linezolid for hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP in the People's Republic of China. Methods: Hospital episodes including HAP treated by vancomycin or linezolid between 2008 and 2012 in a Chinese tertiary care hospital were retrospectively identified from hospital administrative databases. Propensity score methods created best-matched pairs for the antibiotics. The matched pairs were used for adjusted comparisons on clinical response and allocation of hospital costs. Multiple regression analyses adjusting residual imbalance after matching were performed to confirm adjusted comparisons. Results: Sixty matched pairs were created. Adjusted comparisons between vancomycin and linezolid showed similar clinical response rates (clinical cure: 30.0% versus 31.7%, respectively; P=0.847; treatment failure: 55.0% versus 45.0%, respectively; P=0.289 but a significantly lower in-hospital mortality rate for vancomycin (3.3% versus 18.3%, respectively; P=0.013. After further adjusting for the imbalanced variables between matched treatment groups, the risks of treatment failure associated with the two antibiotics were comparable (odds ratio: 1.139; P=0.308 and there was

  20. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia at a tertiary teaching hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheong, I; Samsudin, L M; Law, G H

    1996-01-01

    Between July and December 1994, 25 patients with MRSA bacteraemia were treated at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur, a tertiary hospital in Malaysia with 3000 beds. The patients included 15 males and 10 females whose mean age was 46.7 years (range 13-75). The sources of their MRSA were: Urology/Nephrology, 11; General ICU, six; Orthopaedic, four; Medicine, three; Surgery, one. Their underlying diseases were: end-stage and chronic renal failure, 11; burns, three; acute necrotising pancreatitis, two; haematological malignancies, two; and one each of fracture of the neck of the femur, pustular psoriasis, alcoholic cirrhosis, liver abscess, peptic ulcer (antrectomy), choledochol cyst, and abdominal aneurysm with gangrene of the legs. Six patients were also diabetic. A total of 19 infections were considered nosocomial. The duration of hospital stay ranged from one to 60 days, mean 16 days. On the day of blood culture, 20 patients (80%) were febrile and 15(60%) had leucocytosis. A total of 14 patients were considered to have received prolonged broad-spectrum antibiotics before the bacteraemia; of these, 11 had had either a third-generation cephalosporin and/or a quinolone. The primary foci of infection were: vascular access dialysis catheters, six; infected AV fistulae, three; non-surgical wounds, five; orthopaedic pin, one; multiple venous lines and catheters, nine; unknown, one. The sensitivities to anti-MRSA antibiotics were: vancomycin, 100%; fusidic acid, 96%; rifampicin, 96%; ciprofloxacin and perfloxacin 28% each. In all, 13 patients (52%) eventually died; nine of these deaths were directly attributed to MRSA bacteraemia. The microbiological eradication rate was 88%. Mortality was significantly associated with duration of hospital stay and failure to remove the infected catheters/peripheral lines after the development of MRSA bacteraemia.

  1. Improving paediatric and neonatal care in rural district hospitals in the highlands of Papua New Guinea: a quality improvement approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sa'avu, Martin; Duke, Trevor; Matai, Sens

    2014-05-01

    In developing countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG), district hospitals play a vital role in clinical care, training health-care workers, implementing immunization and other public health programmes and providing necessary data on disease burdens and outcomes. Pneumonia and neonatal conditions are a major cause of child admission and death in hospitals throughout PNG. Oxygen therapy is an essential component of the management of pneumonia and neonatal conditions, but facilities for oxygen and care of the sick newborn are often inadequate, especially in district hospitals. Improving this area may be a vehicle for improving overall quality of care. A qualitative study of five rural district hospitals in the highlands provinces of Papua New Guinea was undertaken. A structured survey instrument was used by a paediatrician and a biomedical technician to assess the quality of paediatric care, the case-mix and outcomes, resources for delivery of good-quality care for children with pneumonia and neonatal illnesses, existing oxygen systems and equipment, drugs and consumables, infection-control facilities and the reliability of the electricity supply to each hospital. A floor plan was drawn up for the installation of the oxygen concentrators and a plan for improving care of sick neonates, and a process of addressing other priorities was begun. In remote parts of PNG, many district hospitals are run by under-resourced non-government organizations. Most hospitals had general wards in which both adults and children were managed together. Paediatric case-loads ranged between 232 and 840 patients per year with overall case-fatality rates (CFR) of 3-6% and up to 15% among sick neonates. Pneumonia accounts for 28-37% of admissions with a CFR of up to 8%. There were no supervisory visits by paediatricians, and little or no continuing professional development of staff. Essential drugs were mostly available, but basic equipment for the care of sick neonates was often absent or

  2. Movie making as a cognitive distraction for paediatric patients receiving radiotherapy treatment: qualitative interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrimpton, Bradley J M; Willis, David J; Tongs, Cáthal D; Rolfo, Aldo G

    2013-01-16

    To establish the outcomes achieved by using an innovative movie-making programme designed to reduce fear of radiotherapy among paediatric patients. Qualitative descriptive evaluation based on semistructured, qualitative interviews with purposeful sampling and thematic analysis. Tertiary Cancer Centre. 20 parents of paediatric patients who had produced a movie of their radiation therapy experience and were in a follow-up phase of cancer management. Participants attributed a broad range of outcomes to the movie-making program. These included that the programme had helped reduce anxiety and distress exhibited by paediatric patients and contributed to a willingness to receive treatment. Other outcomes were that the completed movies had been used in school reintegration and for maintaining social connections. Allowing children to create a video of their experience of radiotherapy provided a range of benefits to paediatric patients that varied according to their needs. For some patients, movie-making offered a valuable medium for overcoming fear of the unknown as well as increasing understanding of treatment processes. For others, the development of a personalised video offered an important cognitive/attentional distraction through engaging with an age-appropriate activity. Together these outcomes helped children maintain self-control and a positive outlook.

  3. Distribution of HIV among pregnant women visiting a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish Rijal

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To explore the distribution of HIV among the pregnant women visiting a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu. Methods: A total of 1 440 blood samples from pregnant women were collected and tested for antiHIV antibodies using rapid screening assay kits and ELISA in Paropakar Maternity and Women ’s Hospital during May to November, 2011. Results: The overall sero-prevalence of HIV among pregnant women was 0.62%, the prevalence being highest (1.4% in age group 35-39 years old, and during second trimester of gestation (0.75%. Similarly, it was found to be highest among the illiterates (1.92%, commercial sex worker (10.00% and those having multiple sexual partners (30.00%. Conclusions: Sero-prevalence of HIV infection was higher among the pregnant women of Kathmandu.

  4. Birth preparedness and complication readiness in pregnant women attending urban tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasundhara Kamineni

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR is a strategy to promote the timely use of skilled maternal and neonatal care and is based on the theory that preparing for childbirth and being ready for complications reduce delay in obtaining care. Study Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence and predictors of birth preparedness, knowledge on danger signs, and emergency readiness among pregnant women attending outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital. Patients and Methods: Six hundred pregnant women attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital for the first time in an urban setting were interviewed using a tool adapted from the “Monitoring BP/CR-tools and indicators for maternal and new born health” of the “JHPIEGO.” The outcomes of the study were birth preparedness, knowledge of severe illness, and emergency readiness. Results: Six hundred pregnant women were in the study. Mean age of respondents was 25.2 (±4 years. The mean gestation at enrolment was 18.7 ± 8 weeks. Among the women who participated in the survey, 20% were illiterate, 70% were homemakers and nearly 70% had a monthly family income >Rs. 15,197 (n = 405. Three hundred and sixteen mothers (52% were primigravida. As defined in the study, 71.5% were birth prepared. However, 59 women (9.8% did not identify a place of delivery, 102 (17% had not started saving money, and 99 mothers (16.5% were not aware of purchasing materials needed for delivery. The predictors of birth preparedness are multiparity (odds ratio [OR]: 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–3.1, registration in the antenatal clinic in the first trimester (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 2.2–6.1, educational status of women (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2–3.0, and pregnancy supervison by a doctor (OR: 5, 95% CI: 2.8–6.6. One hundred and sixty-four women (27% made no arrangements in the event of an emergency, 376 women (63% were not aware of their blood group

  5. [How do Turkish immigrants evaluate cultural sensitivity in a German tertiary hospital?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giese, Arnd; Uyar, Müberra; Henning, Bernhard F; Uslucan, Haci H; Westhoff, Timm; Pagonas, Nikolaos

    2015-01-01

    Culturally adequate medical care is a goal in Germany, but quantitative data concerning inpatients is lacking. Inpatients of a German tertiary hospital: Turkish migrants (T) and Germans (G) were interviewed in their respective native language. 121 T and 121 G were interviewed. 97.5% of T were Muslims, 82.6% of G were Christians. 88.5% of T judged religion as "important" or "very important" (G: 35.8%). 50.8% of T saw their opportunity to pray in the hospital as "bad" or "very bad" (G: 0.9%). Keeping to Islamic dietary rules in the hospital was "difficult" or "very difficult" for 90% of T. For 79.0% of female T care by a same-sex staff was "important" or "very important" (female G: 36.3%, male T: 40.0%, male G: 7.7%). The presence of a same-sex person during examinations or treatments was "much" or "very much" appreciated by 69.7% of female T, if same-sex care was impossible (female G: 25.4%, male T: 28.9%, male G: 6.1%). A retrospective analysis revealed that 5.8% of all 8988 hospital admissions during the period of study recruitment were Turkish migrants. To meet the needs of Turkish migrants German hospitals should improve the opportunity for Muslims to pray. Additionally, the cooperation with local imams should be sought. Precise descriptions of food ingredients or an adapted menu could help T to deal with Muslim dietary commandments. A culturally sensitive hospital should take into account that female as well as male T prefer to be cared of by same-sex physicians and nurses. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart.

  6. Noise and room acoustic conditions in a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeong, Cheol-Ho; Cho, Wan-Ho; Chang, Ji-ho

    2018-01-01

    Noise levels and room acoustic parameters at a tertiary referral hospital, Seoul National University Hospital in Korea, are investigated. Through a questionnaire, acoustically problematic rooms are identified. Noise levels in emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) are measured over...... level for the first night was 66 dBA, which came down to 56 dBA for the next day. The reason for the higher noise level for the first night in the ICU was frequent alarm sound and treatment noise related to a critical patient. The noise level in the measured ERs is about 10 dB lower than those measured...... about three days. Acoustically critical and problematic rooms in the otolaryngology department are measured: examination rooms, operating rooms, nurse stations, patient rooms, and audiometric rooms. The equivalent A-weighted noise level, LAeq, ranges from 54 to 56 dBA in two ERs. In an ICU, the noise...

  7. Are tuberculosis patients in a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad, India being managed according to national guidelines?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Kumar Kondapaka

    Full Text Available SETTING: A tertiary health care facility (Government General and Chest hospital in Hyderabad, India. OBJECTIVES: To assess a the extent of compliance of specialists to standardized national (RNTCP tuberculosis management guidelines and b if patients on discharge from hospital were being appropriately linked up with peripheral health facilities for continuation of anti-Tuberculosis (TB treatment. METHODS: A descriptive study using routine programme data and involving all TB patients admitted to inpatient care from 1(st January to 30(th June, 2010. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There were a total of 3120 patients admitted of whom, 1218 (39% required anti-TB treatment. Of these 1104 (98% were treated with one of the RNTCP recommended regimens, while 28 (2% were treated with non-RNTCP regimens. The latter included individually tailored MDR-TB treatment regimens for 19 patients and adhoc regimens for nine patients. A total of 957 (86% patients were eventually discharged from the hospital of whom 921 (96% had a referral form filled for continuing treatment at a peripheral health facility. Formal feedback from peripheral health facilities on continuation of TB treatment was received for 682 (74% patients. In a tertiary health facility with specialists the great majority of TB patients are managed in line with national guidelines. However a number of short-comings were revealed and measures to rectify these are discussed.

  8. Frequency of causes of primary postpartum haemorrhage in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munir, S.I.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To study the frequency of causes of primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in women managed in a tertiary care Hospital. material and Methods: The study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit - 1, Lady Willingdon Hospital King Edward Medical University, Lahore from July 2013 to December 2013. All the women having postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal delivery in the labour room or referred with primary postpartum haemorrhage were included in the study and were evaluated to see the frequency of postpartum haemorrhage as well as the causes of PPH in women being treated in a tertiary care unit. Results: During the study period 1344 women delivered in unit I and 250 patients developed postpartum haemorrhage giving frequency of primary postpartum haemorrhage 18.60%. Majority of the women 29.6% (n = 74) were between 26 - 30 years of age, mean and SD was 28.43 ± 4.76 years. The gestation of 55.2% (n = 138) patients was between 37 - 40 weeks. The frequency of postpartum haemorrhage in booked women during antenatal period was recorded as 25.2% (n = 63) while 74.8% (n = 187) were not booked in any health facility. Among patients who developed PPH, uterine atony was the most common cause 57.6% (n = 144), followed by genital tract teats which was 29.2% (n = 73). The rest of the causes of PPH were retained placenta in 10% (n = 25), uterine rupture in 3.6% (n = 9) and uterine inversion in 1.6% (n = 4). Conclusions: Postpartum haemorrhage is still a leading but preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in our country due to under utilization of health facilities, the major cause is uterine atony followed by perineal tears. (author)

  9. Varied presentations of moyamoya disease in a tertiary care hospital of north-east India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Papori Borah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Moyamoya disease is a chronic progressive cerebrovascular disorder, characterized by stenosis or occlusion of bilateral internal carotid arteries (ICAs, anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs and middle cerebral arteries (MCAs, accompanied by a collateral network of vessels formed at the base of the brain. Ischemia and intracranial hemorrhage are the common typical manifestations. However moyamoya disease has been associated with atypical presentations like headache, seizures and involuntary movements. Although frequently reported from Asian countries like Japan, China and Korea, only few studies reported on clinical manifestations of moyamoya disease from India. Objectives: To study the varied presentations of moyamoya disease in a tertiary care hospital of north-east India. Material and Methods: Relevant investigations were done to rule out other causes of moyamoya syndrome. Results: We report 6 cases of moyamoya disease with varied presentations from a tertiary care referral government hospital. Case 1, 2 and 6 presented with alternating hemiparesis. Case 3 had amaurosis fugax. Case 4 had history suggestive of ischemic stroke and presented with hemichorea. Case 4 had focal seizure as the only manifestation. Cases 4 and 5 notably had stenosis of posterior cerebral artery (PCA in addition to stenosis of bilateral ICAs, ACAs and MCAs. Conclusion: Owing to its low incidence in India, moyamoya disease is easily overlooked as a possible diagnosis. However, because of its progressive nature, it is imperative to diagnose this disease early and offer surgical treatment to the patients.

  10. Fungal Profile of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalaiarasan, Krishnapriya; Singh, Rakesh; Chaturvedula, Latha

    2017-03-01

    Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) is a common medical health problem of adult women. It is most commonly caused by Candida albicans . But there is a change in fungal profile. Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA) is the most common culture medium used where mixed fungal infection may be missed. It can be detected easily by using chromogenic culture medium. To know the fungal profile of vulvovaginal candidiasis using Candida CHROMagar and antifungal susceptibility pattern in patients attending tertiary care hospital. Culture confirmed cases of VVC presented at Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India, from July 2015 to December 2015 were included in the cross-sectional study. Two high vaginal swabs were collected and inoculated on SDA and Candida CHROMagar (Hi-Media, Mumbai, India). After overnight incubation the colonies were counted and colour of the colonies were recorded from Candida CHROMagar. Candida spp. were identified by sugar fermentation and assimilation tests and other conventional tests. Antifungal susceptibility tests were performed by the disc diffusion method using fluconazole (25 μg) and voriconazole (1μg) as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI - M44-A2) guidelines. A total of 50 culture confirmed (23.7%) cases were detected from 211 clinically suspected VVC cases. Candida glabrata (45.1%) was the most common isolate, followed by Candida tropicalis (23.5%) , Candida albicans (17.6%) , Candida krusei (9.8%) and Candida parapsilosis (3.9%) . One mixed infection of C. glabrata and C. albicans was identified on Candida CHROMagar. Mixed fungal infection was observed in 2% of positive culture and 0.5% of VVC cases. The antifungal susceptibility testing revealed that 15.7% and 9.8% isolates of Candida spp. were resistant and Susceptible Dose Dependent (S-DD) respectively to fluconazole. The increase resistant against fluconazole was because of

  11. Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Its Predisposing Causes among Women Undergoing Antenatal Checkup at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Allahabad

    OpenAIRE

    Shweta Rajput1; Manish Kumar Singh2

    2016-01-01

    "Background: Anaemia is a major health problem affecting about 50% of pregnant women and associated with poor pregnancy outcome. Objective: To know the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy and its determinants Method: A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out among 400 pregnant women aged >16 years and and #8804; 45 years with sin-gleton pregnancy attending antenatal care clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Allahabad over a period of 1 year 8 months. ...

  12. Analysis of doctor-patient relationship status and its influencing factors of the tertiary hospital in Suzhou

    OpenAIRE

    Bing-yi WANG; Teng XIA; Xiao-tian YAN; Yi-cheng SHEN; Jia-ning WANG; Ya-na MA

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the relationship between doctors and patients in Suzhou, we focused on exploring the factors of doctor-patient communication, and strived to deepen the doctor-patient communication skills and knowledge. Method: Questionnaire survey was carried out in comprehensive tertiary-class hospitals in Suzhou , adopting the method of random sampling, respectively on patients and doctors. Results: 593 valid questionnaires were from both doctors and patients. The doctors thought ...

  13. Paediatric Interventional Uroradiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnacle, Alex M.; Wilkinson, A. Graham; Roebuck, Derek J.

    2011-01-01

    Paediatric interventional uroradiology lies at the intersection of the disciplines of paediatric interventional radiology and paediatric endourology. Interdisciplinary collaboration has led to the development of new techniques and refinement of procedures adopted from adult practice. This article reviews the major procedures used in paediatric interventional uroradiology, with emphasis on nephrostomy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, balloon-burst pyeloplasty, and antegrade ureteric stenting.

  14. Biomedical waste management: Study on the awareness and practice among healthcare workers in a tertiary teaching hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L Joseph

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Bio-medical waste has a higher potential of infection and injury to the healthcare worker, patient and the surrounding community. Awareness programmes on their proper handling and management to healthcare workers can prevent the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics. This study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital to assess the impact of training, audits and education/implementations from 2009 to 2012 on awareness and practice of biomedical waste segregation. Our study reveals focused training, strict supervision, daily surveillance, audits inspections, involvement of hospital administrators and regular appraisals are essential to optimise the segregation of biomedical waste.

  15. Biomedical waste management: study on the awareness and practice among healthcare workers in a tertiary teaching hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, L; Paul, H; Premkumar, J; Paul, R; Michael, J S

    2015-01-01

    Bio-medical waste has a higher potential of infection and injury to the healthcare worker, patient and the surrounding community. Awareness programmes on their proper handling and management to healthcare workers can prevent the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics. This study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital to assess the impact of training, audits and education/implementations from 2009 to 2012 on awareness and practice of biomedical waste segregation. Our study reveals focused training, strict supervision, daily surveillance, audits inspections, involvement of hospital administrators and regular appraisals are essential to optimise the segregation of biomedical waste.

  16. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery - Vol 10, No 2 (2013)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Histopathological review of breast tumours in children and adolescents in Delta ... of early and late oral feeding in intestinal anastomosis surgeries in children ... Paediatric urologic pathologies at the national teaching hospital in Cotonou: A ...

  17. Can drawing be considered a projective measure for children's distress in paediatric dentistry?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aminabadi, Naser Asl; Ghoreishizadeh, Arezoo; Ghoreishizadeh, Mohammadali; Oskouei, Sina Ghertasi

    2011-01-01

    Several tools have been developed for the measurement of emotional status of the child in paediatric dental clinics including nonverbal self-report techniques. Subjective methods like drawing and Child Drawing: Hospital (CD:H) score have recently been applied in hospitalized children. Studies, however, have not attempted to analyse children's drawings as an aid to investigate the subjective feelings of children in paediatric dental settings. To assess drawing as a measure for child's distress in paediatric dental settings. Fifty-four children, aged 4-11 years, participated in this study. After finishing the first therapeutic session, the child was instructed to draw a picture of a person in a dental clinic. The pictures were scored using CD:H score sheet and the findings were compared with SEM and Frankl scores. CD:H was correlated with both Frankl (correlation coefficient = -0.550) and SEM (correlation coefficient = +0.483) scales (P Drawing is a useful measure of children's emotional status in dental settings in a way that is easier, familiar and more enjoyable for the child patient. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2010 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Paediatric dose measurements for chest X-ray examinations at Maternity and Children Hospital in Najran - Saudi Arabia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saeed, M.K.; Al-Qahtani, J.M.

    2012-01-01

    The entrance skin dose (ESD) of chest X-ray examinations for AP and PA projections of paediatric patients at Maternity and Children Hospital in Najran, Saudi Arabia have been obtained using DoseCal software. The majority of the results obtained show low measured ESD for chest X-ray examinations. The mean of ESD for the AP projection was found to be 37.5, 40.5, 41.3, and 52.3μGy for age groups 0−1, >1−5, >5−10, and >10−15 years respectively. However, the ESD for PA projection was found to be 50.7 and 56.7μGy for age groups >5−10, and >10−15 years respectively.

  19. [Current status of job burnout in clinical nurses in a grade A tertiary hospital and related influencing factors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, L Y; Fan, C L; Wang, L G; Tao, T; Gao, W B; Li, Y H

    2017-10-20

    Objective: To investigate the current status of job burnout in clinical nurses in a grade A tertiary hospitalin Shaoxing,China and related influencing factors. Methods: In October 2016, the Nursing Burnout Scale (NBS)was used for the investigation of 304 clinical nurses in a grade A tertiary hospital.The contents of the investigation included general data(including age,education background,working years,marital status, frequency of night shifts,professional title, and way of employment), characteristics of working environment,burnout, personality characteristics,coping strategy,and psychosomatic symptoms.SPSS 18.0 was used to conduct Pearson correlation analysis of the scores of each dimension of NBS. A multivariate regression analysis was performed with the demographic features of clinical nurses as the independent variable and the scores of each dimension of NBS as the dependent variable. Results: Among the clinical nurses in this grade A tertiary hospital, the incidence rate of severe burnout was 74%.The Pearson correlation analysis showed that burnout,pessimistic personality,negative coping,and psychosomatic symptoms were positively correlated with working environment( r =0.530,0.316,0.116,and 0.502); pessimistic personality and psychosomatic symptoms were positively correlated with burnout( r =0.618 and 0.675); psychosomatic symptoms were positively correlated withpessimistic personality( r =0.540); negative coping was negatively correlated with pessimistic personality( r =-0.145).The multivariate linear regression analysis showed that department(Department of Internal Medicine or Department of Surgery, B =-0.364 and -0.428)and frequency of night shifts(burnout; 1 - 3 working years( B =-0.238)was an influencing factor for the score of pessimistic personality; married state,1 - 3 working years,and department (Department of Internal Medicine or Department of Surgery)were influencing factors for the score of psychosomatic symptoms( B =0.263,-0.301,-0.322,and -0

  20. Clowning as a supportive measure in paediatrics - a survey of clowns, parents and nursing staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkmann, Claus; Siem, Anna-Katharina; Wessolowski, Nino; Schulte-Markwort, Michael

    2013-10-10

    Hospital clowns, also known as clown doctors, can help paediatric patients with the stress of a hospitalization and to circumvent the accompanying feelings of fear, helplessness and sadness, thus supporting the healing process. The objectives of the present study were to clarify the structural and procedural conditions of paediatric clowning in Germany and to document the evaluations of hospital clowns, parents and hospital staff. A nationwide online survey of hospital clowns currently active in paediatric departments and an accompanying field evaluation in Hamburg hospitals with surveys of parents and hospital staff were conducted. In addition to items developed specifically for the study regarding general conditions, procedures, assessments of effects and attitudes, the Work Satisfaction Scale was used. The sample included n = 87 hospital clowns, 37 parents and 43 hospital staff members. The online survey showed that the hospital clowns are well-trained, motivated and generally satisfied with their work. By their own estimate, they primarily boost morale and promote imagination in the patients. However, hospital clowns also desire better interdisciplinary collaboration and financial security as well as more recognition of their work. The Hamburg field study confirmed the positive results of the clown survey. According to the data, a clown intervention boosts morale and reduces stress in the patients. Moreover, there are practically no side effects. Both parents and hospital staff stated that the patients as well as they themselves benefited from the intervention. The results match those of previous studies and give a very positive picture of hospital clowning, so that its routine use and expansion thereof can be recommended. Furthermore, the intervention should be subject to the rules of evidence-based medicine like other medical treatments.

  1. Costing of severe pneumonia in hospitalized infants and children aged 2-36 months, at a secondary and tertiary level hospital of a not-for-profit organization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Helle Ostergaard; Hanehøj, Malin; Das, Ashima Rani

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To determine health care provider cost and household cost of the treatment of severe pneumonia in infants and young children admitted to secondary and tertiary level health care facilities. METHODS: The study was done in a private, not-for-profit medical college hospital, in Vellore...... comprised travel, accommodation and special food during the period of illness, and indirect costs of productivity loss for family members. Patient specific resource consumption and related charges were recorded from charts, nursing records, pharmacy lists and hospital bills, and the providers view point...

  2. Litigation in paediatrics

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Murphu, JFA

    2011-03-01

    on the issue. This is understandable. Most individuals are healthy during their childhood and have less need of and less interaction with medical services when compared with adults. However, Paediatric litigation does happen and furthermore it is likely to increase in parallel with other specialties. Carroll and Buddenbaum1 have described the pattern of Paediatric litigation in the US. The annual incidence of malpractice claims has been quoted to be as high as 6.6 claims per 100 Paediatricians per year. Almost 30% of Paediatricians have been sued with many being sued on more than one occasion. Of these cases 36% were settled out of court, 33% were dropped by the plaintiff with the remainder going before the judiciary. The authors point out that in the US medical malpractice is a hotly debated issue. Litigation has a questionable impact on health care quality, cost, and access to services. The AMA believes that rising premiums are resulting in the curtailment of medical care particularly in states with high medico-legal rates. The Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA) is a trade organisation which insures 60% of all private practicing physicians and surgeons has been a useful source of data. In the 20 year period 1985-2005 among a total of 214,226 claims there were 6363 (2.9%) Paediatric claims which ranked it 10th among the 28 specialties covered. The claims arose in equal numbers from the hospital and Paediatrician’s office settings. Common reasons for Paediatric litigation were errors in diagnosis (32%), incorrect performance of a medical or surgical procedure (13%), failure to monitor or manage a case effectively (10%) and medication error (5%). The top five medico-legal conditions were meningitis, routine infant or child checks, newborn respiratory problems, appendicitis and brain-damaged infants as a co-defendant with Obstetrics. Good quality information about litigation is important because the discussion among doctors is frequently confused by

  3. Epidemiological profile of Road Traffic Accidents reporting at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S D Kandpal

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Accidents occur not only due to ignorance but also due to carelessness, thoughtlessness and over confidence. Human, vehicle and environmental factors play roles before, during and after a trauma event. Accidents, therefore, can best studied in terms of agent, host and environmental factors and epidemiologically classified into time, place and person distribution. Objective:  To know the epidemiology of Road Traffic Injuries as seen in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Himalayan Hospital.  Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done among patients of RTA admitted at a Tertiary Care Centre. A pretested semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect necessary information regarding the time, place and the person involved in the accident. Descriptive statistics for continuous variables and frequency, percentage for categorical variables were determined. Results: There was a marked male preponderance (83.24% with maximum involvement of younger age groups. Most of the accidents had taken place in the evening hours (6 pm -12 midnight. Accidents were equally distributed throughout the year. Conclusion: Majority of the patients of RTI belonged to 21 to 30 years age group. Males out-numbered females victims.

  4. Perfil populacional de pacientes com disartria atendidos em hospital terciário Populational profile of dysarthric patients assisted in a tertiary hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariella Fornachari Ribeiro

    2009-01-01

    patients assisted in a tertiary hospital, and to present the most frequent speech disorders found in this population. METHODS: A specific protocol proposed for dysarthric patients was applied, gathering data through tasks that evaluate breathing, phonation, resonance, articulation, and prosody. Sixty protocols applied to patients evaluated at the Communication Disorders Ambulatory of the institution were the study took place were randomly selected for analysis. Data was descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: Regarding the populational profile of the dysarthric patients attended at a tertiary hospital, it was observed prevalence of male subjects, mostly aged from 20 to 50 years. The most common types of dysarthria were flaccid and unilateral upper motor neuron. Stroke was the most prevalent etiology for this speech disorder. Regarding the motor bases evaluated, it was observed a predominance of mixed breathing, hoarse voice, and normal velar movement, although mild hypernasality was identified. Articulation was mostly severely altered, and mild prosody alterations were predominant in the investigated population. CONCLUSION: It was possible to draw a profile of dysarthric patients assisted in a tertiary hospital in Brazil. The most common characteristics were: short breathing cycles, hoarse hypernasal phonation, moderate to severe articulation disorders, mild prosody impairment and low speech rate.

  5. Factors predicting quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals, Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akter, N; Akkadechanunt, T; Chontawan, R; Klunklin, A

    2018-06-01

    This study examined the level of quality of work life and predictability of years of education, monthly income, years of experience, job stress, organizational commitment and work environment on quality of work life among nurses in tertiary-level hospitals in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. There is an acute shortage of nurses worldwide including Bangladesh. Quality of work life is important for quality of patient care and nurse retention. Nurses in Bangladesh are fighting to provide quality care for emerging health problems for the achievement of sustainable development goals. We collected data from 288 randomly selected registered nurses, from six tertiary-level hospitals. All nurses were requested to fill questionnaire consisted of Demographic Data Sheet, Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey, Expanded Nursing Stress Scale, Questionnaire of Organizational Commitment and Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The quality of work life as perceived by nurses in Bangladesh was at moderate level. Monthly income was found as the best predictor followed by work environment, organizational commitment and job stress. A higher monthly income helps nurses to fulfil their personal needs; positive work environment helps to provide quality care to the patients. Quality of work life and predictors measured by self-report only may not reflect the original picture of the quality of work life among nurses. Findings provide information for nursing and health policymakers to develop policies to improve quality of work life among nurses that can contribute to quality of nursing care. This includes the working environment, commitment to the organization and measures to reduce job stress. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

  6. Causes of recurrent pneumonia in children in a general hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoving, M F Paulien; Brand, Paul L P

    2013-03-01

    Because the few previous studies on underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia in children have come from tertiary care referral centres where selection bias may be important, the aim of this study was to examine underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia in children in a general hospital. We performed a retrospective chart review in a general hospital of 62 children with recurrent pneumonia over a 7.5 years period. In 19 patients (30.6%), no cause was identified, commonly because favourable natural history obviated the need for a full and invasive diagnostic work-up. Other underlying causes included recurrent aspiration in 16 patients (25.7%), lung disease (airway stenosis, bronchiectasis, middle lobe syndrome or tracheooesophageal fistula) in 10 patients (16.1%) and immune deficiency in 10 patients (16.1%). In contrast to previous studies, asthma was never diagnosed as an underlying cause, but diagnostic confusion between asthma (or recurrent upper respiratory tract infections) and recurrent pneumonia was common. The cause of recurrent pneumonia in children remains elusive in almost a third of patients, partly because the favourable natural history consistent with immune system maturation eliminates the need for further diagnostic procedures. Asthma is more likely a differential diagnostic consideration than an underlying cause of recurrent pneumonia in children. A standardised diagnostic guideline is needed to improve knowledge on causes of recurrent pneumonia in children. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  7. Antibacterial susceptibility patterns of methicillin resistant staphylococcus spp. from a tertiary reference hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Çiğdem Karabıçak

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus strainsstill remain as an important reason of hospital acquiredinfections. The aim of this study to see the antimicrobialsensitivity patterns of these strains for effective empiricaltherapyMaterial and methods: Antibiotic susceptibility resultsof staphylococcus strains were investigated retrospectivelyfrom tertiary reference hospital. 276 methicillin resistantstaphylococcus species, which were isolated fromKırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine Department of InfectiousDisease and Clinical Microbiology laboratory betweenNovember 2009-2010 were enrolled in this study.Identification and antibiotic susceptibilities of the strainswere evaluated by using Vitek automated systems (bioMerieux.Results: Most of these strains were isolated from blood(49% and wound (40 % samples. There was no glycopeptideresistance established from 276 strains. Susceptibilitypercents of these strains to linezolid and erythromycinwere 97% and 16% respectively.Conclusions: we believe that, informing physiciansabout antibiotic susceptibility patterns of methicillin resistantstaphylococcus species will be helpful for effectivetreatment and control the spread of these infections. JClin Exp Invest 2012; 3(1: 71-74

  8. Microbiological burden in air culture at various units of a tertiary care government hospital in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binaya Sapkota

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background The environmental matrices (water, air, and surfaces play a vital role as reservoirs of Legionella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas spp.. Hence, hospital environment control procedures are effective measures for reducing nosocomial infections. Aims This study was carried out to explore the profiles of microorganisms in air culture at various wards/units of a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at various wards/units of a tertiary care hospital in Nepal between January and September 2015 to explore the microbiological burden in inanimate objects. Each week one ward or unit was selected for the study. Bed, tap, the entire room, trolley, computer, phone, rack handles, table, chair, door, stethoscope, oxygen mask, gown, cupboard handles, and wash basins were selected for air culture testing. Ten different wards/units and 77 locations/pieces of equipment were selected for air culture by employing a simple random sampling technique. Information about the organisms was entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 22 (IBM: Armonk, NY and descriptive analyses were carried out. Results Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Micrococcus, coagulase negative staphylococcus (CONS, Bacillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yeast, and Acinetobacter were the most commonly detected organisms. In the postoperative ward, S. aureus was the most frequently detected microorganism. Micrococcus was detected in four out of 10 locations. In the x-ray unit, S. aureus was detected in three out of four locations. Conclusion S. aureus, Micrococcus, CONS, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, yeast, and Acinetobacter were the most common organisms detected.

  9. Algorithm for optimisation of paediatric chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kostova-Lefterova, D.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this work is to assess the current practice and patient doses in paediatric chest radiography in a large university hospital. The X-ray unit is used in the paediatric department for respiratory diseases. Another purpose was to recommend and apply optimized protocols to reduce patient dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality for the x-ray images. The practice of two different radiographers was studied. The results were compared with the existing practice in paediatric chest radiography and the opportunities for optimization were identified in order to reduce patient doses. A methodology was developed for optimization of the x-ray examinations by grouping children in age groups or according to other appropriate indication and creating an algorithm for proper selection of the exposure parameters for each group. The algorithm for the optimisation of paediatric chest radiography reduced patient doses (PKA, organ dose, effective dose) between 1.5 and 6 times for the different age groups, the average glandular dose up to 10 times and the dose for the lung between 2 and 5 times. The resulting X-ray images were of good diagnostic quality. The subjectivity in the choice of exposure parameters was reduced and standardization has been achieved in the work of the radiographers. The role of the radiologist, the medical physicist and radiographer in the process of optimization was shown. It was proven the effect of teamwork in reducing patient doses at keeping adequate image quality. Key words: Chest Radiography. Paediatric Radiography. Optimization. Radiation Exposure. Radiation Protection

  10. A qualitative interpretive study exploring parents' perception of the parental role in the paediatric intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ames, Kaitlin E; Rennick, Janet E; Baillargeon, Sophie

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore parents' perception of the parental role in a tertiary care Canadian university affiliated hospital's paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A descriptive interpretive design was used with a purposive heterogeneous sample to reflect the range of children and parents normally admitted to the PICU. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven parents. Interview data were collected and analysed using the constant comparative method. Three main themes emerged: (1) being present and participating in the child's care; (2) forming a partnership of trust with the PICU health care team; and (3) being informed of the child's progress and treatment plan as the person who "knows" the child best. Enhanced understanding of the parental role in the PICU from the perspective of parents can help guide the development of strategies to more effectively support parents and promote parenting during this extremely stressful time. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Case mix in paediatric rheumatology: implications for training in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Sern Chin; Allen, Roger C; Munro, Jane E; Akikusa, Jonathan D

    2012-05-01

    Despite a move towards the provision of specialist training in Australia in settings that extend beyond the public hospital system, formal comparisons of case mix between public and private specialty clinics have rarely been performed. It is therefore unclear for many specialties how well training in one setting prepares trainees for practice in the other. This study aims to compare the case mix of paediatric rheumatology patients seen in public and private settings and the referral sources of patients in each. An audit of all new patients seen in the public and private paediatric rheumatology clinics on campus at Royal Children's Hospital between June 2009 and January 2011. Data related to demographics, primary diagnosis, referral source and location seen were abstracted and compared. Eight hundred and seventy-six new patients were seen during the period of interest. Of these, 429 patients (48.9%) were seen in private clinics. The commonest diagnostic categories for both type of clinics were non-inflammatory musculoskeletal pain/orthopaedic conditions (public 39.4%, private 33.6%) followed by juvenile idiopathic arthritis (public 16.6%, %, private 18.6%), other skin/soft tissue disorders (public 8.7%, private 9.6%) and pain syndromes (public 4.9%, private 11.4%). Patients with haematological and vasculitic disorders were predominantly seen in public clinics. The commonest source of referrals to both clinics was general practitioners (public 40.6%, private 53.1%). The case mix in private paediatric rheumatology clinics closely mirrors that of public clinics at our centre. Training in either setting would provide sufficient case-mix exposure to prepare trainees for practice in the other. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  12. Health-related quality of life in paediatric arterial hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petek, Tadej; Hertiš, Tjaša; Marčun Varda, Nataša

    2018-05-01

    The prevalence of paediatric hypertension is increasing worldwide, especially due to the childhood obesity epidemic, and is an important public-health concern. While the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) was already shown to be impaired in the adult hypertensive population, a scarcity of data still exists on HRQoL in paediatric hypertensive patients. Our purpose was thus to assess the HRQoL of children and adolescents with arterial hypertension, using self- and proxy-reports, and to determine the correlations between child and parent questionnaire scores. The Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales were administered via post to children and adolescents, aged 5-18 years, with primary or secondary arterial hypertension and parents as proxy-reports. Patients were recruited from a paediatric nephrology unit in a tertiary hospital, using an out-patient clinic visit registry. Healthy school children and adolescents from a local primary school, aged 6 to 15 years, and their parents formed the control group. HRQoL group comparisons were calculated with independent samples t-test and child-parent correlations with the Pearson's r correlation coefficient. In total we recruited 139 patient and 199 control group participants as self- and proxy-reports. Scores from self- as well as proxy-reports indicated a significantly lower overall HRQoL in the paediatric hypertensive population (95% CI for mean score difference: - 11.02, - 2.86 for self- and - 10.28, - 2.67 for proxy-reports; p = .001). In self-reports, lower physical (95% CI: -13.95, - 4.89; p = <.001), emotional (95% CI: -12.96, - 2.38; p = .005), school (95% CI: -11.30, - 0.42; p = .035), and psychosocial functioning scores were observed (95% CI: -10.34, - 1.89; p = .005). Parent proxy-reports were lower in physical (95% CI: -14.31, - 5.39; p = <.001), emotional (95% CI: -12.39, - 2.60; p = .003) and psychosocial scores (95% CI: -9.36, - 1

  13. Improving nutritional status of children with cystic fibrosis at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Spuy, Dorothy A; Cader, Shihaam; van der Spuy, Gian D; Westwood, Anthony T

    2011-05-01

    To determine the nutritional status of children attending a cystic fibrosis clinic in a tertiary hospital in South Africa and compare it to previously reported 10-year rates. Weights and heights were measured of 69 (37 male and 32 female) children aged between 1 year and 18 years. Expected weight-for-age, expected height-for-age, expected weight-for-height and body mass index (BMI) were compared with international standards for underweight, stunting, wasting and BMI goal. The nutritional status of the patients has improved over the last 10 years, most significantly for wasting, which decreased from 58.3% in 1996 to 15.9% in 2006 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.315-14.09, P nutritional status, although deficits remain. The normalisation of mean weight-for-age and weight-for-height with far fewer wasted patients is encouraging. Interventions are needed in some areas to ensure that all children show progress. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  14. Urgent tracheostomy: four-year experience in a tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Liliana; Matos, Ricardo; Júlio, Sara; Vales, Fernando; Santos, Margarida

    2016-01-01

    Urgent airway management is one of the most important responsibilities of otolaryngologists, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Urgent surgical airway intervention is indicated when an acute airway obstruction occurs or there are intubation difficulties. In these situations, surgical tracheostomy becomes extremely important. We retrospectively studied the patients who underwent surgical tracheostomy from 2011 to 2014 by an otolaryngologist team at the operating theater of the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Indications, complications and clinical evolution of the patients were reviewed. The study included 56 patients (44 men and 12 women) with a median age of 55 years. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia in 21.4% of the patients. Two (3.6%) patients were subjected to conversion from cricothyrostomy to tracheostomy. Head and neck neoplasm was indicated in 44.6% of the patients, deep neck infection in 19.6%, and bilateral vocal fold paralysis in 10.7%. Stridor was the most frequent signal (51.8%). Of the 56 patients, 15 were transferred to another hospital. Among the other 41 patients, 21 were decannulated (average time: 4 months), and none of them were cancer patients. Complications occurred in 5 (12.2%) patients: hemorrhage in 3, surgical wound infection in 1, and cervico-thoracic subcutaneous emphysema in 1. No death was related to the procedure. Urgent tracheostomy is a life-saving procedure for patients with acute airway obstruction or with difficult intubation. It is a safe and effective procedure, with a low complication rate, and should be performed before the patient's clinical status turns into a surgical emergency situation.

  15. Intense pre-admission carriage and further acquisition of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae among patients and their caregivers in a tertiary hospital in Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurz, Mathis S E; Bayingana, Claude; Ndoli, Jules M; Sendegeya, Augustin; Durst, Anita; Pfüller, Roland; Gahutu, Jean Bosco; Mockenhaupt, Frank P

    2017-02-01

    To assess the presence and risk factors of intestinal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among patients admitted to the University Teaching Hospital of Butare and among their attending caregivers, and to analyse the acquisition of ESBL-PE carriage during hospital stay and associated factors. We screened 392 patients and their attending caregivers at admission and discharge for ESBL-PE carriage. Bacterial species were determined using the API-20E system, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by agar disc diffusion. Data on socio-economic status, diet, behaviour, household assets, livestock and hospital procedures were collected. At admission, 50% of the patients showed intestinal ESBL-PE carriage (Escherichia coli, 51%; Klebsiella pneumoniae, 39%; Enterobacter cloacae, 19%) as did 37% of their caregivers. Co-resistance was common but no carbapenem resistance was detected. At discharge, the proportion of ESBL-PE-colonised patients increased to 65% (caregivers, 47%) with almost complete carriage in paediatric patients (93%). The acquisition rate among initially non-colonised patients was 55% (or, 71/1000 patient days). Independent predictors of admission carriage included a colonised caregiver, prior antibiotic intake, egg consumption and neglecting to boil drinking water, whereas being a paediatric patient, undergoing surgery and male gender predicted acquisition during hospitalisation. Abundant admission carriage of ESBL-PE and a high acquisition rate in a Rwandan university hospital point to potential intrahospital transmission and community dissemination. Caregivers are an additional source of possible spread. Risk factors of colonisation such as diet and water source need to be tackled to prevent the further emergence and spread of ESBL-PE. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Medication Administration Errors Involving Paediatric In-Patients in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    In-Patients in a Hospital in Ethiopia. Yemisirach Feleke ... Purpose: To assess the type and frequency of medication administration errors (MAEs) in the paediatric ward of .... prescribers, does not go beyond obeying ... specialists, 43 general practitioners, 2 health officers ..... Medication Errors, International Council of Nurses.

  17. [Paediatric emergencies; example of the management of winter epidemics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercier, Jean-Christophe; Bellettre, Xavier; Lejay, Émilie; Desmarest, Marie; Titomanlio, Luigi

    2015-01-01

    Every year, epidemics of viral bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis occur with a significant increase in the number of visits (by a factor 1.8) and hospitalisations that can over-exceed bed capacity leading to transfer sick children to other hospitals. This kind of hospital 'crisis' is not limited to paediatrics, big cities or western nations. It is a worldwide worrying problem. Because our hospital sits in the Northern districts of Paris where a large community of m.ncants lives in poverty, our number of visits is high (mean 250 per day), and winter epidemics further jeopardise the difficult equilibrium achieved between quality management and waiting times. Thus, we have taken various initiatives in terms of organisation of the paediatric emergency department and other wards, including a "fast track" clinic, the opening of beds dedicated to winter epidemics, the institution of a "bed manager" in order to more easily find a bed, and a larger use of home hospitalisations. Furthermore, we created a specific committee which may decide on various indicators of tension whether it is necessary to cancel programmed hospitalisations or surgery.in order to resolve the emergency crisis. This kind of organisation can serve as a model for other hospitals facing winter epidemics crises.

  18. Treatment of self-poisoning at a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verma, Vasundhara; Paul, Sujat; Ghose, Aniruddha

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Approximately 10,000 people die from suicide annually in Bangladesh, many from pesticide poisoning. We aimed to estimate financial costs to patients and health services of treating patients with self-poisoning. METHODS: Data on direct costs to families, sources of funds for treatment...... and family wealth were collected prospectively over a one-month period in 2016 at the tertiary Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Aggregate operational costs to the government were calculated using annual budget, bed occupancy and length-of-stay data. RESULTS: Agrochemicals were the most common...... as organophosphorus poisoning in 17(.) 0% of agrochemical cases resulted in increased cost to patients. Only 51(.) 9% of patients had indicators of wealth; 78(.) 1% borrowed money to cover costs. Conservatively estimated median healthcare costs (US$ 21(.) 30 per patient) were markedly lower than costs to patients...

  19. New hazards in paediatric poisoning presentations.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Moore, C

    2015-02-01

    Accidental ingestion is an important preventable cause of childhood morbidity. All accidental ingestion presentations (n = 478) to a tertiary paediatric ED from January 2010 to December 2011 were analysed. These results were compared with a similar study in the same institution ten years previously in 2001 and showed that while accidental ingestions constituted a higher proportion of presentations (0.5% in this study v 0.45% in 2001), fewer had investigations performed (21% v 35%) and fewer were admitted (7% v 20%). Accidental ingestions account for 0.5% of presentations and are an important focus of home safety information for parents and guardians. Paracetamol (n = 67, 14%) and liquid detergent capsules (n = 44, 9.2%) were the two most common substances implicated in these presentations, and have the potential to cause severe morbidity and mortality.

  20. Radiopharmaceutical activities administered for paediatric nuclear medicine procedures in Australia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Towson, J.E.; Smart, R.C.; Rossleigh, M.A.

    2001-01-01

    A survey of radiopharmaceutical activities used at the eight hospital centres specialising in paediatric nuclear medicine in Australia was conducted in 1999-2000 by the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Australasian Radiation Protection Society. Data on the maximum and minimum administered activities (A max and A min ) as obtained for 43 paediatric imaging procedures are presented. The results are also available on the ANZSNM and ARPS websites at: http://www.anzsnm.org.au and http://www.arps.org.au. The A max values were significantly less than the corresponding Reference Activities for adults determined in a previous study. Activities for individual patients are calculated using surface area scaling at five centres and body weight scaling at three centres. The median values of A max and A min are recommended as Paediatric Reference Activities. The effective dose to patients of various sizes for the Paediatric Reference Activities and both methods of scaling was calculated for each procedure. Copyright (2000) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

  1. Use of antibiotics in paediatric long-term care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, M T; Johnson, C L; Cohen, B; Jackson, O; Jones, L K; Saiman, L; Larson, E L; Neu, N

    2018-06-01

    Adult long-term care (LTC) facilities have high rates of antibiotic use, raising concerns about antimicrobial resistance. Few studies have examined antibiotic use in paediatric LTC facilities. To describe antibiotic use in three paediatric LTC facilities and to describe the factors associated with use. A retrospective cohort study was conducted from September 2012 to December 2015 in three paediatric LTC facilities. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), antimicrobial use and diagnostic testing. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors for antibiotic use. The association between susceptibility testing results and appropriate antibiotic coverage was determined using Chi-squared test. Fifty-eight percent (413/717) of residents had at least one HAI, and 79% (325/413) of these residents were treated with at least one antibiotic course, totalling 2.75 antibiotic courses per 1000 resident-days. Length of enrolment greater than one year, having a neurological disorder, having a tracheostomy, and being hospitalized at least once during the study period were significantly associated with receiving antibiotics when controlling for facility (all P facilities is widespread. There is further need to assess antibiotic use in paediatric LTC facilities. Evaluation of the adverse outcomes associated with inappropriate antibiotic use, including the prevalence of resistant organisms in paediatric LTC facilities, is critical. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Medical Device-Associated Candida Infections in a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachin C. Deorukhkar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Health care associated infections (HCAIs add incrementally to the morbidity, mortality, and cost expected of the patient’s underlying diseases alone. Approximately, about half all cases of HCAIs are associated with medical devices. As Candida medical device-associated infection is highly drug resistant and can lead to serious life-threatening complications, there is a need of continuous surveillance of these infections to initiate preventive and corrective measures. The present study was conducted at a rural tertiary care hospital of India with an aim to evaluate the rate of medical device-associated Candida infections. Three commonly encountered medical device-associated infections (MDAI, catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI, intravascular catheter-related blood stream infections (CR-BSI, and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP, were targeted. The overall rate of MDAI in our hospital was 2.1 per 1000 device days. The rate of Candida related CA-UTI and CR-BSI was noted as 1.0 and 0.3, respectively. Untiring efforts taken by team members of Hospital Acquired Infection Control Committee along with maintenance of meticulous hygiene of the hospital and wards may explain the low MDAI rates in our institute. The present surveillance helped us for systematic generation of institutional data regarding MDAI with special reference to role of Candida spp.

  3. Cost analysis of in-patient cancer chemotherapy at a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, Mohammad Ashraf; Tabish, S A; Jan, Farooq A; Khan, Nazir A; Wafai, Z A; Pandita, K K

    2013-01-01

    Cancer remains a major health problem in all communities worldwide. Rising healthcare costs associated with treating advanced cancers present a significant economic challenge. It is a need of the hour that the health sector should devise cost-effective measures to be put in place for better affordability of treatments. To achieve this objective, information generation through indigenous hospital data on unit cost of in-patient cancer chemotherapy in medical oncology became imperative and thus hallmark of this study. The present prospective hospital based study was conducted in Medical Oncology Department of tertiary care teaching hospital. After permission from the Ethical Committee, a prospective study of 6 months duration was carried out to study the cost of treatment provided to in-patients in Medical Oncology. Direct costs that include the cost of material, labor and laboratory investigations, along with indirect costs were calculated, and data analyzed to compute unit cost of treatment. The major cost components of in-patient cancer chemotherapy are cost of drugs and materials as 46.88% and labor as 48.45%. The average unit cost per patient per bed day for in-patient chemotherapy is Rs. 5725.12 ($125.96). This includes expenditure incurred both by the hospital and the patient (out of pocket). The economic burden of cancer treatment is quite high both for the patient and the healthcare provider. Modalities in the form of health insurance coverage need to be established and strengthened for pooling of resources for the treatment and transfer of risks of these patients.

  4. A pioneer of Australian paediatrics: Dr Henry Edward Brown (1858-1931).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isles, Alan F; Roper, Peter; Pearn, John H

    2014-11-13

    The emergence of paediatrics as a specialty in Australian medicine dates from the last two decades of the 19th century. Among the pioneers of pre-Federation paediatrics, we include Dr Henry Edward Brown (1858-1931), an Irish-born physician and surgeon who became the first paediatrician to practise in the northern half of the Australian continent. In 1885, he was appointed as the medical superintendent of the Rockhampton Children's Hospital, itself a pioneer institution in the care of sick and injured children. Dr H.E. Brown also served as medical officer of health concurrently in three Queensland shires. He was a leader in the literary and sporting life of the busy port town of Rockhampton and a scholar and significant philanthropist in the domain of French literature. His life was and remains an exemplar of a class of pre-Federation paediatricians who established the ethos of clinical and societal service, which remains as a core feature of the speciality discipline of paediatrics in the 21st century. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  5. NEEDLESTICK INJURY AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, KERALA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chintha Sujatha

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Needlestick Injury (NSI is a major occupational health and safety issue among Healthcare Workers (HCWs. In India, incidence of NSI is high, but surveillance is poor with scarce authentic data. The aim of the study is to determine the occurrence of NSI, its associated factors and assessment of knowledge and practice of preventive measures and post exposure prophylaxis among HCWs in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 515 HCWs who included doctors, house surgeons, final year medical students, nurses, student nurses and lab technicians of a government sector tertiary care hospital in Kerala. All HCWs of the institution present during the study time were included and only those unwilling to participate excluded. Ethical clearance and administrative permission was obtained along with informed consent from subjects after ensuring confidentiality. Content validated, structured questionnaire consisting of questions regarding demographic data, incidence and prevalence of needlestick injury, circumstances leading to it, response of subjects to NSI and knowledge of study subjects on post exposure prophylaxis was administered to the study subjects. The technique of data collection was self-reporting by the study subjects. Data collected was analysed using statistical software Epi Info 7. RESULTS Overall, 55.7% HCWs had sustained at least one NSI in this hospital, while 35% of them had a NSI during the current year. NSIs were sustained during blood withdrawal (34%, injections (20.5%, suturing (20.2% and cannula insertion (12%. Recapping the needle (26% was the most frequent cause followed by collision with others (24%, manipulation of needle in patient (23% and during/in transit to disposal (10%. Majority (84% did not report the incident, 8.4% underwent post exposure follow up, 82% of the HCWs were fully hepatitis B vaccinated, 44% had received training, 62% used gloves, 49

  6. Comparison of stress and burnout among anesthesia and surgical residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandhi, K; Sahni, N; Padhy, S K; Mathew, P J

    2017-10-23

    The residents undergoing training at hospitals in our country face challenges in terms of infrastructure and high workload with undefined working hours. The aim of the study was to compare the stress and burnout levels in trainee doctors doing residency in surgical fields and anesthesia at a tertiary care academic center in North India. A comparative, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. After Ethics Committee approval, 200 residents (100 each from surgical branches and anesthesia) were required to fill a questionnaire with information about age, sex, year of residency, marital status, and the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire-12. Burnout and perceived stress were compared between residents of anesthesia and surgical specialties. Residents of both surgical and anesthesia branches scored high in perceived stress, namely 21 and 18, respectively. The score was significantly higher in surgical residents (P = 0.03) and increased progressively with the year of residency. The majority of residents (90% surgical, 80% anesthesia) felt that they were being overloaded with work. However, only 20%-30% of respondents felt that there was lack of development of individual skills and still fewer (<10%) reported giving up in view of difficulties. There is high level of stress and overload dimension of burnout among the residents of anesthesia and surgical branches at our tertiary care academic institution and the surgical residents score marginally higher than anesthesia residents.

  7. The impact of reducing intensive care unit length of stay on hospital costs: evidence from a tertiary care hospital in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Jessica; Kobewka, Daniel; Thavorn, Kednapa; D'Egidio, Gianni; Rosenberg, Erin; Kyeremanteng, Kwadwo

    2018-02-23

    To use theoretical modelling exercises to determine the effect of reduced intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) on total hospital costs at a Canadian centre. We conducted a retrospective cost analysis from the perspective of one tertiary teaching hospital in Canada. Cost, demographic, clinical, and LOS data were retrieved through case-costing, patient registry, and hospital abstract systems of The Ottawa Hospital Data Warehouse for all new in-patient ward (30,483) and ICU (2,239) encounters between April 2012 and March 2013. Aggregate mean daily variable direct (VD) costs for ICU vs ward encounters were summarized by admission day number, LOS, and cost centre. The mean daily VD cost per ICU patient was $2,472 (CAD), accounting for 67.0% of total daily ICU costs per patient and $717 for patients admitted to the ward. Variable direct cost is greatest on the first day of ICU admission ($3,708), and then decreases by 39.8% to plateau by the fifth day of admission. Reducing LOS among patients with ICU stays ≥ four days could potentially result in an annual hospital cost saving of $852,146 which represents 0.3% of total in-patient hospital costs and 1.2% of ICU costs. Reducing ICU LOS has limited cost-saving potential given that ICU costs are greatest early in the course of admission, and this study does not support the notion of reducing ICU LOS as a sole cost-saving strategy.

  8. A STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL TYPES OF ANAEMIA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL - A TWO-YEAR STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Kumar Epari

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND In this tertiary care hospital, one of the common condition of all the patients attending the hospital is Anaemia, which is a decrease in haemoglobin content or decrease in haematocrit below the lower limit of the 95% reference range for the individual’s age and sex. The patient presents with varied symptoms of different grades, depending on the severity of anaemia, in different clinical settings. Common presenting symptoms of anaemia are generalised weakness, malaise, loss of appetite and muscular pains. METHODS All the patient samples received at the central laboratory for haemogram, complete blood counts and peripheral smear examination over the period of two years between June 2014 to May 2016 were included in the study. Anaemia cases were diagnosed depending on the criteria of the definition of anaemia, and morphological typing of anaemia was done based on the peripheral smear examination of all the cases with decreased haemoglobin level. Standard cell counter was used to estimate the Hb and other red cell indices, and corroborated with peripheral blood smear examination by standard Romanowsky stains. RESULTS A total of 810 cases of anaemia were diagnosed over the period of two years, of which morphological typing yielded 685 cases of Microcytic and hypochromic anaemia, 15 cases of Dimorphic anaemia, 22 cases of Macrocytic anaemia and 88 cases of Normocytic and normochromic anaemia. CONCLUSION Anaemia is one of the most common problems of patients attending this tertiary care hospital, and detection and morphological typing of anaemia is very helping in guiding the clinicians in diagnosis and further management of anaemias for better patient care.

  9. A study on workplace violence against health workers in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogbonnaya, G U; Ukegbu, A U; Aguwa, E N; Emma-Ukaegbu, U

    2012-01-01

    Workplace violence is a common phenomenon which cuts across all work settings. Its prevalence is particularly high in the health sector and adversely affected service delivery. However, in Nigeria there are limited data on the magnitude of the problem. In this study, we aim to describe the prevalence of workplace violence against health workers in a tertiary hospital located in Abia state, Nigeria. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, data was collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed to 395 health workers of the clinical services division of the hospital to assess their experience of workplace violence in the preceding year. The response of 303 was returned and analyzed. Most (88.1%) of the respondents had experienced workplace violence with more than half (54.4%) of all violent incidents occurring in the wards. Psychological violence was more prevalent than physical violence. Verbal abuse (85.4%) was the most prevalent while sexual harassment (4.5%) was the least. Approximately one quarter (25.1%) of all the respondents had been physically assaulted in the preceding year. Patients and their relations were the main perpetrators of physical assault and threats. Senior colle agues were the main workplace bullies. The prevalence of workplace violence was high in this hospital.

  10. [Bile duct cysts; an unusual cause of jaundice in paediatrics. Presentation of a case series].

    Science.gov (United States)

    López Ruiz, Rocío; Aguilera Alonso, David; Muñoz Aguilar, Gemma; Fonseca Martín, Rosa

    2016-01-01

    Cysts of the bile duct or choledochal cysts are rare diseases in our area. The aetiology is unknown, with the most accepted hypothesis being a pancreatobiliary maljunction anomaly. To analyse the clinical data, diagnosis and treatment of a number of patients with choledochal cyst, as well as presenting an update on this condition. A retrospective descriptive study was performed on paediatric patients diagnosed with choledochal cyst in the last 20 years in a tertiary hospital. A total of 4 choledochal cyst cases in childhood, predominantly female, are pre- sented. The most frequent reason for consultation was vomiting, and presenting with jaundice and choluria in all cases. Patients with choledochal cyst were classified as type I in 3 cases, and one case of type IVa. In all cases surgical treatment was performed; any patient had complications to date. Cysts of the bile ducts have a low prevalence. The treatment of choice is surgical, requiring close monitoring due to the risk of cholangiocarcinoma. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. [Influence of postcode on paediatric admissions in Seville].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tornero Patricio, Sebastián; Charris-Castro, Liliana; Granero Asencio, Mercedes; Daponte Codina, Antonio

    2017-12-01

    The postcode (where the home is situated) is an indicator of socioeconomic status and is associated with morbidity, mortality, and the use of health services. The aim of this study was to analyse its effects on paediatric admissions and to determine the rates of the most common causes of paediatric admissions in Seville. An observational cross-sectional study with two analysis units: under 15 year-old "admissions" in public hospitals in Seville (n=2,660) and "city districts" of Seville (n=11). The independent variable analysed was whether the postcode of the admitted patients was within a Regional Government designated "area with social transformation needs". The analysis of the admissions was performed using X 2 -test, Fisher test and Student-t test, with the description of rates using the calculation of crude and specific rates, and by rate ratio. Children living in districts with a lower socioeconomic status were on average 7 months younger (P<.001), and they were significantly more likely to be admitted via the emergency department (P<.001). There was no statistical difference detected in either the length of hospital stay or mortality. The crude admission rate ratio was higher in districts with a lower socioeconomic status (1.8), with a higher specific rate ratio detected in admissions due to asthma, respiratory infections, inguinal hernia, and epilepsy/convulsions. Paediatric hospital admission rates of the main diagnoses were higher in districts with a lower socioeconomic status. Children living in these districts were more likely to be admitted younger and via the emergency department. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluation of malnutrition as a predictor of adverse outcomes in febrile neutropenia associated with paediatric haematological malignancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhuri, Jasodhara; Biswas, Tamoghna; Datta, Jyotishka; Sabui, Tapas Kumar; Chatterjee, Sukanta; Ray, Somosri; Raychaudhuri, Dibyendu; Mandal, Kalyanbrata; Chatterjee, Kaushani; Chakraborty, Swapna

    2016-07-01

    Malnutrition has been reported in the literature to be adversely associated with outcomes in paediatric malignancies. Our objective in this paper was to evaluate malnutrition as a potential predictor for adverse outcomes in febrile neutropenia associated with haematological malignancies. A prospective observational study was performed in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Kolkata, India. Forty-eight participants, suffering from haematological malignancy, were included. Participants were included if they experienced at least one episode of febrile neutropenia. For children aged malnutrition, while body mass index for age was used in children ≥5 years. A total of 162 episodes of febrile neutropenia were studied. Thirty patients (30/48, 62.5%) included in the study had malnutrition. In bivariate analyses at patient level, there is a strong association between malnutrition and death (odds ratio (OR) 7.286, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.838-63.345, one-tailed P = 0.044), and life-threatening complications show a moderate trend towards significance (OR 3.333, 95% CI 0.791-14.052, one-tailed P = 0.084). Survival functions were significantly different between malnourished and non-malnourished children (log rank test χ(2)  = 4.609, degree of freedom = 1, P = 0.032). Wasting was associated with life-threatening complications in children aged malnutrition was not. Malnutrition may be a potential predictor of mortality in febrile neutropenia. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  13. burden and cost of inpatient care for hiv-positive paediatric patients

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    paediatric inpatient facilities in the teaching hospitals of the. Cape metropole and ... lifetime hospitalisation cost per infected child was calculated to be RI9 712. ... Prevention Protocol, Provincial Administration of the Western. Cape, 1999) and ...

  14. Clinicomycological Characterization of Superficial Mycoses from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khadka, Sundar; Sherchand, Jeevan Bahadur; Pokharel, Dinesh Binod; Pokhrel, Bharat Mani; Mishra, Shyam Kumar; Dhital, Subhash; Rijal, Basista

    2016-01-01

    Background . Superficial mycosis is a common fungal infection worldwide, mainly caused by dermatophytes. However, the prevalence of species varies geographically. In addition, fungal treatment is best guided according to species isolated. This study was carried out to determine the clinical as well as mycological profile of superficial mycoses in a tertiary care hospital, Nepal. Methods . This was a prospective case-control laboratory based study conducted over a period of six months from January to June 2014 at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal. A total of 200 specimens were collected from the patients suspected of superficial mycoses. The specimens were macroscopically as well as microscopically examined. The growth was observed up to 4 weeks. Results. Out of total 200 specimens from the patients suspected of superficial mycoses, tinea corporis 50 (25%) was most common clinical types. KOH mount was positive in 89 (44.5%) and culture was positive in 111 (55.5%). Trichophyton mentagrophytes 44 (39.6%) was the most common isolate. Conclusions. The diagnostic yields of KOH mount and culture were found to be complementary to each other. Thus both the methods added with clinical findings are equally important to establish superficial mycosis.

  15. Clinicomycological Characterization of Superficial Mycoses from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sundar Khadka

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Superficial mycosis is a common fungal infection worldwide, mainly caused by dermatophytes. However, the prevalence of species varies geographically. In addition, fungal treatment is best guided according to species isolated. This study was carried out to determine the clinical as well as mycological profile of superficial mycoses in a tertiary care hospital, Nepal. Methods. This was a prospective case-control laboratory based study conducted over a period of six months from January to June 2014 at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal. A total of 200 specimens were collected from the patients suspected of superficial mycoses. The specimens were macroscopically as well as microscopically examined. The growth was observed up to 4 weeks. Results. Out of total 200 specimens from the patients suspected of superficial mycoses, tinea corporis 50 (25% was most common clinical types. KOH mount was positive in 89 (44.5% and culture was positive in 111 (55.5%. Trichophyton mentagrophytes 44 (39.6% was the most common isolate. Conclusions. The diagnostic yields of KOH mount and culture were found to be complementary to each other. Thus both the methods added with clinical findings are equally important to establish superficial mycosis.

  16. Challenges and outcomes of management of anterior abdominal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Challenges and outcomes of management of anterior abdominal wall defects in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. ... African Journal of Paediatric Surgery ... Postoperative complication rate was 32.1% and overall mortality was 30.4%, with the ...

  17. Adverse reactions to blood donation: A descriptive study of 3520 blood donors in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

    OpenAIRE

    C Aneke John; U Ezeh Theodora; A Nwosu Gloria; E Anumba Chika

    2017-01-01

    Background: The occurrence of adverse reactions to blood donation significantly hampers donor retention and negatively impacts on the universal availability of adequate numbers of blood donor units. Objective: To analyze the spectrum and prevalence of adverse reactions in blood donors in a tertiary hospital-based blood bank in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: The details of 3520 blood donors who presented for donation over a 12 months period were retrieved from the departmental archives for ana...

  18. PRESCRIBING TRENDS OF NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN THE MIDDLE ANATOLIA

    OpenAIRE

    Elif Borekci

    2017-01-01

    Background: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) drugs are widely used for their analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prescribing trends of NSAI drugs among the doctors working the outpatients clinics in our hospital. Materials and methods: Questionnaires consisting of 10 questions related to analgesic and NSAI drug preferences were applied to the doctors working the medical and surgery outpatient clinics in a tertiary care hospita...

  19. A cross–sectional study on the prevalence and associated risk factors for workplace violence against Chinese nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Lei; Zhang, Danyang; Zhou, Chenyu; Yang, Libin; Sun, Tao; Hao, Tianjun; Peng, Xiangwen; Gao, Lei; Liu, Wenhui; Mu, Yi; Han, Yuzhen; Fan, Lihua

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of the present study was to explore the characteristics of workplace violence that Chinese nurses at tertiary and county–level hospitals encountered in the 12 months from December 2014 to January 2016, to identify and analyse risk factors for workplace violence, and to establish the basis for future preventive strategies. Design A cross–sectional study. Setting A total of 44 tertiary hospitals and 90 county–level hospitals in 16 provinces (municipalities or autonomous regions) in China. Methods We used stratified random sampling to collect data from December 2014 to January 2016. We distributed 21 360 questionnaires, and 15 970 participants provided valid data (effective response rate=74.77%). We conducted binary logistic regression analyses on the risk factors for workplace violence among the nurses in our sample and analysed the reasons for aggression. Results The prevalence of workplace violence was 65.8%; of this, 64.9% was verbal violence, and physical violence and sexual harassment accounted for 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Frequent workplace violence occurred primarily in emergency and paediatric departments. Respondents reported that patients’ relatives were the main perpetrators in tertiary and county–level hospitals. Logistic regression analysis showed that respondents’ age, department, years of experience and direct contact with patients were common risk factors at different levels of hospitals. Conclusions Workplace violence is frequent in China’s tertiary and county–level hospitals; its occurrence is especially frequent in the emergency and paediatric departments. It is necessary to cope with workplace violence by developing effective control strategies at individual, hospital and national levels. PMID:28647719

  20. The pattern of paediatric HIV/AIDS as seen at the National Hospital ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . O Oniyangi, B Awani, KC Iregbu. Abstract. Background: Paediatric HIV/AIDS has become a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in our environment. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to determine the mode of transmission, ...

  1. Nasalseptal hematoma/abscess: management and outcome in a tertiary hospital of a developing country

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nwosu JN

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Jones N Nwosu, Peter C NnadedeDepartment of Otolaryngology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NigeriaBackground: Nasal hematoma/abscess is an uncommon entity, but capable of leading to serious consequences if not handled meticulously, and with urgency.Objective: To present the management, and outcome of nasal septal hematoma/abscess in a Nigerian tertiary institution.Method: Consecutive patients diagnosed with nasal septal hematoma/abscess over a 10-year period, treated at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, were prospectively studied. The processes leading to diagnosis, treatment, and outcome were sequentially evaluated.Results: Fifty-three patients (37 males and 16 females, age 5–65 years (with mean age of 23.10 years, were included. Surgical drainage of the hematoma/abscess, intranasal packing with insertion of drain was performed with total resolution of problem in all the cases.Conclusion: Incision and drainage, and intranasal packing with insertion of drain was effective in treating nasal septal hematoma/abscess.Keywords: septal hematoma, abscess, facial deformity

  2. Management and outcomes of acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction at a tertiary-care hospital in Sri Lanka: an observational study

    OpenAIRE

    Bandara, Ruwanthi; Medagama, Arjuna; Munasinghe, Ruwan; Dinamithra, Nandana; Subasinghe, Amila; Herath, Jayantha; Ratnayake, Mahesh; Imbulpitiya, Buddhini; Sulaiman, Ameena

    2015-01-01

    Background Sri Lanka is a developing country with a high rate of cardiovascular mortality. It is still largely dependent on thrombolysis for primary management of acute myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to present current data on the presentation, management, and outcomes of acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at a tertiary-care hospital in Sri Lanka. Methods Eighty-one patients with acute STEMI presenting to a teaching hospital in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, we...

  3. Hand decontamination practices in paediatric wards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Jelly

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine and describe hand decontamination practices of health care professionals in the paediatric wards of an academic hospital in Johannesburg. The purpose was addressed within a survey design and through the use of descriptive and comparative methods. Data were collected through direct observation conducted with the use of a researcher-administered checklist. A sample of sixtysix health professionals was obtained through convenience sampling.

  4. The role of anaesthetists in paediatric intensive care units

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adele

    to various surgical and critical care disciplines, the usefulness of a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) rotation was investigated. A brief overview of the experiences of anaesthetic registrars at a. South African teaching hospital rotating through a PICU is pre- sented, as well as the potential advantages for both trainees and.

  5. A practical approach to anaesthesia for paediatric liver transplantation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adele

    REVIEW. Introduction. The first liver transplant in children was performed by Starzl in ... program has performed 79 transplants in 76 patients with ... Paediatric liver transplantation in South Africa, up until the present time, has been centered at the Red Cross Children's Hospital ..... infrahepatic connections (i.e. steps 1 and 2).

  6. Sleep quality and mood in mothers and fathers accommodated in the family-centred paediatric ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelhoff, Charlotte; Edéll-Gustafsson, Ulla; Mörelius, Evalotte

    2018-02-01

    To describe sleep quality and mood in parents accommodated with their sick child in a family-centred paediatric ward. Secondary aims were to compare mothers' and fathers' sleep quality and mood in the paediatric ward and to compare the parents' sleep quality and mood between the paediatric ward and in a daily-life home setting after discharge. Frequent interruptions, ward noise and anxiety affect parents' sleep quality and mood negatively when accommodated with their sick child in paediatric wards. Poor sleep quality and negative mood decrease the parents' ability to sustain attention and focus, and to care for their sick child. This was a prospective and descriptive study. Eighty-two parents (61 mothers and 21 fathers) with children (median age 6.25 years) admitted to six paediatric wards participated in the study. Uppsala Sleep Inventory, a sleep diary and the Mood Adjective Checklist were used to measure sleep quality and mood. The parents had a good sleep quality in the paediatric ward even though they had more nocturnal awakenings compared to home. Moreover, they were less alert, less interested and had reduced concentration, and were more tired, dull and passive in the hospital than at home after discharge. Vital sign checks, noises made by the staff and medical treatment were given reasons influencing sleep. Poor sleep quality correlated with negative mood. Parents' sleep quality in family-centred paediatric care is good. However, the habitual sleep efficacy before admittance to the hospital is lower than expected and needs to be further investigated. The healthcare professionals should acknowledge parents' sleep and mood when they are accommodated with their sick child. Further should care at night be scheduled and sleep promoted for the parents to maintain health and well-being in the family. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Parental experiences with a paediatric palliative care team: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verberne, Lisa M; Schouten-van Meeteren, Antoinette Yn; Bosman, Diederik K; Colenbrander, Derk A; Jagt, Charissa T; Grootenhuis, Martha A; van Delden, Johannes Jm; Kars, Marijke C

    2017-12-01

    Parents of children with a life-limiting disease have to rely on themselves at home while adequate paediatric palliative care is lacking. In several countries, paediatric palliative care teams are introduced to ensure continuity and quality of care and to support the child and the family. Yet, little is known about how parents experience such multidisciplinary teams. To obtain insight into the support provided by a new paediatric palliative care team from the parents' perspective. An interpretative qualitative interview study using thematic analysis was performed. A total of 47 single or repeated interviews were undertaken with 42 parents of 24 children supported by a multidisciplinary paediatric palliative care team located at a university children's hospital. The children suffered from malignant or non-malignant diseases. In advance, parents had limited expectations of the paediatric palliative care team. Some had difficulty accepting the need for palliative care for their child. Once parents experienced what the team achieved for their child and family, they valued the team's involvement. Valuable elements were as follows: (1) process-related aspects such as continuity, coordination of care, and providing one reliable point of contact; (2) practical support; and (3) the team members' sensitive and reliable attitude. As a point of improvement, parents suggested more concrete clarification upfront of the content of the team's support. Parents feel supported by the paediatric palliative care team. The three elements valued by parents probably form the structure that underlies quality of paediatric palliative care. New teams should cover these three valuable elements.

  8. Job satisfaction among anesthesiologists at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rukewe, Ambrose; Fatiregun, Akinola; Oladunjoye, Adeolu O; Oladunjoye, Olubunmi O

    2012-01-01

    We assessed job satisfaction among anesthesiologists at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria and identified elements of job stress and dissatisfaction. A cross-sectional study design was employed; a structured self-administered questionnaire was distributed, which focused on sociodemographic data, rating of job satisfaction, identification of stressors, and work relationships. Out of 55 questionnaires distributed, 46 (83.6%) completed questionnaires were returned. Overall, 27 (58.7%) of the anesthesiologists were satisfied with their job. While 8.7% were very satisfied (grade 5), 6.5% were very dissatisfied (grade 1) with their job. The stressors identified by the respondents were time pressures, long working hours with complaints of insufficient sleep, and employment status. Among the respondents, the medical officers were the most discontented (9 out of 12, 75%), followed by senior registrars (5 out of 9, 56%). A high percentage of participants (54.1%) declared that the one change if implemented that would enhance their job satisfaction was having a definite closing time. Our results showed that despite the demanding nature of anesthesiology as a specialty, many anesthesiologists were contented with their job.

  9. Characterisation of virulence genes in methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a paediatric population in a university hospital of Medellín, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judy Natalia Jiménez

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Virulence and antibiotic resistance are significant determinants of the types of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and paediatric groups remain among the most commonly affected populations. The goal of this study was to characterise virulence genes of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA strains isolated from a paediatric population of a Colombian University Hospital during 2009. Sixty MSSA and MRSA isolates were obtained from paediatric patients between zero-14 years. We identified the genes encoding virulence factors, which included Panton-Valentine leucocidine (PVL, staphylococcal enterotoxins A-E, exfoliative toxins A and B and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1. Typing of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec was performed in MRSA strains. The virulence genes were more diverse and frequent in MSSA than in MRSA isolates (83% vs. 73%. MRSA strains harboured SCCmec types IVc (60%, I (30%, IVa (7% and V (3%. SCCmec type IVc isolates frequently carried the PVL encoding genes and harboured virulence determinants resembling susceptible strains while SCCmec type I isolates were often negative. PVL was not exclusive to skin and soft tissue infections. As previously suggested, these differences in the distribution of virulence factor genes may be due to the fitness cost associated with methicillin resistance.

  10. Characterisation of virulence genes in methicillin susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a paediatric population in a university hospital of Medellín, Colombia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez, Judy Natalia; Ocampo, Ana María; Vanegas, Johanna Marcela; Rodríguez, Erika Andrea; Garcés, Carlos Guillermo; Patiño, Luz Adriana; Ospina, Sigifredo; Correa, Margarita María

    2011-12-01

    Virulence and antibiotic resistance are significant determinants of the types of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and paediatric groups remain among the most commonly affected populations. The goal of this study was to characterise virulence genes of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from a paediatric population of a Colombian University Hospital during 2009. Sixty MSSA and MRSA isolates were obtained from paediatric patients between zero-14 years. We identified the genes encoding virulence factors, which included Panton-Valentine leucocidine (PVL), staphylococcal enterotoxins A-E, exfoliative toxins A and B and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1. Typing of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) was performed in MRSA strains. The virulence genes were more diverse and frequent in MSSA than in MRSA isolates (83% vs. 73%). MRSA strains harboured SCCmec types IVc (60%), I (30%), IVa (7%) and V (3%). SCCmec type IVc isolates frequently carried the PVL encoding genes and harboured virulence determinants resembling susceptible strains while SCCmec type I isolates were often negative. PVL was not exclusive to skin and soft tissue infections. As previously suggested, these differences in the distribution of virulence factor genes may be due to the fitness cost associated with methicillin resistance.

  11. Prescribing Patterns and Medicine Use at the University Teaching ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: There is paucity of data on rational drug use studies at tertiary hospitals in Zambia. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of rational drug use at the adults and paediatrics outpatient departments of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) using World Health Organization (WHO) standardized drug-use ...

  12. Stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of an electronic medication management system to reduce medication errors, adverse drug events and average length of stay at two paediatric hospitals: a study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westbrook, J I; Li, L; Raban, M Z; Baysari, M T; Mumford, V; Prgomet, M; Georgiou, A; Kim, T; Lake, R; McCullagh, C; Dalla-Pozza, L; Karnon, J; O'Brien, T A; Ambler, G; Day, R; Cowell, C T; Gazarian, M; Worthington, R; Lehmann, C U; White, L; Barbaric, D; Gardo, A; Kelly, M; Kennedy, P

    2016-10-21

    Medication errors are the most frequent cause of preventable harm in hospitals. Medication management in paediatric patients is particularly complex and consequently potential for harms are greater than in adults. Electronic medication management (eMM) systems are heralded as a highly effective intervention to reduce adverse drug events (ADEs), yet internationally evidence of their effectiveness in paediatric populations is limited. This study will assess the effectiveness of an eMM system to reduce medication errors, ADEs and length of stay (LOS). The study will also investigate system impact on clinical work processes. A stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial (SWCRCT) will measure changes pre-eMM and post-eMM system implementation in prescribing and medication administration error (MAE) rates, potential and actual ADEs, and average LOS. In stage 1, 8 wards within the first paediatric hospital will be randomised to receive the eMM system 1 week apart. In stage 2, the second paediatric hospital will randomise implementation of a modified eMM and outcomes will be assessed. Prescribing errors will be identified through record reviews, and MAEs through direct observation of nurses and record reviews. Actual and potential severity will be assigned. Outcomes will be assessed at the patient-level using mixed models, taking into account correlation of admissions within wards and multiple admissions for the same patient, with adjustment for potential confounders. Interviews and direct observation of clinicians will investigate the effects of the system on workflow. Data from site 1 will be used to develop improvements in the eMM and implemented at site 2, where the SWCRCT design will be repeated (stage 2). The research has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network and Macquarie University. Results will be reported through academic journals and seminar and conference presentations. Australian New Zealand

  13. Incidence of congenital heart disease among neonates in a neonatal unit of a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, S.; Sabir, M.U.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To determine the incidence and pattern of various congenital heart disease in a neonatal unit of a tertiary care hospital. Methods: The prospective study was carried out in the neonatal unit of Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from September 2008 to August 2011. All 5800 neonates admitted with gestational age of >28 weeks irrespective of birthweight were included in the study. Neonatologist/Paediatrician carried out the neonatal examination during the first 12 hours of life. Neonates suspected of having congenital heart disease were further evaluated by pulse oxymetry, X-ray chest and echocardiography to ascertain final diagnosis and type of lesion. Data was collected on a predesigned proforma containing information regarding gender, mode of delivery, gestational age, weight at birth, family history, and associated malformations. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 5800 neonates, 87 (1.5%) were found to have congenital heart disease with an incidence of 15/1000. There was a male preponderance. Most common lesion was ventricular septal defect 27(31.3%), followed by atrial septal defect 20 (22.9%), patent ductus arteriosus 13 (14.94%), tetralogy of fallot 06 (6.89%), transposition of great arteries 04 (4.59%), Pulmonary stenosis 05 (5.79%) and 03(3.44%) had atrioventricular canal defects. Conclusion: Congenital heart disease is a common congenital anomaly. Its incidence varies from centre to centre due to different factors like nature of the sample, method of detection and early examination by a neonatologist/paediatrician. In this study a higher incidence is reported because it was carried out in a tertiary care unit, which is a referral hospital and all the neonates admitted in the unit were included in the study. (author)

  14. Do pregnant women know about danger signs of pregnancy and childbirth? – A study of the level of knowledge and its associated factors from a tertiary care hospital in Southern India

    OpenAIRE

    R Nithya; Gowri Dorairajan; Palanivel Chinnakali

    2017-01-01

    Background: Awareness about danger signs during pregnancy is essential for a woman to seek prompt care. This can avert long-term morbidity and mortality. This study was aimed to find the level of knowledge and its related factors about danger signs of pregnancy and childbirth among pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in southern India. Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in South India. Systematic rando...

  15. Self esteem and organizational commitment among health information management staff in tertiary care hospitals in Tehran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadoughi, Farahnaz; Ebrahimi, Kamal

    2014-12-12

    Self esteem (SE) and organizational commitment (OC)? have significant impact on the quality of work life. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the relationships between SE and OC among health information management staff in tertiary care hospitals in Tehran (Iran). This was a descriptive correlational and cross sectional study conducted on the health information management staff of tertiary care hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 155 participants were randomly selected from 400 staff. Data were collected by two standard questionnaires. The SE and OC was measured using Eysenck SE scale and Meyer and Allen's three component model, respectively. The collected data were analyzed with the SPSS (version 16) using statistical tests of of independent T-test, Pearson Correlation coefficient, one way ANOVA and F tests. The OC and SE of the employees' were 67.8?, out of 120 (weak) and 21.0 out of 30 (moderate), respectively. The values for affective commitment, normative commitment, and continuance commitment were respectively 21.3 out of 40 (moderate), 23.9 out of 40 (moderate), and 22.7 out of 40 (moderate). The Pearson correlation coefficient test showed a significant OC and SE was statistically significant (Pwork experience with SE and OC. This research showed that SE and OC ?are moderate. SE and OC have strong correlation with turnover, critical thinking, job satisfaction, and individual and organizational improvement. Therefore, applying appropriate human resource policies is crucial to reinforce these measures.

  16. Cost effectiveness of screening of all newly recruited employees for diabetes at a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Niloufer Sultan; Khuwaja, Ali Khan

    2007-01-01

    Diabetes Mellitus is a disease which remains asymptomatic for long duration of time and usually diagnosed either when gets complicated or by routine or opportunistic screening. The practice of universal screening is not recommended, particularly in constraint resources. However, we embarked with a study to assess the yield of recommended screening for Type 2 diabetes in all the newly recruited employees at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. All the information required for this study was collected from medical records of all newly recruited employees of nursing services department of a tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan, over a period of 5 months (August 2004 to December 2004). Out of 360 subjects, 326, whose information was found to be complete, were included for final analysis. Mean age of the study subjects was 25.3 +/- 4.7 years and their mean casual plasma glucose level was 99.1 +/- 16.3 mg/dl. 315 (96.6%) study subjects had casual plasma glucose level of 139 mg/dl or less. Only 10 (3.1%) study subjects had casual plasma glucose levels between 140 to 199 mg/dl. Just one employee, 41 years old, was found to have casual plasma glucose level of 213 mg/dl. In this study, screening of all individuals for diabetes had a very low yield. Recommendation of universal screening for diabetes does not represent a good use of resources and perhaps not cost-effective. However, periodic screening of high risk individuals should be warranted.

  17. Radiation exposure in computed tomography: comparison of adult and paediatrics radiology practice in Serbia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciraj-Bjelac, O.; Arandjic, D.; Kosutic, D.; Kovacevic, M.

    2008-01-01

    There are 90 CT units operating in Serbia, with tenfold increase in the last decade, resulting with annual total of approximately 350000 procedures. The objective of this paper is to assess typical patient dose from adult and paediatric CT examinations. Initially, three hospitals (two general hospitals performing examination of adults and a dedicated paediatric hospital) were enrolled into the study. The hospitals have high workload. Both multi detector CT (MDCT) and single detector CT (SDCT) were included, to represent typical practice in Serbia. Typical patients exposure parameters based on predefined protocol for CT examinations of head, chest, abdomen and pelvis were collected. Data were taken form CT unit display. This includes exposure parameters and volumetric and weighted CT dose index (CTDI). Dose length product (DLP) was calculated from CTDI values and information on typical scan length. Also, the effective dose was estimated. DLP values were 575 mGy·cm, 310 mGy·cm, 703 mGy·cm and 470 mGy·cm for head, chest, abdomen and pelvic CT respectively in general hospital using SDCT and 325 mGy·cm, 160 mGy·cm, 321 mGy·cm and 140 mGy·cm for the same examination using MDCT. In paediatric hospital these values were 525 mGy·cm, 230 mGy·cm , 385 mGy·cm and 330 mGy·cm. The assessed patients' doses in terms of CTDI and DLP were well below reference levels and in accordance with surveys from other countries, although the scope for dose reduction trough optimisation of the examination protocol was observed. (author)

  18. Developing family-friendly signage in a South African paediatric healthcare setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela L. Leonard

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Multiple renovations and changing flow in a tertiary children’s hospital in Cape Town resulted in numerous signs being posted in the corridors and units, making wayfinding extremely complex. A request from nursing management prompted the formation of a learning collaborative of nurses from all departments to improve wayfinding signage. Objectives: The project aimed to contribute to a family-friendly environment by reviewing the current situation and developing signage to improve wayfinding and convey essential information to parents, caregivers and patients. Methods: A participative action research method followed a four-stage process to facilitate the development of family-friendly signage. Nurse participants reviewed existing signage and collaboratively developed new signage templates and posted signs. The signage was then evaluated using a rapid appraisal questionnaire involving 50 parents and nurse respondents. At each stage of data collection, the matic content analysis was used to analyse data gathered in process meetings and the reflections of participating nurses. Results: A design template and then 44 new signs were developed and used to replace old signage. Respondents reported that the new signs were noticeable, looked attractive and were easily understandable. Conclusion: Intentional and active participation of nurses in clinical paediatric settings ensured collaborative data gathering and analysis. An inclusive research design allowed for insights into the words and tone of posted signs that nurse participants had not noticed previously. The participative redesign of signage resulted in a sense of ownership of the signs.The support and involvement of hospital management throughout ensured that the resulting signage received wide acceptance.

  19. Developing family-friendly signage in a South African paediatric healthcare setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Angela L; Verster, Anchen; Coetzee, Minette

    2014-11-28

    Multiple renovations and changing flow in a tertiary children's hospital in Cape Town resulted in numerous signs being posted in the corridors and units, making wayfinding extremely complex. A request from nursing management prompted the formation of a learning collaborative of nurses from all departments to improve wayfinding signage. The project aimed to contribute to a family-friendly environment by reviewing the current situation and developing signage to improve wayfinding and convey essential information to parents, caregivers and patients. A participative action research method followed a four-stage process to facilitate the development of family-friendly signage. Nurse participants reviewed existing signage and collaboratively developed new signage templates and posted signs. The signage was then evaluated using a rapid appraisal questionnaire involving 50 parents and nurse respondents. At each stage of data collection, thematic content analysis was used to analyse data gathered in process meetings and the reflections of participating nurses. A design template and then 44 new signs were developed and used to replace old signage. Respondents reported that the new signs were noticeable, looked attractive and were easily understandable. Intentional and active participation of nurses in clinical paediatric settings ensured collaborative data gathering and analysis. An inclusive research design allowed for insights into the words and tone of posted signs that nurse participants had not noticed previously. The participative redesign of signage resulted in a sense of ownership of the signs.The support and involvement of hospital management throughout ensured that the resulting signage received wide acceptance.

  20. A multidisciplinary approach to paediatric hearing loss: programme at the centre for hearing intervention and language development, National University Hospital, Singapore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Lynne H Y

    2008-12-01

    The objective is to describe the multidisciplinary management programme at the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore for children with hearing impairment (HI). Over 99.95% of babies born at NUH have hearing tested with both otoacoustic emission and automated auditory brainstem response tests by 6 weeks of age. The referral rate to Otolaryngology is 0.5%. Acquired causes of congenital HI are decreasing. Thirty percent of patients at NUH with idiopathic congenital sensorineural HI have DFNB1/ GJB6 Connexin 26 HI. CT scan or MRI imaging has a higher diagnostic yield when there is unilateral, fluctuating or non-Connexin 26 related HI. Routine electrocardiogram and Opthalmology evaluations will exclude associations of fatal cardiac rhythm anomaly and retinopathy. Other investigations are directed by history and clinical examination. There is now a very wide range of increasingly sophisticated medication, neuro-otologic external, middle and inner ear surgery, hearing aids, middle ear implants and cochlear implants available to improve hearing. A multidisciplinary team from neonatology, paediatrics, otolaryngology, audiology, auditory verbal and speech therapy, ophthalmology, radiology, and psychology working closely with the child, family and schools is needed to develop a cost-effective and comprehensive management programme for paediatric HI.

  1. Assessment of maternal risk factors associated with low birth weight neonates at a tertiary hospital, Nanded, Maharashtra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domple, Vijay Kishanrao; Doibale, Mohan K; Nair, Abhilasha; Rajput, Pinkesh S

    2016-01-01

    To assess the maternal risk factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) neonates at a tertiary hospital, Nanded, Maharashtra. This study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Nanded city of Maharashtra between January 2014 and July 2014 among 160 cases (LBW-birth weight ≤2499 g) and 160 controls (normal birth weight-birth weight >2499. Data collection was done by using predesigned questionnaire and also related health documents were checked and collected the expected information during the interview after obtaining informed consent from mothers. The data were analyzed by Epi Info 7 Version. The present study found the significant association among gestational age, sex of baby, type of delivery, maternal age, religion, education of mother and husband, occupation of mother and husband, type of family, maternal height, weight gain, hemoglobin level, planned/unplanned delivery, bad obstetric history, interval between pregnancies, previous history of LBW, underlying disease, tobacco chewing, timing of first antenatal care (ANC) visit, total number of ANC visit, and iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets consumption with LBW. No significant association was found among maternal age, residence, caste, consanguinity of marriage, socioeconomic status, gravida, birth order, multiple pregnancy, and smoking with LBW in our study. It was concluded that hemoglobin level, weight gain during pregnancy, gestational age, planned/unplanned delivery, bad obstetric history, and IFA tablets consumption during pregnancy were independent risk factors for LBW.

  2. MANAGEMENT OF POSTERIOR DISLOCATED INTRAOCULAR LENSES IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shashidhar

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess and compare the visual outcome of different approaches in the management of dislocated PCIOL. MATERIALS AND METHODS 20 eyes of 20 patients who underwent 3PPPV/anterior vitrectomy to refixate or IOL exchange for dislocation or subluxation of PCIOL from 2012 to 2015. SFIOLs were implanted in 12 patients, IOL refixation was done in four patients and four were left aphakic. This is a retrospective study of 20 eyes of 20 patients with dislocated/subluxated PCIOLs in a tertiary hospital from 2012 to 2015. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Paired t-test statistical method. RESULTS We retrospectively analysed hospital records of patients who had undergone three PPPV/anterior vitrectomy for posteriorly dislocated/subluxated IOLs 20 eyes of 20 patients were analysed. SFIOLs were implanted in 12 patients, IOL refixation was done in four patients and four were left aphakic. Postoperative BCVA of 6/12 or better was achieved in 66.67% in primary SFIOL, secondary SFIOL and IOL refixation groups. BCVA of <6/60 was seen in all patients left aphakic. Early and late complications were most in aphakic patients. IOL refixation procedure had minimum early and late complications. Subluxated PCIOLs do better than dislocated lens where a successful SFIOL was placed. CONCLUSION IOL refixation procedure has the least complication rate. Early complications of SFIOL management resolve with time. Thus, 3PPPV/anterior vitrectomy with SFIOL and IOL refixation procedures offer a novel approach towards visual rehabilitation of patients with subluxated or dislocated PCIOLs.

  3. Influence of awareness and availability of medical alternatives on parents seeking paediatric emergency care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellbrant, Julia A; Åkeson, S Jonas; Karlsland Åkeson, Pia M

    2018-06-01

    Direct seeking of care at paediatric emergency departments may result from an inadequate awareness or a short supply of medical alternatives. We therefore evaluated the care-seeking patterns, availability of medical options and initial medical assessments - with overall reference to socioeconomic status - of parents at an urban paediatric emergency department in a Scandinavian country providing free paediatric healthcare. The parents of children assessed by paediatric emergency department physicians at a Swedish university hospital over a 25-day winter period completed a questionnaire on recent medical contacts and their reasons for attendance. Additional information was obtained from ledgers, patient records and population demographics. In total, 657 of 713 eligible patients (92%) were included. Seventy-nine per cent of their parents either failed to or managed to establish medical contact before the emergency department visit, whereas 21% sought care with no attempt at recent medical contact. Visits with a failed telephone or primary care contact (18%) were more common outside office hours ( p=0.014) and were scored as less urgent ( p=0.014). A perceived emergency was the main reason for no attempt at medical contact before the visit. Direct emergency department care-seeking was more common from the city district with the lowest socioeconomic status ( p=0.027). Although most parents in this Swedish study tried to seek medical advice before attending a paediatric emergency department, perceived emergency, a short supply of telephone health line or primary care facilities and lower socioeconomic status contributed to direct care-seeking by almost 40% of parents. Pre-hospital awareness and the availability of medical alternatives with an emphasis on major differences in socioeconomic status should therefore be considered to further optimize care-seeking in paediatric emergency departments.

  4. Ventriculostomy infections at the paediatric neurosurgical unit at Dr ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    of patients admitted to the paediatric neurosurgical unit at the hospital between January 2010 and December 2013, who had had an EVD inserted as part of their treatment, and if all records were accurate, legible and complete. Patients were excluded from the study if they were older than 12 years. Information was sourced ...

  5. How Do Patients Perceive and Expect Quality of Surgery, Diagnostics, and Emergency Services in Tertiary Care Hospitals? An Evidence of Gap Analysis From Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatima, Iram; Humayun, Ayesha; Anwar, Muhammad Imran; Iftikhar, Adil; Aslam, Muhammad; Shafiq, Muhammad

    2017-07-01

    Service quality is one of the important gears to appraise services and determine the gray areas that need improvement. In countries with a resource-poor health system, the first step of measuring quality is yet to be taken. This study seeks to inform policy makers in developing contextual service quality models by identifying service quality gaps in tertiary care teaching hospitals using patients' perspective. A cross-sectional study was performed using multistage cluster sampling, and a modified version of the SERVQUAL (SERV-service, QUAL-quality) instrument was administered to determine patient's expectations and perceptions. A total of 817 completed questionnaires were obtained from patients and/or their attendants using convenience sampling. Data analysis revealed statistically significant negative quality gaps between expectations and perceptions of tangibility, reliability, empathy, assurance, responsiveness, and communication. The difference in mean expectation and perception for responsiveness across the sexes was significant ( p quality were independent of sex. Educational status showed significant difference in expectation and perception in responsiveness ( p quality: p quality of hospitals. Tertiary care hospitals failed to meet patients' expectations in all major areas of service quality, posing a question of how hospitals implement and evaluate their quality assurance policy.

  6. PREVALENCE OF ANEMIA AND ITS SOCIO - DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS IN PREGNANT WOMEN AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

    OpenAIRE

    Prabhjot Singh; Swati; Rajat; Urvahi; Karnika; Isha; Navsangeet; Arihant

    2015-01-01

    AIM: Prevalence of anemia and its socio - demographic determinants in pregnant women at a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan . MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the pregnant women aged 25 to 35 years , registered at antenatal clinic at Department of Obstetrics an d Gynaecology , Mahatma Gandhi Medical College , Jaipur were included. A predesigned and pre tested questionnaire was used to elicit the information. Various possible causes of anaemi...

  7. Ambient Noise Levels in Acute Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Referral Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia R. B D'Souza

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Advances in neonatal care have resulted in improved survival of neonates admitted to the intensive care of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU. However, the NCU may be an inappropriate milieu, with presence of overwhelming stimuli, most potent being the continuous presence of noise in the ambience of the NICU. Aim and Objectives: To determine and describe the ambient noise levels in the acute NICU of a tertiary referral hospital. Material and Methods: The ambient noise, in this study was the background sound existing in the environment of the acute NICU of a tertiary referral hospital in South India. The ambient noise levels were analyzed by an audiologist and acoustical engineer using a standardized and calibrated Sound Level Meter (SLM i.e., the Hand Held Analyzer type 2250, Brüel and Kjær, Denmark on a weighted frequency A and reported as dB (A. Results: The ambient noise levels were timed measurements yielded by the SLM in terms of L eq, L as well as L exceeded the standard A 10 Aeqmax levels (Leq< 45 dB, L ≤ 50 dB, and Lmax ≤ 65 10 dB.The L eq ranged from 59.4 to 62.12 dB A. A Ventilators with alarms caused the maximum amount of ambient noise yielding a L Sound Pressure Level AF (SPL of 82.14 dB A. Conclusion: The study has found high levels of ambient noise in the acute NICU. Though there are several measures to reduce the ambient noise levels in the NICU, it is essential to raise awareness among health care personnel regarding the observed ambient noise levels and its effects on neonates admitted to the NICU.

  8. Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Sensitization and Its Relationship to Allergic Diseases in Tertiary Hospital Nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Eui-Ryoung; Lim, Seong-Wook; Lim, Seong-Ryoon; Kim, Ji-Na; Park, Sin-Young; Chae, Su-Kyoung; Lim, Hye-Hyeun; Seol, Young-Ae; Bae, You-In; Won, Young-Ho

    2010-01-01

    Purpose Skin allergies through type 1 and 4 hypersensitivity reactions are the most frequent manifestations of drug allergies. We had previously experienced a case of a nurse with cefotiam-induced contact urticaria syndrome. To aid in preventing the progression of drug-induced allergic disease in nurses, we conducted a survey of tertiary hospital nurses who were likely to have been exposed professionally to antibiotics. Methods All 539 staff nurses at a tertiary hospital were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding antibiotic exposure. Of the 457 nurses (84.8%) who responded, 427 (79.2%) received a physical examination of the hands and 318 (59.0%) received skin prick tests with the β-lactam antibiotics cefotiam, cefoperazone, ceftizoxime, flomoxef, piperacillin and penicillin G. Results A positive response to at least one of the antibiotics occurred in 8 (2.6%) of the 311 subjects included in the analysis and stages 1 and 2 contact urticaria syndrome were observed in 38 (8.9%) and 3 (0.7%) of 427 nurses, respectively. The frequencies of a positive antibiotic skin test (6.9 versus 1.3%, χ2=7.15, P=0.018), stage 1 contact urticaria syndrome (14.4 versus 7.4%, χ2=4.33, P=0.038) and drug allergy (15.3 versus 3.6%, χ2=18.28, P=0.000) were higher in subjects with a positive skin allergy history than in those without. Allergic rhinitis (P=0.02, OR=3.86, CI=1.23-12.06), night cough (P=0.04, OR=3.12, CI=1.03-9.41) and food allergy (P=0.00, OR=9.90, CI=3.38-29.98) were significant risk factors for drug allergy. Conclusions Antibiotic sensitization and drug allergy occurred more frequently in nurses with a positive skin allergy history. Atopy may be an important risk factor for drug allergy. PMID:20358025

  9. Evaluation of blood stream infections by Candida in three tertiary hospitals in Salvador, Brazil: a case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Goreth Barberino

    Full Text Available Invasive infections caused by Candida spp. are an important problem in immunocompromised patients. There is scarce data on the epidemiology of blood stream candidiasis in Salvador, Brazil. This study evaluates the risk factors associated with candidemia, among patients admitted to three tertiary, private hospitals, in Salvador, Brazil. We conducted a case-control, retrospective study to compare patients with diagnosis of candidemia in three different tertiary hospitals in Salvador, Brazil. Patients were matched for nosocomial, acquired infections, according to the causal agent: cases were defined by positive blood cultures for Candida species. Controls were those patients who had a diagnosis of systemic bacterial infection, with a positive blood culture to any bacteria, within the same time period (± 30 days of case identification. The groups were compared for the main known risk factors for candidemia and for mortality rates. A hundred thirty-eight patients were identified. Among the 69 cases, only 14 were diagnosed as infected by Candida albicans. Candida species were defined in only eight cultures: C. tropicalis (4 cases, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. guillermondi, C. formata (1 case each. The main risk factors, identified in a univariate analysis, were: presence of a central venous catheter (CVC, use of parenteral nutrition support (PNS, previous exposure to antibiotics, and chronic renal failure (CRF. No association was detected with surgical procedures, diabetes mellitus, neutropenia or malignancies. Patients were more likely to die during the hospitalization period, but the rates of death caused by the infections were similar for cases and controls. The length of hospitalization was similar for both groups, as well as the time for a positive blood culture. Blood stream infection by Candida spp. is associated with CVC, PNS, previous use of antibiotics, and CRF. The higher mortality rate for cases probably better reflects the severity

  10. Drug utilization study from a government sponsored pharmacy in a tertiary care teaching hospital of rural West Bengal: A cross-sectional study

    OpenAIRE

    Tanmoy Gangopadhyay; Ananya Mandal; Sonai Mandal; Bishan Basu; Tamoghna Maiti; Abhijit Das; Soumitra Mandal; Sekhar Mandal

    2016-01-01

    Context: Newly started government sponsored pharmacies providing discounts have been available to the public at the medical college hospitals in West Bengal. Aims: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the drug prescribing trends from the prescriptions at such a pharmacy at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: The study was a prospective cross-sectional study that spanned for a period of 1-month from 1 to 31 August 2015. Prescriptions were reviewed and analyzed using the World Health Org...

  11. Comparison of two public sector tertiary care hospitals' management in reducing direct medical cost burden on breast carcinoma patients in Lahore, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hameed Khaliq, Imran; Zahid Mahmood, Hafiz; Akhter, Naveed; Danish Sarfraz, Muhammad; Asim, Khadija; Masood Gondal, Khalid

    2018-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the major causes of death incurring highest morbidity and mortality amongst women of Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the role of two public sector tertiary care hospitals' management in reducing out of pocket (OOP) expenses on direct medical costs borne by breast carcinoma patients' household from diagnosis through treatment. Moreover, the study intended to explore the reasons of opting private diagnostic facilities by the said patients during the services taken from the foresaid tertiary care centers. A purposive sample of 164 primary breast carcinoma patients was recruited for data collection of this cross-sectional study. Face to face interviews and semistructured questionnaires were adopted as method of data gathering tools. Major cost components of direct medical costs were used to compare the financial strain on the patients' households of both targeted hospitals. In addition, information was collected regarding the reasons of opting private diagnostic centers for investigations. Frequency, percentages, median and inter quartile range (IQR) were calculated for the data. Non-parametric variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. It was observed that overall direct medical cost borne by the breast carcinoma patients' households in Jinnah hospital (median US$1153.93 / Rs. 118,589) was significantly higher than Mayo hospital (median US$427.93 /Rs. 43,978), pprivately opted investigations procedures was the common issue of the patients under treatment in both hospitals.

  12. Spectrum of neonatal admissions and their outcome in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yasmeen, S.; Waheed, K.A.I.; Gul, R.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To study the spectrum of neonatal admissions and their outcome in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: A descriptive observational study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Neonatal Unit of The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore for a period of one year from 1st Jan 2015 to 31st Dec 2015. Material and Methods: Data of all admitted patients during the study period were reviewed and analysed in terms of gender, gestational age, age at presentation, weight, cause of admission and their outcome. Neonates with incomplete data were excluded subsequently. Diagnosis were made on clinical examination, radiological findings and laboratory investigations. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: Out of 11427 neonates admitted during the study period, 397 were excluded because of deficient record. Of the 11030 neonates males were 7673 (69.6%) and females were 3353 (30.4%). Full-term neonates were 8123 (73.64%) while preterm were 2907 (26.35%). Low birth weight (LBW) babies were 5636 (51.1%). Newborns presented within first 24 hours of life were 1478 (13.4%). Birth asphyxia 3518 (31.89%) was the most common cause of hospital admissions followed by prematurity 2907 (26.36%) and neonatal sepsis 1865 (16.91%). Out of 11030 babies, 7055 (64%) were discharged, 2805 (25.4%) left against medical advice and 1170 (10.6%) neonates expired. Highest number of deaths was because of prematurity 469 (39.32%) followed by asphyxia neonatorum 359 (30.68%) and neonatal sepsis 180 (15.38%). Conclusion: Birth asphyxia, prematurity and sepsis constitute three fourths of hospital admissions in our neonatal unit. Most common cause of mortality was prematurity followed by birth asphyxia and neonatal sepsis. (author)

  13. Paediatric talus fracture.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Byrne, Ann-Maria

    2012-01-01

    Paediatric talus fractures are rare injuries resulting from axial loading of the talus against the anterior tibia with the foot in dorsiflexion. Skeletally immature bone is less brittle, with higher elastic resistance than adult bone, thus the paediatric talus can sustain higher forces before fractures occur. However, displaced paediatric talus fractures and those associated with high-energy trauma have been associated with complications including avascular necrosis, arthrosis, delayed union, neurapraxia and the need for revision surgery. The authors present the rare case of a talar neck fracture in a skeletally immature young girl, initially missed on radiological review. However, clinical suspicion on the part of the emergency physician, repeat examination and further radiographic imaging revealed this rare paediatric injury.

  14. Initiation of a medical toxicology consult service at a tertiary care children's hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, George Sam; Monte, Andrew; Hatten, Benjamin; Brent, Jeffrey; Buchanan, Jennie; Heard, Kennon J

    2015-05-01

    Currently, only 10% of board-certified medical toxicologists are pediatricians. Yet over half of poison center calls involve children toxicology consultation is not common at children's hospitals. In collaboration with executive staff from Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, regional poison center, and our toxicology fellowship, we established a toxicology consulting service at our tertiary-care children's hospital. There were 139 consultations, and the service generated 13 consultations in the first month; median of 11 consultations per month thereafter (range 8-16). The service increased pediatric cases seen by the fellowship program from 30 to 94. The transition to a consult service required a culture change. Historically, call center advice was the mainstay of consulting practice and the medical staff was not accustomed to the availability of bedside medical toxicology consultations. However, after promotion of the service and full attending and fellowship coverage, consultations increased. In collaboration with toxicologists from different departments, a consultation service can be rapidly established. The service filled a clinical need that was disproportionately utilized for high acuity patients, immediately utilized by the medical staff and provided a robust pediatric population for the toxicology fellowship.

  15. Patient Complaints Emphasize Non-Technical Aspects of Care at a Tertiary Referral Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John King

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Background:Patient concerns represent opportunities for improvement in orthopaedic care. Thisstudy’s objectiveis to identify the nature and prevalence of unsolicited patient complaints regarding orthopaedic care ata tertiary referral hospital. The primary null hypothesis that there are no demographic factors associatedwith complaint types was tested. Secondarily we determined if the overall complaint number and typesdifferedby year.Methods:Complaints to the hospital ombudsperson by orthopaedic patients between January 1997 and June 2013 werereviewed. All 1118 complaints were categorized: access and availability, humaneness and disrespect, communication,expectations of care and treatment, distrust, billing and research.Results:Patients between 40 and 60 years of age filed the most complaints in all categories except distrust(more common in patients over age 80 and research. Women were slightly more likely to address access andavailability, humaneness, disrespect, and billing compared to men. The overall number of complaints peakedin 1999. The most common issue was access and availability followed by communication, and humaneness/disrespect.Conclusion:Half of concerns voiced by patients addressed interpersonal issues. The largest category was related toaccess and availability. Quality improvement efforts can address technology to improve access and availability as wellas empathy and communication strategies.

  16. Care dependency of hospitalized children: testing the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics in a cross-cultural comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tork, Hanan; Dassen, Theo; Lohrmann, Christa

    2009-02-01

    This paper is a report of a study to examine the psychometric properties of the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics in Germany and Egypt and to compare the care dependency of school-age children in both countries. Cross-cultural differences in care dependency of older adults have been documented in the literature, but little is known about the differences and similarities with regard to children's care dependency in different cultures. A convenience sample of 258 school-aged children from Germany and Egypt participated in the study in 2005. The reliability of the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics was assessed in terms of internal consistency and interrater reliability. Factor analysis (principal component analysis) was employed to verify the construct validity. A Visual Analogue Scale was used to investigate the criterion-related validity. Good internal consistency was detected both for the Arabic and German versions. Factor analysis revealed one factor for both versions. A Pearson's correlation between the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics and Visual Analogue Scale was statistically significant for both versions indicating criterion-related validity. Statistically significant differences between the participants were detected regarding the mean sum score on the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics. The Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the care dependency of children and is recommended for assessing the care dependency of children from different ethnic origins. Differences in care dependency between German and Egyptian children were detected, which might be due to cultural differences.

  17. Primary ciliary dyskinesia in the paediatric population: range and severity of radiological findings in a cohort of patients receiving tertiary care

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jain, K. [Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Padley, S.P.G. [Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom)], E-mail: s.padley@ic.ac.uk; Goldstraw, E.J.; Kidd, S.J. [Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom); Hogg, C.; Biggart, E.; Bush, A. [Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom)

    2007-10-15

    Aim: To investigate the clinical range and severity of radiological findings in a cohort of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) receiving tertiary care. Materials and methods: The case notes and clinical test results of 89 children attending the paediatric respiratory disease clinic at our institution were retrospectively analysed. Demographic details including age at diagnosis and common presenting signs and symptoms were studied. Results of chest radiographs, microscopy, and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for quantification of lung damage were analysed. Results: In a cohort of 89 children with PCD, a presentation chest radiograph was available in 62% of patients (n = 55), with all but one demonstrating changes of bronchial wall thickening. HRCT of the lungs, available in 26 patients, were scored using the system described by Brody et al. analysing five specific features of lung disease, including bronchiectasis, mucus plugging, peribronchial thickening, parenchymal changes of consolidation, and ground-glass density, and focal air-trapping in each lobe. Peribronchial thickening was observed using HRCT in 25 patients, while 20 patients had bronchiectasis. Severity scores were highest for the middle and the lingular lobes. Conclusion: The radiographic findings of the largest reported cohort of patients with PCD are presented, with associated clinical findings. Dextrocardia remains the commonest finding on chest radiography. HRCT demonstrates peribronchial thickening and bronchiectasis, which is most marked in the lower zones. Radiological scoring techniques developed for assessment of cystic fibrosis can also be applied for the assessment of disease severity in this patient population.

  18. VISUAL OUTCOME OF OCULAR INJURY IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATION PRESENTING AT TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE IN WEST BENGAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somnath Das

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Ocular trauma is an important worldwide cause of visual morbidity. It includes a spectrum of simple ocular surface foreign bodies, minute corneal abrasions to devastating perforating injuries causing blindness. Children are particularly susceptible to ocular trauma. Identification of the cause of injuries among children may help in determining the most effective measures to prevent visual loss. The purpose of this study is to analyse visual status at the time of presentation and to find the time gap between the occurrence of trauma and presentation, intervention and visual outcome in paediatric ocular trauma at Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Kolkata, West Bengal. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 100 children (age 0-14 yrs. who attended outpatient department and emergency of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and got admitted were included in the study. Detailed history regarding mode of injury, type of injury, time of injury and time elapsed to attend the hospital from the onset of injury noted. Recording of visual acuity and detailed clinical examination done. Appropriate medical and surgical treatment given as per the standard protocol after assessing the type of injury. Visual outcome assessed by doing follow up at presentation at 1 month and 6 month after injury. RESULTS Our study showed that 37% of the children who presented to us had visual acuity between 2/60 and Perception of light (PL positive. 7% had vision between 6/6 and 6/12. PL was denied in 5% patients. Majority (44% of the children who suffered ocular trauma presented to our hospital between 25-48 hrs. of injury. 88 out 100 patients who were hospitalised were operated within the first 24 hours. At one month after injury, 28% had visual acuity between 6/60 and 3/60 and six months after injury, 25% had visual acuity between 6/18 and 6/36. CONCLUSION Close supervision at home, school and playground, public awareness and education regarding the hazardous nature of

  19. Peer teaching in paediatrics - medical students as learners and teachers on a paediatric course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauseil-Zipf, Ulrike; Karay, Yassin; Ehrlich, Roland; Knoop, Kai; Michalk, Dietrich

    2010-01-01

    Peer assisted learning is known as an effective educational strategy in medical teaching. We established a peer assisted teaching program by student tutors with a focus on clinical competencies for students during their practical training on paediatric wards. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of a clinical skills training by tutors, residents and consultants on students evaluations of the teaching quality and the effects of a peer teaching program on self assessed clinical competencies by the students. Medical student peers in their 6(th) year were trained by an intensive instruction program for teaching clinical skills by paediatric consultants, doctors and psychologists. 109 students in their 5(th) year (study group) participated in a peer assisted teaching program for training clinical skills in paediatrics. The skills training by student peer teachers were supervised by paediatric doctors. 45 students (control group) participated in a conventional paediatric skills training by paediatric doctors and consultants. Students from both groups, which were consecutively investigated, completed a questionnaire with an evaluation of the satisfaction with their practical training and a self assessment of their practical competencies. The paediatric skills training with student peer teachers received significantly better ratings than the conventional skills training by paediatric doctors concerning both the quality of the practical training and the support by the teaching medical staff. Self assessed learning success in practical skills was higher rated in the peer teaching program than in the conventional training. The peer assisted teaching program of paediatric skills training was rated higher by the students regarding their satisfaction with the teaching quality and their self assessment of the acquired skills. Clinical skills training by student peer teachers have to be supervised by paediatric doctors. Paediatric doctors seem to be more

  20. Quality of acute asthma care in two tertiary hospitals in a state in South Western Nigeria: A report of clinical audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desalu, Olufemi Olumuyiwa; Adeoti, Adekunle Olatayo; Ogunmola, Olarinde Jeffrey; Fadare, Joseph Olusesan; Kolawole, Tolutope Fasanmi

    2016-01-01

    To audit the quality of acute asthma care in two tertiary hospitals in a state in the southwestern region of Nigeria and to compare the clinical practice against the recommendations of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 101 patients who presented with acute exacerbation of asthma to the hospital between November 2010 and October 2015. Majority of the cases were females (66.3%), audit has implicated the need to address the non-performing areas and organizational issues to improve the quality of care.

  1. Paediatric airway management: basic aspects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm-Knudsen, R J; Rasmussen, L S

    2009-01-01

    Paediatric airway management is a great challenge, especially for anaesthesiologists working in departments with a low number of paediatric surgical procedures. The paediatric airway is substantially different from the adult airway and obstruction leads to rapid desaturation in infants and small...... children. This paper aims at providing the non-paediatric anaesthesiologist with a set of safe and simple principles for basic paediatric airway management. In contrast to adults, most children with difficult airways are recognised before induction of anaesthesia but problems may arise in all children...

  2. The establishment of local diagnostic reference levels for paediatric interventional cardiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McFadden, S.; Hughes, C.; D'Helft, C.I.; McGee, A.; Rainford, L.; Brennan, P.C.; McCrum-Gardner, E.; Winder, R.J.

    2013-01-01

    Background: There is a paucity of information worldwide on radiation exposure in paediatric interventional cardiology. At present Nationally established Diagnostic Reference Levels exist for adult interventional cardiology procedures in the UK but little data is available for paediatrics. In addition, interventional cardiology has been identified as one the highest contributors to medical exposure to ionising radiation and children are more radiosensitive than adults. Objective: This study sought to determine current radiation dose levels in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) with a view to establishing local diagnostic reference levels (LDRL). Methods: Radiation dose and examination details were recorded for 354 paediatric patients examined by IC in a specialised paediatric centre in Europe. Radiation doses were recorded using a Dose Area Product meter along with examination details. Procedures were categorised as either diagnostic (A) or therapeutic (B). Data was further sub-divided into five age ranges; (1) newborn <1 year (2) 1 <5 years (3) 5 <10 years (4) 10 <15 years (5) 15 years and over. Proposed LDRL were calculated from the mean dose area product readings. Results: The mean patient age was 2.6 years (range 0.0 days–16 years) and weight was 14.9 kg (range 2.4–112 kg). LDRL for the five age groupings were calculated as 190, 421, 582, 1289 and 1776 cGycm² respectively. Conclusion: Local dose reference levels have been proposed for paediatric IC and can be used as a benchmark for other hospitals to compare against their own radiation doses

  3. Assessment of medication errors and adherence to WHO prescription writing guidelines in a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilnasheen Sheikh

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study is to assess the medication errors and adherence to WHO prescription writing guidelines in a tertiary care hospital. A prospective observational study was carried out for a period of 8 months from June 2015 to February 2016 at tertiary care hospital. At inpatient department regular chart review of patient case records was carried out to assess the medication errors. The observed medication errors were assessed for level of harm by using NCCMERP index. The outpatient prescriptions were screened for adherence to WHO prescription writing guidelines. Out of 200 patients, 40 patients developed medication errors. Most of the medication errors were observed in the age group above 61 years (40%. Majority of the medication errors were observed with drug class of antibiotics 9 (22.5% and bronchodilators 9 (22.5%. Most of the errors were under the NCCMERP index category C. Out of 545 outpatient prescriptions, 51 (9.37% prescriptions did not have prescriber’s name and all of the prescriptions lack prescriber’s personal contact number. Eighteen prescriptions did not have patient’s name and 426 (78.2% prescriptions did not have patient’s age. The prevalence of medication errors in this study was relatively low (20% without any fatal outcome. Omission error was the most frequently observed medication errors 31 (77.5%. In the present study, the patient’s age was missing in 78.2% of the prescriptions and none of the prescriptions had patient’s address and the drug names were not mentioned by their generic names.

  4. Experience of Oesophageal atresia management in a tertiary Bangladeshi hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Md Kabirul

    2018-01-16

    Background and aim: This study has been conducted to determine the clinical presentations and surgical outcome of patients with OA admitted in a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh. A prospective analysis was conducted for 32 patients with confirmed OA between July 2007 and June 2015. Of them surgical correction was done in 25 cases. The other 7, in whom surgery could not be done, were excluded from the study. Of the 25 cases, that had been operated, 15 were full term and 52% were more than 48 hours old. Type-C OA with TOF was the commonest type (96%). 24 cases were operated through Right Thoracotomy. Of them 52% were done by Single Lung (left) ventilation. 'Division of the fistula' with 'end to end anastomosis' was done in all of them. Only 1 patient had a Gastric pull up surgery. Of the 25 cases, 16 survived (64%). In follow up all the patients were found thriving and showed no problem in swallowing. Our study which shows 64% survival is a great achievement for us but not satisfactory in international standard. However, the experience and encouragement that we are gathering, will guide us to achieve better result in near future.

  5. Job satisfaction among anesthesiologists at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ambrose Rukewe

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background : We assessed job satisfaction among anesthesiologists at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria and identified elements of job stress and dissatisfaction. Methods : A cross-sectional study design was employed; a structured self-administered questionnaire was distributed, which focused on sociodemographic data, rating of job satisfaction, identification of stressors, and work relationships. Results : Out of 55 questionnaires distributed, 46 (83.6% completed questionnaires were returned. Overall, 27 (58.7% of the anesthesiologists were satisfied with their job. While 8.7% were very satisfied (grade 5, 6.5% were very dissatisfied (grade 1 with their job. The stressors identified by the respondents were time pressures, long working hours with complaints of insufficient sleep, and employment status. Among the respondents, the medical officers were the most discontented (9 out of 12, 75%, followed by senior registrars (5 out of 9, 56%. A high percentage of participants (54.1% declared that the one change if implemented that would enhance their job satisfaction was having a definite closing time. Conclusion : Our results showed that despite the demanding nature of anesthesiology as a specialty, many anesthesiologists were contented with their job.

  6. Project Octo-Pills - A practice model engaging community pharmacists in the care of patients from a tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, Kheng Yong; Chung, Wing Lam; Mamun, Kaysar; Chen, Li Li

    2017-10-13

    Even while pharmacy practice evolves to a more patient-centric mode of practice, local hospitals, due to high patient load as well as space and resource constraints, find it challenging to conduct thorough medication review and physical medication reconciliation for all patients. In light of this, optimizing the local current healthcare system to involve community pharmacists in the care of patients from public hospitals could potentially better cater to the healthcare needs of the older population. Due to easy accessibility, community pharmacies are often the first point of contact in the healthcare system. Project Octo-Pills aims to engage community pharmacists in the collaborative care of patients from a tertiary hospital, providing patients with quality medication reconciliation and review services from a more convenient location within their neighborhood. This paper describes the model for this pilot initiative. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Disease spectrum and management of children admitted with acute respiratory infection in Viet Nam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, T K P; Nguyen, D V; Truong, T N H; Tran, M D; Graham, S M; Marais, B J

    2017-06-01

    To assess the acute respiratory infection (ARI) disease spectrum, duration of hospitalisation and outcome in children hospitalised with an ARI in Viet Nam. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of ARI admissions to primary (Hoa Vang District Hospital), secondary (Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children) and tertiary (National Hospital of Paediatrics in Ha Noi) level hospitals in Viet Nam over 12 months (01/09/2015 to 31/08/2016). Acute respiratory infections accounted for 27.9% (37 436/134 061) of all paediatric admissions; nearly half (47.6%) of all children admitted to Hoa Vang District Hospital. Most (64.6%) of children hospitalised with an ARI were Viet Nam, characterised by prolonged hospitalisation for relatively mild disease. There is huge potential to reduce unnecessary hospital admission and cost. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Safety in paediatric imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carter, D.; Filice, I.; Murray, D.; Thomas, K.

    2006-01-01

    Those of us working in a dedicated paediatric environment are aware of the important safety issues with regard to paediatrics. Our goal when working with paediatric patients, the goal is to obtain the best quality images while keeping patients safe and their distress to a minimum. This article will discuss some of the issues regarding paediatric safety in a diagnostic imaging department, including radiation doses and the risk to paediatric patients, reducing medication errors, safe sedation practice and environmental safety. Also discussed are some conditions requiring special consideration to maintain patient safety such as epiglottitis and suspected child abuse. Promotion of a patient/family-centered care system will create an environment of trust where parents or guardians will know that their children are being well cared for in a safe, effective environment. (author)

  9. Initial experience with intravenous pentobarbital sedation for children undergoing MRI at a tertiary care pediatric hospital: the learning curve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenberg, S.B.; Adams, R.C.; Aspinall, C.L.

    2000-01-01

    Objective. Our purpose is to describe the initial experience with intravenous pentobarbital sedation in children undergoing MRI at a tertiary pediatric hospital to identify errors associated with inexperience. Subjects and methods. The study included the first 100 children sedated with intravenous pentobarbital prior to magnetic resonance examination at a tertiary pediatric hospital. The protocol included a maximum dose of 6 mg/kg administered in three divided doses with the total dose not to exceed 200 mg. Flow sheets documenting vital signs, administered drug doses, and adverse reactions were maintained contemporaneous to sedation. Results. Sedation was successful in 92 children. Of the eight children who failed sedation, three were at least 12 years old and three weighed more than 50 kg. χ 2 tests identified significantly greater failure rates in children older than 11 years or weight greater than 50 kg. Two children had prolonged sedation after the maximum suggested dose was exceeded. Conclusions. The success rate was good, but could have been improved by restricting the use of pentobarbital to children less than 12 years of age and weighing less than 50 kg. Radiologists inexperienced with intravenous sedation should strictly observe the maximum suggested dose of pentobarbital to prevent prolonged sedation. (orig.)

  10. Conflict escalation in paediatric services: findings from a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbat, Liz; Teuten, Bea; Barclay, Sarah

    2015-08-01

    To explore clinician and family experiences of conflict in paediatric services, in order to map the trajectory of conflict escalation. Qualitative interview study, employing extreme-case sampling. Interviews were analysed using an iterative thematic approach to identify common themes regarding the experience and escalation of conflict. Thirty-eight health professionals and eight parents. All participants had direct experience of conflict, including physical assault and court proceedings, at the interface of acute and palliative care. Two teaching hospitals, one district general hospital and two paediatric hospices in England, in 2011. Conflicts escalate in a predictable manner. Clearly identifiable behaviours by both clinicians and parents are defined as mild, moderate and severe. Mild describes features like the insensitive use of language and a history of unresolved conflict. Moderate involves a deterioration of trust, and a breakdown of communication and relationships. Severe marks disintegration of working relationships, characterised by behavioural changes including aggression, and a shift in focus from the child's best interests to the conflict itself. Though conflicts may remain at one level, those which escalated tended to move sequentially from one level to the next. Understanding how conflicts escalate provides clinicians with a practical, evidence-based framework to identify the warning signs of conflict in paediatrics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  11. Prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection and colonization in a tertiary hospital and elderly community of North-Eastern Peninsular Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainul, N H; Ma, Z F; Besari, A; Siti Asma, H; Rahman, R A; Collins, D A; Hamid, N; Riley, T V; Lee, Y Y

    2017-10-01

    Little is known about Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Asia. The aims of our study were to explore (i) the prevalence, risk factors and molecular epidemiology of CDI and colonization in a tertiary academic hospital in North-Eastern Peninsular Malaysia; (ii) the rate of carriage of C. difficile among the elderly in the region; (iii) the awareness level of this infection among the hospital staffs and students. For stool samples collected from hospital inpatients with diarrhea (n = 76) and healthy community members (n = 138), C. difficile antigen and toxins were tested by enzyme immunoassay. Stool samples were subsequently analyzed by culture and molecular detection of toxin genes, and PCR ribotyping of isolates. To examine awareness among hospital staff and students, participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. For the hospital and community studies, the prevalence of non-toxigenic C. difficile colonization was 16% and 2%, respectively. The prevalence of CDI among hospital inpatients with diarrhea was 13%. Out of 22 C. difficile strains from hospital inpatients, the toxigenic ribotypes 043 and 017 were most common (both 14%). In univariate analysis, C. difficile colonization in hospital inpatients was significantly associated with greater duration of hospitalization and use of penicillin (both P difficile colonization is prevalent in a Malaysian hospital setting but not in the elderly community with little or no contact with hospitals. Awareness of CDI is alarmingly poor.

  12. Dose evaluation in paediatric patients undergoing chest X-ray examinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piantini, F.; Schelin, H. R.; Denyak, V.; Bunick, A. P.; Legnani, A.; Ledesma, J. A.; Filipov, D.; Paschuk, S. A.

    2017-11-01

    This study aimed to estimate the incident air kerma in chest X-ray examinations, for lateral (LAT) and anterior-posterior (AP) (together with posterior-anterior (PA)) projections, in one of the largest paediatric hospitals in Brazil, and to compare these with the results obtained in a general hospital of the same city. The dosimetric results were analysed along with the patient characteristics and radiographer strategies. The examinations of 225 (119 male and 106 female) patients were studied and 389 X-ray scans (200 AP/PA projections and 189 LAT projections) of paediatric patients were acquired. For analysis of the results, the patients were divided into the following age groups: 0-1 y, 1-5 y, 5-10 y, and 10-15 y. Patient's thickness can be determined from age, height or weight with an uncertainty of 20-30%. In different hospitals, the difference in patient's thicknesses between the same age groups can reach 25-55%. A minimal correlation between the patient dose and thickness was observed, with a 4-fold difference in the dose for patients of the same thickness. By standardizing radiological protocols, it should be possible to keep the dose within intervals of 50-100 μGy for LAT projection and 40-80 μGy for AP/PA projection.

  13. Factors relating to hospitalisation and economic burden of paediatric constipation in the state of Victoria, Australia, 2002-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Humaira; Ansari, Zahid; Lim, Tracy; Hutson, John M; Southwell, Bridget R

    2014-12-01

    Constipation is common, with severe symptoms requiring hospitalisation. Constipation can be a primary (present at admission and requires treatment or investigation) or principal (first listed) diagnosis for hospitalisation. In the USA, constipation is the second most common ambulatory care digestive diagnosis with total costs >US$1.7 billion/year. Incidence of hospitalisation for constipation in children peaks at toilet-training age. This study determined the burden of paediatric constipation to hospital care in Victoria, Australia. The Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset was analysed retrospectively, examining hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of constipation in the 7-year period 2002/2003 to 2008/2009. For children, constipation was recorded as a primary diagnosis in 8688 admissions (3.6/1000 of population). In-hospital prevalence was ∼1.0%. Mean length of stay was 4.4 days (median 1.0, range 0-993, standard deviation 16.7). There were 1121 readmissions in 668 children. Average treatment cost was A$4235/admission (median A$1461, range A$0-$278 816), with annual costs of ∼A$5 505 500. Children in the highest socio-economic area had ∼50% fewer admissions (P disadvantage, public hospital, planned admission, longer length of stay and association with other medical conditions. This study identified that constipation in children is a significant cost burden in Victoria (costing public hospitals ∼A$5.5 million/year). Hospitalisation in Victoria is 10-fold higher than in the USA with 10% readmissions within a month. We conclude that strategies aimed at reducing hospitalisation for constipation could result in significant savings for the paediatric public health system in Victoria, Australia. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  14. Application of Lean Healthcare methodology in a urology department of a tertiary hospital as a tool for improving efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boronat, F; Budia, A; Broseta, E; Ruiz-Cerdá, J L; Vivas-Consuelo, D

    To describe the application of the Lean methodology as a method for continuously improving the efficiency of a urology department in a tertiary hospital. The implementation of the Lean Healthcare methodology in a urology department was conducted in 3 phases: 1) team training and improvement of feedback among the practitioners, 2) management by process and superspecialisation and 3) improvement of indicators (continuous improvement). The indicators were obtained from the Hospital's information systems. The main source of information was the Balanced Scorecard for health systems management (CUIDISS). The comparison with other autonomous and national urology departments was performed through the same platform with the help of the Hospital's records department (IASIST). A baseline was established with the indicators obtained in 2011 for the comparative analysis of the results after implementing the Lean Healthcare methodology. The implementation of this methodology translated into high practitioner satisfaction, improved quality indicators reaching a risk-adjusted complication index (RACI) of 0.59 and a risk-adjusted mortality rate (RAMR) of 0.24 in 4 years. A value of 0.61 was reached with the efficiency indicator (risk-adjusted length of stay [RALOS] index), with a savings of 2869 stays compared with national Benchmarking (IASIST). The risk-adjusted readmissions index (RARI) was the only indicator above the standard, with a value of 1.36 but with progressive annual improvement of the same. The Lean methodology can be effectively applied to a urology department of a tertiary hospital to improve efficiency, obtaining significant and continuous improvements in all its indicators, as well as practitioner satisfaction. Team training, management by process, continuous improvement and delegation of responsibilities has been shown to be the fundamental pillars of this methodology. Copyright © 2017 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  15. The learning environment of paediatric interns in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naidoo, Kimesh L; Van Wyk, Jacqueline M; Adhikari, Miriam

    2017-11-29

    South African (SA) paediatric interns (recently qualified medical graduates) work in a high disease burdened and resource deficient environment for two years, prior to independent practice. Perceptions of this learning environment (LE) influences their approaches to training as well as the outcomes of this period of development. Obstacles to creating a supportive LE and supervisor interaction affects the quality of this training. Measuring perceptions of the LE with validated instruments can help inform improvements in learning during this crucial period of medical education. The aims of this study was to determine the psychometric qualities of the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) amongst paediatric interns across four hospital complexes in South Africa and to measure the LE as perceived by both interns and their supervisors. Construct validity was tested using factor analysis and internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's alpha. A total of 209 interns and 60 supervisors (69% intern response rate) responded to the questionnaire. The PHEEM was found to be very reliable with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.943 and 0.874 for intern and supervisors respectively. Factor analysis using a 3-factor solution accounted for 42% of the variance with the teaching subscale having the best fit compared with the other sub-scales of the original tool. Most interns perceived the learning environment as being more positive than negative however, their perceptions differed significantly from that of their supervisors. Poor infrastructural support from institutions, excessive workloads and inadequate supervision were factors preventing optimal training of paediatric interns. The SA version of the PHEEM tool used was found to be a reliable and valid instrument for use in interns amongst high disease burdened contexts. Various obstacles to creating an ideal learning environment for paediatric interns were identified to be in need of urgent review. Key

  16. Presentations and Outcome of Thyroiditis from a Tertiary Care Hospital of Karachi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahar, Saeed Ahmed; Shahid, Muhammad; Sarfaraz, Aqiba; Shaikh, Zuhaib-u-Ddin; Shaikh, Shiraz; Shahid, Nadia

    2015-10-01

    To assess the clinical presentations and short-term outcomes of patients with thyroiditis presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Case series. Department of Endocrinology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, from June 2014 to February 2015. Patients between 18 and 70 years of age with acute onset of thyroiditis confirmed on thyroid scan or clinical judgment presenting to the outpatient services were included in the study. Pregnant females, psychiatric patients and patients having other chronic illnesses were excluded from the study. A total of 26 patients with thyroiditis attended the endocrine clinic. Mean age of patients was 41.2 ± 11.12 years. There were 18 (69.2%) females. Clinical presentations were fever (65.4%), tender neck (23.1%), goiter (19.2%), localized tenderness in neck and palpable lymph nodes (26.9%). Major symptoms reported were: sore throat (69.2%), weight loss (38.5%), upper respiratory tract infection, thyroid pain, tremor, sweating and fever of unknown origin in 26.9% cases. All the patients had raised Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Low Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) 1.8 ng/dL. Complete recovery was seen in 88.5% patients while 11.5% had early hypothyroidism. Fever and sore throat were the main presenting features of thyroiditis patients. ESR was raised in all patients. A majority of patients had complete recovery with appropriate management; however, few cases developed hypothyroidism.

  17. Paediatric Anxiety Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beena Johnson

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among children and are associated with serious morbidity. Lifetime prevalence of paediatric anxiety disorders is about fifteen percent. Social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder are included in the triad of paediatric anxiety disorders. Specific phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder are also commonly seen in children. Overprotection by parents, parental death or separation, female sex, low educational status, family history of anxiety disorder, financial stress in family and adverse childhood experiences are risk factors for the development of anxiety disorders. If not diagnosed and managed at the earliest, paediatric anxiety disorders can cause life threatening problems in the future. Hence early and scientific management of anxiety disorders is essential. Cognitive behavioural therapy is the effective evidence based treatment for paediatric anxiety disorders.

  18. [Triage evaluation making in a pediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pascual-Fernández, Ma Cristina; Ignacio-Cerro, Ma Carmen; Jiménez-Carrascosa, Ma Amalia

    2014-03-01

    Evaluation triage level assignments depending level of the professionals' education and experience in the unit. This was a retrospective and observational study to triages making from January to March 2012 in Pediatric Emergency Department of tertiary hospital in Madrid. The collection data included variables from Pediatric Canadian Triage with five levels, triage tool using in the unit. 6443 triages were evaluated. The most common mistakes was: not to register pain level, 1445 (22.4%); not to register hydration level, 377 (5.9%); principal symptoms inappropriate, 232 (3.6%). Didn't indicate pain level 140 (5.6%) nurses with 12 hour formal training on triage; 492 (14.5%) with training in the unit, and 92 (16.3%) without training in the last year (p hydration level 296 (7.7%). The triage education favors better adaptation in the triage assignment. The most common errors are: not to register level pain and hydration when it's needed for the principal symptoms.

  19. Sex-differential effects of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine for the outcome of paediatric admissions? A hospital based observational study from Guinea-Bissau

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Annemette; Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten; Rodrigues, Amabelia

    2017-01-01

    study using data from Bandim Health Project's continuous registration of all admissions to the paediatric ward at the National Hospital Simão Mendes in Bissau, we investigated whether DTP was associated with higher female than male in-hospital mortality (female/male case fatality ratio (F/M CFR......Background: In spite of protection against the targeted infections, a large volume of observational data indicates that diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine may have a negative impact on overall childhood mortality in low-income countries, especially in girls. Methods: In an observational......-vaccinated children was 1.23 (1.03-1.46); while it was 0.95 (0.66-1.38) among the 506 children who had not received DTP. DTP-vaccinated children were older and had better socioeconomic status. Adjusted for age, BCG-vaccination, residence, and maternal education the CFR comparing DTP-vaccinated boys with DTP...

  20. Inpatient dermatology: Characteristics of patients and admissions in a tertiary level hospital in Eastern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arpita Sen

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Dermatology is primarily a non-acute, outpatient-centered clinical specialty, but substantial number of patients need indoor admission for adequate management. Over the years, the need for inpatient facilities in Dermatology has grown manifold; however, these facilities are available only in some tertiary centers. Aims and Objectives: To analyze the characteristics of the diseases and outcomes of patients admitted in the dermatology inpatient Department of a tertiary care facility in eastern India. Materials and Methods: We undertook a retrospective analysis of the admission and discharge records of all patients, collected from the medical records department, admitted to our indoor facility from 2011 to 2014. The data thus obtained was statistically analyzed with special emphasis on the patient's demographic profile, clinical diagnosis, final outcome, and duration of stay. Results and Analysis: A total of 375 patients were admitted to our indoor facility during the period. Males outnumbered females, with the median age in the 5th decade. Immunobullous disorders (91 patients, 24.27% were the most frequent reason for admissions, followed by various causes of erythroderma (80 patients, 21.33% and infective disorders (73 patients, 19.47%. Other notable causes included cutaneous adverse drug reactions, psoriasis, vasculitis, and connective tissue diseases. The mean duration of hospital stay was 22.2±15.7 days; ranging from 1 to 164 days. Majority of patients (312, 83.2% improved after hospitalization; while 29 (7.73% patients died from their illness. About 133 patients (35.64% required referral services during their stay, while 8 patients (2.13% were transferred to other departments for suitable management. Conclusion: Many dermatoses require inpatient care for their optimum management. Dermatology inpatient services should be expanded in India to cater for the large number of cases with potentially highly severe dermatoses.

  1. Bio-Medical Waste Managment in a Tertiary Care Hospital: An Overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Anita; Ahuja, Sanjiv; Madan, Molly; Asthana, Ajay Kumar

    2016-11-01

    Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) management is of utmost importance as its improper management poses serious threat to health care workers, waste handlers, patients, care givers, community and finally the environment. Simultaneously, the health care providers should know the quantity of waste generated in their facility and try to reduce the waste generation in day-to-day work because lesser amount of BMW means a lesser burden on waste disposal work and cost saving. To have an overview of management of BMW in a tertiary care teaching hospital so that effective interventions and implementations can be carried out for better outcome. The observational study was carried out over a period of five months from January 2016 to May 2016 in Chhatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital, Meerut by the Infection Control Team (ICT). Assessment of knowledge was carried out by asking set of questions individually and practice regarding awareness of BMW Management among the Health Care Personnel (HCP) was carried out by direct observation in the workplace. Further, the total BMW generated from the present setup in kilogram per bed per day was calculated by dividing the mean waste generated per day by the number of occupied beds. Segregation of BMW was being done at the site of generation in almost all the areas of the hospital in color coded polythene bags as per the hospital protocol. The different types of waste being collected were infectious solid waste in red bag, soiled infectious waste in yellow bag and sharp waste in puncture proof container and blue bag. Though awareness (knowledge) about segregation of BMW was seen in 90% of the HCP, 30%-35% did not practice. Out of the total waste generated (57912 kg.), 8686.8 kg. (15%) was infectious waste. Average infectious waste generated was 0.341 Kg per bed per day. The transport, treatment and disposal of each collected waste were outsourced and carried out by 'Synergy' waste management Pvt. Ltd. The practice of BMW Management was lacking in 30

  2. Paediatric patient navigation models of care in Canada: An environmental scan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luke, Alison; Doucet, Shelley; Azar, Rima

    2018-05-01

    (1) To provide other organizations with useful information when implementing paediatric navigation programs and (2) to inform the implementation of a navigation care centre in New Brunswick for children with complex health conditions. This environmental scan consisted of a literature review of published and grey literature for paediatric patient navigation programs across Canada. Additional programs were found following discussions with program coordinators and navigators. Interviews were conducted with key staff from each program and included questions related to patient condition; target population and location; method delivery; navigator background; and navigator roles. Data analysis included analysis of interviews and identification of common themes across the different programs. We interviewed staff from 19 paediatric navigation programs across Canada. Programs varied across a number of different themes, including: condition and disease type, program location (e.g., hospital or clinic), navigator background (e.g., registered nurse or peer/lay navigator) and method of delivery (e.g., phone or face-to-face). Overall, navigator roles are similar across all programs, including advocacy, education, support and assistance in accessing resources from both within and outside the health care system. This scan offers a road map of Canadian paediatric navigation programs. Knowledge learned from this scan will inform stakeholders who are either involved in the delivery of paediatric patient navigation programs or planning to implement such a program. Specifically, our scan informed the development of a navigation centre for children with complex health conditions in New Brunswick.

  3. Drug utilization study in a burn care unit of a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santoshkumar R Jeevangi

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate drug utilization and associated costs for the treatment of patients admitted in burn care unit of a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A prospective cross sectional study was conducted for a period of 15 months at Basaweshwara Teaching and General Hospital (BTGH, Gulbarga and the data collected was analyzed for various drug use indicators. Results: A total of 100 prescriptions were collected with 44% belonging to males and 56% to females. The average number of drugs per prescription ranged from 4.5 to 9.5. 9.5% of generics and 92% of essential drugs were prescribed. The opioid analgesics and sedatives were prescribed to all the patients who were admitted in burn care unit. The (Defined daily dose DDD/1 000/day for amikacin (359 was the highest followed by diclofenac sodium (156, pantoprazole (144, diazepam (130, ceftazidime (124, tramadol (115, ceftriaxone (84 and for paracetamol (4 which was the lowest. Conclusions: Significant amount of the money was spent on procurement of drugs. Most of the money was spent on prescribed antibiotics. The prescription of generic drugs should be promoted, for cost effective treatment. Hence the results of the present study indicate that there is a considerable scope for improvement in the prescription pattern.

  4. Prevalence of multidrug resistance among retreatment pulmonary tuberculosis cases in a tertiary care hospital, Hyderabad, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subhakar Kandi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: India is one of the high tuberculosis (TB burden countries in the world. India ranks second in harboring multi drug resistant (MDR-TB cases. About 50,000 of MDR cases are recorded in retreatment pulmonary TB cases. This study was conducted in a tertiary care facility (Government General and Chest Hospital in Hyderabad, India. Objectives: Toassess: Proportion of the TB patients having MDR-TB at the initiation of retreatment regimen; the prevalence of isoniazid (INH resistance in this geographical area. Materials and Methods: An analytical, observational, prospective cohort study of patients attending the out-patient department from December 2010 to March 2011. Results: Sputum samples from 100 patients were subjected to acid fast bacilli (AFB culture and drug sensitivity testing. Of these, 28 (28% were MDR-TB, 42 (42% were non-MDR-TB and 39% being INH resistance. Conclusions: In conclusion, one third of the retreatment pulmonary TB cases attending a tertiary care institute for TB will be MDR-TB at the initiation of treatment and there is a need to include ethambutol in the continuation phase of new TB case treatment in view of high INH resistance.

  5. Paediatrics: messages from Munich

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabio Midulla

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to describe paediatric highlights from the 2014 European Respiratory Society (ERS International Congress in Munich, Germany. Abstracts from the seven groups of the ERS Paediatric Assembly (Respiratory Physiology and Sleep, Asthma and Allergy, Cystic Fibrosis, Respiratory Infection and Immunology, Neonatology and Paediatric Intensive Care, Respiratory Epidemiology, and Bronchology are presented in the context of the current literature.

  6. Evaluation of the appropriateness of imipenem/cilastatin prescription and dosing in a tertiary care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kabbara WK

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Wissam K Kabbara, George T Nawas, Wijdan H RamadanDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon Background: Imipenem/cilastatin is an antibacterial agent of the carbapenem class of β-lactams that is known to have an extremely wide spectrum of activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, aerobic, anaerobic, and even multidrug-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to evaluate the appropriate use of imipenem/cilastatin in a local tertiary care hospital. The study assessed the indication both empirically and after the culture results were available, the dose and dose adjustment in renal failure, as well as the incidence of seizure in hospitalized patients receiving imipenem/cilastatin. Methods: This observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital over a 3-month period. The treatment of 100 patients with imipenem/cilastatin was evaluated both empirically and after culture results were available. Analysis of the appropriateness of imipenem/cilastatin indication, dose, and monitoring of seizure frequency was based on the package insert, updated published guidelines, and clinical judgment. Results: Patients from internal medicine and intensive care units comprised approximately 50% of the population in the study. The patients received imipenem/cilastatin mainly for urinary tract infections (27% or for sepsis of an unknown focus (22%. The use of imipenem/cilastatin empirically was appropriate in 97.2% (n=69/71 of the cases, and its use postculture in 86% of the cases. There were 29% of the patients who were not started on imipenem/cilastatin empirically. Four patients out of the 29 patients (13.8% who were not started on imipenem/cilastatin empirically inappropriately received imipenem/cilastatin post-culture results. Thirty-three patients (33% were not dosed appropriately, 30 of whom had renal impairment and creatinine clearance fluctuations. Only one patient developed a

  7. Retrospective hospital based surveillance of intussusception in children in a sentinel paediatric hospital: benefits and pitfalls for use in post-marketing surveillance of rotavirus vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd-Johnsen, C; Justice, F; Donath, S; Bines, J E

    2012-04-27

    Evaluation of the safety of rotavirus vaccines, particularly with respect to the risk of intussusception, is recommended for countries planning to introduce rotavirus vaccines into the National Immunisation Program. However, as prospective studies are costly, require time to conduct and may be difficult to perform in some settings, retrospective hospital based surveillance at sentinel sites has been suggested as an option for surveillance for intussusception following introduction of rotavirus vaccines. To assess the value of retrospective hospital based surveillance to describe clinical and epidemiological features of intussusception in children aged <24 months and to investigate any temporal association between receipt of a rotavirus vaccine and intussusception. A retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with intussusception at Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia over an 8-year period including before and after rotavirus vaccine introduction into the National Immunisation Program, was conducted using patients identified by a medical record database (ICD-10-CM 56.1). Patient profile, clinical presentation, treatment and outcome were analysed along with records of immunisation status obtained using the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register. A 9% misclassification rate of discharge diagnosis of intussusception was identified on critical chart review. The incidence rate of intussusception at the Royal Children's Hospital over the study period was 1.91 per 10,000 infants <24 months (95% CI 1.65-2.20). Intestinal resection was required in 6.5% of infants (95% CI 3.6%, 11.0%). Intussusception occurred within 30 days after vaccination in 2 of 27 patients who had received at least 1 dose of a rotavirus vaccine. Valuable data on the incidence, clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of intussusception can be obtained from data retrieved from hospital medical records in a sentinel paediatric hospital using standardised methodology. However

  8. Summary of the 2015 International Paediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Quintessenza, James A; Karl, Tom R; Asante-Korang, Alfred; Everett, Allen D; Collins, Susan B; Ramirez-Correa, Genaro A; Burns, Kristin M; Cohen, Mitchell; Colan, Steven D; Costello, John M; Daly, Kevin P; Franklin, Rodney C G; Fraser, Charles D; Hill, Kevin D; Huhta, James C; Kaushal, Sunjay; Law, Yuk M; Lipshultz, Steven E; Murphy, Anne M; Pasquali, Sara K; Payne, Mark R; Rossano, Joseph; Shirali, Girish; Ware, Stephanie M; Xu, Mingguo; Jacobs, Marshall L

    2015-08-01

    In the United States alone, ∼14,000 children are hospitalised annually with acute heart failure. The science and art of caring for these patients continues to evolve. The International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute was held on February 4 and 5, 2015. The 2015 International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute was funded through the Andrews/Daicoff Cardiovascular Program Endowment, a philanthropic collaboration between All Children's Hospital and the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF). Sponsored by All Children's Hospital Andrews/Daicoff Cardiovascular Program, the International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit assembled leaders in clinical and scientific disciplines related to paediatric heart failure and created a multi-disciplinary "think-tank". The purpose of this manuscript is to summarise the lessons from the 2015 International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute, to describe the "state of the art" of the treatment of paediatric cardiac failure, and to discuss future directions for research in the domain of paediatric cardiac failure.

  9. PROFILE OF POISONING CASES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL , TELANGANA , INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naresh

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND : Poisoning with various substances is an important cause of death and disability worldwide . The types of poisons that are encountered in the emergency medicine departments encompass a wide range of substances . Apparently , geographic location , socio - demographic factors , ease of availability of poisons and many other cryptic factors contribute to the wide spectrum of substances that cause poisoning . Pesticides , drugs and chemicals are reported to be the most commo nly used poisons in India . Management of poisoning is quite challenging for the health care professionals globally . Factors such as the uncertainty in the identification of allegedly consumed poison , varied clinical features and the need for timely access to specific information for treatment , complicates poisoning management . This study was therefore conducted to explore the clinical features , management and outcomes of poisoning cases reporting to a tertiary care centre in south India . OBJECTIVE : To ident ify the spectrum of poisons and evaluate their clinical manifestations , medical management and clinical outcomes . METHODOLOGY : All cases of poisoning that were reported at a tertiary care hospital in South India for a period of 18 months from January 1 , 20 13 to June 30 , 2014 were included in this study . A data abstraction sheet was designed to document demographic details ( age and gender , poison consumed , duration of stay in the hospital , clinical features , treatment administered , need for life support and patient outcomes . RESULTS : A total of 145 poisoning cases were reported during the study period . Among them , 58 . 5% were males and 41 . 3% were females . Majority of victims were in the age group of 21 - 30 years . Intentional poisoning was observed in 86 . 2% , whereas the rest were accidental poisonings . Organophosphorus ( OP poisoning was the most common poisoning encountered in this study . It accounted for 25 . 5% of the total

  10. ALARA and paediatric imaging in radiation therapy: A survey of Canadian paediatric imaging practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodgerson, Christine

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: There is little discussion in the literature regarding paediatric imaging dose reduction with respect to conventional imaging carried out in radiotherapy departments. This is in contrast to diagnostic radiography where dose optimization when imaging children is a very current topic. For this reason Canadian radiotherapy clinics were surveyed to look at paediatric imaging practice, knowledge and perspectives with respect to imaging dose reduction. Method: As this was an exploratory study, a questionnaire was developed and sent to radiation therapy clinics across Canada, via email, to assess knowledge of paediatric imaging and dose reduction initiatives. The questionnaire focus was CT simulation and treatment verification imaging of children. Results: Practice and knowledge of paediatric imaging varied across Canada. Forty percent of clinics reported using paediatric specific protocols for CT simulation and 20% of clinics reported using paediatric specific protocols for treatment verification imaging. There was variation in imaging practices among the clinics that reported treating the most children. The survey results show that while some measures are being taken to reduce paediatric imaging dose in radiation therapy, 46.7% of the respondents felt more could be done. Conclusion: The survey demonstrates interest in dose reduction in radiation therapy imaging as well as differences in current practice and knowledge across Canada. Paediatric imaging dose reduction would appear to be an area of practice that would benefit from more study and development of standards of practice

  11. Assessment of job satisfaction among health workers in a tertiary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Assessment of job satisfaction among health workers in a tertiary hospital in Zaria ... factors affecting job satisfaction and retention of health professionals working in ... help the hospital management to increase their employee's job satisfaction.

  12. Oro-Dental and Maxillofacial Trauma in Epilepsy at a Tertiary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Oro-Dental and Maxillofacial Trauma in Epilepsy at a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos. ... Information sought included patient's sociodemographics, type of seizure, ... bones were not so common, all such cases received surgical treatment in hospital.

  13. Nature and pattern of primary teeth extractions in a tertiary care hospital setting in South India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shini Susan Samuel

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Many studies have been carried out on the prevalence of dental diseases in children although not much information is available regarding its outcome among Indian children. Aim: The aim of the present study was to analyze the type of primary tooth extracted and the reasons for the extraction among children attending a tertiary care hospital in the Southern part of India. Materials and Methods: The dental records of pediatric patients who had visited the dental clinic of a tertiary care hospital located in Tamil Nadu, South India from December 2013 to November 2016 were reviewed. Patients who underwent extraction of at least one primary tooth under local or general anesthesia were included in the study. Results: A total of 943 primary teeth were extracted from 447 patients over 3 years. The most commonly extracted tooth type was the first primary molar followed by the primary central incisor. Grouping by age, the most frequently extracted tooth type between 2 and 5 years was the primary central incisor, the first primary molar among the 6–9-year-old and the second primary molar among 10–15-year-old. The majority of primary teeth extractions were performed in the age group of 6–9 years. No significant gender differences were noted. The most common reason for extraction of primary teeth in children was dental caries. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a high prevalence of untimely primary teeth extractions in young children and dental caries continues to be the leading cause. It clearly reflects on the lack of infant oral health care, the inadequacy of awareness and underutilization of oral health services among children in India.

  14. Male hypogonadism at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ram, Nanik; Asghar, Ali; Hashmi, Fauzan; Islam, Najmul

    2012-01-01

    Male hypogonadism is defined as 'inadequate gonadal function, manifested by deficiency in gametogenesis and/or secretion of gonadal hormones'. Signs and symptoms of hypogonadism depend primarily on the age of onset. It can be classified according to the site primarily involved: the gonads, the hypothalamus, or the pituitary gland. The objective this study was to determine the presentation and aetiology of male hypogonadism seen in a tertiary care hospital. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Endocrine Clinics, Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi. Data of male patients with hypogonadism who attended clinics during January 2009 to August 2011 were reviewed. All male patients with clinical and biochemical evidence of hypogonadism were included in the study. Patients with Diabetes Mellitus, Metabolic Syndrome, Andropause, AIDS, Chronic Renal Failure, and Cirrhosis were excluded. Mean +/- SD were computed for quantitative variables. Frequency and percentages were computed for qualitative variables. Aetiology of male hypogonadism was categorised as primary and secondary hypogonadism. A total of 85 patients with male hypogonadism attended the endocrine clinic. Mean age of patients was 25 +/- 10 years. Clinical presentations were small genitalia (65%), absent secondary sexual characteristics (53%), not attained puberty (47%), infertility (53%), erectile dysfunction (41%) and loss of libido (29%). Seventy-three (86%) patients had hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (secondary hypogonadism) and 12 (14%) patients had hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism (primary hypogonadism). Among the patients with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism 38 had idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadsim, 7 had pituitary adenoma, 6 had empty sella syndrome, 3 had Kallman's syndrome, and 1 patient had haemosiderosis due to thalassaemia major; 18 patients did not undergo brain imaging. Small genitalia, absent secondary sexual characteristics and infertility were the main presenting features of hypogonad

  15. Delay in presentation to the hospital and factors affecting it in breast cancer patients attending tertiary care center in Central India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, N A; Humne, A Y; Godale, L B

    2015-01-01

    Despite lower incidence of breast cancer in India, the total number of cases and the net mortality is high. To reduce this increasing load of mortality due to breast cancer we need to lay emphasis on early detection and increased use of systemic therapy. Early detection itself depends on early presentation to a health facility; thus, it is important to identify factors affecting delay in a presentation to hospital. To study the clinico-social profile of breast carcinoma patients attending a tertiary care hospital and to study the time lag since detection of lump by women and presentation to the hospital and factors affecting them. A total of 120 primary breast cancer patients visiting a tertiary care hospital over a period of 7 months (August 2010 to February 2011) were taken up for study. A detailed retrospective analysis of patients was done according to planned proforma. Maximum study subjects were in the age group of 41-50 years. Right and left breasts were equally affected. The most common histo-pathological type of breast carcinoma observed was invasive ductal carcinoma (NOS) in 105 (87.50%) cases. Majority of the cases were in stage III or stage II. The median time lag self-detection of lump in the breast by women and presentation to the hospital was 6 months. Women living in a rural area, those with lower socio-economic status and those with older age tend to assess health-care late. Carcinoma of the breast is a common cancer affecting young to middle age group with invasive ductal carcinoma being the most common histological type. Delay in presentation and late stage presentation is a major concern. Hence, proper awareness and screening programmers are needed to identify, inform and educate these categories of women.

  16. Weekend versus weekday hospital deaths: analysis of in-patient data in a Nigerian tertiary healthcare center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nwosu, B O; Eke, N O; Obi-Nwosu, A; Osakwe, O J; Eke, C O; Obi, N P

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at comparing weekday deaths to weekend deaths of in-patients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. This is a 10-year retrospective survey conducted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in which the death records of the hospital were accessed from the various wards and health records department to extract relevant data pertaining to the time of hospital death. Tests of statistical significance were done using Chi-square test at 95% confidence intervals. A total of 3934 deaths were recorded during the period of study. The ages ranged from a few hours to 94 years with a mean age of 38.5 years. The male to female ratio was 1.2:1. An average of 547 weekend deaths and 568 weekday deaths were recorded, giving a ratio of 0.96:1. A ratio of weekend to weekday death rate of 0.99:1 and 0.93:1 for the males and females, respectively was noted. The labor ward, followed by the intensive care unit (ICU) had the highest weekend to weekday death ratio of 1.72:1 ( P = 0.0461) and 1.41:1 ( P = 0.1440), respectively. Weekend deaths were less in the other wards, with the gynaecological ward having the least ratio of 0.63:1 ( P = 0.7360). The rate of hospital deaths was generally found not to vary significantly over the weekends and weekdays in the hospital except for the labor ward which had significantly higher weekend to weekday death rates of 1.72:1. There is therefore need for confidential enquiry into the causes of hospital deaths, especially in the labor ward, in order to identify and prevent avoidable deaths.

  17. Severity and frequency of community-onset Clostridium difficile infection on an Australian tertiary referral hospital campus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clohessy, Penny; Merif, Juan; Post, Jeffrey John

    2014-12-01

    Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasingly being found in populations without traditional risk factors. We compared the relative frequency, risk factors, severity, and outcomes of community-onset CDI with hospital-acquired infection. This was a retrospective, observational study of CDI at a tertiary hospital campus in Sydney, Australia. Patients aged 15 years and older with a first episode of CDI from January 1 to December 31, 2011 were included. CDI was defined as the presence of diarrhoea with a positive enzyme immunoassay in conjunction with a positive cell cytotoxicity assay, toxin culture, or organism culture. Main outcome measures were onset of infection (hospital or community), risk factors, markers of severity, and outcomes for the two groups. One hundred and twenty-nine cases of CDI infection were identified, of which 38 (29%) were community-onset. The community-onset infection group were less likely to have a recent history of antibiotic use (66% vs. 98%; pinfection group. Markers of severity and outcomes were similar in the two groups, with an overall mortality of 9%. Community-onset CDI accounts for a large proportion of C. difficile infections and has a similar potential for severe disease as hospital-acquired infection. Using a history of previous antibiotic use, proton pump inhibitor use, or recent hospitalization to predict cases is unreliable. We recommend that patients with diarrhoea being investigated in emergency departments and community practice are tested for Clostridium difficile infection. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A cross-sectional study on the prevalence and associated risk factors for workplace violence against Chinese nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Lei; Zhang, Danyang; Zhou, Chenyu; Yang, Libin; Sun, Tao; Hao, Tianjun; Peng, Xiangwen; Gao, Lei; Liu, Wenhui; Mu, Yi; Han, Yuzhen; Fan, Lihua

    2017-06-24

    The purpose of the present study was to explore the characteristics of workplace violence that Chinese nurses at tertiary and county-level hospitals encountered in the 12 months from December 2014 to January 2016, to identify and analyse risk factors for workplace violence, and to establish the basis for future preventive strategies. A cross-sectional study. A total of 44 tertiary hospitals and 90 county-level hospitals in 16 provinces (municipalities or autonomous regions) in China. We used stratified random sampling to collect data from December 2014 to January 2016. We distributed 21 360 questionnaires, and 15 970 participants provided valid data (effective response rate=74.77%). We conducted binary logistic regression analyses on the risk factors for workplace violence among the nurses in our sample and analysed the reasons for aggression. The prevalence of workplace violence was 65.8%; of this, 64.9% was verbal violence, and physical violence and sexual harassment accounted for 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Frequent workplace violence occurred primarily in emergency and paediatric departments. Respondents reported that patients' relatives were the main perpetrators in tertiary and county-level hospitals. Logistic regression analysis showed that respondents' age, department, years of experience and direct contact with patients were common risk factors at different levels of hospitals. Workplace violence is frequent in China's tertiary and county-level hospitals; its occurrence is especially frequent in the emergency and paediatric departments. It is necessary to cope with workplace violence by developing effective control strategies at individual, hospital and national levels. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  19. ANALYSIS OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS POISONING, AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: A REPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shakuntala

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Organophosphorus (OP compounds are the most common suicidal poison in developing countries and mortality continues to be high. The present study was aimed to know the pattern and outcome of the OP poisoning. METHODOLOGY: A record based retrospective study from January 2013 - December 2013 was Conducted in a tertiary care hospital and data regarding age, gender, domicile, type of poison, manner of poisoning, seasonal trends, marital status, motive behind poisoning , socio - economic status and outcome was collected in a pre - structured Performa. All data were documented, analyzed and interpreted as per the laid down protocol. RESULTS : out of total 1575 cases of OP compound poisoning, 71.73% (1130 were male, 28.27% (445 were female, 34.6% were in the age group 21 - 30 years, 70.95% were of low socio - economic status, Occupation wise agricultural workers were on top of the list (70.07%, The commonest (93.78% motive behind poisoning was suicidal in both males and females, Financial problem was one of the commonest (51.22% reasons of poisoning. The mortality rate in our study was 13.47%. CONCLUSION : Y oung and adult males of Low socio - economic class, rural, both literate and illiterate agriculturists commonly abuse this substance to commit suicide

  20. Dosimetry in Diagnostic Radiology for Paediatric Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    both in standards dosimetry laboratories and clinical centres for radiology, as found in most hospitals. A coordinated research project was established in order to provide practical guidance to professionals at the Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs) and to clinical medical physicists on the implementation of TRS 457, including the establishment of dosimetric measurement processes in clinical settings. Among the recommendations from the coordinated research project (see IAEA Human Health Reports No. 4, published in 2011) was the need for guidance on dosimetric standards and methodologies related to dosimetry for paediatric patients undergoing diagnostic radiology

  1. Retrospective analysis of paediatric achalasia in India: Single centre experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunita Singh

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Developing countries at tertiary referral centre. The aim of this study was to share our experience of paediatric achalasia in Indian scenario. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of children <16 years, operated for achalasia at our centre, from December 1998 to December 2011. Results: Total 40 patients (mean age 39 ± 4.29 months, including 1 patient of megaesophagus were operated over 13 years of period; 17 patients (associated congenital H-type tracheoesophageal fistula in one patient, non- responders/ lost follow-up for minimum of 3 years in 16 patients were excluded from the study. The response rate of parents in follow-up was 60.0%. Mean symptoms duration was 27.88 ± 2 months. Most common symptoms were regurgitation and failure to thrive (78.2%. Mean symptom scoring in follow-up after 3 year was 1 ± 0.7 compared to 5 ± 0.51 at the time of admission (P < 0.012. One infant expired (mediastenitis, one developed adhesive intestinal obstruction and one needed posterior re-myotomy (for megaesophagus. There were no treatment failures in mean follow-up of 40.2 ± 5.07 months. Conclusions: Cardiomyotomy with partial fundoplication is the best modality of treatment for paediatric achalasia cardia, even from parents′ perspective.

  2. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The African Journal of Paediatric Surgery aims to promote research, post- graduate training and further education among Paediatric surgeons, Paediatric Surgical Trainees and paramedical personnel in the surgery of newborn infants and children particularly in Africa and other tropical regions of the world.AJPS welcomes ...

  3. African Journal of Paediatric Nephrology

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    African Journal of Paediatric Nephrology is the official Journal of the African Paediatric Nephrology Association (AFPNA). The journal is dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge of Paediatric nephrology in Africa and beyond. We publish research articles on renal diseases in children, on fluid and electrolyte ...

  4. Building capacity in the rural physiotherapy workforce: a paediatric training partnership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, E N; McMeeken, J M

    2014-01-01

    success of the clinical training program, and lack of future funding is a barrier to its sustainability. The program included the consolidation of the initial management and education committees and the expert reference group. Weekly tutorials, case studies and presentations formed an important part of clinical rotation between hospital outpatients, specialist school and the disability sector. This increased the provision of skilled paediatric physiotherapy services close to home in a timely fashion not previously available. Concurrently, the training increased the clinicians' paediatric knowledge and confidence, promoting workforce retention by providing a career pathway. The senior clinicians who provided clinical supervision reported that it enabled succession planning through introduction of appropriately skilled younger peers to their clinical practice. Project recommendations are that funding and stakeholder partnerships are necessary to enable health professionals to undertake postgraduate clinical training in paediatrics in rural areas. The partnership should include education providers (university), rural health service providers (hospital) and community or disability services (government and non-government) with financial recognition of expertise in the rural workforce for clinical supervision. The training experience was reported as a very positive experience from trainees, families, clinical supervisors, managers, academics and paediatricians. Lack of continued funding to educate skilled postgraduate paediatric physiotherapy clinicians means that rural children with physical disabilities will continue to be disadvantaged.

  5. Utilization Study of Antihypertensives in a South Indian Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital and Adherence to Standard Treatment Guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Datta, Supratim

    2016-12-01

    Hypertension represents a major health problem primarily because of its role in contributing to the initiation and progression of major cardiovascular diseases. Concerns pertaining to hypertension and its sequelae can be substantially addressed and consequent burden of disease reduced by early detection and appropriate therapy of elevated blood pressure. This cross-sectional observational study aims at analyzing the utilization pattern of antihypertensives used for the treatment of hypertension at a tertiary care hospital in perspective of standard treatment guidelines. Prescriptions were screened for antihypertensives at the medicine outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Medical records of the patients were scrutinized after which 286 prescriptions of patients suffering from hypertension were included. The collected data were sorted and analyzed on the basis of demographic characteristics and comorbidities. The calcium channel blockers were the most frequently used antihypertensive class of drugs (72.3%). Amlodipine (55.6%) was the single most frequently prescribed antihypertensive agent. The utilization of thiazide diuretics was 9%. Adherence to the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEMs) was 65%. The combination therapy was used more frequently (51.5%) than monotherapy (48.8%). The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ACE-I/ARB) was 41.4% in diabetes. The treatment pattern, in general, conformed to standard treatment guidelines. Few areas, however, need to be addressed such as the underutilization of thiazide diuretics, need for more awareness of drugs from the NLEMs and enhanced use of ACE-I/ARB in diabetic hypertensives.

  6. Occupational Exposure to Infection: A study on Healthcare Waste Handlers of a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shivalli, Siddharudha; Sowmyashree, H

    2015-11-01

    Occupational exposure to infection is an important public health concern. Such accidents are associated with a few, but pose significant risk to worker's health, family and the community. 1) To assess the knowledge and attitude of waste handlers regarding healthcare waste management in tertiary care hospital of Mangalore. 2) To assess the occupational risk of exposure to infection in their work setting. A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare waste handlers (involved in collection, storage and safe disposal) in a tertiary care hospital of Mangalore, India. A semi-structured and pre-tested proforma was used to assess respondents' knowledge and percentage score was calculated based on a scoring system. Chi square and independent sample t tests were applied to judge the association of study variables with knowledge and occupational risk of infection. A total of 43 healthcare waste handlers participated in the study and all were females. Almost half of them had poor knowledge (healthcare waste management. As much as 41.8% of them had exposure to healthcare waste and 'needle stick injury' was the most common type. Age, literacy and experience did not significantly (p>0.05) influence the knowledge and occupational risk of infection. Respondents' knowledge regarding healthcare waste management was unsatisfactory. They were at high risk of occupational exposure to infection. It emphasizes the need of refresher training and reinforcement of personal protection measures in their work setting. © Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.

  7. Profile of Under-Five Malnourished Children Admitted in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Pune, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhrubajyoti J Debnath

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Malnutrition is a major public health problem in a developing country like India. Keeping this in mind a study was carried out to find the proportion of under-five children suffering from malnutrition among the under-five hospitalized children and to study co-morbid illnesses and epidemiological factors associated with malnutrition. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross sectional study carried out in the pediatric ward of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Pune, India. All under-five children suffering from malnutrition were studied over a period of 1 month. Results: Total number of under five children diagnosed as malnourished were 47 (39.83%. Moderate and severe/very severe malnutrition was statistically significantly higher in a girl child. The proportion of moderate and severe/very severe malnutrition was higher in low birth weight babies, children who were incompletely immunized for age. Faulty infant feeding practice was observed in 28 (59.6% children. Some of the co-morbid illnesses contributing to morbidity in the malnourished child were acute diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infection, anemia, and septicemia. Conclusion: A large proportion of hospitalized children were malnourished. Girl child suffered from moderate to severe forms of malnutrition as compared to male child and this was the only statistically significant association. This may be due to neglect of girl child.

  8. Supply chain management with cost-containment & financial-sustainability in a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Hem; Rinkoo, Arvind Vashishta; Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Verma, Shuchita; Kapoor, Rakesh; Sharma, R K

    2013-01-01

    Financial crunch in the present recession results in the non-availability of the right materials at the right time in large hospitals. However due to insufficient impetus towards systems development, situation remains dismal even when funds are galore. Cost incurred on materials account for approximately one-third of the total recurring expenditures in hospitals. Systems development for effective and efficient materials management is thus tantamount to cost-containment and sustainability. This scientific paper describes an innovative model, Hospital Revolving Fund (HRF), developed at a tertiary care research institute in Asia. The main idea behind inception of HRF was to ensure availability of all supplies in the hospital so that the quality of healthcare delivery was not affected. The model was conceptualized in the background of non-availability of consumables in the hospital leading to patient as well as staff dissatisfaction. Hospital supplies have been divided into two parts, approximately 3250 unit items and 1750 miscellaneous items. This division is based on cost, relative-utility and case-specific utilization. 0.1 Million USD, separated from non-planned budget, was initially used as seed money in 1998. HRF procures supplies from reputed firms on concessional rates (8-25%) and make them available to patients at much lesser rates vis-à-vis market rates, levying minimal maintenance charges. In 2009-10, total annual purchases of 14 Million USD were made. The balance sheet reflected 1.4 Million USD as fixed deposit investment. The minimal maintenance charges levied on the patients along with the interest income were sufficient to pay for all recurring expenses related to HRF. Even after these expenses, HRF boosted of 0.2 Million USD as cash-in-hand in financial year 2009-10. In-depth analysis of 'balance sheet' and 'Income and Expenditure' statement of the fund for last five financial years affirms that HRF is a self-sustainable and viable supply chain

  9. Work stress, occupational burnout and depression levels: a clinical study of paediatric intensive care unit nurses in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Tzu-Ching; Lin, Huey-Shyan; Cheng, Su-Fen; Wu, Li-Min; Ou-Yang, Mei-Chen

    2016-04-01

    This study aimed to examine the relationship between work stress and depression; and investigate the mediating effect of occupational burnout among nurses in paediatric intensive care units. The relationships among work stress, occupational burnout and depression level have been explored, neither regarding occupational burnout as the mediating role that causes work stress to induce depression nor considering the paediatric intensive care unit context. A cross-sectional correlational design was conducted. One hundred and forty-four female paediatric intensive care unit nurses from seven teaching hospitals in southern Taiwan were recruited as the participants. Data were collected by structured questionnaires including individual demographics, the Nurse Stress Checklist, the Occupational Burnout Inventory and the Taiwan Depression Questionnaire. The results indicated that after controlling for individual demographic variables, the correlations of work stress with occupational burnout, as well as work stress and occupational burnout with depression level were all positive. Furthermore, occupational burnout may exert a partial mediating effect on the relationship between work stress and depression level. This study provides information about work stress, occupational burnout and depression level, and their correlations, as well as the mediating role of occupational burnout among paediatric intensive care unit nurses. It suggests government departments and hospital administrators when formulating interventions to prevent work stress and occupational burnout. These interventions can subsequently prevent episodes of depression in paediatric intensive care unit nurses, thereby providing patients with a safe and high-quality nursing environment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Radiation risks knowledge in resident and fellow in paediatrics: a questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salerno, Sergio; Marchese, Paola; Magistrelli, Andrea; Tomà, Paolo; Matranga, Domenica; Midiri, Massimo; Ugazio, Alberto G; Corsello, Giovanni

    2015-03-22

    Analyse through a multi-choice anonymous questionnaire the knowledge's level in paediatric residents and fellows in two different main Italian hospital, looking mainly to the information to patients and relatives related to risks of ionizing radiation used in common radiological investigations in children. 65 multi choice questionnaires were distributed to paediatric residents and fellows of two different hospitals, an University Hospital (A.O.U.P. "P. Giaccone"- University of Palermo) and a national reference centre for paediatrics (Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù - Rome). The questionnaire included twelve multiple-choice questions with the aim of analyzing the knowledge about ionizing radiation related risks in infants and children who undergo common diagnostic radiology investigations. The data obtained were processed using software Stata/MP version 11.2. In order to measure the level of expertise of each interviewee a binary indicator was built. The value 1 was assigned if the percentage of correct answers exceeds the median of the distribution and 0 for values not exceeding the median. The association between the level of competence and demographic characteristics (gender, age) and training experience was measured by means of α(2) test. 51/65 questionnaires were completed, returned and analysed (87.7%). Only 18 surveyed (35%), (95% IC = [22%-48%]) can be defined as competent in radiation risk knowledge for common radiological investigations, considering the percentage of correct answers at least of 50% (sufficient knowledge was given with a minimum score of 8 correct answers out of 12). The study demonstrates an urgent need to implement the radiation protection knowledge in the training programme of paediatricians, that improve if just a short targeted training is performed.

  11. Pattern of Paediatric Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases in Port Harcourt ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    TNHJOURNALPH

    maJority of the patients' population seen in a typical ORL clinic in most hospitals. In the absence of a well-documented pattern of disease in these children, planning for their special health needs would be difficult. This study therefore is aimed at finding the prevalence and pattern of these diseases in the paediatric.

  12. Paediatric radiopharmaceutical administration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lassmann, Michael; Treves, S Ted; Borgwardt, Lise

    2014-01-01

    In 2008 the EANM published their paediatric dosage card. In 2011 the North American consensus guidelines recommended a set of administered activities for paediatric nuclear medicine. During the EANM congress in 2012 a working group of the EANM and the SNMMI met to study the possibility of harmoni...

  13. How hospitalized children and parents perceive nurses and hospital amenities: A qualitative descriptive study in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcinowicz, Ludmiła; Abramowicz, Paweł; Zarzycka, Danuta; Abramowicz, Magdalena; Konstantynowicz, Jerzy

    2016-03-01

    A qualitative descriptive design using an interview guide approach was adopted to investigate the patient-nurse relationship and paediatric ward amenities from the perspective of parents and hospitalised children in Poland. The study included 26 parents or caregivers of hospitalised children (between 13 months and 15 years old) and 22 children (from 10 to 16 years old). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the recorded verbal data. Data from patients' transcripts were coded and classified in terms of topics on the patient-nurse relationship and hospital care. We identified five main topics. 1. Nurse qualities; 2. Nurse verbal behaviour; 3. Nurse tone of voice and non-verbal behaviour; 4. Hospital amenities; 5. Parents' expectations towards nurses. Our study contributes to increased understanding of parents' and children's experiences of paediatric hospital care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Invasive carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection at a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. There are no paediatric reports of invasive infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) from Africa. Objectives. To document a series of cases of CRE infections at a tertiary children's hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, describing the clinical and microbiological findings in these ...

  15. Families' perceived benefits of home visits for managing paediatric obesity outweigh the potential costs and barriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gehring, Nicole D; Ball, Geoff D C; Perez, Arnaldo; Holt, Nicholas L; Neuman, Daniel; Spence, Nicholas; Mercier, Laura; Jetha, Mary

    2018-02-01

    Home visits have successfully been used to deliver various health services, but what role could they play in paediatric weight management? Low treatment initiation and high attrition prompted our multidisciplinary paediatric weight management clinic to investigate how families perceived the benefits and barriers of home visits. We focused on children with obesity aged 2-17 who were enrolled in our tertiary-level clinic in Alberta, Canada. None had received a home visit. The families were interviewed face-to-face from October 2015 to October 2016, and we used a qualitative description methodological framework and manifest content analysis. The parents were the main interviewees. Of the 56 families, 89% were interested in a home visit, 82% wanted support from a dietician and 54% from an exercise specialist. The perceived benefits of home visits included comprehensive assessment (95%), convenience (86%), tailored care (29%) and family involvement (13%), while the costs and barriers included clinicians' potential judgmental attitudes (30%), loss of privacy (19%) and distractions (10%). Some thought clinicians would find home visits inconvenient (25%), with bureaucratic challenges (14%) and sustainability issues (5%). Families felt home visits were a convenient option for managing paediatric obesity and identified important benefits and barriers that could guide such interventions. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium species and subtypes in paediatric oncology and non-oncology patients with diarrhoea in Jordan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hijjawi, Nawal; Zahedi, Alireza; Kazaleh, Mahmoud; Ryan, Una

    2017-11-01

    Cryptosporidiosis is a protozoan parasitic disease which affects human and animals worldwide. In adult immunocompetent individuals, cryptosporidiosis usually results in acute and self-limited diarrhoea; however, it can cause life threatening diarrhoea in children and immunocompromised individuals. In the present study, we compared the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species and gp60 subtypes amongst paediatric oncology patients with diarrhoea (n=160) from King Hussein Medical Centre for Cancer in Jordan, and non-oncology paediatric patients with diarrhoea (n=137) from Al-Mafraq paediatric hospital. Microscopy results using modified acid fast staining identified a significantly (p≤0.05) higher prevalence of Cryptosporidium in paediatric oncology patients with diarrhoea (14.4% - 23/160), compared to non-oncology paediatric patients with diarrhoea only (5.1% - 7/137). With the exception of one sample, all microscopy-positive samples (n=29) and an additional 3/30 microscopy-negative controls were typed to species and subtype level at the 18S and gp60 loci, respectively. All Cryptosporidium positives were typed as C. parvum. Of the 22 typed Cryptosporidium positives from the paediatric oncology patients, 21 were subtyped as IIaA17G2R1 and one as IIaA16G2R1 C. parvum subtypes. The 7 typed positives from the paediatric patients from Al-Mafraq hospital were subtyped as IIaA17G2R1 (n=5) and IIaA16G2R1 (n=2). The 3 additional positives from the 30 microscopy negative control samples were subtyped as IIaA17G2R1. The high prevalence of the IIaA17G2R1 subtype, particularly amongst oncology patients, suggests that an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis may have been occurring in oncology patients during the collection period (April to December, 2016). New therapies for cryptosporidiosis in immunocompromised patients are urgently required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Canadian Paediatric Neurology Workforce Survey and Consensus Statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doja, Asif; Orr, Serena L; McMillan, Hugh J; Kirton, Adam; Brna, Paula; Esser, Michael; Tang-Wai, Richard; Major, Philippe; Poulin, Chantal; Prasad, Narayan; Selby, Kathryn; Weiss, Shelly K; Yeh, E Ann; Callen, David Ja

    2016-05-01

    Little knowledge exists on the availability of academic and community paediatric neurology positions. This knowledge is crucial for making workforce decisions. Our study aimed to: 1) obtain information regarding the availability of positions for paediatric neurologists in academic centres; 2) survey paediatric neurology trainees regarding their perceptions of employment issues and career plans; 3) survey practicing community paediatric neurologists 4) convene a group of paediatric neurologists to develop consensus regarding how to address these workforce issues. Surveys addressing workforce issues regarding paediatric neurology in Canada were sent to: 1) all paediatric neurology program directors in Canada (n=9) who then solicited information from division heads and from paediatric neurologists in surrounding areas; 2) paediatric neurology trainees in Canada (n=57) and; 3) community paediatric neurologists (n=27). A meeting was held with relevant stakeholders to develop a consensus on how to approach employment issues. The response rate was 100% from program directors, 57.9% from residents and 44% from community paediatric neurologists. We found that the number of projected positions in academic paediatric neurology is fewer than the number of paediatric neurologists that are being trained over the next five to ten years, despite a clinical need for paediatric neurologists. Paediatric neurology residents are concerned about job availability and desire more career counselling. There is a current and projected clinical demand for paediatric neurologists despite a lack of academic positions. Training programs should focus on community neurology as a viable career option.

  18. Study of Pancytopenia in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North Karnataka

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kulkarni Naveen S

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Pancytopenia refers to the combination of anaemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Causes may be due to bone marrow failure, bone marrow infiltration, ineffective haematopoiesis or peripheral pooling/ destruction. A bone marrow aspirate is usually required to establish the diagnosis. Aetiologies of pancytopenia vary from one geographical region to other. Aim: Study of pancytopenia in patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in north Karnataka. Methods: This study was conducted at SNMC and HSK, Bagalkot. This study was prospective, observational undertaken for 6-month period between July 2016-January 2017. History, physical examination, and primary blood investigations were done in all patients. Selected patients were evaluated with bone marrow examination. Materials: A total of 69 human subjects were enrolled. A thorough history, clinical examination and blood investigations were carried out. Results: Dimorphic anaemia is common than megaloblastic anaemia. Among those subjected for bone marrow megaloblastic anaemia was commoner than dual deficiency bone marrow. Other causes of pancytopenia were malaria, dengue, enteric fever, and less common causes included sepsis, MDS, TB, HIV, SLE. Conclusion: Nutritional anaemia is commonest cause for pancytopenia. This may be due to megaloblastic anaemia or deficiency of iron/vitamin B12/folate combined

  19. Clinical neurophysiology referral patterns to a tertiary hospital--a prospective audit.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Renganathan, R

    2012-02-03

    BACKGROUND: Cork University Hospital (CUH) provides a tertiary service for all neurophysiology referrals in the Southern Health Board region. AIM: To ascertain the number, source, symptoms and diagnosis of neurophysiology referrals at CUH. METHODS: We did a prospective audit of the referral patterns to the neurophysiology department over a 12 -week period. RESULTS: Of 635 referrals, 254 had electromyograms (EMG), 359 had electro-encephalograms (EEG), 18 had visual evoked potentials (VEP), three had somato-sensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and one had multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT). We analysed the demographic pattern, reason for referrals, the average waiting time for neurophysiology tests and the patterns of diagnosis in this audit. CONCLUSIONS: Patients from County Cork are making more use of the neurophysiology services than patients from other counties within the Southern Health Board. The average waiting time for an EEG was 32 days and for an EMG was 74 days. However, more than 35% of those patients waiting for an EEG or an EMG had their tests done within four weeks of referral. The appointments of EEG and EMG were assigned on the basis of clinical need.

  20. Frequency of echocardiographic complications of dilated cardiomyopathy at a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rashid, A.; Ahmed, H.N.; Ahmed, N.

    2012-01-01

    Dilated cardiomyopathy can lead to a variety of complications recognisable on clinical, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and radiographic assessment. Among this, transthoracic echocardiography has the dual advantage of being helpful in making the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy as well as an effective tool in early recognition of certain complications for timely management to improve the quality of life of these patients. Methods: This descriptive (case series) study was undertaken at departments of medicine, cardiology, paediatrics and obs/gyn, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from July to December, 2008. fifty patients of dilated cardiomyopathy without age and gender discrimination were selected by convenience sampling. Those with hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathies, valvular and congenital heart disease, hypertension and ischemic heart disease were excluded. Results: mean age was 47.12 +- 17.9 year with male predominance (males=34, females=16). Mean ejection fraction was 30.6 +- 6.9%. complications revealed on echocardiography were intracardiac thrombi (5, 10%), spontaneous echo contrast (5, 10%), pericardial effusion (6, 12%), mitral regurgitation (46, 92%), tricuspid (25, 50%), aortic (5, 10%), pulmonary (2, 4%) multi-valvular regurgitation (28, 56%), and left atrial dilatation (36, 72%). Conclusion: lv systolic dysfunction, cardiac thrombi, spontaneous echo contrast, mitral and tricuspid regurgitation and left atrial enlargement are important complications of dilated cardiomyopathy. echocardiography is important tool towards identification of these complications. (author)

  1. Retinopathy risk factors among diabetics in a tertiary care military hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nizi, M.K.; Ameen, S.S.; Saeed, K.; Yaqub, M.A.; Khan, M.D.; Arain, M.A.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequency and risk factors for severity of retinopathy in diabetic patients referred to a tertiary military hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and duration of study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi from Jun 2008 to Dec 2009. Patients and Methods: Diabetic patients aged 40 to 79, referred for suspected diabetic retinopathy (DR) on fundoscopy from medical outpatient clinic of Military Hospital Rawalpindi were randomly included in the study. Participants underwent a standardized interview and examination. Retinopathy was assessed through dilated pupils, and graded into absent retinopathy, mild to moderate, or advanced. Presence of clinically significant macular edema (CSME) was also recorded. To evaluate the simultaneous effect of significant risk factors on the different stages of DR, multivariate regression analysis was carried out. Results: Out of five hundred and ten patients, DR was confirmed in 63% cases with advanced retinopathy in 21.3%. In univariate analysis, duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose, and presence of macular oedema were significantly associated with retinopathy (P<0.005). On multivariate analysis, however, only duration of diabetes (Odds Ratio 6.15 for 5 to 10 years and 38.29 for more than 10 years) and macular oedema (OR 6.617 95% CI 3.95-11.07) remained significant. CSME was present in 173 (33%) patients and its frequency increased with the severity of DR (P <0.001). Conclusion: The frequency of DR among military personnel and their dependants was high with strong association to duration of diabetes. This underscores the importance of regular retinal examination to detect DR in the early stages and timely intervention to prevent diabetes related blindness. (author)

  2. Implantable port devices in paediatric oncology patients: A clinical experience from a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dogar, S.A.; Khan, M.A.M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To assess the frequency of infection of portacath in children having malignant tumours and undergoing chemotherapy, and to assess the association of the infection with already known risk factors. Methods: The retrospective review was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and involved patient data related to the period between January 2005 to December 2010. A questionnaire was designed to collect the required data. A total of 67 children were included having portacath inserted for chemotherapy. Children in which portacath was inserted under local anaesthesia in Radiology department, reinserted or inserted because of a reason other than childhood malignancy were excluded. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the total, 46 (67%) patients were males and a majority of the total (n=31; 46%) was between 6-10 years of age. Besides, 42 (63%) patients had leukaemia, 7(11%) had lymphoma and 18(26%) had various solid tumours. Six (8.95%) ports were removed due to infection. There was significant difference between infection and non-infection groups with respect to absolute neutrophilic count levels (p <0.001). Positive association was found between low absolute neutrophilic count level (<500) and the occurrence of port infection. Conclusions: Port infection rate is higher in children with low absolute neutrophilic count. The issue needs to be addressed and one may have to alter the timings of port insertion. It is recommended to insert port when absolute neutrophilic count is normal. To further evaluate the subject, a multicentre trial must be conducted. (author)

  3. Ocular involvement in paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sturm, Veit; Menke, Marcel N; Landau, Klara; Laube, Guido F; Neuhaus, Thomas J

    2010-11-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency and severity of ocular involvement in paediatric patients with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The study was designed as an institutional, retrospective, observational case series. Charts for all 87 paediatric patients with HUS treated at the University Children's Hospital Zurich between 1995 and 2007 were reviewed. Patients with ocular involvement were identified and clinical findings presented. Three of 69 examined patients with HUS showed ocular involvement. Ophthalmic findings in two children were consistent with bilateral Purtscher retinopathy, showing multiple haemorrhages, exudations and superficial retinal whitening. The third child presented with bilateral isolated central intraretinal haemorrhages as a milder form of ocular involvement. In one of the children with Purtscher retinopathy, laser photocoagulation was required for bilateral rubeosis irides and development of disc neovascularization. Longterm outcomes in the two severely affected children showed decreased visual acuity caused by partial atrophy of the optic nerves. In the milder case visual acuity was not impaired at any time. A minority of paediatric patients with HUS developed ocular involvement. Acute ocular findings varied in severity from isolated intraretinal haemorrhages to Purtscher-like retinopathy with retinal ischaemia. Longterm complications included the development of neovascularizations and consecutive optic nerve atrophy. Although ocular involvement in HUS seems to be rare, physicians should be aware of this complication because of its possible vision-endangering consequences. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Acta Ophthalmol.

  4. Simulated learning environment experience in nursing students for paediatric practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendoza-Maldonado, Yessy; Barría-Pailaquilén, René Mauricio

    The training of health professionals requires the acquisition of clinical skills in a safe and efficient manner, which is facilitated by a simulated learning environment (SLE). It is also an efficient alternative when there are limitations for clinical practice in certain areas. This paper shows the work undertaken in a Chilean university in implementing paediatric practice using SLE. Over eight days, the care experience of a hospitalized infant was studied applying the nursing process. The participation of a paediatrician, resident physician, nursing technician, and simulated user was included in addition to the use of a simulation mannequin and equipment. Simulation of care was integral and covered interaction with the child and family and was developed in groups of six students by a teacher. The different phases of the simulation methodology were developed from a pedagogical point of view. The possibility of implementing paediatric clinical practice in an efficient and safe way was confirmed. The experience in SLE was highly valued by the students, allowing them to develop different skills and abilities required for paediatric nursing through simulation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Overnight Emergency CT Imaging: A 10-Year Experience at an Irish Tertiary Referral Hospital.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    2018-01-01

    In recent years there has been increased utilisation of computed tomography (CT) imaging in developed countries, however there is a paucity of data regarding the utilisation of CT in the emergency overnight setting. We retrospectively analysed trends in ‘overnight’ (midnight to 8am) CT utilisation over a ten-year period at a single Irish tertiary referral hospital. Over the study period, we observed a significant increase in the proportion of CT imaging that was carried out overnight. There was no significant variation in the yield of pathological findings over the study period, which remained low (64% of CT studies were normal or had non-critical findings). The multiple factors which have contributed to the increased utilization of overnight emergency CT in recent years, the potential for reporting errors overnight and the implications therein for patient safety warrant consideration.

  6. Reducing waiting time and raising outpatient satisfaction in a Chinese public tertiary general hospital-an interrupted time series study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jing; Lin, Qian; Zhao, Pengyu; Zhang, Qiongyao; Xu, Kai; Chen, Huiying; Hu, Cecile Jia; Stuntz, Mark; Li, Hong; Liu, Yuanli

    2017-08-22

    It is globally agreed that a well-designed health system deliver timely and convenient access to health services for all patients. Many interventions aiming to reduce waiting times have been implemented in Chinese public tertiary hospitals to improve patients' satisfaction. However, few were well-documented, and the effects were rarely measured with robust methods. We conducted a longitudinal study of the length of waiting times in a public tertiary hospital in Southern China which developed comprehensive data collection systems. Around an average of 60,000 outpatients and 70,000 prescribed outpatients per month were targeted for the study during Oct 2014-February 2017. We analyzed longitudinal time series data using a segmented linear regression model to assess changes in levels and trends of waiting times before and after the introduction of waiting time reduction interventions. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to indicate the strength of association between waiting times and patient satisfactions. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. The monthly average length of waiting time decreased 3.49 min (P = 0.003) for consultations and 8.70 min (P = 0.02) for filling prescriptions in the corresponding month when respective interventions were introduced. The trend shifted from baseline slight increasing to afterwards significant decreasing for filling prescriptions (P =0.003). There was a significant negative correlation between waiting time of filling prescriptions and outpatient satisfaction towards pharmacy services (r = -0.71, P = 0.004). The interventions aimed at reducing waiting time and raising patient satisfaction in Fujian Provincial Hospital are effective. A long-lasting reduction effect on waiting time for filling prescriptions was observed because of carefully designed continuous efforts, rather than a one-time campaign, and with appropriate incentives implemented by a taskforce authorized by the hospital managers. This

  7. Reducing waiting time and raising outpatient satisfaction in a Chinese public tertiary general hospital-an interrupted time series study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Sun

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It is globally agreed that a well-designed health system deliver timely and convenient access to health services for all patients. Many interventions aiming to reduce waiting times have been implemented in Chinese public tertiary hospitals to improve patients’ satisfaction. However, few were well-documented, and the effects were rarely measured with robust methods. Methods We conducted a longitudinal study of the length of waiting times in a public tertiary hospital in Southern China which developed comprehensive data collection systems. Around an average of 60,000 outpatients and 70,000 prescribed outpatients per month were targeted for the study during Oct 2014-February 2017. We analyzed longitudinal time series data using a segmented linear regression model to assess changes in levels and trends of waiting times before and after the introduction of waiting time reduction interventions. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to indicate the strength of association between waiting times and patient satisfactions. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results The monthly average length of waiting time decreased 3.49 min (P = 0.003 for consultations and 8.70 min (P = 0.02 for filling prescriptions in the corresponding month when respective interventions were introduced. The trend shifted from baseline slight increasing to afterwards significant decreasing for filling prescriptions (P =0.003. There was a significant negative correlation between waiting time of filling prescriptions and outpatient satisfaction towards pharmacy services (r = −0.71, P = 0.004. Conclusions The interventions aimed at reducing waiting time and raising patient satisfaction in Fujian Provincial Hospital are effective. A long-lasting reduction effect on waiting time for filling prescriptions was observed because of carefully designed continuous efforts, rather than a one-time campaign, and with appropriate incentives

  8. Causes and Predictive Factors Associated with "Diagnosis Changed" Outcomes in Patients Notified as Tuberculosis Cases in a Private Tertiary Hospital

    OpenAIRE

    Kang, Byung Ju; Jo, Kyung-Wook; Park, Tai Sun; Yoo, Jung-Wan; Lee, Sei Won; Choi, Chang-Min; Oh, Yeon-Mok; Lee, Sang-Do; Kim, Woo Sung; Kim, Dong Soon; Shim, Tae Sun

    2013-01-01

    Background The aim of our study was to evaluate the "diagnosis changed" rate in patients notified as tuberculosis (TB) on the Korean TB surveillance system (KTBS). Methods A total of 1,273 patients notified as TB cases on the KTBS in one private tertiary hospital in 2011 were enrolled in the present study. Patients were classified into three groups: "diagnosis maintained", "diagnosis changed" (initially notified as TB, but ultimately diagnosed as non-TB), and "administrative error" (notified ...

  9. Compliance with the national palestinian infection prevention and control protocol at governmental paediatric hospitals in gaza governorates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eljedi, Ashraf; Dalo, Shareef

    2014-08-01

    Nosocomial infections are a significant burden for both patients and the healthcare system. For this reason, infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are extremely important. The Palestinian Ministry of Health adopted the national IPC Protocol in 2004. This study aimed to assess the compliance of healthcare providers (HCPs) with the Protocol in three governmental paediatric hospitals in Gaza governorates. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February to November 2010. Data were collected from a sample of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists (N = 334) using a self-administered questionnaire and observation checklists to record HCP practices and assess the hospital environment. The response rate was 92%. The most important reasons for non-compliance with the IPC Protocol were the absence of an education programme (61.5%), lack of knowledge (52.4%) and the scarcity of required supplies (46.9%). Only 2.3% of respondents had a copy of the IPC Protocol, while 65.8% did not know of its existence. Only 16.9% had participated in training sessions regarding general IPC practices. The observation checklist regarding HCP practices revealed low levels of compliance in hand washing (45.9%), wearing gloves (40.7%) and using antiseptics/disinfectants (49.16%). The health facilities checklist indicated that there was a lack of certain essential equipment and materials, such as covered waste containers and heavy-duty gloves. Due to the lack of HPC knowledge, the authors recommend that the IPC Protocol be made available in all hospitals. In addition, a qualified team should implement intensive IPC education and training programmes and facilities should provide the required equipment and materials.

  10. Acinetobacter baumannii: Epidemiological and Beta-Lactamase Data From Two Tertiary Academic Hospitals in Tshwane, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle Lowe

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that is increasingly responsible for hospital-acquired infections. The increasing prevalence of carbapenem resistant A. baumannii has left clinicians with limited treatment options. Last line antimicrobials (i.e., polymyxins and glycylcyclines are often used as treatment options. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected β-lactamase genes from A. baumannii isolates obtained from patients with hospital-acquired infections and to determine the genetic relationship and epidemiological profiles among clinical A. baumannii isolates collected from two tertiary academic hospitals in the Tshwane region, South Africa (SA. Multiplex-PCR (M-PCR assays were performed to detect selected resistance genes. The collected isolates’ genetic relatedness was determined by using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST. The acquired oxacillinase (OXA genes, notably blaOXA-23-like were prevalent in the A. baumannii isolates. The M-PCR assays showed that the isolates collected from hospital A contained the OXA-23-like (96%; n = 69/72 genes and the isolates collected from hospital B contained the OXA-23-like (91%; n = 63/69 and OXA-58-like (4%; n = 3/69 genes. Colistin resistance was found in 1% of the isolates (n = 2/141 and tigecycline intermediate resistance was found in 6% of the isolates (n = 8/141. The A. baumannii isolates were genetically diverse. Molecular epidemiological data showed that specific sequence types (STs (ST106, ST229, ST258 and ST208 were established in both hospitals, while ST848 was established in hospital A and ST502, ST339 and the novel ST1552 were established in hospital B. ST848 (established in hospital A was predominately detected in ICU wards whereas ST208, ST339 and the novel ST1552 (established in hospital B were detected in ICUs and the general wards. The origin of the A. baumannii isolates in the hospitals may be due to

  11. [Results of pulmonary embolism treatment in a tertiary hospital short stay unit. Is this the right place?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa Salazar, V; Bernal Martínez, L; García Pino, M J; Hernández Contreras, M E; García Méndez, M M; García Pérez, B; Marras Fernández-Cid, C

    2016-01-01

    To determine the mean stay (MS) of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) in a thrombosis unit (TU) with a short stay unit (SSU) in a tertiary hospital. To compare the data collected with those of other hospitals in the same region, of other regions (Autonomous Communities [AACC]), and within the same hospital in the year before the SSU opened. A descriptive retrospective observational study that included patients with a diagnosis of PE in the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA) in 2012. These data were classified by hospital department, and used for calculating the mean stay. This was then compared with that of other hospitals in our region, with the rest of the regions, and with the data in 2007 (the last year without a TU). A total of 113patients with PE were included, 60 (53%) in the TU with an MS of 4.39, in Oncology, 7.45, and Internal Medicine (IM), 15.38days. There were no deaths in the TU and only 3 (5%) readmissions. Published data showed that the MS in all hospitals in our region was 8.25, 5.18 in our hospital, and higher in the rest of hospitals. The best AACC was the Basque Country with an MS of 6.85days. In 2007, there were 70patients with PE in the HCUVA, 34 (49%) in IM, with an MS of 8.50, Oncology 11 (31%) with an MS 9.64, and Chest Diseases 3 (4.3%) with an MS 19days, and with an overall mortality of 11% and a rate of readmissions in IM of 6%. The mean stay for a PE in the SSU of a TU was lower than in the rest of the hospital departments, lower than the rest hospitals of our region, lower than the rest of the regions, and lower than any department of our hospital before the SSU existed, without increasing the readmission or mortality rate. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in a General Surgical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... organized for general surgeons undertaking paediatric surgical emergencies. More paediatric surgeons should be trained and more paediatric surgical units should established in the country. Key Words: Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies; Paediatric Surgeons, General Surgeons. Journal of College of Medicine ...

  13. Prescription writing practices in a rural tertiary care hospital in Western Maharashtra, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vaishali D Phalke

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundPrescription is a written order from physician to pharmacistwhich contains name of drug, its dose and its method ofdispensing and advice over consuming it. The frequency ofdrug prescription errors is high. Prescribing errorcontributes significantly towards adverse drug events. Thepresent study was undertaken to understand the currentprescription writing practices and to detect the commonerrors in them at a tertiary health care centre situated in arural area of Western Maharashtra, India.MethodA cross sectional study was conducted at a tertiary levelhospital located at a rural area of Maharashtra state, Indiaduring October 2009-March 2010. 499 prescriptions comingto medical store during period of one month wereconsidered for data analysis. Important informationregarding the patient, doctor, drug and the generaldescription of the prescription were obtained.ResultsAll the prescriptions were on the hospital pad. A significantnumber of the prescriptions (n=88, 17.6% were written inillegible handwriting and not easily readable. The name, ageand sex of the patient were mentioned is majority of theprescriptions. All the prescriptions (100% failed todemonstrate the presence of address, height and weight ofthe patient. Only the brand name of the drugs wasmentioned in all the prescriptions with none of them havingthe generic name. The strength, quantity and route ofadministration of the drug were found on 73.1%, 65.3% and75.2% prescriptions.ConclusionThere are widespread errors in prescription writing by thedoctors. Educational intervention programs and use ofcomputer can substantially contribute in the lowering ofsuch errors. A short course on prescription writing beforethe medical student enters the clinical field and strictmonitoring by the administrative authorities may also helpalleviate the problem.Word count: 2980Tables: 2

  14. Financial impact of tertiary care in an academic medical center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, T S; Carlton, L M; O'Hern, D G; Hardt, N S; Keith Ozaki, C; Flynn, T C; Seeger, J M

    2000-06-01

    To analyze the financial impact of three complex vascular surgical procedures to both an academic hospital and a department of surgery and to examine the potential impact of decreased reimbursements. The cost of providing tertiary care has been implicated as one potential cause of the financial difficulties affecting academic medical centers. Patients undergoing revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischemia, elective thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and treatment of infected aortic grafts at the University of Florida were compared with those undergoing elective infrarenal aortic reconstruction and carotid endarterectomy. Hospital costs and profit summaries were obtained from the Clinical Resource Management Office. Departmental costs and profit summary were estimated based on the procedural relative value units (RVUs), the average clinical cost per RVU ($33.12), surgeon charges, and the collection rate for the vascular surgery division (30.2%) obtained from the Faculty Group Practice. Surgeon work effort was analyzed using the procedural work RVUs and the estimated total care time. The analyses were performed for all payors and the subset of Medicare patients, and the potential impact of a 15% reduction in hospital and physician reimbursement was analyzed. Net hospital income was positive for all but one of the tertiary care procedures, but net losses were sustained by the hospital for the mesenteric ischemia and infected aortic graft groups among the Medicare patients. In contrast, the estimated reimbursement to the department of surgery for all payors was insufficient to offset the clinical cost of providing the RVUs for all procedures, and the estimated losses were greater for the Medicare patients alone. The surgeon work effort was dramatically higher for the tertiary care procedures, whereas the reimbursement per work effort was lower. A 15% reduction in reimbursement would result in an estimated net loss to the hospital for each of the tertiary

  15. Detection of extended spectrum β-lactamase in Pseudomonas spp. isolated from two tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Begum Shahanara

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Extended spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs represent a major group of lactamases responsible for resistance, mostly produced by gram-negative bacteria, to newer generations of ß-lactam drugs currently being identified in large numbers worldwide. The present study was undertaken to see the frequency of ESBL producing Pseudomonas spp. isolated from six hundred clinical specimens (wound, pus, aural, urine, sputum, throat and other swabs collected over a period of three years from two tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh. Findings Aerobic bacterial culture was performed on aseptically collected swabs and only growth of Pseudomonas was considered for further species identification and ESBL production along with serotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion method and ESBL production was detected on Mueller Hinton agar by double-disk synergy technique using Amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid with Ceftazidime, Cefotaxime, Ceftriaxone and Aztreonam. Culture yielded 120 Pseudomonas spp. and 82 of them were biochemically characterized for species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be the predominant (90.2% species. Of 82 isolates tested for ESBL, 31 (37.8% were ESBL positive with 29 (93.5% as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the remaining 2 (6.5% were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Ralstonia pickettii. Antibiogram revealed Imipenem as the most effective drug (93.3% among all antimicrobials used against Pseudomonas spp. followed by Aminoglycosides (63.7%. Conclusion ESBL producing Pseudomonas spp. was found to be a frequent isolate from two tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh, showing limited susceptibility to antimicrobials and decreased susceptibility to Imipenem in particular, which is a matter of great concern.

  16. The Investigation of Proptosis in Paediatric Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ms Sayantani Ghosh

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available A retrospective review of 65 cases of paediatric proptosispresenting to a rural teaching hospital in India, from February2006 to June 2008. There were 17 cases with orbital cellulitisand 15 with retinoblastoma. We report the history, clinicalexamination, radiological findings and diagnosis. Most caseshad a characteristic history and pathognomonic eye signs.Computer Tomography (CT correlated with histopathology inmost cases. CT is widely available, even within a remotesetting, and is a convenient investigation. Thus, a detailedhistory, clinical examination and CT scan were the mostfruitful approach to the diagnosis of childhood proptosis inthis series.

  17. The BRACELET Study: surveys of mortality in UK neonatal and paediatric intensive care trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Platt Martin

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The subject of death and bereavement in the context of randomised controlled trials in neonatal or paediatric intensive care is under-researched. The objectives of this phase of the Bereavement and RAndomised ControlLEd Trials (BRACELET Study were to determine trial activity in UK neonatal and paediatric intensive care (2002-06; numbers of deaths before hospital discharge; and variation in mortality across intensive care units and trials and to determine whether bereavement support policies were available within trials. These are essential prerequisites to considering the implications of future policies and practice subsequent to bereavement following a child's enrolment in a trial. Methods The units survey involved neonatal units providing level 2 or 3 care, and paediatric units providing level II care or above; the trials survey involved trials where allocation was randomized and interventions were delivered to intensive care patients, or to parents but designed to affect patient outcomes. Results Information was available from 191/220 (87% neonatal units (149 level 2 or 3 care; and 28/32 (88% paediatric units. 90/177 (51% eligible responding units participated in one or more trial (76 neonatal, 14 paediatric and 54 neonatal units and 6 paediatric units witnessed at least one death. 50 trials were identified (36 neonatal, 14 paediatric. 3,137 babies were enrolled in neonatal trials, 210 children in paediatric trials. Deaths ranged 0-278 (median [IQR interquartile range] 2 [1, 14.5] per neonatal trial, 0-4 (median [IQR] 1 [0, 2.5] per paediatric trial. 534 (16% participants died post-enrolment: 522 (17% in neonatal trials, 12 (6% in paediatric trials. Trial participants ranged 1-236 (median [IQR] 21.5 [8, 39.8] per neonatal unit, 1-53 (median [IQR] 11.5 [2.3, 33.8] per paediatric unit. Deaths ranged 0-37 (median [IQR] 3.5 [0.3, 8.8] per neonatal unit, 0-7 (median [IQR] 0.5 [0, 1.8] per paediatric unit. Three trials had a

  18. Epidemiology of road traffic injury patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in Hyderabad, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howley, Isaac W; Gupta, Shivam; Tetali, Shailaja; Josyula, Lakshmi K; Wadhwaniya, Shirin; Gururaj, Gopalkrishna; Rao, Mohan; Hyder, Adnan A

    2017-12-01

    Road traffic injuries kill more people in India than in any other country in the world, and these numbers are rising with increasing population density and motorization. Official statistics regarding road traffic injuries are likely subject to underreporting. This study presents results of a surveillance program based at a public tertiary hospital in Hyderabad, India. All consenting patients who presented to the casualty ward after a road traffic injury over a 9-month period were enrolled. Interviews were performed and data abstracted from clinical records by trained research assistants. Data included demographics, injury characteristics, risk factors, safety behaviors, and outcomes. A total of 5,298 patients were enrolled; their mean age was 32.4 years (standard deviation 13.8) and 87.3% were men; 58.2% of patients were injured while riding a motorcycle or scooter, 22.5% were pedestrians, and 9.2% used motorized rickshaws. The most frequent collision type was skid or rollover (40.9%). Male victims were younger than female victims and were overrepresented among motorized 2-wheeler users. Patients were most frequently injured from 1600 to 2400. A total of 27.3% of patients were admitted. Hospital mortality was 5.3%, and 48.2% of deaths were among motorized 2-wheeler users. This is one of the few prospective, hospital-based studies of road traffic injury epidemiology in India. The patient population in this study was similar to prior hospital-based studies. When compared to government surveillance systems, this study showed motorized 2-wheeler users to be more frequently represented among the overall population and among fatalities. Further research should be done to develop interventions to decrease mortality associated with 2-wheeled vehicles in India. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. STUDY ON KAP OF OCULAR COMPLICATIONS DUE TO DIABETES AMONG TYPE II DIABETICS VISITING A TERTIARY TEACHING HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob Koshy

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem worldwide. Diabetic patients are at risk of developing blindness from diabetic retinopathy. While occurrence of diabetic retinopathy cannot be prevented, its complications can be minimized. This requires awareness of the sight-threatening potential of diabetes and the need for regular eye examinations. Aim: To study the knowledge of ocular complications of diabetes, among type II diabetics visiting a tertiary level hospital. Settings and Design: This was a prospective study in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods and Material: This was a questionnaire based study on 350 type II diabetics. All patients were interviewed by the same investigator. Statistical analysis used: The data was analysed using chi square test. Results: With increase in the duration of illness, the awareness about diabetic retinopathy is more. Even though the awareness of the disease increased with increasing duration of the disease, 51.4% of the diabetics did not know how diabetes can affect the eye, 49.7% of diabetics did not know if diabetic retinopathy can be treated and 67.4% had not heard of any treatment modality for diabetic retinopathy. This shows that lack of knowledge about the disease was significant. Conclusions: Prevention of non-communicable disease through increased awareness needs to be the thrust of the effort in resource poor contexts, where the treatment can be prohibitively costly. These measures would help to bring about more awareness and understanding about the disease among the patients and therefore prevent sight-threatening complications by timely intervention and management.

  20. Job satisfaction and Job stress among various employees of tertiary care level hospital in central Uttar Pradesh, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruchi Yadav

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Job satisfaction defined as the end state of feeling, the feeling that is experienced after a task is accomplished. Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or need of the worker. Objectives: To study the relationship between job satisfaction and job stress among various employees of tertiary care level hospital and to find the co-relates of job stress and job satisfaction. Materials & Methods: A cross sectional study carried out for a period of 2 month among various employees working in Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, a tertiary care level hospital. A total 225 Participants 75 from each medical, paramedical and office staff were selected by purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted using pretested structured questionnaire regarding socio-demographic profile, job satisfaction and job stress. Data was analyzed using chi square test. Result: A total of 225 participants,75 from each medical, paramedical and office staff were interviewed. On doing analysis of questionnaire regarding job satisfaction and job stress it was found that majority believe that their job was well recognized and working in a good institute and were not satisfied with the management and salary and were coping well with their job stress and were having average level of satisfaction. Conclusion: The present study conclude that majority of the participants felt they are well recognized with their job, working in a good institute but not satisfied with the management and salary.

  1. An epidemiological study of paediatric motocross injuries in the United Kingdom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Rohit; Malhotra, Akshay; Kyle, Nigel; Hay, Stuart

    2015-10-01

    Although off-road motorcycling is one of the most popular sports activities practised by millions of people worldwide, little has been written on motocross injuries and their prevention. In the UK alone, motocross has grown into a phenomenally ambitious and popular franchise. There are >200 motocross clubs across the country holding >900 events annually. The aim of this study is to categorise and quantify the magnitude of motocross paediatric injuries and associated morbidity. Data were collected prospectively over 4 years (2010-2014) at our unit. All injuries caused by motocross biking that were referred to our trauma and orthopaedic department were included in this study, regardless of whether the rider was performing the sport competitively or recreationally. During the study period, 130 patients (aged 4-17 years) were identified with a total of 142 injuries, ranging from one to six injuries per patient. Most of the injuries were sustained within the early spring and summer months, representing the start of the motocross season; 76 patients required hospital admission, with 60 (42 %) requiring surgical intervention. We present the first epidemiological study of motocross paediatric injuries in the UK. The results from this study highlight the frequency and severity of motocross-related injuries in the paediatric population in the UK. This may assist in providing recommendations and guidelines to governing bodies and to parents. The injuries sustained during motocross have significant resource implications, especially for smaller rural hospitals, as shown by the number of injuries doubling over the past 4 years.

  2. STUDY OF PRESCRIBING PATTERN OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS IN SELECTED PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anjan Adhikari

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drugs in hospitals and their irrational use is one of the important factors for the development and spread of resistance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic prescription pattern in the patient attending the tertiary care hospital. It was found that a total of 333 antibiotics where prescribed in 245 prescriptions. The average number of antibiotics per prescription was approximately1.4. The most commonly used antibiotics were moxifloxacin 19.5%, metronidazole 10.4%, amoxicillin + cloxacillin 10.2% and ciprofloxacin 6%. antibiotics were almost equally prescribed to both male and female. 45.5% of the antibiotics shows adherence with the National List of Essential Medicines of India. 76.6% of the antibiotics were single products while 23.4% were fixed dose combination. The most commonly used dosage forms were tablets (57%, drops (23.5% and creams (11.7%.57.3% were prescribed irrationally. Quinolones (48.2% and antifungals (21.5% were the most common types of prescribed antibiotics in which irrationality was found.

  3. A retrospective review of snake bite victims admitted in a tertiary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: Snake bite remains major public health problem worldwide. We present our experience with cases of snake bites managed in our tertiary care teaching center of South India. Materials and Methods: The details of all patients with snake bite admitted to a tertiary teaching care hospital from 2010 to 2012 were ...

  4. Job stress, satisfaction, and coping strategies among medical interns in a South Indian tertiary hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandramouleeswaran, Susmita; Edwin, Natasha C; Braganza, Deepa

    2014-07-01

    It has previously been demonstrated that there is a significant drop in all domains of quality of life among interns during internship. A modified version of the health consultant's job stress and satisfaction questionnaire (HCJSSQ) was used to assess and quantify aspects of internship that were perceived as stressful and satisfying. Methods used to cope with work place stress were explored. A prospective cohort study was undertaken among 93 medical interns doing a rotating internship at the Christian Medical College and Hospital, a tertiary-care hospital in southern India. After completion of 6 months of internship, the modified version of the HCJSSQ was administered to all participants. The data were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 9 by double data entry technique. Percentages of interns reporting high levels of stress, satisfaction were calculated. While 63.4% of interns reported high levels of satisfaction, 45.2% of the interns experienced high levels of stress, 17.6% coped with work stress by using alcohol and nicotine, and 37% coped through unhealthy eating habits. More people found internship satisfying than stressful. However, a high proportion found it stressful, and many reported unhealthy coping mechanisms.

  5. Distribution of 16S rRNA Methylases Among Different Species of Aminoglycoside-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piekarska, Katarzyna; Zacharczuk, Katarzyna; Wołkowicz, Tomasz; Rzeczkowska, Magdalena; Bareja, Elżbieta; Olak, Monika; Gierczyński, Rafał

    2016-01-01

    Aminoglycosides are a group of antimicrobial agents still the most commonly used in the treatment of life-threatening bacterial infections in human and animals. The emergence and spread of 16S rRNA methylases, which confer high-level resistance to the majority of clinically relevant aminoglycosides, constitute a major public health concern. Our goal was to evaluate the distribution of 16S rRNA methylases among different species of Enterobacteriaceae during a five month-long survey in a tertiary hospital in Warszawa, Poland. In the survey, a total of 1770 non-duplicate clinical isolates were collected from all hospital wards in a tertiary hospital in Warszawa, Poland. The survey was conducted between 19 April and 19 September 2010. The ability to produce 16S rRNA methylase was examined by determining MICs for gentamicin, kanamycin, amikacin by means of the agar dilution method. The isolates resistant to high concentration of aminoglycosides were PCR tested for genes: armA, rmtA, rmtB and rmtC. PCR products were subjected to DNA sequencing by the Sanger method. The genetic similarity of the ArmA-producing isolates was analysed by pulsed-filed gel electrophoresis (PFGE). ArmA was the only 16S rRNA methylase detected in 20 of 1770 tested isolates. The overall prevalence rate of ArmA was 1.13%. In K. pneumoniae (n = 742), P. mirabilis (n = 130), and E. cloacae (n = 253) collected in the survey, the prevalence of ArmA was 0.4%, 0.8% and 5.9%, respectively. The PFGE revealed both horizontal and clonal spread of the armA gene in the hospital. The prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase ArmA reported in this study is significantly higher than observed in other countries in Europe.

  6. A CLINICAL STUDY AND MANAGEMENT OF PAEDIATRIC CATARACT, OUR EXPERIENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satish D. Shet

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Control of childhood blindness is one of the priorities identified for achieving the goals of Vision-2020 by WHO. This is considered a priority because blind-years (number of years that a blind person lives after going blind due to childhood blindness are second only to cataract and half of childhood blindness is avoidable (treatable/preventable. Paediatric cataract accounts for 12% of the 1.4 million blind children globally. The prevalence of childhood cataract has been reported as 1 to 15 cases in 10,000 children in developing countries. Compared to industrialised countries, this figure is 10 times higher. Early detection and timely treatment of various childhood disorders such as congenital cataract are the most crucial factors for successful outcome. A suitable measure to address amblyopia and posterior capsule opacification post operatively is imperative for successful visual rehabilitation of such children. The objectives of this study were- 1 To study the clinical profile of paediatric cataract. 2 To evaluate the visual outcome after cataract surgery in these patients. 3 To evaluate different causes of visual impairment following management. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective study conducted at Karnataka institute of medical sciences department of ophthalmology from October 2015 to September 2016. All children below 14 years of age presenting with cataract will undergo thorough ophthalmologic examination and cataract surgery. RESULTS The results of the present study with 25 paediatric patients (36 eyes indicates that excellent vision can be expected after cataract surgery and posterior chamber IOL implantation coupled with appropriate amblyopia therapy. CONCLUSION The paediatric cataract patients are referred from primary health centers, and district hospital from north Karnataka to KIMS Hubli. All paediatric patients are from lower socio economic status. Early detection of cataracts and referrals to the ophthalmologist can

  7. KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS AND ITS VACCINE AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS OF TERTIARY TEACHING UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN SOUTH INDIA

    OpenAIRE

    Raghupathi Mahitha; T. S. Arunprasath

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Cervical cancer in women can be effectively prevented by HPV vaccine. Healthcare professionals including pharmacists have a role in creating awareness about this vaccine to public. In this context, it was decided to study awareness level about HPV among pharmacy students. The aim of the study is to study the knowledge and attitude towards human papilloma virus and it’s vaccine among pharmacy students of tertiary teaching university hospital in South India. MATERIA...

  8. Electronically implemented clinical indicators based on a data warehouse in a tertiary hospital: its clinical benefit and effectiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Sooyoung; Kim, Seok; Lee, Kee-Hyuck; Jeong, Chang Wook; Youn, Sang Woong; Park, Kyoung Un; Moon, So Young; Hwang, Hee

    2014-07-01

    Assessing and monitoring care and service using clinical indicators (CIs) can allow the measurement of and lead to improvements in the quality of care. However, the management and maintenance of CI data has been shown to be difficult because the data are usually collected and provided manually. In this study, for the purpose of efficient managing quality indicators, a data warehouse (DW)-based CI monitoring system was developed. The clinical effectiveness and efficiency of a DW-based CI monitoring was investigated through several case studies of the system's operation at a tertiary hospital. This study analyzed the CIs that have been developed over the past 8 years at a 1340-bed tertiary general university hospital in South Korea to improve and monitor the quality of care and patient safety. The hospital was opened as a fully digital hospital in 2003, and the CIs were computerized in 2005 by implementing a DW-based CI monitoring system. We classified the computerized CIs and evaluated the monitoring results for several representative CIs, such as the optimal prescribing of preventive antibiotics, the average length of stay, the mortality rate, and the rehospitalization rate. During the development of the system in 2005, 12 of 19 CIs were computerized, and this number gradually increased until 299 of 335 CIs were computerized by 2012. In addition, among the CIs built computationally through the CI task force team, focal CIs subject to monitoring were selected annually, and the results of this monitoring were shared with all of the staff or the related department and its staff. By providing some examples of our CI monitoring results, we showed the feasibility of improving the quality of care, and maintaining the optimum level of patient care with less labor. The results of this study provide evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness and efficiency as well as the systems operation experience of a DW-based CI monitoring system. These findings may aid medical

  9. The Internet and the paediatric surgeon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivas, M; Inumpudi, A; Mitra, D K

    1998-12-01

    The Internet, which has truly united the world, is an extensive network of inter-linked computers storing immense bytes of information that can be accessed by anyone, transcending all barriers. The paediatric surgery Internet consists of exponentially growing material that deals with information specifically for paediatric surgeons and patients of the paediatric age group. We reviewed the methods available to take advantage of this network to enable busy paediatric surgeons to accrue the benefits easily and efficiently rather than be lost in the information ocean by surfing individually. By getting connected to the Internet, the paediatric surgeon gains enormous information that can be useful for patient care. The Internet has revolutionised scientific publications by virtue of its fast and accurate transmission of manuscripts. Paediatric surgeons can send manuscripts by this channel and also access journals, obviating the inherent lag period of communication by post.

  10. Experience of vascular trauma in a tertiary care hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imtiaz, N.

    2010-01-01

    To highlight the presentation and management of various vascular injuries and their outcome. Thirty nine cases of vascular trauma were referred to vascular surgeon CMH Rawalpindi, in the above mentioned period. These cases were evaluated for mechanism of injury, age, gender and time of presentation. Out of these, only thirty cases were found suitable for surgical intervention. These thirty cases were evaluated for site of vascular injury, associated injuries, type of surgery performed and the outcome. Blunt trauma was the predominant cause of vascular injuries in our study 16/39 (41%). Fourteen cases (35.8%) had gun shot wounds. Only thirty patients (76.9 %) underwent various surgical procedures. Primary end to end anastomosis was possible in only 5/30 cases (16.6%) while reversed venous graft was used in 13/30 cases (43.3%). Wound infection occurred in 2/30(6.6%) cases out of which 1 case (3.3%) ultimately had an amputation. The time period between injury and surgical intervention ranged between 1 to 20 hours for most of the vascular injuries while delayed presentation in the form of traumatic arteriovenous fistula or pseudoaneurysm was between 48 hours to 3 months. There are reasonable numbers of vascular trauma cases being referred to a tertiary care hospital. Most of these cases reach us quite late due to unnecessary investigations, delayed referral and transportation. Early intervention and revascularization definitely reduces amputation and complication rate. All gunshot wounds not only require thorough surrounding soft tissue debridement but also liberal excision of traumatised vessel itself, resulting in interposition graft repair. (author)

  11. Firm handling; the information exchange interaction by parents in paediatric care – An observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carina Berterö

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Information exchange is fundamental in the paediatric care encounter. Health care professionals need further background knowledge to encounter the parents/guardians from their perspective in their minors’ paediatric care. The parents’/guardians’ ability to manage the situation is dependent on their receiving optimal information, which is why it is important to study how information is exchanged.Aim: The aim of this study was to identify, describe and conceptualize how parents/guardians resolved their main concern ininformation exchange with health care professionals in paediatric care situations involving their minors.Methodology: Glaser’s grounded theory method was used and all data were analysed using constant comparative analysis. The observational study took place at three paediatric outpatient units at a university hospital and 24 parents/guardians participated. Data sources were field notes from 37 observations of paediatric care situations and five adherent excerpts from the minors’ medical records. Grounded theory is a method of conceptualising behaviour, which is why an observational study of parents’/guardians’ information exchange and social interaction in the context of nursing care is relevant as research design.Results: Firm handling was revealed as the way the parents/guardians resolved their main concerns when they were exchanging information about their minors’ paediatric care. Firm handling is built on five inter-related categories: representative advocating, collaborating, aim sharing, supportive resourcing and minor bypassing.Conclusions: This knowledge suggests possible ways for health care professionals to design paediatric care that supports, facilitates, strengthens and improves the parents’/guardians’ firm handling. The key issue is to find ways to support parents/guardians and minors so they can participate in health care encounters according to their preferences. Firm handling gives an

  12. Distinguishing between tertiary and secondary facilities: a case study of cardiac diagnostic-related groups (DRGs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rouse, Paul; Arulambalam, Ajit; Correa, Ralph; Ullman, Cornelia

    2010-05-14

    To develop a classification of tertiary cardiac DRGs in order to investigate differences in tertiary/secondary product mix across New Zealand district health boards (DHBs). 67 DRGs from 85,442 cardiac cases were analysed using cost weights and patient comorbidity complexity levels, which were used as a proxy for complexity. The research found high variability of severity within some DRGs. 5 DHBs are the main providers of 27 DRGs which are high cost and identified as tertiary by several ADHB clinicians; the same 5 DHBs have on average higher severity by DRG than the other DHBs. NZ tertiary hospitals have a product mix of DRGs with higher complexity than secondary hospitals. Funding based on case weights needs to recognise the additional resource requirements for this higher complexity.

  13. Non-Escherichia coli versus Escherichia coli community-acquired urinary tract infections in children hospitalized in a tertiary center: relative frequency, risk factors, antimicrobial resistance and outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcus, Nir; Ashkenazi, Shai; Yaari, Arnon; Samra, Zmira; Livni, Gilat

    2005-07-01

    Currently hospitalization for children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) is reserved for severe or complicated cases. Changes may have taken place in the characteristics and causative uropathogens of hospital-treated community-acquired UTI. To study children hospitalized in a tertiary center with community-acquired UTI, compare Escherichia coli and non-E. coli UTI, define predictors for non-E. coli UTI and elucidate the appropriate therapeutic approach. A prospective clinical and laboratory study from 2001 through 2002 in a tertiary pediatric medical center. Patients were divided by results of the urine culture into E. coli and non-E. coli UTI groups, which were compared. Of 175 episodes of culture-proved UTI, 70 (40%) were caused by non-E. coli pathogens. Non-E. coli UTI was more commonly found in children who were male (P = 0.005), who had underlying renal abnormalities (P = 0.0085) and who had received antibiotic therapy in the prior month (P = 0.0009). Non-E. coli uropathogens were often resistant to antibiotics usually recommended for initial therapy for UTI, including cephalosporins and aminoglycosides; 19% were initially treated with inappropriate empiric intravenous antibiotics (compared with 2% for E. coli UTI, P = 0.0001), with a longer hospitalization. Current treatment routines are often inappropriate for hospitalized children with non-E. coli UTI, which is relatively common in this population. The defined risk factors associated with non-E. coli UTIs and its antimicrobial resistance patterns should be considered to improve empiric antibiotic therapy for these infections.

  14. Effective dose calculations in conventional diagnostic X-ray examinations for adult and paediatric patients in a large Italian hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Compagnone, G.; Pagan, L.; Bergamini, C.

    2005-01-01

    The effective dose E is an efficient and powerful parameter to study the radioprotection of the patient. In our hospital, eight radiological departments and more than 100 radiological X-ray tubes are present. The effective doses were calculated for adults and paediatric patients in 10 standard projections. To calculate E, first the entrance skin dose (ESD) was evaluated by a mathematical model that was validated by >400 direct measurements taken with an ionisation chamber on four different phantoms: the overall accuracy of the model was better than 12%. Second, to relate ESD to E, conversion coefficients calculated by Monte Carlo techniques were used. The E-values obtained were of the same order as those presented in the literature. Finally, we analysed how the study of E distributions among the various radiological departments can help to optimise the procedures, by identifying the most critical examinations or sub-optimal clinical protocols. (authors)

  15. Discrepancy in reporting among specialist registrars and the role of a paediatric neuroradiologist in reporting paediatric CT head examinations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagaraja, S.; Ullah, Q.; Lee, K.J.; Bickle, I.; Hon, L.Q.; Griffiths, P.D.; Raghavan, A.; Flynn, P.; Connolly, D.J.A.

    2009-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the discrepancy rate among specialist registrars (SPR) to assess whether seniority had a bearing on the discrepancy rate. To investigate which were the commonly missed abnormalities and the consequences for teaching purposes. To investigate the role of a specialist consultant neuroradiologist in reporting paediatric head computed tomography examinations. Materials and methods: The study was carried out over a 9-month period at the regional paediatric hospital during which time 270 CT head examinations were reported. Reporting in the department is carried out by one of the five general paediatric radiologists (GR) and also a specialist paediatric neuroradiologist (NR). The NR was considered the reference standard, who corroborated in areas of discrepancy with a second senior NR for this study. Of the 270 examinations, 260 were reported by the paediatric NR, 160 were reported by the SPR, GR, and NR, and 51 were reported by an SPR and the NR. In addition, four were reported by the GR and the NR, 45 by the NR only, seven by the GR only, and three cases were reported by the GR and an SPR. The discrepancy rates were calculated for GR versus NR, and SPR versus NR. All the discrepancies were re-evaluated by a second senior NR and confirmed in all cases. The reports of the SPR were further scrutinized. The trainees of training years 1-3 were considered junior and 4-5 were considered senior. Results: There was a discrepancy in 26/164 cases (15.9%) reported by the GR and NR. There was a discrepancy in 59/211 cases (28%) reported by an SPR and NR. The chi-squared test (two-sided) showed a significant difference (p = 0.005) between the two groups. There was a discrepancy in 36/118 cases (30.5%) reported by the junior SPR and NR. There was a discrepancy in 23/93 cases (24.7%) reported by a senior SPR and NR. The chi-squared test (two-sided) showed a non-significant difference (p = 0.353) between the two groups. Conclusion: The performance of the SPR was

  16. [Promotion of breast feeding in paediatric outpatient settings].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böse-O'Reilly, S; Wermuth, I; Hellmann, J; Siebert, U; Lob-Corzilius, T

    2008-03-01

    With some data and examples it can be shown that the competence and the knowledge of paediatric doctor's assistants and paediatric nurses can and should be improved. The training courses to become a "prevention assistant" have been very positively accepted by doctor's assistants and paediatric nurses, and it seems an appropriate method to reach these aims. Prevention and especially promotion of breast feeding is possible in paediatric outpatient settings. The immediate contact between infants, parents, paediatric doctor's assistants, paediatric nurses, and doctors offers a unique opportunity to promote the health of children, mainly due to the high acceptance of regular check-ups. So why not introduce the promotion of breast feeding in paediatric outpatient settings with specially trained doctor's assistants and paediatric nurses?

  17. The effect of canal fill on paediatric femur fractures treated with titanium elastic nails.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, E; Bonsu, N; Andras, L M; Goldstein, R Y

    2018-02-01

    Traditional teaching for fixation of paediatric femur fractures recommends 80% nail diameter/medullary canal diameter ratio (ND/MCD) for successful maintenance of reduction. Prior studies have investigated this with stainless steel Enders nails. Our aim was to assess the impact of ND/MCD on maintenance of reduction and malunion rates in paediatric femur fractures treated with flexible intramedullary nails (FINs). Retrospective data was collected on all paediatric patients treated with FINs for diaphyseal femur fractures at a single tertiary care institution over a ten-year period. Patients with co-morbidities affecting bone quality were excluded. Patients were subdivided into groups based on ND/MCD. A total of 66 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean ND/MCD was 76.3% (32.9% to 98.8%, SD 14.3). In all, 50% (n = 33/66) of patients had > 80% ND/MCD, and only 13.6% (n = 9/66) of patients had less than 60% ND/MCD. When controlling for fracture stability, ND/MCD had no correlation with mean shortening (p = 0.07) There was no correlation between ND/MCD and angulation in the sagittal (p = 0.96) or coronal plane (p = 0.20). Three patients fit malunion criteria. ND/MCD for these patients were 40%, 67% and 79%. There was no correlation between ND/MCD and shortening or malangulation. The majority of patients in this series with less than 80% fill with FIN healed within acceptable parameters. III.

  18. DRUG UTILISATION STUDY IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amol Chandrakant Deshmukh

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Hypertension, a common clinical problem is considered as an ‘iceberg disease’ because its unknown morbidity far exceeds the known morbidity. In terms of attributable deaths, it is one of the leading behavioural and physiological risk factors amounting to 13% of global deaths. Drug selection is based on efficacy in lowering BP (blood pressure and in reducing Cardiovascular (CV endpoints like stroke, myocardial infarction and heart failure. This study was carried out to evaluate the pattern, extent, rationality and frequency of the use of antihypertensive drugs in the treatment of hypertension. The aim of the study is to analyse drug utilisation in the treatment of hypertension in a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted during January 2014 to December 2015 in Medicine OPD (Outpatient Department in a tertiary care hospital. The sample size was selected as per the WHO recommendations on conducting Drug Utilisation Studies (DUS. Statistical Analysis- The collected data was numerically coded and entered in Microsoft Excel 2007 and analysed by SPSS version 16. Settings and Design- Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. RESULTS Out of 612 patients, 262 (42.81% were in the age group of 60 and above. Considering gender distribution, 328 (53.59% were males and 284 (46.41% were females. Of these, 274 (44.78% were prescribed monotherapy, 256 (41.83% were prescribed two-drug therapy, 72 (11.76% were prescribed three-drug therapy and 10 (1.63% were prescribed four-drug therapy. Among 274 (44.78% patients prescribed with monotherapy, 112 (40.87% were prescribed with CCB (calcium channel blocker, 76 (27.73% were given BB (B-blocker, 45 (16.42% were prescribed ACEI (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, 35 (12.77% were prescribed with ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker and 6 (2.18% were prescribed with Diuretics (D. Of the total antihypertensive drugs prescribed, 68.30% were prescribed by generic name

  19. Increasing prevalence of infectious diseases in asylum seekers at a tertiary care hospital in Switzerland.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constantine Bloch-Infanger

    Full Text Available The increasing number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe in recent years poses new challenges for the healthcare systems in the destination countries. The goal of the study was to describe the evolution of medical problems of asylum seekers at a tertiary care centre in Switzerland.At the University Hospital Basel, we compared all asylum seekers during two 1-year time periods in 2004/05 and 2014/15 concerning demographic characteristics and reasons for referrals and hospitalizations.Hundred ninety five of 2'544 and 516 of 6'243 asylum seekers registered at the national asylum reception and procedure centre Basel were referred to the University Hospital Basel in 2004/05 and 2014/15, and originated mainly from Europe (62.3%, mainly Turkey and Africa (49.1%, mainly Eritrea, respectively. Median age was similar in both study periods (26.9 and 26.2 years. Infectious diseases in asylum seekers increased from 22.6% to 36.6% (p<0.001 and were the main reasons for hospitalizations (33.3% of 45 and 55.6% of 81 hospitalized patients, p = 0.017 in 2004/05 compared to 2014/15. The leading infectious diseases in hospitalized patients were tuberculosis (n = 4 and bacterial skin infections (n = 2 in 2004/05; Malaria (n = 9, pneumonia (n = 6, Chickenpox (n = 5, other viral infections (n = 5 and bacterial skin infections (n = 5 in 2014/15. Infectious diseases like malaria, cutaneous diphtheria, louseborne-relapsing fever or scabies were only found in the second study period. Almost one third of the admitted asylum seekers required isolation precautions with median duration of 6-9.5 days in both study periods.The changing demography of asylum seekers arriving in Switzerland in the current refugee crisis has led to a shift in disease patterns with an increase of infectious diseases and the re-emergence of migration-associated neglected infections. Physicians should be aware of these new challenges.

  20. Incidence and clinical presentation of dysarthria and dysphagia in the acute setting following paediatric traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, A T; Mageandran, S-D; Mei, C

    2010-01-01

    A lack of data on dysarthria and dysphagia outcomes for children following traumatic brain injury (TBI) limits our clinical evidence base, and poses daily challenges for the speech language pathologist (SLP) managing this group. The present study aimed to examine dysarthria and dysphagia incidence and the clinical presentation of children with these disorders in the acute phase following TBI. Incidence and characteristics were determined via a comprehensive retrospective medical chart review of children consecutively referred to a tertiary paediatric hospital over an 8-year period. Cases (n= 22 dysarthria, n= 72 dysphagia) and matched controls were compared across ancillary variables (e.g. age, severity of TBI, motor impairment). Incidence across the entire cohort was low [i.e. dysarthria (1.2%, 22/1895), dysphagia (3.8%, 72/1895)], but was markedly higher for the sub-category of children with severe TBI [e.g. dysphagia (76%, 63/83)]. Speech deficits were reported across respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation and prosody. Swallowing deficits included reduced lip closure, delayed swallow initiation, wet voice and coughing. Language and swallowing deficits were often co-morbid with dysarthria. Motor impairment was frequently co-morbid with both dysarthria and dysphagia. Cases had longer periods of hospitalization, ventilation and supplementary feeding compared with controls. Despite the low incidence of dysarthria and dysphagia across the entire TBI cohort, this sub-group may place longer-term burden on SLP services, having prolonged periods of ventilation, extended periods of hospitalization and a complex co-morbid clinical presentation compared with controls. The prevalence of co-morbid communication and swallowing impairments suggests a need for integrated rather than single discipline (i.e. dysphagia stream only) SLP services.

  1. Comorbidities are frequent in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in a tertiary health care hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquim Prado P Moraes-Filho

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Several aspects of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD have been studied, but the frequency of comorbidities is not yet fully understood. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of GERD comorbidities in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: We prospectively studied 670 consecutive adult patients from the outpatient department of our facility. A diagnosis was established using clinical, endoscopic and/or pHmetry-related findings. Each patient's medical file was reviewed with respect to the presence of other medical conditions and diagnoses. RESULTS: Of the 670 patients, 459 (68.6% were female, and the mean age was 55.94 (17-80 years. We registered 316 patients (47.1% with the erosive form of GERD and 354 patients (52.9% with the non-erosive form. A total of 1,664 instances of comorbidities were recorded in 586 patients (87.5%, with the most common being arterial hypertension (21%, hypercholesterolemia (9%, obesity (9%, type II diabetes mellitus (5% and depression (4%. Two or more comorbidities were present in 437 individuals (64.8%. The occurrence of comorbidities increased with age and was higher in patients with the non-erosive form of GERD. CONCLUSIONS: In a tertiary referral population, comorbidities were very common, and these may have worsened the already impaired health-related quality of life of these patients. Clinicians caring for GERD patients in this setting must be aware of the likelihood and nature of comorbid disorders and their impact on disease presentation and patient management.

  2. ABC-VED analysis of expendable medical stores at a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sushil; Chakravarty, A

    2015-01-01

    The modern system of medicine has evolved into a complex, sophisticated and expensive treatment modality in terms of cost of medicines and consumables. In any hospital, approximately 33% of total annual budget is spent on buying materials and supplies including medicines. ABC (Always, Better Control)-VED (Vital, Essential, Desirable) analysis of medical stores of a large teaching, tertiary care hospital of the Armed Forces was carried out to identify the categories of drugs needing focused managerial control. Annual consumption and expenditure data of expendable medical stores for one year was extracted from the drug expense book, followed by classification on its annual usage value. Subsequently, the factor of criticality was applied to arrive at a decision matrix for understanding the need for selective managerial control. The study revealed that out of 1536 items considered for the study, 6.77% (104), 19.27% (296) and 73.95% (1136) items were found to be A, B and C category items respectively. VED analysis revealed that vital items (V) accounted for 13.14% (201), essential items (E) for 56.37% (866) and desirable accounted for 30.49% items (469). ABC-VED matrix analysis of the inventory reveals that only 322 (21%) items out of an inventory of 1536 drugs belonging to category I will require maximum attention. Scientific inventory management tools need to be applied routinely for efficient management of medical stores, as it contributes to judicious use of limited resources and resultant improvement in patient care.

  3. Frequency of Group B Streptococci in Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munir, S. I.; Waheed, K.; Khanum, A.; Iqbal, R.; Eusaph, A. Z.; Hanif, A.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequency and risk factors of Group B Streptococci (GBS) in pregnant patients in third trimester in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Study Design: Cross-sectional, prospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore, from October 2014 to March 2015. Methodology: Sterile lower vaginal swabs were taken from 200 women aged 20 years and over, in third trimester, with no history of vaginal bleeding, ruptured membrane, recent intake of antibiotics or chronic illness. These swabs were cultured for detection of GBS. The risk factors of GBS and its frequency were noted in the pregnant population. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. Chi-square test was applied to see association between diagnosis of GBS and other categorical variables. P-value 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: In this study, the mean age of all the females was 26.36 ±4.32 years and mean duration of pregnancy was 35.54 ±2.65 weeks. Frequency of GBS in pregnant women was found as 14 percentage. We observed significant association of GBS with parity and previous history of miscarriage (p-value = 0.033 and 0.010 respectively). Moreover, significant association between vaginal discharge and GBS was also found (p = 0.027). Conclusion: GBS is present in a small but significant number of pregnant women in our setting and it has association with multiparity, vaginal discharge during pregnancy, and previous history of miscarriage. (author)

  4. Increasing Recovery of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from Respiratory Specimens over a 10-Year Period in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in South Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Koh, Won-Jung; Chang, Boksoon; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Kim, Su-Young; Lee, Nam Yong; Ki, Chang-Seok; Kwon, O Jung

    2013-01-01

    Background The number of patients with pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term trends in the NTM recovery rate from respiratory specimens over a 10-year period in a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of mycobacterial cultures of respiratory specimens at Samsung Medical Center from January 2001 to December 2011. Results During the study pe...

  5. Moderating effects of coping on work stress and job performance for nurses in tertiary hospitals: a cross-sectional survey in China

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Li; Ai, Hua; Gao, Lei; Zhou, Hao; Liu, Xinyan; Zhang, Zhong; Sun, Tao; Fan, Lihua

    2017-01-01

    Background Work stress is a major problem for nurses and it can negatively influence job performance. Therefore, it is critical to explore variables that can reduce or buffer the negative effects of work stress. This study explores the moderating effects of coping strategies on the relationship between work stress and job performance for nurses in China. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 852 nurses from four tertiary hospitals in Heilongjiang Province, China, was conducted in 2013. Descript...

  6. Hospital-acquired malnutrition in children at a tertiary care hospital

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Del-Rossi Sean Quadros

    As such, there is a need for hospitals to monitor its occurrence using cost- effective but accurate tools. Table 1: General .... Malades Hospital, France.2. Our study ... daily weight loss, which is the critical threshold for an adverse clinical outcome ...

  7. Red Cell Alloimmunization to Rhesus Antigen Among Pregnant Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamima Al-Dughaishi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The detection of maternal alloimmunization against red cell antigens is vital in the management of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. We sought to measure the presence of allosensitization to Rhesus D (RhD antibodies in antenatal women attending a tertiary care hospital and assess the fetal outcome in sensitized women. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of pregnant Omani women who registered at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between June 2011 and June 2013. Pregnant women were tested for ABO blood type and were screened for RhD antigen and antibodies at their first antenatal clinic visit. In women who tested positive for the RhD antibodies, an antibody titer was performed to evaluate the severity of their case. Results: Data was available on 1,251 pregnant women who were managed and delivered at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. The prevalence of RhD negative pregnant women was 7.3%. Blood group O was the most common followed by A, B, and AB. The rate of RhD negative alloimmunization was 10%, and anti-D was the most common antibody detected. There were no stillbirths or neonatal deaths. Postnatal transfusion was necessary for only one baby. Conclusions: The prevalence of RhD negativity was comparable to other Asian countries. Previous RhD alloimmunization and history of miscarriages were the most common maternal medical history.

  8. Paediatric acute epiglottitis: not a disappearing entity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEwan, John; Giridharan, Wijayasingham; Clarke, Raymond W; Shears, Paul

    2003-04-01

    Paediatric epiglottitis is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition. Since the widespread introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine in the UK in October 1992, there has been a dramatic reduction in its incidence. Vaccine failure is rare. The purpose of this study is to examine the failure rate of H. influenzae type b vaccine as measured by the number of cases of Haemophilus epiglottitis in fully vaccinated children presenting to a tertiary paediatric centre. A secondary aim is to provide a retrospective review of all cases of epiglottitis over a 13-year period. A retrospective case-note review identifying all cases of epiglottitis presenting to Alder Hey Hospital was undertaken covering the time period December 1987-January 2001. Details of patient age, sex, source of referral, clinical presentation, management and complications along with microbiological and serological findings were obtained. There were 21 males and 19 females. The mean age was 36 months (range 6-125 months). A provisional diagnosis was made on the basis of the clinical features, confirmed by direct laryngoscopy in all but two cases and further supported in 28 cases by a positive blood culture. Of the 40 children presenting with epiglottitis, eight (20%) presented after the introduction of the Hib conjugate vaccine. H. influenzae antibody titres were measured both in the acute and convalescent phases of illness by the central Haemophilus Reference Unit in Oxford. We present the clinical features, management and complications of 40 cases of acute epiglottitis. H. influenzae was isolated from blood cultures in 28 cases (70%). In 12 of these cases, H. influenzae type b was identified, seven prior to 1993 and five thereafter. Four of these five cases presenting after introduction of the Hib vaccine were known to have been fully vaccinated. One child had a history of prematurity and serum immunoglobulin estimation was abnormally low in another child. Acute Hib

  9. Inpatient antibiotic consumption in a regional secondary hospital in New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, C J

    2014-02-01

    Reporting of antibiotic consumption in hospitals is a crucial component of antibiotic stewardship, but data from Australasian secondary hospitals are scarce. The hypothesis of this audit is that antibiotic consumption in secondary hospitals would be lower than in tertiary centres. The study aims to present the first published audit of antibiotic consumption from a secondary hospital in New Zealand compared with two tertiary centres. Hospital population-level data were retrospectively accessed to identify all systemic antibiotics dispensed to adult inpatients at Taranaki District Health Board during 2011. Consumption was calculated in defined daily doses per 100 inpatient-days and per 100 admissions, stratified by drug class. Comparison was against published data from two tertiary centres. Total consumption was lower, but that of high-risk antibiotic classes was higher than both tertiary centres. The relative consumption of lincosamides was 4.0 and 2.6 times higher than the two tertiary centres, with an associated 14% incidence of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea within 3 months. Our secondary hospital appears to consume the wrong types of antibiotic rather than too much. Data from all Australasian hospitals, stratified by clinical service area and hospital level, are required for clinically relevant benchmarking. © 2014 The Author; Internal Medicine Journal © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  10. VISUAL OUTCOME OF TRAUMATIC PAEDIATRIC CATARACT AT A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE IN WEST BENGAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smiti Rani Srivastava

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Traumatic cataract is common presentation of penetrating and blunt ocular trauma in children. Ocular trauma is the leading cause of unilateral blindness all over the world. The incidence of ocular trauma varies in different parts of the world. From India, the reported incidence is 20.53%. Traumatic cataract causes significant blindness in paediatric populations particularly in developing countries. The aim of the study is to evaluate the final visual outcome of the patients with traumatic cataract. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a prospective study of 100 children from 4 to 16 years of age presenting in Outpatient Department of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Kolkata, with traumatic cataract between April 2015 to March 2017. Detailed history, systemic and local examinations and relevant investigations done followed by medical and surgical intervention and patients were followed up till six months and final visual acuity recorded. RESULTS There was a male predilection with a male-to-female ratio 2.85:1.56 (56% patients sustained penetrating trauma, while 44 (44% were inflicted with blunt injury. Commonest causative agent was trauma with organic foreign bodies in 20 eyes (20% followed by stones in 14 eyes (14%. Anterior segment was more involved than posterior segment. Final best corrected visual acuity after six months was better than or equal to 6/18 in 64 eyes (64%. The major early postoperative complications include anterior uveitis in 26 (26% and corneal oedema in 8 (8% patients, while late postoperative complication was posterior capsular uveitis in 36% patients. CONCLUSION Paediatric traumatic cataract can cause ocular morbidity. Timely and proper medical and surgical intervention can result in good visual outcome. The parents, caretakers and teachers have an important role to play in prevention by recognising hazardous situation and taking preventing measures.

  11. Risk profile of young people admitted to hospital for suicidal behaviour in Melbourne, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borschmann, Rohan; Stark, Patrick; Prakash, Chidambaram; Sawyer, Susan M

    2018-05-20

    Self-harm and suicidal behaviour is most prevalent during adolescence, but little is known about the risk profile of adolescents admitted to hospital for suicidal behaviour. Young people who self-harm are at an increased risk of mortality compared to those who do not self-harm; adolescents admitted to hospital for suicidal behaviour are particularly at risk. The aim of this study was to generate a risk profile of adolescents admitted to hospital with suicidal behaviour. We conducted a 12-month retrospective audit of adolescent admissions to the mental health inpatient unit at a tertiary children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Routinely collected data were used to generate a risk profile. We found that 212 of 271 (78.2%) admissions were due to suicidal behaviour. Of these, 107 (51%) adolescents were diagnosed with one or more mental disorders at discharge, most commonly major depressive disorder. Beyond known distal determinants of health risk, the proximal risk profile of these adolescents included factors relating to gender, substance use, prior mental health diagnoses and prior admission to hospital. Poor sleep was also a risk factor, with 159 (75%) reporting a recent history of sleeping problems. The very high proportion of admissions to the mental health inpatient unit due to suicidal behaviour reinforces the importance of finding effective methods of identification of the risk processes underpinning suicidal behaviours to reduce the unnecessary waste of young lives by suicide. © 2018 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  12. Clinical and microbiological profile of a retrospective cohort of enteric fever in 2 Spanish tertiary hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Montalvá, Adrián; Martínez-Pérez, Ángela; Pérez-Molina, José Antonio; González-López, Juan José; Lopez-Vélez, Rogelio; Salvador, Fernando; Sánchez, Irene; Planes, Anna M; Molina, Israel

    2015-05-01

    Enteric fever in high-income countries is diagnosed mainly in patients returning from endemic countries. We assess the clinical, microbiological, and prognosis aspects of enteric fever in 2 Spanish tertiary hospitals. A retrospective observational study was conducted at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in Spain. We reviewed medical records of all patients who were diagnosed with enteric fever from January 2000 to January 2014 at these hospitals. We identified 47 patients with enteric fever episodes. According to their travel history, 35 (74.5%) patients had travelled to highly endemic countries. Imported enteric fever was acquired mainly in Asia (70.3%). Imported infections were implicated in travelers (48.6%), visiting friends and relatives (40%) and immigrants (11.4%). We found that 12 patients were diagnosed with enteric fever without a travel history (autochthonous infection). The resistance profile of the isolates showed decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility in 66.7% of the imported group and 8.3% of the autochthonous group (P = 0.001). Salmonella strains from patients returning from Asia had an increased risk of having decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility (odds ratio, 52.25; 95% confidence interval: 8.6-317.7). Patients with imported enteric fever are at higher risk for having a Salmonella strain with decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility, especially in patients returning from Asia. Initial treatment with third-generation cephalosporin or azithromycin is strongly recommended until a drug-susceptibility test is available. Prevention strategies such as pretravel counseling and immunization before travel may be beneficial.

  13. Transfusion therapy in paediatric trauma patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nystrup, Kristin Brønnum; Stensballe, Jakob; Bøttger, Morten

    2015-01-01

    Haemorrhage is a leading cause of death in paediatric trauma patients. Predefined massive transfusion protocols (MTP) have the potential to significantly reduce mortality by treating haemorrhagic shock and coagulopathy, in adhering to the principles of haemostatic resuscitation with rapid...... in paediatric trauma patients is challenging, and the optimal blood product ratio that will increase survival in massively bleeding paediatric trauma patients has yet to be determined. To date, only a few small descriptive studies and case reports have investigated the use of predefined MTP in paediatric trauma...... patients.MTP with increased FFP or PLT to RBC ratios combined with viscoelastic haemostatic assay (VHA) guided haemostatic resuscitation have not yet been tested in paediatric populations but based on results from adult trauma patients, this therapeutic approach seems promising.Considering the high...

  14. Variation in radiation doses in paediatric cardiac catheterisation procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Haj, A. N.; Lobriguito, A. M.; Rafeh, W.

    2008-01-01

    Paediatric cardiac catheterisation involves diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that range from simple to complex and can subject paediatric patients to varying radiation doses. The study aims to determine the variation in entrance doses in patients in terms of dose-area product (DAP) values and to investigate the methods for optimising radiation protection. A total of 190 paediatric patients belonging to age groups 0, 1, 5 and 10 y who underwent diagnostic and six selected therapeutic procedures at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) were included in the study. Therapeutic procedures include coarctation (COA), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), radiofrequency ablation, pulmonary, embolisation and septostomy. Fluoroscopy and cine radiography were used in all procedures. Patient demography (weight, age, gender and height), radiographic technique factors, fluoroscopy and cine time, frame rate, and DAP values were taken from patients records. Effective doses for each procedure were estimated from the DAP values. The mean DAP per procedure were analysed for correlation with patient equivalent cylindrical diameter, weight, fluoroscopy time and number of frames. Factors influencing the variation in doses were investigated. Initial results show that PDA occlusion has the highest mean DAP value of 23.21 Gy-cm 2 , while the diagnostic and septostomy procedures have the lowest value of 7.77 and 6.95 Gy-cm 2 , respectively. (authors)

  15. A retrospective review of the transfer of critically ill children to tertiary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    paediatric patients referred from community hospitals to a central teaching .... that is the basis of the SA Triage Scale.[13] The use of TEWS ... pneumonia (46.9%), followed by gastrointestinal problems (18.1%), ..... Delport SD, Brisley T. Aetiology and outcome of severe community-acquired .... Prognosis for normal outcome:.

  16. Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship programme on antibiotic usage and resistance in a tertiary hospital in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Z-G; Chen, F; Ou, Y

    2017-10-01

    Antimicrobial misuse has been commonly observed in China. This phenomenon can cause antibiotic resistance. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship programme implemented in a tertiary hospital in China from 2011 to 2014. The antimicrobial stewardship programme began in 2011. Data on the consumption of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance between 2011 and 2014 were collected. Comparison of the 2011 data with those of 2014 showed that antibiotic defined daily doses/per 100 patient-days decreased from 92.5±2.8 to 35.8±1.2 (Padministrative management, especially information management, was effective in reducing antibiotic consumption and lessening antibiotic resistance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Intense imagery movements: a common and distinct paediatric subgroup of motor stereotypies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Sally; Woods, Martin; Cardona, Francesco; Baglioni, Valentina; Hedderly, Tammy

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this article is to describe a subgroup of children who presented with stereotyped movements in the context of episodes of intense imagery. This is of relevance to current discussions regarding the clinical usefulness of diagnosing motor stereotypies during development. The sample consisted of 10 children (nine males, one female; mean age 8y 6mo [SD 2y 5mo], range 6-15y). Referrals were from acute paediatricians, neurologists, and tertiary epilepsy services. Children were assessed by multidisciplinary teams with expertise in paediatric movement disorders. Stereotypies presented as paroxysmal complex movements involving upper and lower limbs. Imagery themes typically included computer games (60%), cartoons/films (40%), and fantasy scenes (30%). Comorbid developmental difficulties were reported for 80% of children. Brain imaging and electrophysiological investigations had been conducted for 50% of the children before referral to the clinic. The descriptive term 'intense imagery movements' (IIM) was applied if (after interview) the children reported engaging in acts of imagery while performing stereotyped movements. We believe these children may form a common and discrete stereotypy subgroup, with the concept of IIM being clinically useful to ensure the accurate diagnosis and clinical management of this paediatric movement disorder. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

  18. Job satisfaction and Job stress among various employees of tertiary care level hospital in central Uttar Pradesh, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruchi Yadav

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Job satisfaction defined as the end state of feeling, the feeling that is experienced after a task is accomplished. Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or need of the worker. Objectives: To study the relationship between job satisfaction and job stress among various employees of tertiary care level hospital and to find the co-relates of job stress and job satisfaction. Materials & Methods: A cross sectional study carried out for a period of 2 month among various employees working in Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, a tertiary care level hospital. A total 225 Participants 75 from each medical, paramedical and office staff were selected by purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted using pretested structured questionnaire regarding socio-demographic profile, job satisfaction and job stress. Data was analyzed using chi square test. Result: A total of 225 participants,75 from each medical, paramedical and office staff were interviewed. On doing analysis of questionnaire regarding job satisfaction and job stress it was found that majority believe that their job was well recognized and working in a good institute and were not satisfied with the management and salary and were coping well with their job stress and were having average level of satisfaction. Conclusion: The present study conclude that majority of the participants felt they are well recognized with their job, working in a good institute but not satisfied with the management and salary.

  19. Frequency and Antibiogram of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus in a Tertiary Care Hospital

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Babar, N.; Usman, J.; Munir, T.; Gill, M. M.; Anjum, R.; Gilani, M.; Latif, M.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequency of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in a tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Study Design: Observational, cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from May 2011 to May 2012. Methodology: Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus isolated from the clinical specimens including blood, pus, double lumen tip, ascitic fluid, tracheal aspirate, non-directed bronchial lavage (NBL), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), high vaginal swab (HVS) and catheter tips were cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar, while the urine samples were grown on cystine lactose electrolyte deficient agar. Later the antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was carried out using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar. Results: A total of 190 enterococci were isolated. Of these, 22 (11.57%) were found to be resistant to vancomycin. The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern revealed maximum resistance against ampicillin (86.36%) followed by erythromycin (81.81%) and gentamicin (68.18%) while all the isolates were 100% susceptible to chloramphenicol and linezolid. Conclusion: The frequency of VRE was 11.57% with the highest susceptibility to linezolid and chloramphenicol. (author)

  20. Genodermatoses in paediatric age group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kumar Sunil

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available Pattern of genodermatoses in paediatric age group was studied. The relative incidence of genodermatoses in paediatric dermatology out patient department was 0.62%. The commonest genodermatoses observed was ichthyosis.