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BackgroundThe increasing global use of smartphones has contributed to the growing use of apps for various health conditions, showing promising results. Through mobile apps, it is possible to perform chronological and iconographic follow-up of wounds, such as pressure ulcers, using a simple and practical tool. However, numerous surveys have pointed out issues related to the functionality, design, safety, and veracity of app information. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of published studies regarding mobile apps and a systematic survey in app stores looking for apps developed to identify, evaluate, treat, and/or prevent pressure ulcers in adults, and to evaluate those apps based on software quality characteristics. MethodsThis review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The main bibliographic databases were searched between January 1, 2007 and October 15, 2018, and an app survey was performed in app stores. The selected studies were evaluated according to software quality characteristics by the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ie, ISO/IEC 25010:2011) that involve functionality, efficiency, compatibility, usability, reliability, safety, maintenance, and portability. ResultsThe search in databases and web-based app stores returned a total of 2075 studies. After removal of duplicates and screening of titles and abstracts, 48 complete articles were evaluated for eligibility, and among these, six were included for qualitative synthesis. ConclusionsIn this review, it was observed that all studies involved the initial phase of app development or improvement, and therefore, the apps still need to be evaluated using different software quality characteristics, so that in the future, a gold standard can be approached. Therefore, the prescription of an app for the identification, evaluation, treatment, and/or prevention of pressure ulcers in adults is currently limited. However, the evaluated studies provided important insights for future research. It is of utmost importance that future surveys develop apps jointly with users, using collaborative and cocreative processes and assess patients in real-world situations across different service settings, and they should consider different ethnicities, so that apps are useful to end users, such as patients, family members, health professionals, and students, in the health area. In addition, it is necessary for studies to describe the methodological course of app development in a clear and objective way in order to ensure reproducibility of the study and to offer inputs to allow future research to approach the development of ideal apps that are geared to positively impact the health of end users. Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42018114137; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=114137

Objectives: To analyse the factors associated with length of stay (LOS) and death in nasogastric/nasoenteric tube (NG/NET)‐fed patients. Design: A cross‐sectional multicentre study. Method: Data collection took place from October 2017–April 2019, and the sample consisted of 365 participants from seven Brazilian hospitals. Demographic, clinical and therapeutic data were collected from the patients' medical records. Data analysis was performed using bivariate and multivariate tests, considering a significance level of p<.05. Results: Most patients were male, older adults, with high risk of death and highly dependent on nursing care. The LOS was associated with age, patient care complexity and length of NG/NET use. Death was associated with patient age. In the multivariate analysis, patients highly dependent on nursing care, and intensive and semi‐intensive care had a greater chance of dying when compared with patients receiving minimal care. Screening for factors affecting LOS and death is important to plan effective nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify the types of nasogastric/nasoenteric tube (NGT/NET)-related adverse events and to analyze the degree of harm and the factors associated with mechanical device-related complications. Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from October 2017 to April 2019 in seven Brazilian hospitals. Data from 447 adult patients with NGT/NET were collected through electronic forms. Three methods were used to assess the NGT/NET-related adverse events: (1) encouraging spontaneous reports; (2) regular visits to the wards; and (3) review of medical records. The events were classified as mechanical device-related complications and other events. The degree of harm was classified according to the World Health Organization's International Classification for Patient Safety. Data were analyzed using the R program, version 3.5.3. The following tests were applied to identify associations between the explanatory and response variables: Cochran-Armitage Chi-Square test, Fisher's exact test, and Linear-by-linear Chi-Square test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to verify the predictors of mechanical device-related complications. All analyses were performed considering a 5% significance level. Results: 191 NGT/NET-related adverse events were identified in 116 patients; the majority were mechanical device-related complications and resulted in mild harm to the patient. At the moment of the event, patients had a mean of 3.27 comorbidities, were highly dependent on nursing care, with high risk of death and altered level of consciousness. There was no association between the degree of harm and the care complexity, disease severity or level of consciousness. Intensive care was the strongest predictor for mechanical device-related complications and critical patients had a four times greater likelihood of presenting this type of event when compared to patients receiving minimal care. Conclusion: Intensive care patients should receive special attention as the complexity of care is an important predictor for mechanical device-related complications in tube fed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Hospitalised patients with nasogastric/nasoenteric tube (NGT/NET) are at constant risk of incidents; therefore, healthcare professionals need to routinely monitor risks and adopt strategies for patient safety and quality of care. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the NGT/NET-related incidents in hospitalised patients and associated factors. Methods This is a multicentre study, with a prospective cohort design. Data will be collected at the general medical ward of seven Brazilian hospitals in the north, northeast, southeast and south. The sample will consist of 391 patients that require an NGT/NET during hospitalisation. Three different methods will be used to identify the incidents: (1) healthcare professionals and patients/caregivers will be required to report any NGT/NET-related incidents; (2) researchers will visit the wards to get information about the incidents with healthcare professionals and patients/caregivers; (3) the researchers will review the medical records looking for information on the occurrence of any NGT/NET-related incidents. Demographic, clinical and therapeutic details will be obtained from the medical records and will be registered in an electronic data collection tool developed for the purposes of this study. The complexity of patients will be assessed by the Patient Classification System, and the severity of comorbid diseases will be assessed through the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Implication for practice The results may encourage the use of evidence effectively to influence the scientific foundation for clinical practice and the development of evidence-based policies that will prevent, manage and eliminate complications caused by NGT/NET-related incidents, and improve the quality and safety of care provided to hospitalised patients. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Detailed information about the study can be provided by the principal investigator. The findings will be reported through academic journals, seminar and conference presentations, social media, print media, the internet and community/stakeholder engagement activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]