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OBJECTIVE: Frail patients have increased chances of access to Emergency Department (ED) and hospital admission. ED discharge of frail patients (FP) implies high risk of poor outcome. A program of early ED discharge of FPs managed by community nurses (CN) for patients whose hospitalization is not indicated, but cannot be discharged is described. METHODS: Prospective observational study. A CN, in cooperation with other professionals, assessed the feasibility of discharge and activated the appropriate facilities for a safe patient return to the community. Patients' length of stay in ED, mortality and readmission rate to ED 3 months after discharge were measured. RESULTS: The mean age of the 210 enrolled patients was 82.9 years. The reasons for ED access were either acute or worsened chronic diseases, mainly related to orthopedic/traumatic events and pain. Ninety-two persons were sent back home and 118 to residential facilities. In the following 3 months, mortality was 15.7%; almost 36% of discharged patients had at least one access to hospital and the overall readmission rate was 55.7%, higher in sent home group. DISCUSSION: CNs, when integrated with other ED staff, can successfully manage early discharges of 'at risk' patients. The high readmission rate may reflect some enduring difficulties to manage in the community, problems traditionally treated in hospital.

In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of being cared for in an intensive care unit (ICU) through patients’ memories. We adopted a convergent parallel mixed-method design. We interviewed 100 patients shortly after their ICU discharge. Content analysis revealed 14 categories and 49 codes grouped according to themes corresponding to ICU Memory tool core components (factual events, feelings, delusions). The most critical patients reported mostly fragmented or delusional memories, the less critically-ill more factual memories. All experiences were recounted with strong feelings. ICU was identified as a hostile, stressful environment. Positive experiences were mainly associated with a sense of safety promoted by the nurses. Negative experiences were related to privacy and dignity violations, lack of empathy, not being understood, delays/lack of obtaining support, and total control by the health care staff. Removing any avoidable sources of stress and ensuring personalized, dignified care represent a key aim for ICU interprofessional teams.

Background Mortality is the most considered outcome for assessing the quality of hospital care. However, hospital mortality depends on diverse patient characteristics; thus, complete risk stratification is crucial to correctly estimate a patient’s prognosis. Electronic health records include standard medical data; however, standard nursing data, such as nursing diagnoses (which were considered essential for a complete picture of the patient condition) are seldom included. Objective To explore the independent predictive power of nursing diagnoses on patient hospital mortality and to investigate whether the inclusion of this variable in addition to medical diagnostic data can enhance the performance of risk adjustment tools. Methods Prospective observational study in one Italian university hospital. Data were collected for six months from a clinical nursing information system and the hospital discharge register. The number of nursing diagnoses identified by nurses within 24 h after admission was used to express the nursing dependency index (NDI). Eight logistic regression models were tested to predict patient mortality, by adding to a first basic model considering patient’s age, sex, and modality of hospital admission, the level of comorbidity (CCI), and the nursing and medical condition as expressed by the NDI and the All Patient Refined-Diagnosis Related Group weight (APR-DRGw), respectively. Results Overall, 2301 patients were included. The addition of the NDI to the model increased the explained variance by 20%. The explained variance increased by 56% when the APR-DRGw, CCI, and NDI were included. Thus, the latter model was nearly highly accurate (c = 0.89, 95% confidence interval: 0.87–0.92). Conclusion Nursing diagnoses have an independent power in predicting hospital mortality. The explained variance in the predictive models improved when nursing data were included in addition to medical data. These findings strengthen the need to include standardized nursing data in electronic health records.

Background: In-depth analysis of emergency medical services (EMSs) performances in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) promotes quality improvement. Aims: The purpose of this study was to identify the improvable factors of the EMS response to OHCA through the description and analysis of OHCA incidence, characteristics, management and outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study on all OHCA patients treated by the EMSs of the district of Trieste, Italy (236,556 inhabitants) in 2011. Results: A total of 678 OHCAs occurred and 142 (20.1%) underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), with a respective incidence of 287/100,000/year and 60/100,000/year. The incidence of shockable rhythms in the CPR group was 13/100,000. OHCAs occurred mainly during daytime, though the proportion of patients receiving CPR was significantly higher by night-time (p=0.01). Thirty-four CPR patients (23.9%) restored spontaneous circulation on scene; 12 (8.5%) survived to hospital discharge (11 with good neurological recovery). Survival was not correlated with age, while was significantly higher for patients with shockable rhythms (32.3%; p

Aims To describe the prevalence of nursing diagnoses on admission among inpatient units and medical diagnoses and to analyse the relationship of nursing diagnoses to patient characteristics and hospital outcomes. Background Nursing diagnoses classify patients according to nursing dependency and can be a measure of nursing complexity. Knowledge regarding the prevalence of nursing diagnoses on admission and their relationship with hospital outcomes is lacking. Design Prospective observational study. Methods Data were collected for 6 months in 2014 in four inpatient units of an Italian hospital using a nursing information system and the hospital discharge register. Nursing diagnoses with prevalence higher or equal to 20% were considered as ‘high frequency.’ Nursing diagnoses with statistically significant relationships with either higher mortality or length of stay were considered as ‘high risk.’ The high-frequency/high-risk category of nursing diagnoses was identified. Results The sample included 2283 patients. A mean of 4·5 nursing diagnoses per patient was identified; this number showed a statistically significant difference among inpatient units and medical diagnoses. Six nursing diagnoses were classified as high frequency/high risk. Nursing diagnoses were not correlated with patient gender and age. A statistically significant perfect linear association (Spearman's correlation coefficient) was observed between the number of nursing diagnoses and both the length of stay and the mortality rate. Conclusion Nursing complexity, as described by nursing diagnoses, was shown to be associated with length of stay and mortality. These results should be confirmed after considering other variables through multivariate analyses. The concept of high-frequency/high-risk nursing diagnoses should be expanded in further studies.

Objectives: To assess the appropriateness of arterial carbon dioxide tension control in a group of 92 patients with traumatic brain injury who, despite receiving advanced prehospital care, showed no improved outcome in comparison with a group homogeneous but for a lower level of prehospital care. Methods: A retrospective registration of the early in-hospital arterial carbon dioxide tension of the patients intubated and ventilated on scene. Patients were excluded if the arterial carbon dioxide tension did not reflect prehospital ventilation or its alteration might have been intentional or unavoidable. Results: Arterial carbon dioxide tension was normal (35-45 mmHg) in only six of the 16 suitable cases (37.5%), was elevated (>45 mmHg) in three cases (18.75%), low (25-35 mmHg) in five cases (31.25%), and extremely low (

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) with entrapment are perceived as a challenge to emergency systems because of the severity of the ensuing traumas and the inherent complexity of the rescue procedures. To clarify these two aspects this prospective cohort study enrolling 244 entrapped trauma patients was conducted by a Regional Medical Helicopter Service. Forty-six victims (18.9%) were found dead, 101 (51%) of the 198 patients who reached the hospital alive had an injury severity score (ISS) > or = 16. The use of seat belts was associated with lower trauma severity. Out of the 101 severely traumatized patients (ISS > or = 16), 46 (42.6%) were intubated at road side, 12 required decompression of a tension pneumothorax on the scene and in 15 cases a pneumothorax was drained during the early intrahospital phase. Thirty-six (34.7%) patients had the first systolic blood pressure (SBP) < or = 90 mmHg and were then aggressively infused: in 75% of these cases, the SBP on arrival at the emergency department increased. The first SBP was significantly correlated with mortality. There was no correlation of extrication time, total rescue time and mortality. Fourteen patients (13.9%) died during hospitalization. These data demonstrate that a high percentage of entrapped patients require advanced life support (ALS), including on scene intubation and chest decompression. Aggressive field resuscitation and immediate transport to a level 1 trauma centre is associated with a mortality lower than that predicted by TRISS in spite of the prolonged prehospital time.

Purpose In cardiac surgery, Swan-Ganz catheter (SGC) is often necessary and is inserted before the intervention through an introducer catheter. Catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) is a frequent complication of this procedure and often remains subclinical. The aims of this prospective cohort study were to determinate the incidence of CRT after positioning an SGC through an introducer and to identify factors relating to their occurrence. Methods One-hundred and sixteen cardiac surgery patients underwent ultrasound examination of the thoracic-cervical vessels, before and after introducer catheter removal. Data about drugs infused through the introducer catheter were also collected. Results The incidence of internal jugular vein CRT was 26.7%, corresponding to 70.5 cases per 1,000 catheter days. The incidence of “fibrin sleeve” was 28.4%. All introducer catheter tips lay in the brachiocephalic vein or in the upper third of the superior vena cava. The incidence of CRT was not associated with duration of the placement of the introducer catheter (average 3.9±2 days) or the SGC (average of 2.4±1.7 days). Infusion of total parenteral nutrition and dextran showed a significantly increased risk of thrombosis in both univariate and multivariate analyses. An overly proximal position of the introducer catheter tip was strongly associated with CRT incidence. Conclusions The presence of an introducer catheter for SGC, even for a short time, is associated with a high incidence of early-onset CRT. This incidence is significantly related to the catheter tip being positioned in the brachiocephalic vein and to its use as a central venous access.

Summary Introduction Quality indicators are widely needed for external assessment and comparison of trauma care. It is common to extend the use of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) audit filters to this scope. This mandates that their actual link with outcome be demonstrated. Several studies attempted to do so, but with inconsistent risk-adjustment, conflicting results and never using long-term disability as outcome measure, despite its recognised importance. We tried to overcome these limitations. Methods Risk-adjusted analysis of the association of filters 1, 3, 10 and 13 with 30-day mortality and 6-month disability measured with the EQ5D scale. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used respectively. The data came from a National Italian Trauma Registry comprising 838 patients with major trauma. Results Three (1, 3 and 10) of the filters analysed did not show any significant association with either outcome. Filter 13 was associated with decreased mortality and lower (worse) disability scores. Conclusions Methodological difficulties, incomplete, obsolete or non-generalisable definitions of some filters can explain the generally poor correlation with outcomes. The conflicting association of filter 13 with the two types of outcomes raises some interesting questions about the targeted outcomes in trauma research. It is recommended that further studies develop better quality indicators and test their link with both survival and functional outcome in the same setting where they are applied for assessment and comparison of trauma care.

Background: It is recommended that process indicators (PI) for trauma-care be validated in the setting where they are applied for quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement (QI). In a pilot attempt at trauma QA and QI, we evaluated pre-hospital time (PT) and emergency department disposition time (EDt) as possible PIs in three Italian trauma-referral hospitals. Methods: We used registry data on all the 753 major (ISS > 15) trauma cases admitted to the participating hospitals between the 1 July 2004 and the 31 June 2005. The distribution of PT and EDt in the hospitals was investigated together with the performances of the hospitals. The performances were evaluated in terms of patient outcome with multivariate regression models. Outcome measures were trauma death, Euroqol 5-D (EQ5D), and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). The possible PIs were then evaluated as independent predictors of outcome. Results: In the hospital with the best outcome-measures (Hospital A) PT and EDt were also the shortest. The differences in PT and EDt were significant (p < 0.05) versus Hospital B and Hospital C, respectively. However, at the patient level, longer PT and EDt were not independently associated with bad outcome. Neither a threshold could be found that indicated higher risks of bad outcome. EDt > 120 min was paradoxically associated with lower mortality. Conclusion: Although PT and EDt were significantly shorter in the hospital with best outcome performances, we could not confirm at the patient level their expected independent association with outcome. More evidence is needed before these indicators can be validated as standard tools for system analysis in our setting.

Objective To describe and discuss the ongoing endeavor to establish a multiregional trauma registry in Italy. Methods Design: Prospective observational analysis by description and cohort comparison. Setting: Three Italian hospitals, referral centers for severely traumatized patients. Patients: trauma victims admitted between 1 July 2004 and 28 February 2005 with an Injury Severity Score >15 or requiring early admission to intensive care. Interventions: None. Measures: Compilation rates for some 'sentry' variables. Total number of patients and Injury Severity Score. Ten widely used descriptive variables (type of trauma, mechanism of injury, age, gender, Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, Prognostic Severity Index, 'call-to-hospital' and 'admission-to-ward' intervals, and outcome at 30 days) measured in the subgroup with Injury Severity Score >15, in general and by hospital. Results A trauma registry has been established that fit the present organization of trauma care in Italy. It seems to compare well with the references available in the literature. Five hundred and forty-nine patients have been enrolled so far. The compilation rate has been well above 70% for all variables in all hospitals, except pre-hospital times in two hospitals. A substantial homogeneity exists among the hospitals in the general characteristics of the patients with Injury Severity Score >15. Conclusions The project has achieved its goals so far. The previous estimates on the number of cases (about 300/year/hospital) are confirmed and major shortcomings in methodology seem unlikely. Therefore, positive future developments are possible: usage for quality improvement and research, linkage to other European registries and participation of other hospitals.

Objective. To assess whether a top-level type of prehospital care, made of helicopter, physician, and advanced life support (ALS) procedures, improves the outcome of blunt trauma victims found in cardiac arrest (CA) as compared with a simpler type, composed of ground ambulance, nurse, and expanded basic life support (BLS). Methods. This was a cohort study from the data set of a prospective, population-based, 12-month study targeting the 1,200,000 inhabitants of the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia. Results. Fifty-six victims received the higher level of care (helicopter emergency medical services [HEMS] group) and 73 received the lower one (ground-BLS group). The two groups were homogeneous for mechanism of injury, gender, and time interval before cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Age was lower in the ground-BLS group. The percentage of patients in which CPR was attempted was significantly higher in the HEMS group (43% vs. 20%; CI 0.061 to 0.379). On-scene return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was also more likely in the HEMS group (37.5% of attempted CPRs vs. 6.6%; CI 0.027 to 0.591). None of the patients evacuated from the scene without ROSC ever attained it in hospital. This policy was virtually exclusive to the ground-BLS group. Survival to hospital discharge was 3.5% (severely disabled) in the HEMS group and 0% in the ground-BLS group (CI -0.008 to 0.078). Conclusion. A top-level type of prehospital care had significantly more chances to resuscitate blunt trauma victims found in CA as compared with a simpler level. No significant benefit on long-term outcome was found, but more cases might be needed in future studies because of the inevitably low number of survivors.

Objective: To provide reliable and comparable information on major injury (MIJ) (Injury Severity Score (ISS)>15) by establishing a comprehensive and Utstein-style compliant registry of all occurrences in a defined geographical area. Methods: Prospective, population-based, 12-month study targeting the 1,200,000 inhabitants of the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG). Deliberate self-harm was excluded. Results: The total number of MIJ cases was 627, the resulting incidence 522 per million per year. Trauma was mostly blunt (98.4%). Young (15-44 years) adults (54.8%) and males (78.6%) were most affected. Leading mechanisms of injury were traffic accidents (81%) and falls (9.1%). Most events occurred in rural (80.9%) areas despite one third of the regional population living in major urban centres. Summer and weekends carried the highest frequency. The mean ISS (n=455) was 30.0, median 25. On-scene vital parameters were often subnormal, e.g. 53.9%, GCS

BACKGROUND: Pneumothorax (PNX) is a recognized cause of preventable deaths in trauma patients. Our objective was to determine the incidence of traumatic PNX, the characteristics of its victims, and the treatment they receive. METHODS: The study consisted of data set of a population-based study on major trauma. RESULTS: The incidence of PNX was 81 per 1 million population per year, mostly caused by transport accidents. PNX victims generally had multiple injuries, and they showed on-scene clinical parameters worse than victims of other chest injuries of comparable severity. Fifty-three percent of PNXs were drained during the prehospital and early (< 2 hours) hospital course. There was no uniformity of treatment among different types of rescue facilities, some of them never performing decompression despite clinical need. The z statistic for mortality was -0.63. CONCLUSION: PNX can be expected in one in five major trauma victims found alive. PNX is associated with a peculiar on-scene instability. Early decompression is often required. The effects of wider access to prehospital decompression and the reasons for its uneven availability in our setting need elucidation. Nevertheless, the present mortality follows the international standards.