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To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction with iron chelation therapy (ICT) of patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) managed under routine care conditions. This was an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study conducted in three hospital-based Thalassemia Units of Western Greece. Patients confidentially completed the 36-item short-form (SF-36) and the “satisfaction with ICT” (SICT) instruments to assess HRQoL and ICT satisfaction respectively. One hundred and thirty-one adult TDT patients [74 female, median (IQR) age: 41 (36–47) years] were enrolled. Eighty patients (61.1%) were receiving parenteral ICT, with or without oral chelators (Group I), whereas 51 (38.9%) were only receiving oral ICT (Group II). The median SF-36 physical component summary and mental component summary scores were 76.3 and 75.7 among Group I, and 76.9 and 74.5 among Group II patients, not differing between the two groups. In their majority, Group I (84.6%) and Group II (92.9%) patients reported preferring oral ICT. Moreover, Group I patients reported greater perceived ICT effectiveness (median SICT score: 4.3 versus 4.2; p = 0.039), whereas patients receiving deferasirox-containing ICT reported higher treatment acceptance (median SICT score: 4.0 versus 3.6, p = 0.038) and greater satisfaction with the burden of their ICT (median SICT score: 4.4 versus 3.9, p = 0.033). TDT patients prefer to receive oral ICT and are more satisfied of the burden of deferasirox-containing ICT, even though those receiving parenteral ICT are more satisfied by the effectiveness of their treatment. No differences in HRQoL were not noted between patients receiving parenteral versus oral ICT.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has accounted for more than 25 000 cases in Ireland with approximately 28% of the clusters in nursing homes as of June 2020. The older population is the most vulnerable to serious complications from this illness and over 90% of deaths due to COVID-19 to date have been in patients over the age of 65. Continuing to provide routine care within nursing homes in these challenging times is an essential part of ensuring that presentations to hospitals for non-essential reasons are minimized. In this article, we describe a project being undertaken by a rural Psychiatry of Old Age Service in the northwest of Ireland. We aim to provide ordinary care in extraordinary times by using mobile tablets within the nursing homes and long-stay facilities in our region for remote video consultations during the COVID-19 crisis.

OBJECTIVE The current study was designed to evaluate the translation of clinical trial outcomes and clinical guidelines for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM) into an intensive multicomponent clinical program embedded in routine care delivery. The study aimed to assess the adaptation of these recommended strategies into routine clinical care while evaluating their effectiveness and durability in improving functional status and level of distress in a large clinical sample of FM patients. METHODS Four hundred eighty-nine patients with FM completed a 2-day program that incorporated best practice recommendations for the treatment of FM. Patients completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale at admission to the program and at follow-up on average 5 months posttreatment. RESULTS Significant improvements were seen in functional status (p < 0.0001), depressive symptoms (p < 0.0001), and pain catastrophizing (p < 0.0001) after participation in the intensive multicomponent treatment program. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that an intensive multicomponent treatment program embedded in routine care delivery is effective in significantly improving functional status and psychological distress in a large sample of FM patients. The significant improvements were durable and maintained at follow-up.

Background Despite decades of ethical, empirical, and policy support, shared decision-making (SDM) has failed to become standard practice in US cancer care. Organizational and health system characteristics appear to contribute to the difficulties in implementing SDM in routine care. However, little is known about the relevance of the different characteristics in specific healthcare settings. The aim of the study was to explore how organizational and health system characteristics affect SDM implementation in US cancer care. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with diverse cancer care stakeholders in the USA. Of the 36 invited, 30 (83%) participants consented to interview. We used conventional content analysis to analyze transcript content. Results The dominant theme in the data obtained was that concerns regarding a lack of revenue generation, or indeed, the likely loss of revenue, were a major barrier preventing implementation of SDM. Many other factors were prominent as well, but the view that SDM might impair organizational or individual profit margins and reduce the income of some health professionals was widespread. On the organizational level, having leadership support for SDM and multidisciplinary teams were viewed as critical to implementation. On the health system level, views diverged on whether embedding tools into electronic health records (EHRs), making SDM a criterion for accreditation and certification, and enacting legislation could promote SDM implementation. Conclusion Cancer care in the USA has currently limited room for SDM and is prone to paying lip service to the idea. Implementation efforts in US cancer care need to go further than interventions that target only the clinician-patient level. On a policy level, SDM could be included in alternative payment models. However, its implementation would need to be thoroughly assessed in order to prevent further misdirected incentivization through box ticking.

Since 2015 slow-release oral morphine (SROM) is approved for opioid substitution treatment (OST) in Germany. The SROMOS study (efficacy and tolerability of slow-release oral morphine in opioid substitution treatment) evaluates the efficacy and safety of SROM in routine care. This article describes the switching process from racemic methadone, levomethadone and buprenorphine to SROM. Between July 2016 and November 2017 180 patients in 23 study centers in Germany were included in the prospective, non-interventional, naturalistic observational study. Patients were already in OST and switched from a previous medication to SROM. The switching process was analyzed during a period of fourteen days. Data were available for 169 participants. The switching process had a different progression depending on premedication and pre dosage. On the fourteenth day of SROM treatment patients switched from racemic methadone took an average dosage of 922.2 mg/day, from levomethadone 801.0 mg/day and from buprenorphine 626.7 mg/day. Average conversion ratio racemic methadone to SROM was 1:11.8, levomethadone to SROM 1:17.4 and buprenorphine to SROM 1:58.0. This study provides the first data on the switching process from buprenorphine to SROM. Average dose ratio racemic methadone to SROM on the fourteenth day of treatment was considerably higher than recommended in the prescribing information.

The second epicenter of the global COVID-19 epidemic following Wuhan, and the first in the Western world, occurred unexpectedly in the Lombardy region of Italy, whose capital city is Milan. The aggressive nature of the outbreak in the region was dramatic, leading to a 2-month period of lockdown. Within the Policlinico, the historic hospital in the center of Milan, many units were rapidly converted into intensive care units or semi-intensive units for adult patients. During lockdown, the pediatric inpatient units had to face daily reorganization caused by the necessary logistic and structural transformations, thus restricting routine care pathways for chronic patients, while the Pediatric Emergency Unit had to develop a system able to effectively separate the children and caregivers infected with COVID-19 from those who were not affected. These 2 months enhanced resilience among both doctors and nurses, and facilitated the transversal transmission of data aimed at helping colleagues and patients in any way possible, in spite of the restrictive measures limiting the rate of activity in pediatric care. The reorganization of the current phase of decreasing epidemic activity still leaves us with unanswered questions regarding the further possible changes to implement in the event of a potential reoccurrence of epidemic peaks.

Background Vascular access devices (VAD), centrally (CVAD) or peripherally (PIV) located, are common in the nursing profession. A high proportion of admitted patients require a VAD to enable administration of intravenous treatments or diagnostic modalities. As the primary caregivers for these patients, nurses are responsible for ongoing care and maintenance of these devices. Objective This scoping review examines the current state of practicing nurses knowledge around routine care and maintenance of adult VADs. Methods In the fall of 2018, the following databases were searched: Medline-Ovid 1946 to current, Embase-Ovid 1947 to current, Ebsco CINAHL Plus with full text and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health database, and articles were selected according to the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Inclusion criteria original research published in peer-reviewed journals; in English or French; and focused on practising nurses' knowledge about the routine care and maintenance of adult VADs. Results Of the 4,099 abstracts identified, 36 full-text articles were included. Study characteristics are reportedin addition to themes found in the literature: the relationship between demographic data and CVAD/PIV knowledge, the state of nurses' CVAD/PIV knowledge and nurses' CVAD/PIV knowledge scores. Overall, significant gaps in nurses' knowledge on the care and maintenance of VADs are noted. Conclusion The variability in nurses' knowledge around both CVAD and PIV led the authors to conclude that there is room for improvement in the educational preparation of nurses and a need for workplace training. Relevance to clinical practice This scoping review intends to highlight the knowledge gap of nurses with regard to best practices for VAD routine care and maintenance and demonstrate the need for education, both in educational and healthcare institutions, to ensure high-quality care and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of active warming method in temperature control and thermal comfort in hypothermia after surgery. Design A randomized controlled trial. Methods The study sample consisted of 64 male and female postanesthesia care unit and intensive care unit neurosurgery postoperative inpatients. The experimental group was warmed using the active warming method, and the control group's routine care was continued via a cotton blanket. Patients were warmed until their tympanic body temperature reached 37°C. Findings The time needed to adequately warm patients was approximately twice as short in those who received active warming as compared with the control group. The perception of thermal comfort was significantly higher in the first hour in patients who received the active warming method (P Conclusions The active warming method resulted in a shorter time to warming in hypothermia after surgery and an increase in the perception of thermal comfort and body temperature.

The aim of this study was to characterize the echocardiographic phenotype of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and its relation to biomarkers. Seventy-four patients (59 ± 13 years old, 78% male) admitted with COVID-19 were included after referral for transthoracic echocardiography as part of routine care. A level 1 British Society of Echocardiography transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess chamber size and function, valvular disease, and likelihood of pulmonary hypertension. The chief abnormalities were right ventricle (RV) dilatation (41%) and RV dysfunction (27%). RV impairment was associated with increased D-dimer and C-reactive protein levels. In contrast, left ventricular function was hyperdynamic or normal in most (89%) patients.

To evaluate a) the magnitude of the increase in caloric consumption due to early mobilisation of patients with mechanical ventilation (MV) in Intensive Care Units (ICU) as part of routine care, b) whether there are differences in caloric consumption due to active or passive mobilisation, and c) whether early mobilisation in routine care would lead to additional nutritional requirements.Prospective, observational, multi-centre study.Medical, surgical and neurological ICUs from three centres.Patients on MV in ICU who were mobilised out of bed as part of routine care.Caloric consumption was assessed in 66 patients by indirect calorimetry at six time points: (1) lying in bed 5-10 min prior to mobilisation, (2) sitting on the edge of the bed, (3) standing beside the bed, (4) sitting in a chair, (5) lying in bed 5-10 min after mobilisation, and (6) 2 h after mobilisation. Differences in caloric consumption in every mobilisation level vs. the baseline of lying in bed were measured for 5 min and found to have increased significantly by: +0.4 (Standard Deviation (SD) 0.59) kcal while sitting on the edge of the bed, +1.5 (SD 1.26) kcal while standing in front of the bed, +0.7 (SD 0.63) kcal while sitting in a chair (all p 0.001). Active vs. passive transfers showed a higher, but non-significant consumption. A typical sequence of mobilisation including sitting on edge of the bed, standing beside the bed, sitting in a chair (20 min) and transfer back into bed, would require an additional 4.56 kcal compared to caloric consumption without mobilisation.Based on this data, routine mobilisation of MV patients in ICU increases caloric consumption, especially in active mobilisation. Nevertheless, an additional caloric intake because of routine mobilisation does not seem to be necessary.

To prepare for the increasing numbers of older adults undergoing surgery, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has recently launched the Geriatric Surgery Verification Program with the goal of encouraging the creation of centers of geriatric surgery. Meanwhile, the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI) has published recommendations for the preoperative management of frailty, which state that teams should actively screen for frailty before surgery and that pathways, including geriatric comanagement, shared decision-making, and multimodal prehabilitation, should be embedded in routine care to help improve patient outcomes. Both SPAQI and the ACS advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to improve the value of care for older adults undergoing surgery. However, the best way to implement geriatric services in the surgical setting is yet to be determined. In this statement, we will describe the SPAQI recommendations for launching a geriatric surgery center and the process by which its value should be assessed over time.

Purpose of review Internet and mobile-based interventions (IMI) can be used as online delivered forms of psychotherapeutic mental health treatments. These interventions can be an effective as well as time and cost-efficient treatment with the potential to scale up mental healthcare. In this review, we map implementation possibilities into routine mental healthcare settings and provide the most recent evidence. Recent findings Fourteen articles on digital mental healthcare approaches published in the last 18 months were included. Despite the limited number, the studies provide evidence for the effectiveness of IMI in treating inpatients and outpatients with various disorders in different mental healthcare settings. IMI were investigated as stand-alone interventions, in combination with other treatment forms (blended-care), or as aftercare. Summary Although there is encouraging evidence for the effectiveness of IMI in mental healthcare settings, several limitations have to be considered. The small number of studies conducted within the healthcare system, especially with inpatient samples, calls for more collaboration between researchers and clinical practitioners to unravel barriers and develop efficient protocols for the integration into routine care. Nonetheless, IMI are a promising tool for the endeavour of closing the treatment gap and should, therefore, be further explored in varying settings.

Purpose Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROMs/PREMs) are well established in research for many health conditions, but barriers persist for implementing them in routine care. Implementation science (IS) offers a potential way forward, but its application has been limited for PROMs/PREMs. Methods We compare similarities and differences for widely used IS frameworks and their applicability for implementing PROMs/PREMs through case studies. Three case studies implemented PROMs: (1) pain clinics in Canada; (2) oncology clinics in Australia; and (3) pediatric/adult clinics for chronic conditions in the Netherlands. The fourth case study is planning PREMs implementation in Canadian primary care clinics. We compare case studies on barriers, enablers, implementation strategies, and evaluation. Results Case studies used IS frameworks to systematize barriers, to develop implementation strategies for clinics, and to evaluate implementation effectiveness. Across case studies, consistent PROM/PREM implementation barriers were technology, uncertainty about how or why to use PROMs/PREMs, and competing demands from established clinical workflows. Enabling factors in clinics were context specific. Implementation support strategies changed during pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation stages. Evaluation approaches were inconsistent across case studies, and thus, we present example evaluation metrics specific to PROMs/PREMs. Conclusion Multilevel IS frameworks are necessary for PROM/PREM implementation given the complexity. In cross-study comparisons, barriers to PROM/PREM implementation were consistent across patient populations and care settings, but enablers were context specific, suggesting the need for tailored implementation strategies based on clinic resources. Theoretically guided studies are needed to clarify how, why, and in what circumstances IS principles lead to successful PROM/PREM integration and sustainability.

This pilot trial examined the use of virtual reality (VR) gaming to improve children’s experiences during line placements and dressing changes. Children receiving intravenous line starts and peripherally inserted central catheter dressing changes and placements were eligible for enrollment. Enrolled subjects received either the VR intervention or routine care. Subjects and their caregivers were surveyed using the FACES scale (a pain intensity scale from 0 to 10 designed for children) before and after their line placement or dressing change. Clinical data were collected from the medical record, and study staff collected qualitative data about the subject’s experience immediately prior to and after the intervention. A total of 30 subjects were enrolled. Subjects in the VR group had lower FACES scores post-intervention and lower post-intervention scores when compared with the routine care group, although this difference was not statistically significant. VR gaming can be used as a non-invasive technique to reduce pain and distress in children receiving needle procedures. Future research should be done to assess the use of VR gaming to reduce pain and distress for other types of procedures and in other populations. VR gaming should be considered as a technique to reduce pain and distress for pediatric patients.

Introduction There has been no systematic review completed to examine if continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) impacts on glucose stability in the preterm infant. This systematic review aims to establish the impact of CGM on the glucose stability of the preterm infant. Methods Databases were systematically searched (September 2018–January 2019) using search terms. Studies were chosen based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data extraction/quality appraisal and risk of bias assessment was conducted. Data was narratively analysed. Results Eight studies showed that CGM has a positive impact on glucose stability in the preterm infant. CGM leads to a reduction of time spent in dysglycemia. CGM leads to a reduction in painful procedures and can improve neurological outcomes. There needs to be appropriate/timely monitoring systems to identify fluctuations in blood glucose levels of the preterm infant. Conclusions Further research is required before CGM can be introduced into the routine care of the preterm infant.

Contains fulltext : 221515.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) For the treatment choice of localized prostate cancer, effective patient decision aids have been developed. The implementation of decision aids in routine care, however, lags behind. Main known barriers are lack of confidence in the tool, lack of training on its use, lack of resources and lack of time. A new implementation strategy addresses these barriers. Using this implementation strategy, the implementation rate of a decision aid was measured in eight hospitals and questionnaires were filled out by 24 care providers and 255 patients. The average implementation rate was 60 per cent (range 31%-100%). Hardly any barriers remained for care providers. Patients who did not use the decision aid appeared to be more unwilling than unable to use the decision aid. By addressing known barriers, that is, informing care providers on the effectiveness of the decision aid, providing instructions on its use, embedding it in the existing workflow and making it available free of charge, a successful implementation of a prostate cancer decision aid was reached. 14 p.

Telemedicine has been used to expand access to routine prenatal care for patients in rural areas and areas without enough obstetrician/gynecologists. Telemedicine can be used to reduce face-to-face visits, to increase patient autonomy and satisfaction, for behavioral modification, and to aid in smoking cessation. Patients and providers alike find telemedicine a useful adjunct to routine care.

© 2019 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Background: The risk of healthcare-acquired infection increases during outbreaks of novel infectious diseases. Emergency department (ED) clinicians are at high risk of exposure to both these and common communicable diseases. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended to protect clinicians from acquiring, or becoming vectors of, infection, yet compliance is typically sub-optimal. Little is known about factors that influence use of PPE—specifically gloves and masks—during routine care in the ED. Methods: This was an ethnographic study, incorporating documentation review, field observations and interviews. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) was used to aid thematic analysis and identify relevant enablers of and barriers to optimal PPE use. Results: Thirty-one behavioural themes were identified that influenced participants’ use of masks and gloves. There were significant differences, namely: more reported enablers of glove use vs more barriers to mask use. Reasons included more positive unit culture towards glove use, and lower perception of risk via facial contamination. Conclusion: Emerging infectious diseases, spread (among other routes) by respiratory droplets, have caused global outbreaks. Emergency clinicians should ensure that, as with gloves, the use of masks is incorporated into routine cares where appropriate. Further research which examines items of PPE independently is warranted.

Although guidelines for the assessment and treatment of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence have been available in Germany for several years, there are barely any data on adherence to guidelines in national routine care. Therefore, the study aimed at a nationwide evaluation of guideline adherence (GA) for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in German routine care in various groups of health care providers (HCPs). Besides a detailed description of GA, the study focused on examining possible differences between professional groups. Furthermore, data based on global self-reports of clinicians were compared with ratings of documented care in individual patients. Protocols of 73 clinicians regarding their handling of ADHD in routine care for 167 patients were rated according to German guideline recommendations for ADHD care. GA was measured as the proportion of components fulfilled in each individual patient as documented by the HCP. The results were compared to a preceding interview with clinicians regarding their GA. Multilevel models were constructed to detect differences in GA between professional groups. Based on mandatory guideline components, adherence rates of 38.9–72.7% were found and classified as moderate (33.3% 66.6%). The comparison of the GA between the professional groups generally yielded only small differences. Correlations between GA reported globally by the HCPs and GA documented and rated for individual cases were low. Overall, most rates of GA for ADHD in German routine care lay within a moderate range. Targets for enhancement of GA may be the involvement of teachers and schools in the treatment process, the implementation of psychoeducational methods in general, as well as a careful examination of patients, including monitoring of treatment effects during titration trials. The development of further strategies to monitor the quality of ADHD routine care is needed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00787-020-01559-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BACKGROUND Predominance of blind feeding tube placement makes esophageal tube misplacement and aspiration risk commonplace. Accurate estimation of nose-to-stomach length could reduce this risk. Standards for estimating this length were audited against the length measured from guided tube placement. METHODS This prospective, single-center observational study used electromagnet-guided tube placement to measure the length from nose to gastric body flexure as part of routine care. This measurement was used to audit standard equations used to estimate this length from external measures: xiphisternum-ear-nose + 10 cm (XEN+10), nose-ear-xiphisternum (NEX), and Hanson_A and Hanson_B. RESULTS From April 23, 2015, to March 2, 2020, measurements were obtained from 200 primary tube placements. Median length to the gastric body flexure (61 cm) was significantly different from that to the pre-gastroesophageal junction flexure (48 cm) or lengths predicted by NEX (51 cm) or Hanson_A (50.5 cm) and Hanson_B (56.1 cm) (all P < .00001) but similar to XEN+10 (61 cm). Esophageal placement was a potential risk for all methods (NEX: 96.3%, Hanson_A: 99.5%, Hanson_B: 86.9%, XEN+10: 43.2%) and a definite risk for most (NEX and Hanson_A: 14.9%, Hanson_B: 1%, XEN+10: 0%). CONCLUSIONS NEX and Hanson methods of predicting the length from nose to gastric body flexure are too short and risk esophageal misplacement. XEN+10 reduces but does not eliminate this risk. External measurement predictions are clinically unsafe as a guide blind tube placement. Guided placement is recommended.

Introduction Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are direct reports from patients about their health status. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are validated tools assessing PROs and completed by patients. Though commonly used in research, implementing PROMs into routine clinical care has been challenging. We aimed to examine health professionals' (HPs') perceptions of barriers and facilitators to PRO and PROM use in the routine care of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Methods A custom survey was created, pilot-tested and disseminated to all HPs involved in the care of HNC patients in Western Sydney Local Health District, Australia. Participants were asked to rate the degree to which they believed the survey items were barriers or facilitators to routine PRO use by answering 'not at all', 'very little', 'quite a bit' and 'very much'. Results Of 129 HPs, 86% had never routinely used PROs. Key barriers perceived were low workplace awareness of PROs (73%), HPs' lack of knowledge on PRO use (63%) and lack of PROMs in patient preferred languages (63%). Insufficient time, staff and infrastructure to support routine PRO collection and non-integrated PROMs in patient electronic medical records were also highlighted. Top facilitators were time for PRO administration and interpretation (86%), clear definition of staff roles (84%) and automatic scoring and interpretation of PROMs (81%). Conclusions This study highlighted key barriers and facilitators to PRO use in routine HNC patient care as perceived by HPs. The findings will be useful in guiding the successful and sustainable implementation of routine PRO collection in clinical settings.

The intra- and extra-oral signs of physical abuse and neglect can appear visible to a dental professional during routine care. Yet, little is known about the existing pedagogies employed to discuss elder abuse and neglect in undergraduate dental education and the level of knowledge undergraduate dental students have about elder abuse and neglect. The purpose of this commentary is to present a literature review exploring how the subject of elder abuse and neglect is taught in dental schools and to discuss the results of a brief knowledge-based questionnaire focused on elder abuse and neglect applied to Canadian undergraduate dental students.

Background Laboratory overutilization is associated with diagnostic error and potential patient risk. We applied a demand management strategy in collaboration with the local Department of Cardiology to reduce the cardiac markers high-sensitive troponin T (hsTropT) and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) in laboratory ordering profiles (LOPs). The present study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the implemented strategies. Methods Strategies included educational measures and evidence-guided, active test de-selection from all cardiology ward LOPs, and/or permanent removal from LOPs. Tests remained available at all times. We evaluated overutilization by reductions in monthly orders, and assessed differences in 30-day all-cause readmission rate and length of patients’ hospital stay. Results Overall, we observed a mean reduction of 66.1% ± 7.6% (n = 277 ± 31) in hsTropT tests. Educational measures effectively reduced NTproBNP orders by 52.8% ± 17.7% (n = 60 ± 20). Permanent removal of tests from LOPs additionally decreased orders to a final extent of 75.8% ± 8.0% (n = 322 ± 31) in NTproBNP tests. The 30-day readmission rate and overall length of hospital stay did not increase. Conclusions Our results indicate that cardiac markers in routine care are subject to extensive overutilization when used within LOPs. Educational measures are an effective strategy to overcome the overutilization of cardiac markers but may be more effective when combined with the removal of cardiac markers from LOPs.

Purpose The aim of the study was to examine adolescents' influence on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine decision-making and receipt during clinical visits. Methods We recruited English- and/or Spanish-speaking parents and their adolescent children aged 9–17 years who were eligible for the first HPV vaccine dose and seeking routine care at pediatric and family medicine clinics in the Greater Boston area enrolled in a multilevel intervention to improve HPV vaccination coverage. Parents completed previsit surveys that included parental intention to vaccinate. We coded transcripts of adolescents' clinical encounters to define adolescents' participation in vaccine discussions and cooperation with immunization. Adolescents' influence on vaccine decision-making was determined based on analyses of their participation in discussions and parents' previsit vaccine intentions. Results A total of 113 adolescents and their parents participated. Eighty-seven percent of adolescents received their first HPV vaccine dose during the visit. Most reactions were negative (23% mild, 23% moderate, and 10% extreme); nearly all objections were concerns related to the pain of injection rather than specific to HPV vaccination. A minority of reactions were positive (12%), 33% were neutral, and 12% did not participate in vaccine discussions. All adolescents with positive or neutral reactions received vaccination, as did 91% of those with negative reactions. After accounting for parents' previsit vaccine intentions and analyzing discussions during clinical encounters, only 5% of adolescents appeared to influence vaccination either positively (n = 3) or negatively (n = 3). Conclusions In this study, adolescents rarely influenced parents' vaccine decision-making, although many exhibited distress over the pain of injections. This suggests that increasing adolescents' involvement in vaccine discussions may have limited effects on vaccination rates.

Introduction: Advance care planning (ACP) discussions help guide future medical care consistent with patient wishes. These discussions should be a part of routine care and should be readdressed frequently as a patient’s medical condition changes. Limited literature exists supporting structured processes for identifying persons who may benefit from these conversations. The purpose of this integrative review was to understand whether targeting patients with episodic disease trajectories in the acute care setting will increase their willingness to participate in ACP discussions. Methods: Using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model as a guideline, this integrative review focused on the research query “In the acute care setting, does targeting patients with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for ACP lead to increased willingness to participate in these discussions.” Articles from 2009 to September 2019 were considered for review. Results: Six articles met inclusion criteria for final analysis. Articles outside of the United States were excluded. Four themes emerged from the literature: (1) improved patient attitudes toward ACP, (2) effective communication surrounding care preferences, (3) strengthened connection between preferred and delivered care, and (4) increased patient involvement in ACP. Conclusion: Chronic diseases such as heart failure and COPD have a high symptom burden punctuated by exacerbations, making it difficult to know when introduction of ACP discussions would be most beneficial. Future research should focus on a deeper evaluation of when to introduce ACP conversations in this population and which ACP interventions are effective to facilitate these discussions.

Background: Phototherapy has been the standard of care for the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. It is generally safe procedure, although behavioral and neurological side-effects can occur. Aim of Study: To assess behavioral and neurological responses of neonates with jaundice undergoing phototherapy. Subjects and Methods: A descriptive exploratory research design was utilized on a convenient sample of sixty neonates with jaundice, total serum bilirubin level ranged from seven to twenty mg/dl and undergoing phototherapy at the NICU of El-Monera Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. A neonatal characteristics assessment sheet, and Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) were used to collect data from September 2018 to February 2019. After written consent from parents, neonatal characteristics were recorded from the medical sheet and every neonate was assessed individually using (NBAS) two times, before starting and after stopping phototherapy. Results: The current study revealed that all neonates were full term and their mean weight was 2.86±0.53. Behavioral and neurological responses of neonates with jaundice were differed significantly after than before starting phototherapy on the NBAS. Conclusion: There were behavioral differences of studied neonates after phototherapy related to their habituation, social interactive, motor response, state organization, state regulation and reflexes. Recommendation: NBAS must be used as a tool in the routine care for neonates with jaundice undergoing photother-apy and establishment of health educational instruction for all working nurses in NICUs about appropriate nursing care to minimize the potential side effects and complications of phototherapy.

Studies show sleep deprivation impacts patients' ability to perform physical activities and can lead to delirium, depression, and other psychiatric impairments. One of the Choosing Wisely® recommendations is "Do not wake the patient for routine care unless the patient's condition requires it." The authors discuss the development of an evidence-based toolkit to facilitate opportunities for patients to sleep during hospitalization, exemplifying the translation of a Choosing Wisely recommendation into clinical practice.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is viewed by many as the gold standard for assessing exercise capacity in CF, being recommended on an annual basis. However, not all patients undergo CPET for varying reasons. This service evaluation retrospectively reviewed data from 179 (92 male) patients in a single CF centre in the UK to identify such reasons. A total of 75/179 patients underwent CPET, whilst 104/179 did not. Of these 104, 41 patients were ≤ 11 years of age. Of the remaining 63 patients, 26 did not undergo CPET for clinical reasons including needing IV antibiotics, musculoskeletal issues and obesity. Seventeen refused to undergo CPET because of reasons such as an unwillingness to travel and dislike of CPET. Twenty did not undergo CPET for miscellaneous reasons including difficulty contacting patients. Individuals with FEV1 predicted were 85.7% less likely to undertake a CPET than individuals with FEV1 ≥ 70%predicted. Understanding these challenges will assist clinical teams with future implementation of CPET into routine care, by identifying areas for improvement and establishing strategies for enhancing future provision of the test.

Introduction: The aim of shared decision making (SDM) is a treatment decision in which patients are meaningfully involved. Many preference-sensitive decisions have to be made in breast cancer treatment and little is known about the implementation of SDM. We therefore investigated the process of SDM in routine care treatment. Methods: All breast cancer patients who underwent surgery in four German breast centers between 07/2016 and 07/2018 were invited to take part. The experienced decision-making process was assessed using the German version of the 9-item SDM questionnaire (PEF-FB-9). Furthermore, satisfaction with care with focus on patient participation was assessed using the ZAPA questionnaire. PEF-FB-9 and ZAPA items were summed up and transformed into a total score ranging from 0 to 100. The higher the total score the higher the experienced degree of participation and satisfaction, respectively. Participants were asked to separately rate decision-making consultations with their inpatient hospital doctors, outpatient gynecologists, outpatient oncologists and primary care providers (PCP). In addition, satisfaction with decision, participation preferences as well as other items for the complete decision process were queried. Results: Of 1,068 approached patients, 563 with a median age of 62 (31-92) filled in the survey (response rate: 53%). 81% had breast conserving surgery, 19% mastectomy. Consultations were assessed most often for hospital doctors (n=484). Gynecologists (n=270), oncologists (n=174) and PCP (n=64) were evaluated less often. Hospital doctors (mean (M): 75, standard deviation (SD): 22) and oncologists (M: 74, SD: 22) achieved the highest PEF-FB-9 scores indicating the highest degree of SDM. Gynecologists and PCP were rated almost as good with mean scores of 71 (SD: 23) and 69 (SD: 28), respectively. The mean score for all groups of doctors was 74 (SD: 21), less than 4% of patients reported SDM scores Citation Format: Rudolf Weide, Isabelle Scholl, Jan Dünnebacke, Marcus Schmidt, Arno Franzen, Walter Ernst, Ilhan Saka, Heike Spaderna, Stefan Feiten. Shared decision making (SDM) in routine care treatment of breast cancer patients - A survey of patients following surgery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-12-06.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are combination of multimodal evidence-based strategies applied to the conventional perioperative techniques to reduce postoperative complications and achieve early recovery. Aim: This study aimed to implement the ERAS protocol versus routine hospital care on women undergoing hysterectomy & assess the effect of this protocol on women recovery. Subjects and Methods: Randomized controlled study design was used to achieve the objectives of this study. Setting: The study was conducted at the gynecological unit at Women’s Health Hospital, Assiut University Sample: A simple random sample was used to collect data of this study .The study sample included 140 women undergoing hysterectomy divided into two groups (70 women in each group) the ERAS group received ERAS protocol and control group received routine hospital care .Results: The results show a highly statistically significant difference between ERAS group and routine care in terms of length of hospital stay, return to general activity, return to sexual activity, time of changed dressing at home, whereas complications, patient re-admission and patient re-exploration showed no statistical significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: The implementation of ERAS protocol for abdominal hysterectomy reduced length of stay without increasing complications or readmissions. Recommendation: The study recommended that the ERAS protocol should become the standard practice for all women undergoing elective gynecologic surgeries.

Amaç: Hasta güvenliği kültürü, hata bildirimlerinde şeffaflık ve tıbbi hataların önlenmesine sistemli yaklaşımdan sağlık çalışanlarının bu kültür içinde nasıl davranacağına, değer yargılarının nasıl olması gerektiğine, inançlarının ve kurallarının düzenlenmesine kadar geniş bir perspektifte değerlendirilmektedir. Bu çalışma, aile hekimliği birimindeki sağlık çalışanlarının hasta güvenliği kültürü ile ilgili algılarını ölçmeyi amaçlamıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı nitelikte olan bu araştırma Manisa iline bağlı iki ilçe merkezinde bulunan aile sağlığı merkezlerindeki aile hekimliği birimlerinde görev yapan 108 sağlık çalışanı ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırma verileri hasta güvenliği ile ilgili literatür eşliğinde hazırlanmış soru formu ile elde edildi ve SPSS 15 paket programı kullanılarak istatistiksel olarak değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Katılımcıların genel yaş ortalaması ise 41,19±9,27’dir. Katılımcıların 48’i (%44,4) aile hekimi, 60’ı (%55,6) da aile sağlığı elemanıdır. Katılımcıların hasta güvenliği kültürü ile ilgili sorulara verdiği yanıtlar değerlendirildiğinde olumlu puan ortalaması genel olarak %81,47’dir. Tıbbi ofis işleyişi değerlendirmesinde “Bu ofiste birisi gerçekten meşgul ise, diğerleri ona yardım eder” (%90,7), “Bu ofiste gelişen süreçlere paralel olarak personel eğitim alır” (%89,8) soruları en yüksek iki olumlu yüzdeyi, “Bu ofiste iş akışı ile ilgili sorunlar var” (%62,9) sorusu ise en düşük olumlu yüzdeyi alan seçeneklerdir. Ofis içi iletişim ve hasta takibi ile ilgili başlıkta “Bu ofis hastalara koruyucu ya da rutin bakım için randevuları hatırlatıyor.” %94,3 ile en yüksek olumlu yanıta sahip iken, “Bu ofiste anlaşmazlıkları dile getirmek zordur.” %69,9 ile en düşük olumlu yanıt verilen seçenek olmuştur. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada hasta güvenliği kültürü ile ilgili olumlu yanıt oranları önceki çalışmalara göre görece daha yüksek olarak bulunmuştur. Ancak ofis içi iş akışı ve anlaşmazlıkların dile getirilmesi ile ilgili sorulara verilen yanıtlar en düşük olumlu yüzdelere sahiptir. Aile hekimliği sisteminde hasta güvenliği kültürünü değerlendirecek çalışmaların bu sonuçlar ışığında planlama yapması önerilebilir.

Object: To explore the effect of web-based real-time interactive intervention teaching model on self-efficacy of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) patients. Method: Based on the hospital’s antenatal check-up archives from June 2018 to January 2019, patients diagnosed with GDM in the second trimester were randomly divided into the control group (100 cases) and the experimental group (121 cases). Patients in the control group received routine care following the diabetes mellitus one-day outpatient guidance, while patients in the experimental group received social media real-time interactive teaching intervention based on routine care, and accepted a nursing intervention scheme based on knowledge-attitude-practice mode. The knowledge of GDM, self-efficacy and self-management behavior indicators were compared between the two groups. Results: After the intervention, the self-efficacy scores, the blood glucose monitoring times and the blood glucose compliance rates of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P P = 0.072). Conclusion: Web-based real-time interactive intervention teaching model can effectively improve the self-efficacy of GDM patients and promote the formation of healthy behaviors.

Advance care planning has been shown to improve patient outcomes and is recommended as part of routine care for people with a life-limiting illness. Nevertheless, developing an advance care plan can be complex and challenging for both patients and family members, and the clinicians who support them. One complexity is that illness and its treatments often cannot be deeply understood without lived experience. In this paper, we explore this idea, highlighting how lived experience can bring about unpredictable changes in an individual's values and preferences. We examine the implications of such “transformative experiences” for advance care planning, using the hypothetical case study of Jean, an older person with advanced kidney disease. Finally, we consider consequences for clinical practice and how an understanding of transformative experience might enhance current approaches to advance care planning.

Background Fatigue is common and disabling in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A recent meta-analytic systematic review reported 113 trials of exercise and behavioural interventions for fatigue, yet patients consistently describe fatigue being under-treated. The extent of the research-to-practice gap is yet to be documented. Objective To describe what fatigue treatments people with MS (pwMS) in the United Kingdom (UK) have been offered. Methods A cross-sectional survey of pwMS on the UK MS Register (UKMSR). Data on fatigue treatments offered were collected using an online questionnaire developed with patient input and summarised using descriptive statistics. Sociodemographic, MS-related, and psychological factors associated with treatment offered were evaluated using a logistic regression model. Results 4,367 respondents completed the survey, 90.3% reported experiencing fatigue. Of these, 30.8% reported having been offered at least one type of pharmacological/non-pharmacological treatment for fatigue. Pharmacological treatments were more commonly offered (22.4%) compared to non-pharmacological treatments (12.6%; 2.9% exercise and 5.9% behavioural therapy). In the logistic regression model, older age, working, shorter time since MS diagnosis, and lower fatigue were associated with lower odds of having been offered treatment for fatigue. Conclusion This study accentuates the extent of the unmet need for fatigue treatment in MS in the UK.

The next-generation short-read sequencing technologies that generate comprehensive, whole-genome data with single-nucleotide resolution have already advanced tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, surveillance and source investigation. Their high costs, tedious and lengthy processes, and large equipment remain major hurdles for research use in high tuberculosis burden countries and implementation into routine care. The portable next-generation sequencing devices developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) are attractive alternatives due to their long-read sequence capability, compact low-cost hardware, and continued improvements in accuracy and throughput. A systematic review of the published literature demonstrated limited uptake of ONT sequencing in tuberculosis research and clinical care. Of the 12 eligible articles presenting ONT sequencing data on at least one Mycobacterium tuberculosis sample, four addressed software development for long read ONT sequencing data with potential applications for M. tuberculosis. Only eight studies presented results of ONT sequencing of M. tuberculosis, of which five performed whole-genome and three did targeted sequencing. Based on these findings, we summarize the standard processes, reflect on the current limitations of ONT sequencing technology, and the research needed to overcome the main hurdles. Summary: The low capital cost, portable nature and continued improvement in the performance of ONT sequencing make it an attractive option for sequencing for research and clinical care, but limited data is available on its application in the tuberculosis field. Important research investment is needed to unleash the full potential of ONT sequencing for tuberculosis research and care.

Pregnancy is a unique time in a woman’s life, accompanied by a variety of physiologic, anatomic and hormonal changes that can affect how oral health care is provided. Good oral health during pregnancy is important to the overall health of both the expectant mother and her baby. Unfortunately, there may be times when pregnant women and family, obstetricians and on occasion dentists are skeptical of dental care during pregnancy owing to prejudices about the safety of dental treatment, resulting in delay of the dental treatment. This article aims to review general considerations of pregnant patients’ dental treatment, and possible dental complications of pregnancy and their management. Search for information through google scholar with the keyword’s “pregnancy” and “dental treatment". With proper technique, dental treatment, dental radiographs and drug use in dental treatment do not place the fetus at risk and should be taken if they are of potential benefit. Preventive care should be delivered throughout pregnancy, and elective routine care is best delivered during the second trimester. Dentists and health agencies should provide and distribute information to women about the importance of maintaining oral health during pregnancy.

PURPOSE Broad-panel sequencing of tumors facilitates routine care of people with cancer as well as clinical trial matching for novel genome-directed therapies. We sought to extend the use of broad-panel sequencing results to survival stratification and clinical outcome prediction. METHODS By using sequencing results from a cohort of 1,054 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinomas, we developed OncoCast, a machine learning tool for survival risk stratification and biomarker identification. RESULTS With OncoCast, we stratified this patient cohort into four risk groups on the basis of tumor genomic profile. Patients whose tumors harbored a high-risk profile had a median survival of 7.3 months (95% CI, 5.5 to 10.9 months) compared with a low-risk group with a median survival of 32.8 months (95% CI, 26.3 to 38.5 months) with a hazard ratio of 4.6 ( P < .001), far superior to any individual gene predictor or standard clinical characteristics. We found that comutations of both STK11 and KEAP1 are strong determinants of unfavorable prognosis with currently available therapies. In patients with targetable oncogenes (eg, EGFR, ALK, ROS1) who received targeted therapies, the tumor genetic background additionally differentiated survival with mutations in TP53 and ARID1A, which contributed to a higher risk score for shorter survival. CONCLUSION A mutational profile derived from broad-panel sequencing presents an effective genomic stratification for patient survival in advanced lung adenocarcinoma. OncoCast is available as a public resource that facilitates the incorporation of mutational data to predict individual patient prognosis and compare risk characteristics of patient populations.

Background:The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of clinical pathways of postoperative nursing care for patients undergoing gynecologic operations on the postoperative outcome.Subjects and Methods: the study was conducted at Obstetric and Gynecologic Department. A total of 112 women undergoing gynecological operation (56 study group who received pre and postoperative care of clinical pathway, and 56 control group who received pre and postoperative routine care of the hospital).Results: The current study shows that patients underwent gynecological operation in the study group were significantly more likely to have no vomiting compared to those in the control group. Thus less than one fifth of them were in need to antiemetic compared to almost half in the control group. Concerning the level of pain experienced by patients during the postoperative period, the present result reveals that women in the study group experience less mean score compared to those in the control group, thus they showed lesser need for analgesia. Significant differences in the early oral intake, postoperative bowel mobility, hours to remove catheters and drains and length of stay were observed between present study and the control groups. Women’s satisfaction related to the care provided was assessed in the present study group. The score given was mostly very good and excellent. Conclusion: Clinical pathway was effective in improving postoperative outcomes related to early ambulation, early oral intake, bowel mobility, hours to remove catheters and drains, short length of stay and patient satisfaction. Recommendations: The concept of clinical pathways should be applied in gynecologic operations to improve patient outcome and reduce postoperative complications.

Donkeys suffer from the same respiratory diseases as horses; however, owing to their nonathletic nature many conditions can present in a more advanced state before becoming clinically apparent. Anatomically, their respiratory tract is similar to the horse, with certain species-specific differences that are important to be aware of. Often donkeys do not receive the same level of routine care as horses, so many are not vaccinated against respiratory pathogens such as influenza or herpesviruses. Donkeys can act as a reservoir for certain infectious and parasitic respiratory diseases and the interpretation of diagnostic tests needs to be carried out with caution.

Interpretable risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients can aid clinicians to implement precision medicine. Here we trained a machine learning model to predict mortality within 12 weeks of a first positive SARS-CoV-2 test. By leveraging data on 33,938 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in eastern Denmark, we considered 2723 variables extracted from electronic health records (EHR) including demographics, diagnoses, medications, laboratory test results and vital parameters. A discrete-time framework for survival modelling enabled us to predict personalized survival curves and explain individual risk factors. Performance on the test set was measured with a weighted concordance index of 0.95 and an area under the curve for precision-recall of 0.71. Age, sex, number of medications, previous hospitalizations and lymphocyte counts were identified as top mortality risk factors. Our explainable survival model developed on EHR data also revealed temporal dynamics of the 22 selected risk factors. Upon further validation, this model may allow direct reporting of personalized survival probabilities in routine care.

Maternal characteristics around pregnancy may influence obesity risk and neurodevelopment in children. To date, the effect of antenatal lifestyle interventions on long-term child development is unclear. The objective was to investigate the potential long-term effects of an antenatal lifestyle intervention programme conducted alongside routine care on child anthropometrics and neurodevelopment up to 3 years of age. Mother-child pairs from the cluster-randomised GeliS trial were followed up to 3 years of age. Data on child anthropometrics in both groups were collected from routine health examinations. Neurodevelopment was assessed via questionnaire. Of the 2286 study participants, 1644 mother-child pairs were included in the analysis. Children from the intervention group were less likely to score below the cut-off in Fine motor (p = 0.002), and more likely to have a score below the cut-off in Problem-solving (p < 0.001) compared to the control group at 3 years of age. Mean weight, height, head circumference, body mass index, and the respective z-scores and percentiles were comparable between the groups at 2 and 3 years of age. We found no evidence that the lifestyle intervention affected offspring development up to 3 years of age. Further innovative intervention approaches are required to improve child health in the long-term.

Background: The prevention of pressure injuries/ulcers (PI/PUs) in patients at the end of life is achievable, albeit challenging. Objective diagnostic tools, such as sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) scanning, support healthcare practitioners' clinical judgment in preventing PI/PUs. Aim: A pragmatic study was conducted to assess the feasibility of preventing PI/PUs using SEM technology as an adjunct to routine care in a 22-bed inpatient hospice. Methods: Daily SEM scanning was introduced to support the device-trained practitioners' clinical judgment in detecting developing, non-visible PI/PUs. Preventive interventions were initiated by clinical judgment informed by Waterlow scores, visible, tactile skin and tissue assessments and scanner readings. Results: Prior to the study, the incidence of PI/PUs was 9%. The 6 month study period reported a 4.8% PI/PU incidence, 7/146 consenting patients developed a PI/PU, resulting in a 47% reduction in incidence rates. Conclusion: Preventing the development of PI/PUs is possible with clinical judgment aided by SEM data.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW School-based health centers (SBHCs) primarily serve underserved students and families through removing barriers to care. The number of SBHCs have increased dramatically with investments from state-funding and federal-funding programs, including expanded funding from the American Rescue Plan. This article reviews findings on the perceived importance of school and community partnership. It also provides a critical review of the evidence base on impact on health, mental health, and education indicators. RECENT FINDINGS Recent findings underscore the importance of SBHCs engaging the school and community to build trust while identifying and responding to needs. Engagement supports planning, implementing, and sustaining SBHCs. Studies of impact find that SBHCs increase participation in preventive and routine health and decrease emergency department utilization and hospitalization. However, additional research needs to rigorously test for effects of SBHCs on symptoms and indicators of wellbeing, especially with respect to mental health and education. SUMMARY SBHCs increase participation of students from marginalized groups in preventive and routine care. School and community engagement are vital aspects of SBHCs, likely removing barriers related to trust. Additional rigorous evidence is needed testing efficacy of SBHCs when it comes to improving health, mental health, and education.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) typically co-exists with multimorbidity (presence of 2 or more long-term conditions: LTCs). The associations between CKD, multimorbidity and hospitalisation rates are not known. The aim of this study was to examine hospitalisation rates in people with multimorbidity with and without CKD. Amongst people with CKD, the aim was to identify risk factors for hospitalisation. Methods Two cohorts were studied in parallel: UK Biobank (a prospective research study: 2006-2020) and Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank (SAIL: a routine care database, Wales, UK: 2011-2018). Adults were included if their kidney function was measured at baseline. Nine categories of participants were used: zero LTCs; one, two, three and four or more LTCs excluding CKD; and one, two, three and four or more LTCs including CKD. Emergency hospitalisation events were obtained from linked hospital records. Results Amongst 469,339 UK Biobank participants, those without CKD had a median of 1 LTC and those with CKD had a median of 3 LTCs. Amongst 1,620,490 SAIL participants, those without CKD had a median of 1 LTC and those with CKD had a median of 5 LTCs. Compared to those with zero LTCs, participants with four or more LTCs (excluding CKD) had high event rates (rate ratios UK Biobank 4.95 (95% confidence interval 4.82–5.08)/SAIL 3.77 (3.71–3.82)) with higher rates if CKD was one of the LTCs (rate ratios UK Biobank 7.83 (7.42–8.25)/SAIL 9.92 (9.75–10.09)). Amongst people with CKD, risk factors for hospitalisation were advanced CKD, age over 60, multiple cardiometabolic LTCs, combined physical and mental LTCs and complex patterns of multimorbidity (LTCs in three or more body systems). Conclusions People with multimorbidity have high rates of hospitalisation. Importantly, the rates are two to three times higher when CKD is one of the multimorbid conditions. Further research is needed into the mechanism underpinning this to inform strategies to prevent hospitalisation in this very high-risk group.

Background: Reminders via mobile devices deployed as short message services (SMS) or calls have been identified to be a useful strategy in improving routine immunization uptake in several countries. Objective: To identify the timeliness of appointments with reminders (calls or SMS), SMS health education and the routine care, and the vaccination completion rates in Ilorin, Nigeria. Method: Mother-infant pairs presenting for the first vaccination appointment were randomized into four (three inter- ventions, one control) groups, each consisting of 140 participants. Intervention groups were reminders via calls (A), SMS reminders (B), immunization fact SMS messages (C) and controls on usual care (D). Reminders were made a day before the appointment while SMS immunization facts were sent at five weeks, nine weeks and eight months. Appropriate timing was defined as the scheduled visit ±3 days. Results: The immunization completion rates after the nine months’ visit were 99.2%, 99.3%, 97% and 90.4% for Groups A, B, C and D respectively. Compared with controls, Group A had the highest odds [AOR 8.78 (6.10, 12.63)] of presenting at an appropriate time, followed by Group B [AOR 2.56 (1.96, 3.35)], then Group C [AOR 2.44 (1.87, 3.18)]. Conclusion: Reminders/SMS immunization facts improve vaccination completion rates. Keywords: Call reminders; short message services (SMS) reminders; SMS immunization; vaccination timing; Nigeria.

Government pressure on surgeons to work harder to reduce waiting lists, against a background of bed shortages and a lack of support staff, could lead to an exodus from the profession, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England has warned. The NHS is currently facing extreme pressure from ongoing covid-19 cases, winter pressure, the backlog of routine care caused by the pandemic, and an influx of patients who delayed seeking help. In the autumn budget the NHS was tasked with providing around 30% more elective activity by 2024-25 than before the pandemic.1 But Neil Mortensen is concerned that increased pressure from targets could drive staff away. “I fear that an attention to targets and to fulfilling capacity in order to be able to reduce the waiting list will have a significant effect on the staff, both recruitment and retention,” Mortensen said, adding that “the Department of Health and Care’s aim of getting back capacity plus and NHS England’s system …

Background: High levels of burden and, in more severe instances, burnout represents a significant issue for caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. Early identification and management of caregiver distress and cultivating caregiver resiliency are seldom considered elements of routine care. Aim: To leverage the complementary expertise of palliative medicine and social work using an integrated model of care to assess and manage caregiver needs. Methods: This quality improvement initiative involved the design and implementation of a novel and collaborative Caregiver Support Clinic (CSC), providing joint palliative medicine-social work encounters to caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. Results: Caregivers felt the CSC provided a forum to discuss and review relevant, but previously neglected, care elements. The concerted collaborative efforts demonstrated by clinicians were found to be reassuring and comforting. Clinicians felt CSC visits prevented duplicative information gathering processes, enabled the ability to efficiently arrive at recommendations and both ensured continuity with, and avoided fragmentation of, care. Conclusions: By addressing the needs of caregivers through a dyadic, joint encounter, fragmentation and duplication in care can be reduced and both integrated and coordinated management can be efficiently provided. Caregiver and clinician experiences confirm this model of care for caregivers is likely to be beneficial and feasible.

Emergencies can negatively affect the morbidity and mortality of nursing home residents. As nurses employed at nursing homes play a key role in such situations, their conceptualizations of emergency management should be considered to improve care. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify nurses' conceptualizations of managing emergencies in nursing homes. A qualitative research design was conducted using interviews with 20 nurses working in five different nursing homes in the Republic of Korea between September 2019 and August 2020. The data were analyzed using phenomenography. This study identified two main perspectives used by nurses in nursing homes to manage emergencies, depending on the resident's condition: emergency care and daily preventive care. Nurses' conceptualizations of care provided in emergencies were organized under the frames of assessment and intervention, whereas routine care carried out during daily life activities fell under the frame of prevention. This study's findings, which elucidate nurses' complex practical and experiential knowledge, provide insights for the development of emergency management training.