Search

Risk of mortality of wild salmon caused by salmon lice is used as an index for managing aquaculture production in Norway and is based on monitoring of lice attached to wild salmonids and modelled concentrations of lice larvae in fjords. Direct sampling of lice from Norwegian waters to determine concentrations has never been published scientifically and has been considered non-feasible for monitoring purposes. Here we tested 4 different methods for sampling planktonic salmon lice copepodids. Salmon lice were found using all 4 methods with highly variable concentrations related to volume of filtered water with the different methods and patchy and variable distribution of lice within the fjords. Comparison between modelled and sampled lice concentrations showed variability within the same range and aspects of patchiness, and that the modelled concentrations were mostly lower than observed. We conclude that planktonic salmon lice can be sampled in Norwegian fjords with standard zooplankton sampling methods. Development of monitoring programmes of planktonic lice is possible but will demand a large amount of resources if implemented along the entire coast, because extensive sampling programmes and manpower for analysing samples are required to be able to capture the high spatiotemporal variability and patchy distribution of salmon lice. This calls for further development and use of modelling as a primary tool for national monitoring and management purposes. For further investigations of the effects of infestation pressure on wild salmonids, sampling combined with numerical modelling can provide valuable information.

Emergency departments (EDs) handle urgent medical needs for a diverse population. Medication errors and adverse drug events pose safety risks in the ED. Clinical pharmacists, experts in medication use, play a crucial role in identifying and optimizing medication therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate how clinical pharmacists introduced into the ED interdisciplinary teams distribute their work time. In a time and motion study, we used the Work Observation Method By Activity Timing (WOMBAT) to observe pharmacists in two Norwegian EDs. The pragmatic approach allowed pharmacists to adapt to ED personnel and patient needs. The pharmacists spent 41.8% of their work time on medication-related tasks, especially those linked to medication reconciliation, including documenting medication-related issues (16.2%), reading and retrieving written information (9.6%), and obtaining oral information about medication use from patients (9.5%). The remaining time was spent on non-medication-related tasks (41.8%), and on standby and movement (17.4%). In conclusion, ED pharmacists spent 42% of their work time on medication-related tasks, predominantly medication reconciliation. Their relatively new role in the interdisciplinary team may have limited their broader clinical impact. Relative to other ED healthcare professionals, ED pharmacists' goal remains to ensure accurate patient medication lists and appropriate medication use.

Background: Medication-related problems are an important cause of emergency department (ED) visits, and medication errors are reported in up to 60% of ED patients. Procedures such as medication reconciliation and medication review can identify and prevent medication-related problems and medication errors. However, this work is often time-consuming. In EDs without pharmacists, medication reconciliation is the physician's responsibility, in addition to the primary assignments of examining and diagnosing the patient. The aim of this study was to identify how much time ED physicians spend on medication-related tasks when no pharmacists are present in the EDs., Methods: An observational time-and-motion study of physicians in three EDs in Northern Norway was conducted using Work Observation Method by Activity Timing (WOMBAT) to collect and time-stamp data. Observations were conducted in predefined two-hour observation sessions with a 1:1 relationship between observer and participant, during Monday to Friday between 8 am and 8 pm, from November 2020 to October 2021., Results: In total, 386 h of observations were collected during 225 observation sessions. A total of 8.7% of the physicians' work time was spent on medication-related tasks, of which most time was spent on oral communication about medications with other physicians (3.0%) and medication-related documentation (3.2%). Physicians spent 2.2 min per hour on medication reconciliation tasks, which includes retrieving medication-related information directly from the patient, reading/retrieving written medication-related information, and medication-related documentation. Physicians spent 85.6% of the observed time on non-medication-related clinical or administrative tasks, and the remaining time was spent standby or moving between tasks., Conclusion: In three Norwegian EDs, physicians spent 8.7% of their work time on medication-related tasks, and 85.6% on other clinical or administrative tasks. Physicians spent 2.2 min per hour on tasks related to medication reconciliation. We worry that patient safety related tasks in the EDs receive little attention. Allocating dedicated resources like pharmacists to contribute with medication-related tasks could benefit both physicians and patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and safety of needling revision of failed filtering blebs., Methods: We reviewed retrospectively 26 eyes that had undergone needling revision for a failed trabeculectomy. The needling revisions were performed either with adjunctive use of Mitomycin C, 5-Fluorouracil or without antimetabolites. The procedure was usually performed as a clinic procedure, using a 27-gauge needle., Results: The mean follow-up time was 14.5 +/- 11.3 months (range 6.0-48.0 months). Intraocular pressure (IOP) decreased from 28.8 +/- 6.8 mmHg (range 19.0-40.0 mmHg) to 15.3 +/- 5.2 mmHg (range 7.0-35.0 mmHg). Twelve eyes (46.2%) achieved success, defined as IOP < or = 18 mmHg without medication; 11 eyes (42.3%) achieved qualified success, defined as IOP < or = 18 mmHg with antiglaucomatous medication, and three of 26 eyes (11.5%) were classified as failures. The success rate after the initial needling was 64% at 6 months and the same after 1 year and 2 years. The success rate after one or more needlings was 96% at 6 months and 77% at 1 year and 2 years. Complications developed in six of the 26 eyes (23.1%). These involved transient corneal epithelial defects in three eyes (11.5%), temporary conjunctival wound leak in two eyes (7.7%), and development of bullous keratopathy in one high risk eye (3.8%)., Conclusion: Our results are comparable to the results of other studies. Needling revision appears to be a useful tool in the management of glaucoma.