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Objective: To determine whether or not Jamaican coaches' knowledge and practices of fluid replacement are on par with that of the National Athletic Association's and the American College of Sports Medicine Standards. Methods: A descriptive survey of 90 high-school track and field coaches in Jamaica was conducted. Coaches were given a 29-item survey questionnaire which adapted the content from previous surveys and also based on the National Athletic Trainers' Association guidelines for fluid replacement and information sources of fluid replacement. A pass score of 80% was employed. Results: Approximately 26.6% of participants passed the knowledge-based assessment with the minimum requirement of 80% and 73.4% of participants had an unacceptable level of knowledge about fluid replacement and hydration. Only 26 (28.9%) coaches received training in fluid replacement therapy. Most of them therefore relied on reading materials ranging from magazines to journals, or learnt it on the job from other coaches. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the level of knowledge in Jamaican track and field highschool coaches about fluid replacement and hydration is very poor. However, their attitudes towards fluid replacement and hydration are very good, and this will facilitate their acceptance and adoption of correct fluid replacement guidelines. Tapping into this positive attitude and implementing workshops, seminars and onsite promotion should improve the coaches' knowledge significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracey Redwood asks whether becoming a first-time mother affects the way a nurse approaches patient care, particularly in children's and neonatal nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For approximately 1.5 million healthcare practitioners working and registered within the United Kingdom there exists a mandatory requirement to undertake Continued Professional Development. Internationally, healthcare Continued Professional Development is fundamental for frontline staff to practice safely, effectively and maintain up to date skills combined with knowledge. A generally accepted purpose for these regulations is to help nurses and midwives maintain an updated skill set to care for patients safely and competently. This qualitative paper presents the findings from the first phase of, "Converting Willingness to Engagement" project conducting focus groups and interviews with stakeholder nurses in England, UK. This study used a phenomenological approach to draw on the lived experiences of the nurse participants who organise, manage and budget Continued Professional Development activities., Objectives: To explore ways to capture and retain nursing staff in postgraduate training and education to facilitate professional advancement, maintenance of registration and improve patient care., Design: Phase one involved a series of qualitative online (virtual) focus group discussions and interviews with stakeholder nurses who commission Continued Professional Development., Settings: A series of online (virtual) focus group discussions and interviews were then conducted between February and May 2021., Methods: A purposive sample was identified consisting of clinical service leads, advanced practitioners and matrons involved in workforce development as stakeholders., Results: Three key themes were identified; the role of the healthcare providers in staff development, staff support provision requirements, and the university's provision including Continued Professional Development., Conclusion: Partnership working allows academic partners in universities and healthcare institutions to support nurses in their endeavors to maintain their registrations, develop professionally through further education and Continued Professional Development., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Dr Tracey Redwood reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/100010015University of Northampton - Innovation funding. Dr Tracey Redwood reports a relationship with University of Northampton Faculty of Health, Education & Society that includes: employment., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Coronary fistula are rare and often present in early adulthood with symptoms of right heart overload from left to right shunting or ischaemia in the distal coronary bed due to coronary steal., Case Summary: A 73-year-old lady with prior history of supraventricular tachycardia, dyslipidemia and a right coronary artery (RCA) to coronary sinus (CS) fistula, presented with progressive angina. She did not have evidence of ischaemia in the RCA territory on nuclear imaging, and cardiac computed tomography (CT) did not show coronary artery disease but revealed a significantly dilated CS and coronary venous tree. She was found to have CS ostial stenosis and, under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance, underwent successful balloon angioplasty of the CS ostium, with decompression of the coronary venous circulation and resolution of her angina., Discussion: Coronary fistula draining to the CS are rare, and association with CS ostial stenosis has been reported very infrequently. CS ostial stenosis can cause elevated coronary venous pressure, leading to decreased global coronary perfusion and symptoms of angina or heart failure. Previous case reports of coronary fistula and CS ostial stenosis were treated with either medical therapy or surgery, and our case is the first to our knowledge to report successful percutaneous treatment., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Effective assessment tools are an essential element of early identification of problems, enabling early intervention in the first two or so years of life. This article reports on the development and evaluation of a Universal Assessment Tool for Early Help in Early Years. The project aim was to develop, pilot and evaluate a new universal assessment tool named "My Family Profile" for use within Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, from pregnancy until a child reaches 2/2.5 years of age. A flowchart demonstrates the stages of the process including how each step contributed toward the tool and end report (Neill et al., 2015). The project used an intervention design enabling collaborative inter-agency working and ensured parents were engaged throughout the process. The methods used in developing the tool incorporated collaborative working, content analysis, format requirements, questioning styles and information sharing. The tool was evaluated using focus groups and individual interviews with parents, an online evaluation questionnaire and audit of completed assessment forms with practitioners. The resulting report (Neill et al., 2015) contained "My Family Profile" highlighted five key recommendations: (1) It is developed in a digital format with secure "cloud" storage, accessible from all IT platforms in use by child health/care professionals; (2) it is implemented with a comprehensive training program for professionals; (3) it is formally evaluated following implementation; (4) it is extended up to school entry and through school years; and (5) it is developed for use within other locations in the United Kingdom.

Introduction: Consistent practice of hand hygiene (HH) has been shown to reduce the incidence and spread of hospital acquired infections. The objectives of this study were to determine the level of compliance and possible factors affecting compliance with HH practices among HCWs at a teaching hospital in Kingston, Jamaica., Methodology: A prospective observational study was undertaken at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) over a two weeks period. Trained, validated observers identified opportunities for hand hygiene as defined by the WHO "Five Hand Hygiene Moments" and recorded whether appropriate hand hygiene actions were taken or missed. Observations were covert to prevent the observer's presence influencing the behaviour of the healthcare workers (HCWs) and targeted areas included the intensive care units (ICUs), surgical wards and surgical outpatient departments. A ward infrastructure survey was also done. Data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 16 for Windows. Chi-square analysis using Pearson's formula was used to test associations between 'exposure' factors and the outcome 'compliance'., Results: A total of 270 hand hygiene opportunities were observed and the overall compliance rate was 38.9%. No differences were observed between the various types of HCWs or seniority. HCWs were more likely to perform hand hygiene if the indication was 'after' rather than 'before' patient contact (p = 0.001)., Conclusion: This study underscores the need for improvement in HH practices among HCWs in a teaching hospital. Health education with particular attention to the need for HH prior to physical contact with patients is indicated.

This article illustrates a methodological approach, which actively engaged 14 to 19 year olds in the research process. This two phase study explored the attitudes and behaviours of young people towards teenage pregnancy in Northamptonshire, UK. The first phase involved training young mothers to lead six focus groups with three specifically targeted 'at-risk' groups; other teenage mothers, young offenders and looked after children (from 14 to 19 years of age). An open question began each focus group but the young women or peer researchers were aware of the topics they wished to explore and provided prompts as necessary. Seven topics are presented under the headings of: alcohol and drugs; planned pregnancy; professionals' treatment; need for love; support by family, friends and partners; labelling and the reality for teenage mothers; and future aspirations. The reasons for pregnancy or consequences of pregnancy are discussed under the implications and recommendations.