Exploring the diagnostic accuracy of the KidFit screening tool for identifying children with health and motor performance-related fitness impairments: A feasibility study

Child obesity is associated with poor health and reduced motor skills. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the KidFit Screening Tool for identifying children with overweight/obesity, reduced motor skills and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Fifty-seven children (mean age: 12.57 ± 1.82 years; male/female: 34/23) were analysed. The Speed and Agility Motor Screen (SAMS) and the Modified Shuttle Test-Paeds (MSTP) made up the KidFit Screening Tool. Motor Proficiency (BOT2) (Total and Gross) was also measured. BMI, peak-oxygen-uptake (VO2peak) were measured with a representative sub-sample (n = 25). Strong relationships existed between the independent variables included in the KidFit Screening Tool and; BMI (R2 = 0.779, p < 0.001); Gross Motor Proficiency (R2 = 0.612, p < 0.001) and VO2peak (mL/kg/min) (R2 = 0.754, p < 0.001). The KidFit Screening Tool has a correct classification rate of 0.84 for overweight/obesity, 0.77 for motor proficiency and 0.88 for cardiorespiratory fitness. The sensitivity and specificity of the KidFit Screening Tool for identifying children with overweight/obesity was 100% (SE = 0.00) and 78.95%, respectively (SE = 0.09), motor skills in the lowest quartile was 90% (SE = 0.095) and 74.47% (SE = 0.064), respectively, and poor cardiorespiratory fitness was 100% (SE = 0.00) and 82.35% (SE = 0.093), respectively. The KidFit Screening Tool has a strong relationship with health- and performance-related fitness, is accurate for identifying children with health- and performance-related fitness impairments and may assist in informing referral decisions for detailed clinical investigations

Implementation of the Vermont Mini-Cog

Cognitive impairment screening is important for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia. Additionally, screening is mandated as part of the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. Colchester Family Medicine providers were surveyed about their current screening behaviors and then provided a training session on cognitive impairment screening and the Vermont Mini-Cog screening tool. Post-training, providers were surveyed about their likely future screening practices.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1540/thumbnail.jp

Implementation and evaluation of a nurse-administered dysphagia screening tool to identify patient’s at high risk for post-extubation dysphagia

Purpose: Post-extubation dysphagia (PED) occurs in 3% to 62% of intensive care unit patients. Patients with moderate or severe PED are more likely to experience pneumonia, reintubation, or death. Early identification of post-extubation dysphagia is crucial so diet modifications, temporary feeding measures, and/or advanced swallow evaluations and therapies can be implemented. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a nurse-administered dysphagia screening tool (NADST) for post-extubated patients in a 21-bed mixed medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a large academic medical center. Methods: Utilizing quality improvement methods, a modified dysphagia screening tool was trialed in a MICU for two months. Eight Super Users (RNs) were recruited and attended one of three train the trainer sessions taught by a Speech Language Pathologist. The Super Users trained the remaining unit nurses (RNs). A 5-minute video for the unit nurses was created to supplement the trainings. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to measure changes in knowledge, beliefs, and practices around PED screening. Patient electronic health records were reviewed to identify all patients eligible for PED screening and screening dispositions. Results: Of the 59 eligible patients, 34 patients were screened utilizing the NADST. Nurses had a high level of knowledge but varying practices and comfort with dysphagia screening prior to the intervention. The intervention increased the comfort level and screening frequencies for PED. The NADST was found to be useful for improving nursing practice. Conclusions: Through the utilization of a Super User training model, this quality improvement project demonstrated that implementing a standardized PED screening tool does improve PED screening frequencies

Addressing Traumatic Stress in the Acute Traumatically Injured Patient

Psychological injuries after an acute traumatic event are commonly overlooked. Currently within United States, there is no consistently utilized screening process that addresses traumatic stress within the acute trauma population. Roy\u27s Adaptation Model guided this project, focusing on the idea that bedside nurses are at the frontline of providing early identification through nursing assessment. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate whether the implementation of the Primary Care-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PC-PTSD) screening tool by bedside nurses would result in identifying more patients at risk for traumatic stress after an acute trauma as compared with the use of no screening method. This descriptive survey study took place over a 6-week period at a Midwest Level 1 trauma hospital. The results revealed that the tool did not increase the number of health psychology consults when compared with the same 6-week period a year prior when no tool was used. Nonetheless, use of the PC-PTSD tool did trigger 28% of the patients to receive a health psychology consult. Forty-five percent of patients who received a health psychology consult were recommended outpatient therapy. Utilization of this tool by bedside nurses did not adversely increase a number of inappropriate health psychology consults. These results agree with the literature and further suggest that there are a clinically significant number of acute trauma patients who are at risk for traumatic stress. With this screening tool, nurses accurately assessed patients and connected them with timely psychological treatment

Intimate Partner Violence: Updated Screening Tool and Approach to Screen Positive Patients

Intimate partner violence screening is recommended in all women of child-bearing age. Ensuring validated screening tool utilization and employing strategies to identify risk while providing non-judgmental support is critical to identifying patients and optimizing appropriate resource referral.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1391/thumbnail.jp