Competencies of specialised wound care nurses: a European Delphi study

Health care professionals responsible for patients with complex wounds need a particular level of expertise and education to ensure optimum wound care. However, uniform education for those working as wound care nurses is lacking. We aimed to reach consensus among experts from six European countries as to the competencies for specialised wound care nurses that meet international professional expectations and educational systems. Wound care experts including doctors, wound care nurses, lecturers, managers and head nurses were invited to contribute to an e-Delphi study. They completed online questionnaires based on the Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists framework. Suggested competencies were rated on a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as an agreement of at least 75% for each competence. Response rates ranged from 62% (round 1) to 86% (rounds 2 and 3). The experts reached consensus on 77 (80%) competences. Most competencies chosen belonged to the domain scholar' (n = 19), whereas few addressed those associated with being a health advocate' (n = 7). Competencies related to professional knowledge and expertise, ethical integrity and patient commitment were considered most important. This consensus on core competencies for specialised wound care nurses may help achieve a more uniform definition and education for specialised wound care nurses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

TRACKing or TRUSTing transfusion prediction:Validation of Red blood cell transfusion prediction models for low transfusion rate cardiac surgery and high transfusion rate post-cardiotomy veno-arterial extracorporeal life support

Abstract bodyPreoperative identification of patients at risk of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is necessary to prevent adverse outcomes. Several models can determine this risk. Models like TRACK, TRUST and ACTA-PORT differ in complexity and performance. Some models outperform TRACK, but their complexity limits clinical application. In 2009, the TRACK model was developed with criteria for everyday practice, simplicity and easy clinical implementation. Advances in hemodilution management in Europe has reduced transfusion rates in adult cardiac surgery, necessitating re-evaluation of the TRACK model in low transfusion rate populations.MethodsThe TRACK model was validated using 4053 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2015 and 2022. Subsequently, the database was divided at random into a derivation and validation data set. Original coefficients of the TRACK model were updated in the derivation data set and validated in a validation data set on accuracy and discriminative ability. Model calibration and discriminative ability were assessed as measures of model performance. Further, the TRACK model will be validated and updated in the same way for predicting blood transfusion in post-cardiotomy ECLS patients.ResultsAll variables but age remained significant in the external validation of the TRACK model. The odds ratio of female sex on blood transfusion increased from 1.42 to 2.42 (95% CI, 1.94 – 3.02). The original TRACK model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.74 – 0.78) while showing poor calibration indicating overoptimistic estimation of RBC transfusion risk (p &lt; 0.05). The updated TRACK model demonstrated a slightly higher AUC of 0.78 (95% CI,0.75 – 0.81) and showed good calibration over all risk strata (p = 0.19).ConclusionsRefining the TRACK coefficients improved preoperative at-risk identification. The updated TRACK model improves predicted accuracy and may help clinicians make better discissions, especially in low-transfusion adult cardiac surgery. This study demonstrates the feasibility of RBC transfusion prediction models for adult cardiac surgery. Our ongoing study is evaluating RBC transfusion prediction models for post-cardiotomy ECLS. These results will also be presented at the conference.<br/

Views of family members on using video calls during the hospital admission of a patient: A qualitative study

Background: Utilization of video calls on hospital wards to facilitate involvement of and communication with family members is still limited. A deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of family members regarding video calls on hospital wards is necessary, to identify potential barriers and facilitate video calls in practice. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the views, expectations and needs of a patient's family members regarding the use of video calls between family members, patients and healthcare professionals, during the patient's hospital admission. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out. Semi-structured interviews with family members of patients admitted to two hospitals were conducted between February and May 2022. Family members of patients admitted to the surgical, internal medicine and gynaecological wards were recruited. Results: Twelve family members of patients participated. Family members stated that they perceive video calls as a supplemental option and prefer live visits during hospital admission. They expected video calls to initiate additional moments of contact with healthcare professionals, e.g. to join in medical rounds. When deploying video calls, family members mentioned that adequate instruction and technical support by nurses should be available. Conclusion: Family members considered video calls valuable when visiting is not possible or to participate in medical rounds or other contacts with healthcare professionals outside of visiting hours. Implications: Family members need to be supported in options and use of video calls on hospital wards. Additional knowledge about actual participation in care through video calls is needed as well as the effect on patient, family and healthcare professional outcomes. Impact: Using video calls on hospital wards can provide family members with flexible alternatives for contact and promote family involvement. Reporting Method: COREQ guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: Family members of patients admitted to hospital have contributed by sharing their perspectives in interviews. What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?: Family members perceive additional value from the use of video calls on hospital wards. For family, use of video calls needs to be facilitated with clear instruction materials and support. Trial and Protocol Registration: Amsterdam UMC Medical Ethics Review Committee (ref number W21_508 # 21.560)

Hospital-to-home transitions for children with medical complexity: part 1, a systematic review of reported outcomes

Outcome selection to evaluate interventions to support a successful transition from hospital to home of children with medical complexity (CMC) may be difficult due to the variety in available outcomes. To support researchers in outcome selection, this systematic review aimed to summarize and categorize outcomes currently reported in publications evaluating the effectiveness of hospital-to-home transitional care interventions for CMC. We searched the following databases: Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Web of Science for studies published between 1 January 2010 and 15 March 2023. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted the data with a focus on the outcomes. Our research group extensively discussed the outcome list to identify those with similar definitions, wording or meaning. Consensus meetings were organized to discuss disagreements, and to summarize and categorize the data. We identified 50 studies that reported in total 172 outcomes. Consensus was reached on 25 unique outcomes that were assigned to six outcome domains: mortality and survival, physical health, life impact (the impact on functioning, quality of life, delivery of care and personal circumstances), resource use, adverse events, and others. Most frequently studied outcomes reflected life impact and resource use. Apart from the heterogeneity in outcomes, we also found heterogeneity in designs, data sources, and measurement tools used to evaluate the outcomes. Conclusion: This systematic review provides a categorized overview of outcomes that may be used to evaluate interventions to improve hospital-to-home transition for CMC. The results can be used in the development of a core outcome set transitional care for CMC

Hospital-to-home transitions for children with medical complexity: part 2-a core outcome set

Appropriate outcome measures as part of high-quality intervention trials are critical to advancing hospital-to-home transitions for Children with Medical Complexity (CMC). Our aim was to conduct a Delphi study and focus groups to identify a Core Outcome Set (COS) that healthcare professionals and parents consider essential outcomes for future intervention research. The development process consisted of two phases: (1) a three-round Delphi study in which different professionals rated outcomes, previously described in a systematic review, for inclusion in the COS and (2) focus groups with parents of CMC to validate the results of the Delphi study. Forty-five professionals participated in the Delphi study. The response rates were 55%, 57%, and 58% in the three rounds, respectively. In addition to the 24 outcomes from the literature, the participants suggested 12 additional outcomes. The Delphi rounds resulted in the following core outcomes: (1) disease management, (2) child's quality of life, and (3) impact on the life of families. Two focus groups with seven parents highlighted another core outcome: (4) self-efficacy of parents. Conclusion: An evidence-informed COS has been developed based on consensus among healthcare professionals and parents. These core outcomes could facilitate standard reporting in future CMC hospital to home transition research. This study facilitated the next step of COS development: selecting the appropriate measurement instruments for every outcome. What is Known: • Hospital-to-home transition for Children with Medical Complexity is a challenging process. • The use of core outcome sets could improve the quality and consistency of research reporting, ultimately leading to better outcomes for children and families. What is New: • The Core Outcome Set for transitional care for Children with Medical Complexity includes four outcomes: disease management, children's quality of life, impact on the life of families, and self-efficacy of parents

Quiet please! Drug round tabards: are they effective and accepted? A mixed method study

The use of drug round tabards is a widespread intervention that is implemented to reduce the number of interruptions and medication administration errors (MAEs) by nurses; however, evidence for their effectiveness is scarce. Evaluation of the effect of drug round tabards on the frequency and type of interruptions, MAEs, the linearity between interruptions and MAEs, as well as to explore nurses' experiences with the tabards. A mixed methods before-after study, with three observation periods on three wards of a Dutch university hospital, combined with personal inquiry and a focus group with nurses. In one pre-implementation period and two post-implementation periods at 2 weeks and 4 months, interruptions and MAEs were observed during drug rounds. Descriptive statistics and univariable linear regression were used to determine the effects of the tabard, combined with personal inquiry and a focus group to find out experiences with the tabard. A total of 313 medication administrations were observed. Significant reductions in both interruptions and MAEs were found after implementation of the tabards. In the third period, a decrease of 75% in interruptions and 66% in MAEs was found. Linear regression analysis revealed a model R2 of 10.4%. The implementation topics that emerged can be classified into three themes: personal considerations, patient perceptions, and considerations regarding tabard effectiveness. Our study indicates that this intervention contributes to a reduction in interruptions and MAEs. However, the reduction in MAEs cannot be fully explained by the decrease in interruptions alone; other factors may have also influenced the effect on MAEs. We advocate for further research on complementary interventions that contribute to a further reduction of MAEs. We can conclude that drug round tabards are effective to improve medication safety and are therefore important for the quality of nursing care and the reduction of MAE

Evidence-based practice: a survey among pediatric nurses and pediatricians

This survey compared the attitude, awareness, and knowledge of pediatric nurses and pediatricians regarding evidence-based practice (EBP). Potential barriers were also investigated. Both nurses and pediatricians welcomed EBP (mean scores are 73.3 and 75.4 out of 100). Overall, 52% of the nurses and 36% of the pediatricians did not know relevant sources of information, and 62% of the nurses versus 19% of the pediatricians did not know common EBP terms. Time constraints and lack of knowledge were considered as major barriers. Recommendations include multilevel training and continuous exchange of informatio

Safe handovers for every patient: An interrupted time series analysis to test the effect of a structured discharge bundle in Dutch hospitals

Objective Patient handovers are often delayed, patients are hardly involved in their discharge process and hospital-wide standardised discharge procedures are lacking. The aim of this study was to implement a structured discharge bundle and to test the effect on timeliness of medical and nursing handovers, length of hospital stay (LOS) and unplanned readmissions. Design Interrupted time series with six preintervention and six postintervention data collection points (September 2015 to June 2017). Setting Internal medicine and surgical wards Participants Patients (≥18 years) admitted for more than 48 hours to surgical or internal medicine wards. Intervention The Transfer Intervention Procedure (TIP), containing four elements: planning the discharge date within 48 hours postadmission; arrangements for postdischarge care; preparing handovers and personalised patient discharge letter; and a discharge conversation 12-24 hours before discharge. Outcome measures The number of medical and nursing handovers sent within 24 hours. Secondary outcomes were median time between discharge and medical handovers, LOS and unplanned readmissions. Results Preintervention 1039 and postintervention 1052 patient records were reviewed. No significant change was observed in the number of medical and nursing handovers sent within 24 hours. The median (IQR) time between discharge and medical handovers decreased from 6.15 (0.96-15.96) to 4.08 (0.33-13.67) days, but no significant difference was found. No intervention effect was observed for LOS and readmission. In subgroup analyses, a reduction of 5.6 days in the median time between discharge and medical handovers was observed in hospitals with high protocol adherence and much attention for implementation. Conclusion Implementation of a structured discharge bundle did not lead to improved timeliness of patient handovers. However, large interhospital variation was observed and an intervention effect on the median time between discharge and medical handovers was seen in hospitals with high protocol adherence. Future interventions should continue to create awareness of the importance of timely handovers. Trial registration number NTR5951; Results

Prevalence and associated factors of medication non-adherence in hematological-oncological patients in their home situation

Background: Medication non-adherence is associated with poor health outcomes and increased health care costs. Depending on definitions, reported non-adherence rates in cancer patients ranges between 16 and 100%, which illustrates a serious problem. In malignancy, non-adherence reduces chances of achievement of treatment response and may thereby lead to progression or even relapse. Except for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), the extent of non-adherence has not been investigated in hematological-oncological patients in an outpatient setting. In order to explore ways to optimize cancer treatment results, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-administered medication non-adherence and to identify potential associated factors in hematological-oncological patients in their home situation. Methods: This is an exploratory cross-sectional study, carried out at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Hematology at the VU University medical center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands between February and April 2014. Hematological-oncological outpatients were sent questionnaires retrieving information on patient characteristics, medication adherence, beliefs about medication, anxiety, depression, coping, and quality of life. We performed uni- and multivariable analysis to identify predictors for medication non-adherence. Results: In total, 472 participants were approached of which 259 (55%) completed the questionnaire and met eligibility criteria. Prevalence of adherence in this group (140 male, 54,1%; median age 60 (18-91)) was 50%. In univariate analysis, (lower) age, (higher) education level, living alone, working, perception of receiving insufficient social support, use of bisphosphonates, depression, helplessness (ICQ), global health, role function, emotional function, cognitive function, social functioning, fatigue, dyspnea, diarrhea were found to be significantly related (p = <0.20) to medication non-adherence. In multivariable analysis, younger age, (higher) education level and fatigue remained significantly related (p = <0.10) to medication non-adherence. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study shows that 50% of the participants were non-adherent. Lower age, living alone and perception of insufficient social support were associated factors of non-adherence in hematological-oncological adult patients in their home-situation

The Evaluation of an Interprofessional QI Program: A Qualitative Study

Background: Quality Improvement (QI) is the key for every healthcare organization. QI programs may help healthcare professionals to develop the needed skills for interprofessional collaboration through interprofessional education. Furthermore, the role of diversity in QI teams is not yet fully understood. This evaluation study aimed to obtain in-depth insights into the expectations and experiences of different stakeholders of a hospital-wide interprofessional QI program. Methods: This qualitative study builds upon 20 semi-structured interviews with participants and two focus groups with the coaches and program advisory board members of this QI program. Data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: "interprofessional education", "networking" and "motivation: presence with pitfalls". Working within interprofessional project groups was valuable, because participants with different experiences and skills helped to move the QI project forward. It was simultaneously challenging because IPE was new and revealed problems with hierarchy, communication and planning. Networking was also deemed valuable, but a shared space to keep in contact after finalizing the program was missing. The participants were highly motivated to finish their QI project, but they underestimated the challenges. Conclusions: A hospital-wide QI program must explicitly pay attention to interprofessional collaboration and networking. Leaders of the QI program must cherish the motivation of the participants and make sure that the QI projects are realistic