Assessing pressure injury risk and prevention using the Braden mobility subscale

 Getting a pressure injury or ulcer whilst in hospital may cause debilitating physical effects, pain or even death. This research found that assessment of mobility alone compares well with the more commonly used and more complex risk assessment scales when used to identify person\u27s risk for developing a pressure sore

Factors Associated With Prolonged Length of Stay for Elective Hepatobiliary and Neurosurgery Patients: A Retrospective Medical Record Review

Background: Patients with prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS) not only increase their risks of nosocomial infections but also deny other patients access to inpatient care. Hepatobiliary (HPB) malignancies have some of highest incidences in East and Southeast Asia and the management of patients undergoing HPB surgeries have yet to be standardized. With improved neurosurgery techniques for intracranial aneurysms and tumors, neurosurgeries (NS) can be expected to increase. Elective surgeries account for far more operations than emergencies surgeries. Thus, with potentially increased numbers of elective HPB and NS, this study seeks to explore perioperative factors associated with prolonged LOS for these patients to improve safety and quality of practice. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional medical record review study from January 2014 to January 2015 was conducted at a 1250-bed tertiary academic hospital in Singapore. All elective HPB and NS patients over 18　years old were included in the study except day and emergency surgeries, resulting in 150 and 166 patients respectively. Prolonged LOS was defined as above median LOS based on the complexity of the surgical procedure. The predictor variables were preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors. Student\u27s t-test and stepwise logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine which factors were associated with prolonged LOS. Results: Factors associated with prolonged LOS for the HPB sample were age and admission after 5　pm but for the NS sample, they were functional status, referral to occupational therapy, and the number of hospital-acquired infections. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that preoperative factors had the greatest association with prolonged LOS for HPB and NS elective surgeries even after adjusting for surgical complexity, suggesting that patient safety and quality of care may be improved with better pre-surgery patient preparation and admission practices

Designing and Evaluating an Interactive Multimedia Web-Based Simulation for Developing Nurses' Competencies in Acute Nursing Care: Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/jmir.3853Journal of Medical Internet Research17

What have our patients learnt after being hospitalised for an acute myocardial infarction?

Background: Education for hospitalised patients is an important aspect of care for people who have an acute cardiovascular event. Objective: To investigate the cardiovascular risk factor behaviours of patients together with their acute coronary syndrome (ACS) knowledge, attitudes and beliefs following admission to hospital for an acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Patients diagnosed with an acute myocardial infarction participated in an observational study. Patients completed a questionnaire consisting of cardiovascular risk factor behaviour questions and the ACS Response Index prior to discharge and at follow-up 10 weeks later. Results: Of the 135 participants enrolled, 114 (84%) completed follow-up, 70% were males; mean age was 63 (±11.6) years. The median length of hospital stay was 3 days (IQR 1) and the time to follow-up after discharge was 10 weeks. Self-reported risk factor behaviours improved significantly for diet (p < 0.001) and smoking cessation (p = 0.023) following discharge. At discharge 39% of patients had inadequate knowledge of ACS symptoms. The ACS Response Index improved significantly after discharge for attitudes (p = 0.004) and beliefs (p = 0.008). Despite 85% of patients indicating they would attend cardiac rehabilitation only 30% had commenced a programme at follow-up. Conclusion: Patients reported implementing a number of healthy lifestyle changes following discharge including smoking cessation and healthy eating. Attitudes and beliefs regarding ACS showed a significant improvement following discharge. More than one third of patients had inadequate knowledge at discharge, suggesting current education practices may not be meeting the needs of patients with a myocardial infarction

Towards an understanding of the information and support needs of surgical adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients: a qualitative analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Informed decision making for adolescents and families considering surgery for scoliosis requires essential information, including expected outcomes with or without treatment and the associated risks and benefits of treatment. Ideally families should also receive support in response to their individual concerns. The aim of this study was to identify health-specific needs for online information and support for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who have had or anticipate having spinal surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Focus group methodology was chosen as the primary method of data collection to encourage shared understandings, as well as permit expression of specific, individual views. Participants were considered eligible to participate if they had either experienced or were anticipating surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis within 12 months, were between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age, and were English-speaking.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two focus groups consisting of 8 adolescents (1 male, 7 female) and subsequent individual interviews with 3 adolescents (1 male, 2 female) yielded a range of participant concerns, in order of prominence: (1) recovery at home; (2) recovery in hospital; (3) post-surgical appearance; (4) emotional impact of surgery and coping; (5) intrusion of surgery and recovery of daily activities; (6) impact of surgery on school, peer relationships and other social interactions; (7) decision-making about surgery; (8) being in the operating room and; (9) future worries.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, adolescents welcomed the possibility of an accessible, youth-focused website with comprehensive and accurate information that would include the opportunity for health professional-moderated, online peer support.</p

Reliability, validity and feasibility of quality of life instruments for adult patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy: Result from a systematic review

10.1111/j.1744-1609.2012.00252.xInternational Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare10127-5

Evaluating the use of a targeted multiple intervention strategy in reducing patient falls in an acute care hospital: A randomized controlled trial

10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05646.xJournal of Advanced Nursing6791984-1992JANU

The use of non-invasive thermometers in healthcare facilities: a scoping review protocol

Review objective and questionsThe objective of the review is to map the available evidence to provide an overview of the use of non-invasive thermometers in the general context of health care. The specific questions, in regards to the available international published and unpublished literature, are.Siti Zubaidah Mordiffi, Micah D.J. Peters, Emily N.K. An

Implementation of the evidence review on best practice for confirming the correct placement of nasogastric tube in patients in an acute care hospital

10.1111/j.1744-1609.2010.00200.xInternational Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare9151-6