Considerations for appraising diagnostic studies of communication disorders

Clinicians have always been aware of the importance of using valid and reliable clinical tests and measures—and of avoiding those that are not. However, the choice of which tests and measures to use is often more a matter of personal preference, arising out of knowledge of a test's psychometric properties and one's experience with the test, rather than being based on a systematic, critical appraisal of assessment tools. This paper proposes a method of critically appraising clinical assessments in the speech and language sciences, for the purpose of deciding whether they are likely to be informative in diagnosing individuals with communication disorders. QUADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies)—a 14-item, evidence-based critical appraisal tool (Whiting, Rutjes, Reitsma, Bossuyt,?&?Kleijnen, 2003) originally designed to assess the quality of diagnostic-accuracy studies used in systematic reviews in medicine—is presented, with an example of how it can be applied in the field of communication disorders.     

Residual limb strength and functional performance measures in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation

BackgroundIndividuals with lower limb amputation exhibit lower residual limb strength compared to their sound limb. Deficits in residual limb knee flexion and extension strength may impact functional performance during tasks relevant to daily living.Research questionDoes knee flexor and extensor strength in the residual limb impact functional outcome measures, such as walking energetics and performance metrics, in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation?MethodsFourteen individuals with traumatic unilateral transtibial amputation were recruited for this observational study. Participants completed metabolic testing at three standardized speeds based on leg length, as well maximum isokinetic knee flexion and extension strength for both residual and sound limbs. Participants also completed a series of functional outcome tests, including a two-minute walk test, timed stair ascent test, and four-square step test. Walking energetics (metabolic cost, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion) and performance metrics were compared to percent deficit of residual limb to sound limb knee flexion and extension muscle strength. A linear regression assessed significant relationships (p < 0.05).ResultsA significant relationship was observed between percent deficit of knee extension strength and heart rate (p = 0.024) at a fast walking speed. Additionally, percent deficit knee flexion strength related to rating of perceived exertion at slow and moderate walking speeds (p = 0.038, p = 0.024). Percent deficit knee extension strength related to two-minute walk time performance (p = 0.035) and percent deficit knee flexion strength related to timed stair ascent time (p = 0.025).SignificanceThese findings suggest the importance of strength retention of the residual limb knee flexion and extension musculature to improve certain functional outcomes in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation.     

Anxiety and performance

In the world of sport, athletes and their trainers see competitive emotions and, in particular, performance anxiety as one of the most important factors likely to influence the outcome of a sports competition. These emotions attract such vast interest because even today they continue to raise many questions. While positive emotions are generally considered to be largely facilitative to an athlete's performance, the link between negative emotions, and particularly competitive anxiety, and performance seems less unanimous. Some view anxiety as a phenomenon which hampers performance; for them, an anxious athlete is a fragile one. Others view anxiety as a driver and give as examples those athletes who only perform well under the pressure of competition and the anxious state it elicits. There is currently no single model for the relationship between anxiety (or emotions) and performance on which everybody agrees, in spite of the fact that the scientific community has been striving for some time to better understand the links between them. Research carried out to confirm these links has produced inconsistent results which are difficult to interpret as the variables measured (anxiety, emotional states, performance) and the framework of the studies (characteristics of the participants, importance of the sports event) most often differ.     

浅谈医院行政管理人员绩效考核

行政管理人员绩效考核是医院人力资源管理的重要内容,也是医院建立现代管理制度的客观要求,在规范医院内部运行机制、创新医院用人制度、提高人力资源管理水平方面发挥着不容忽视的作用。该文从分析医院行政管理人员绩效考核存在的问题入手,提出完善绩效考核的对策建议,期望对提升行政管理人员工作效率,助力医院稳定持续发展有所帮助。     

关键业绩指标体系提高护士工作效率的探讨

护理服务质量的提升和护理事业的快速发展离不开护理人员的效率提升.本研究尝试将现代管理方法中的关键业绩指标(KPI)引入护理管理,旨在构建质量和效益均衡发展的新型绩效考核体系,以达到对医疗卫生服务的重点活动及其核心效果进行直接控制和衡量,进而实现医院和员工的可持续发展.     

情境模拟教学法在产科护理教学中的应用研究

目的对于产科护理教学工作中应用情境模拟教学法的应用效果进行探讨。方法选取2018年5月—2019年5月产科护理实习生80名作为该次研究对象,通过产科护理实习生入科时间将其进行分组,给予其中40名产科护理实习生传统教学法,依照护理部门制定的实习大纲,带教老师每周进行集体授课,授课主要采取观摩与教授形式,选做对照组,给予剩余40名产科护理实习生情境模拟教学法,选做观察组,对比两组产科护理实习生的出科成绩以及临床实际综合应急能力评分。结果两组产科护理实习生接受不同教学方法之后的出科理论知识成绩、实践操作成绩以及临床实际综合应急能力评分对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论在产科护理教学工作中开展情境模拟教学法,可以显著提升产科护理实习生理论成绩以及实践操作成绩,提高产科护理实习生临床实际综合应急能力。