What if It Were Me? A Qualitative Exploratory Study of Emergency Nurses’ Clinical Decision Making Related to Obstetrical Emergencies in the Context of a Post-Roe Environment

IntroductionPrevious research describes a significant knowledge deficit in obstetrical care in emergency settings. In a post-Roe environment, additional medicolegal challenges are documented across the obstetrics and gynecology landscape, but an understudied care setting is the emergency department, where patients may present to a practice environment where there is limited or no obstetrical care available. It is unknown how emergency nurses make decisions around these types of presentations. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical decision-making processes of emergency nurses in the care of patients with obstetrical emergencies in the context of limited or absent access to abortion care and the impact of those processes on patient care.MethodsQualitative exploratory approach using interview data (n = 13) and situational analysis was used.ResultsSituational mapping uncovered human elements comprised nurses, providers, pregnant people, and families; nonhuman elements comprised legislation, education, and legal understanding. Social worlds mapping included challenges of inexperience, conflict about clinical responsibility, uncertainty about the meaning of legislation, and passivity around implications for patient care. Positional mapping yielded both the overlapping discourses around the phenomenon of interest and the area of silence around abortion-limiting legislation.DiscussionWe found that emergency nurses in states with abortion care-limiting laws had significant self-reported deficits in both education and training around the management of obstetrical emergencies. In this sample, there was a surprising lack of awareness of care-limiting legislation and the clinical, ethical, and legal implications for both emergency care staff and for patients.     

Service provision for liver disease in the UK: a national questionnaire-based survey

The National Plan for Liver Services in 2009 called for a review of current liver services across the UK to identify areas of good and poor provision. We present the results of a national questionnaire survey of liver services, which focussed on staffing and training, access to key facilities and clinical management of liver disease. Areas of good practice include the increased proportion of consultants who trained at a liver centre, the introduction of specific liver clinics and the widespread use of terlipressin and antibiotics for variceal bleeding. Areas of poor practice include limited access to alcohol psychiatry services and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) and limited recording of outcome measures or patient databases. Wide variation in the clinical management of serious liver diseases supports the need for managed clinical networks. These results will help to guide the development of standards of care for liver services across the UK.     

Evidence-based guidelines meet the real world: the case of diabetes care

OBJECTIVE: Improving diabetes care in the U.S. is critical because diabetes rates are increasing dramatically, particularly among minority and low-income populations. Although evidence-based practice guidelines for diabetes have been widely disseminated, many physicians fail to implement them. The objective of this study was to explore what happens to diabetes practice guidelines in real-world clinical settings. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative research design was used. Open-ended semistructured interviews lasting 1-2 h were conducted with 32 key informants (physicians, certified diabetes educators, researchers, and agency personnel) selected for their knowledge of diabetes care in South Texas, an area with a high diabetes prevalence and a large proportion of minority and low-income patients. RESULTS: Health professionals stress that contextual factors are more important barriers to optimal diabetes care than physician knowledge and attitudes. Barriers exist at multiple levels and are interrelated in a complex manner. Examples include the following: time constraints and practice economics in the private practice setting; the need to maintain referral relationships and maldistribution of professionals in the practice community; low awareness and low socioeconomic status among patients; and lack of access for low-income patients, low reimbursement, and insufficient focus on prevention in the U.S. health care system. CONCLUSIONS: Contextual barriers must be addressed in order for diabetes practice guidelines to be implemented in real-world clinical practice. Suggested changes include an increased focus on prevention, improvements in health care delivery for chronic diseases, and increased attention to the special needs of minority and low-income populations.     

Implications for Australian practice of North American guidelines for the support of the family in patient-centred intensive care

Patient-centred care, in which health care professionals inform patients and families, maintain active involvement in decision making, coordinate care across disciplines, provide families with physical comfort and emotional support and ensure care is culturally sensitive, is recommended over clinician- or disease-centred care for better patient outcomes. Patients in intensive care are often too ill to participate in communication and decision making, so the patient's family should be involved in communication and decision making about the patient's care. The Society of Critical Care Medicine published clinical practice guidelines for the support of the family in the patient-centred intensive care unit. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the 42 recommendations in the guidelines are valid and applicable in Australia. We used a recognised framework for evaluation of clinical practice guidelines. It was found that the guidelines were developed systematically using accepted methods of guideline development as much as possible. An extensive literature review was conducted and publications containing all levels of evidence were considered for inclusion. There were some weaknesses in the guideline development, especially lack of consultation with patients and families and a lack of high-level evidence, however the authors have provided comprehensive recommendations to guide all aspects of patient-centred care. We conclude that the recommendations are largely applicable to the patients and families receiving treatment and support within intensive care units in Australia. Where strong evidence is lacking, the recommendations should be a stimulus to conduct studies that test interventions that may benefit intensive care patients, their families, and intensive care staff.     

Managing the unmanageable: risk assessment and risk management in contemporary professional practice

AIM: This study sets out to investigate the theories and practices of risk assessment and management in the context of contemporary mental health practice. BACKGROUND: Although risk assessment and management policies are well established for those working in the field of community mental health care, there are noticeable anomalies and regional variations, in the criteria, procedures and decision-making strategies used. METHODS: Focus group taped interviews were conducted with over 100 mental health professionals in one NHS Trust. These were compared with an extensive literature review on the topic. FINDINGS: The main theme to emerge was lack of resources, which included time and staff in the context of a changing and increasing workload. Another important theme was the lack of access to centralized and accurate information about mental health service provision. CONCLUSION: It is essential that professionals, clients, their families and the public feel confident in professional judgements and practices to avoid a 'back to the asylum' lobby, for the care and treatment of seriously mentally ill individuals.     

Denosumab for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis

View the National Osteoporosis Foundation Clinician's Guide Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a major concern to public health. Fractures are the major clinical consequence of osteoporosis and are associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Despite the availability of screening and treatment guidelines, osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment remain low. Health care providers may consult guidelines in the clinical management of their patients with osteoporosis, including those from the National Osteoporosis Foundation, and the new fracture risk assessment tool from the World Health Organization. Bisphosphonates are the most commonly used treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Although these agents are effective in preventing fractures and bone loss, the benefits of treatment may be limited by suboptimal adherence and compliance. Denosumab is a human monoclonal antibody that targets and inhibits RANK ligand, an essential mediator of bone resorption. In clinical trials in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, denosumab 60 mg given subcutaneously every 6 months was well tolerated and statistically significantly reduced the risk of vertebral, nonvertebral, and hip fractures. The introduction of denosumab into clinical practice provides physicians with another option for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, and the twice-yearly dosing regimen has the potential to improve adherence.     

A United Kingdom-wide survey of physiotherapy practice in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse

Background and purpose Pelvic organ prolapse is a common female condition. It is estimated that 50% of parous women experience some degree of prolapse and that 10-20% seek medical care [Br. Med. J. 324 (2002) 1258]. The aim of the survey was to investigate current physiotherapy practice in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse, specifically the use of pelvic floor muscle training, across the United Kingdom. An additional aim was to gauge the level of interest of individuals and centres in becoming involved in planned multi-centre research exploring the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.Methods A questionnaire was mailed out to 484 physiotherapist members of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health, and 54 non-member physiotherapists working in women’s health, which asked about current practice in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.Results A total of 364 physiotherapists completed the questionnaire (a response rate of 71%, after excluding 27 cases) representing a range of clinical experience and practice. Of the respondents 92% (n=333) were assessing or treating women with pelvic organ prolapse.

The questionnaire data showed that the various elements of pelvic floor muscle training and outcome measurement were being practised by physiotherapists working across the United Kingdom.

However, access to pelvic floor muscle training may be inconsistent, as more than three-quarters of the study respondents reported that they did not have access to clinical guidelines (n=264, 79.3%) or referral guidelines (n=296, 88.9%) for the management of pelvic organ prolapse.

The majority of the sample expressed an interest in being involved in future research in this area of practice. There was interest at both an individual level (n=275, 82.5%) and as a centre (n=205, 86.1%).

Conclusions This survey has revealed that physiotherapy treatment for prolapse is being offered throughout the country despite the poor evidence base and lack of clinical and referral guidelines. There is a gap in the research evidence and therefore a need for randomised controlled trials looking at the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training, in the management of pelvic organ prolapse. Evidence-based guidelines should follow on from this. Standardised referral guidelines are also required to ensure equal access to assessment and physiotherapy treatment.     

Challenges in Statewide Implementation of a Prehospital Evidence-Based Guideline: An Assessment of Barriers and Enablers in Five States

Background: Individual states, regions, and local emergency medical service (EMS) agencies are responsible for the development and implementation of prehospital patient care protocols. Many states lack model prehospital guidelines for managing common conditions. Recently developed national evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) may address this gap. Barriers to statewide dissemination and implementation of model guidelines have not been studied. The objective of this study was to examine barriers and enablers to dissemination and implementation of an evidence-based guideline for traumatic pain management across 5 states. Methods: This study used mixed methods to evaluate the statewide dissemination and implementation of a prehospital EBG. The guideline provided pain assessment tools, recommended opiate medication dosing, and indications and contraindications for analgesia. Participating states were provided an implementation toolkit, standardized training materials, and a state-specific implementation plan. Outcomes were assessed via an electronic self-assessment tool in which states reported barriers and enablers to dissemination and implementation and information about changes in pain management practices in their states after implementation of the EBG. Results: Of the 5 participating states, 3 reported dissemination of the guideline, one through a state model guideline process and 2 through regional EMS systems. Two states did not disseminate or implement the guideline. Of these, one state chose to utilize a locally developed guideline, and the other state did not perform guideline dissemination at the state level. Barriers to state implementation were the lack of authority at the state level to mandate protocols, technical challenges with learning management systems, and inability to track and monitor training and implementation at the agency level. Enablers included having a state/regional EMS office champion and the availability of an implementation toolkit. No participating states demonstrated an increase in opioid delivery to patients during the study period. Conclusion: Statewide dissemination and implementation of an EBG is complex with many challenges. Future efforts should consider the advantages of having statewide model or mandatory guidelines and the value of local champions and be aware of the challenges of a statewide learning management system and of tracking the success of implementation efforts.     

Management of tinnitus in English NHS audiology departments: an evaluation of current practice

Rationale, aim and objective In 2009, the UK Department of Health formalized recommended National Health Service practices for the management of tinnitus from primary care onwards. It is timely therefore to evaluate the perceived practicality, utility and impact of those guidelines in the context of current practice. Methods We surveyed current practice by posting a 36‐item questionnaire to all audiology and hearing therapy staff that we were able to identify as being involved in tinnitus patient care in England. Results In total, 138 out of 351 clinicians responded (39% response rate). The findings indicate a consensus opinion that management should be tailored to individual symptom profiles but that there is little standardization of assessment procedures or tools in use. Conclusions While the lack of standardized practice might provide flexibility to meet local demand, it has drawbacks. It makes it difficult to ascertain key standards of best practice, it complicates the process of clinical audit, it implies unequal patient access to care, and it limits the implementation of translational research outcomes. We recommend that core elements of practice should be standardized, including use of a validated tinnitus questionnaires and an agreed pathway for decision making to better understand the rationale for management strategies offered.     

The effectiveness of adhering to clinical‐practice guidelines for anxiety disorders in secondary mental health care: the results of a cohort study in the Netherlands

Background While studies into the implementation of clinical practice guidelines for mental health care are scarce, studies on the effectiveness of implementing practice guidelines for anxiety disorders appear to be entirely non‐existent. Objective To examine whether adherence to anxiety disorder clinical practice guidelines in secondary mental health care yields superior treatment results than non‐adherence. Method A closed‐cohort study of 181 outpatients with an anxiety disorder or hypochondriasis who were treated in a routine mental health setting. Preceding the inclusion of these 181 patients, a start was made on the implementation of the Dutch national multidisciplinary practice guidelines for anxiety disorders. Patients were asked to complete several questionnaires before the start of treatment and again 1 year later. The medical records of these patients were reviewed to assess guideline adherence. Ultimately, adherence or non‐adherence to the different treatment algorithms described in the guidelines was related to changes in the severity of psychiatric symptomatology, psychiatric functioning, general well‐being and satisfaction with treatment. Results Compared with patients whose treatment did not adhere to the guidelines, those whose treatment adhered to the guidelines were found to have greater symptom reduction after 1 year (P < 0.01). The latter group of patients also rated their satisfaction with their treatment significantly higher (P = 0.01). No significant differences were found after 1 year with respect to changes in impairment of functioning and quality of life in the two groups of patients. Conclusions Adherence to anxiety disorder guidelines yields superior treatment results and increased patient satisfaction with treatment when compared with patients whose treatment did not adhere to the clinical guidelines. These results should encourage a more widespread implementation of such guidelines in mental health care facilities.     

Practice guidelines for the management of acute pain

Insufficiencies in education, fear of side effects and the lack of standards and organisational background are major barriers preventing improvements in acute pain therapy. In view of this, guidelines have been set up and implemented into clinical practice during the last few years in many countries, and acute pain services have been established. Following the activities in Great Britain and the United States, national guidelines for Germany have been set up in 1997, edited by the national societies of anaesthesiologists and surgeons. These ‘Guidelines for the Management of Acute Perioperative and Post-traumatic Pain’ include instructions and algorithms on patient information, diagnostic features and measurement of pain using pain scores, systemic analgesia with opioids, NSAIDs and co-analgesics. They also provide guidelines for the use and monitoring of different application modes such as enteral, intravenous, subcutaneous and patient controlled administration. Furthermore, chapters provide guidelines on regional analgesia (including epidural and intrathecal application of opioids and/or local anaesthetics), preemptive analgesia, prophylaxis and treatment of side effects (‘symptom control’) of analgesics. Special issues are acute pain management in children, outpatients and drug addicts; quality assurance in acute pain therapy is emphasised. Major topics include guidelines for organising acute pain therapy (eg how to run an acute pain service), and for cooperation, agreements and responsibilities of anaesthesiologists, surgeons and nurses for acute pain management on general surgical wards. A survey on postoperative pain management in surgical departments in Germany was performed before release of the guidelines. Further evaluations will show whether the implementation of these guidelines resulted in significant improvements in clinical practice.     

Telehealth and Legal Implications for Nurse Practitioners

Telehealth, which uses electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical healthcare, is a growing trend that offers improved patient access, cost savings, and more engaged patients with better outcomes. For nurse practitioners who deal with patients in a variety of settings, telehealth can help improve healthcare delivery to underserved populations. However, there are challenges including wide variations in the rules, regulations, and practice guidelines surrounding telehealth. Nurse practitioners should implement practical advice and tips for utilizing telehealth, as well as risk management strategies to ensure better patient care and avoid malpractice litigation or licensing issues.     

Aphasia rehabilitation in Australia: Current practices,challenges and future directions

Abstract

This study reports on current aphasia rehabilitation practices of speech-language pathologists in Australia. A 30-item web-based survey targeted approaches to aphasia rehabilitation, education, discharge, follow-up practices, counselling, interventions to improve communication access, community aphasia support services, and challenges to practice. One hundred and eighty-eight surveys were completed representing ? 33% of the potential target population, with 58.5% urban and 41.5% rural participants across all states and territories. Respondents reported embracing a wide variety of approaches to aphasia rehabilitation; however, significant challenges in providing aphasia management in acute and residential care were identified. Low levels of knowledge and confidence were reported for both culturally and linguistically diverse clients and discourse approaches. Group and intensive services were under-utilized and clinicians reported inflexible funding models as major barriers to implementation. Few clinicians work directly in the community to improve communicative access for people with aphasia. Despite the chronic nature of aphasia, follow-up practices are limited and client re-entry to services is restricted. Counselling is a high frequency practice in aphasia rehabilitation, but clinicians report being under-prepared for the role. Respondents repeatedly cited lack of resources (time, space, materials) as a major challenge to effective service provision. Collective advocacy is required to achieve system level changes.     

Pharmacological Treatment of Neuropathic Cancer Pain: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Literature

Abstract: Neuropathic cancer pain (NCP), commonly encountered in clinical practice, may be cancer‐related, namely resulting from nervous system tumor invasion, surgical nerve damage during tumor removal, radiation‐induced nerve damage and chemotherapy‐related neuropathy, or may be of benign origin, unrelated to cancer. A neuropathic component is evident in about 1/3 of cancer pain cases. Although from a pathophysiological perspective NCP may differ from chronic neuropathic pain (NP), such as noncancer‐related pain, clinical practice, and limited publications have shown that these two pain entities may share some treatment modalities. For example, co‐analgesics have been well integrated into cancer pain‐management strategies and are often used as First‐Line options for the treatment of NCP. These drugs, including antidepressants and anticonvulsants, are recommended by evidence‐based guidelines, whereas, others such as lidocaine patch 5%, are supported by randomized, controlled, clinical data and are included in guidelines for restricted conditions treatment. The vast majority of these drugs have already been proven useful in the management of benign NP syndromes. Treatment decisions for patients with NP can be difficult. The intrinsic difficulties in performing randomized controlled trials in cancer pain have traditionally justified the acceptance of drugs already known to be effective in benign NP for the management of malignant NP, despite the lack of relevant high quality data. Interest in NCP mechanisms and pharmacotherapy has increased, resulting in significant mechanism‐based treatment advances for the future. In this comprehensive review, we present the latest knowledge regarding NCP pharmacological management.     

基于临床实践指南决策树的设计与思考

临床实践指南可以促进临床诊疗规范化,提高医疗服务质量。但是,指南在传播与实施过程中可能存在多种障碍因素,导致其对临床实践的规范性及患者结局的有效性并未完全体现。主要障碍在于非结构化的文本指南不便于临床医生查阅和使用,阻碍了指南在临床实践中的应用。因此,本文通过介绍决策树模型,阐述将文本化的指南转化为结构化决策树的方法,提出基于临床实践指南设计决策树的优点、难点及解决策略,为推动文本化临床实践指南的转化提供参考。     

澳大利亚和新西兰成年人及儿童脑炎诊治指南解读

脑炎是由脑实质炎症引起的一种复杂的神经综合征。由于脑炎的病因多种多样、鉴别诊断复杂、病情进展迅速、常需加强支持治疗、且对多种原发病因缺乏特效治疗手段,使得脑炎的诊治成为挑战。2015年,澳大利亚感染病学会、澳大利亚急诊医学会、澳大利亚新西兰神经科医师联合会、澳大利亚公共卫生学会联合制定了澳大利亚和新西兰成年人及儿童脑炎诊治指南,这是迄今为止最新的关于脑炎诊治的区域性专家共识。该指南在欧美指南的基础上,综合了近年来脑炎研究的最新进展,在脑炎的流行病学、病因学、诊断、鉴别诊断、治疗及综合管理方面进行了系统的阐述。我们在此对该指南予以解读,以期为中国医师诊治脑炎提供参考。     

Preventing and managing heel pressure ulceration: an overview

Heel pressure ulcers are the second most common site for pressure ulceration; although their assessment and treatment can be complex, and they often require additional consideration over and above core principles of pressure ulcer prevention and management. Recent international pressure ulcer prevention and treatment guidelines developed jointly in Europe and the USA have provided greater clarity by achieving international consensus on how to care for patients at risk of heel pressure ulceration, and also on the management of such patients if a pressure ulcer develops. Health professionals should embrace these guidelines and embed them in their everyday clinical practice and within local guidance and protocols to ensure that patients are provided with evidence-based care supported by international collaboration and agreement.     

Finding and evaluating clinical practice guidelines

Clinical practice guidelines are valuable, clinical decision-making aids for preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative patient care. This article identifies ways to access clinical practice guidelines and discusses evaluative criteria for identifying gold-standard evidence-based practice guidelines. Finally, clinicians are reminded of crucial questions to ask before applying any guidelines to patient care.