Medical students’ reflections of a posthospital discharge patient visit

ABSTRACT

Transitions of care is an important part of patient safety that is not often taught in medical schools. As part of a curriculum for patient safety and transitions of care, third-year medical students followed patients they cared for during their inpatient rotations on a posthospital discharge visit. Students answered reflection questions on these visits, which were reviewed at a group debriefing session. The written reflections and oral debriefings were analyzed qualitatively to identify what medical students were able to learn from a posthospital discharge visit. Of the students who visited patients, 265 participated in the debriefing sessions, and their responses were grouped into 7 domains and 33 themes. Students commented most often on the importance of family and caregivers who provided support for the patient after hospitalization. They identified problems specific to the discharge process and factors that helped or hindered transitions, noted new experiences visiting postacute care facilities, and also developed solutions to improve transitions. Postdischarge visits combined with brief reflection writing and debriefing allowed students to better understand difficulties that can be faced in care transitions.     

Toxoplasmosis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation—a single centre experience

Toxoplasmosis is a rare but possibly underestimated complication following allogeneic stem cell transplantation with a high mortality rate. One reason might be the limitation of the diagnostic instruments relying mainly on imaging and molecular-based techniques. In this report, we present three cases of toxoplasmosis identified among 155 allograft recipients treated at Greifswald University Hospital. Widely disseminated toxoplasmosis was detected post-mortem in two patients allografted for high-risk multiple myeloma. Clinical signs suspicious for toxoplasmosis occurred after days?+32 and +75, respectively. In one case, serology and conventional Toxoplasma gondii PCR, targeting the B1 gene, revealed negative results, while in the other patient, toxoplasmosis was not investigated. Both patients received pentamidine for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) prophylaxis. The third patient, a 68-year-old woman allografted for AML, developed cerebral toxoplasmosis from day?+395 after allogeneic SCT with typical signs in magnetic resonance tomography. Toxoplasma DNA was amplified from one of two samples of cerebrospinal fluid. The patient died of disseminated toxoplasmosis despite immediate initiation of therapy. Retrospective comparative testing of clinical specimens by the conventional T. gondii PCR and by a real-time PCR targeting a 529-bp genomic fragment suggests a higher sensitivity of the latter method in our patients. In conclusion, we suggest a rigorous real-time PCR monitoring for high-risk patients or patients with signs of infections suspicious for toxoplasmosis, even though low-copy results are presently difficult to interpret. Our reported cases might also encourage the use of trimethoprim-sufmethoxazole instead of pentamidine for PcP prophylaxis in those patients.     

Investigation of a Candida auris outbreak in a skilled nursing facility — Virginia,United States,October 2020–June 2021

Candida auris, an emerging multi-drug resistant organism, is an urgent public health threat. We report on a C. auris outbreak investigation at a Virginia ventilator skilled nursing facility. During October 2020-June 2021, we identified 28 cases among residents in the ventilator unit. Genomic evidence suggested ≥2 distinct C. auris introductions to the facility. We identified multiple infection and prevention control challenges, highlighting the importance of strengthening multi-drug resistant organism prevention efforts at ventilator skilled nursing facilities.     

Percutaneous intervention on anomalous circumflex coronary arteries — a single centre experience

BackgroundAnomalies of the origin and course of the circumflex artery are amongst the most common seen at coronary angiography. There is limited information regarding patient and procedural characteristics, technical feasibility and outcomes associated with percutaneous intervention (PCI) to these vessels. The aim of this study is to examine our experience with PCI to anomalous circumflex vessels and compare this to some aspects of percutaneous intervention on non-anomalous circumflex vessels.MethodsOver a 41 month period, 20 PCI procedures on anomalous circumflex vessels were identified and 1550 PCI procedures on non-anomalous circumflex arteries.ResultsIn 9 anomalous cases, the circumflex arose from the left coronary cusp, in 7 cases from the right coronary cusp, and in the remaining 4 cases from the proximal right coronary artery. There were no differences in demographics or pattern or severity of coronary disease between the 2 groups. A higher proportion of patients with anomalous vessels presented acutely. Screening times were longer in the anomalous group. All 20 procedures were associated with immediate procedural success. There was one peri-procedural myocardial infarction unrelated to anomalous circumflex intervention. After a median follow-up period of 7.3 months, the only major adverse cardiac event recorded in the anomalous group was an ischaemia-driven revascularisation to a non-target vessel branch. We describe techniques which can be used to improve support and facilitate successful PCI to anomalous circumflex vessels.ConclusionPCI to anomalous circumflex vessels may be technically challenging, but is feasible and carries favourable short and long-term clinical outcomes.SummaryThis single centre observational study demonstrates that percutaneous coronary intervention to anomalous circumflex coronary arteries although technically challenging can be performed with satisfactory procedural success rates and favourable short and longer-term clinical outcomes. It describes various techniques that can be employed to optimise successful intervention.     

Learning about the experience of living with chronic conditions: A framework analysis of nursing students’ reflections on their conversations with older adults

Preparing nursing students to work effectively with older adults is an important element of undergraduate nursing education. Reflective journals written as course assignments represent a source of data about students’ learning. The aim of this study was to analyze nursing students’ reflective journals based on conversations with older adults who are community dwelling, to identify learning in relation to experiences of living with a chronic condition. This was one element of a wider study to evaluate learning partnerships between older adults who are community dwelling and nursing students as an alternative to traditional clinical placements in long-term care settings. Nursing students worked with faculty to complete a qualitative secondary analysis of 47 journals utilizing framework analysis. Students learned about three main aspects of living with chronic conditions: beliefs about chronic conditions, managing chronic conditions, and experiencing chronic conditions, with some evidence that these themes may be interconnected. Findings suggest that learning partnerships with older adults combined with reflective journaling enable nursing students to understand the experience of chronic conditions in later life as reflected within current literature and to identify interventions for gerontological nursing practice. Enabling nursing students to recognize the highly skilled nature of working with older adults with chronic illness has the potential to influence their future career choices.     

Preconceived notions about biosimilars—a French experience

Clinical Rheumatology - Since the arrival of the first biosimilar monoclonal antibodies into the market, many information has been circulating, leading to preconceived notions for patients and...     

Postoperative complications after closure of a diverting ileostoma—differences according to closure technique

Purpose  

The aim of this study was to compare three methods for closure of a diverting ileostoma according to development of postoperative small-bowel obstruction (SBO) and anastomotic leakage (AL).     

Safety of atrial fibrillation ablation with novel multi-electrode array catheters on uninterrupted anticoagulation—a single-center experience

Introduction  

A recent single-center report indicated that the performance of atrial fibrillation ablation in patients on uninterrupted warfarin using a conventional deflectable tip electrode ablation catheter may be as safe as peri-procedural discontinuation of warfarin and bridging with heparin. Novel multi-electrode array catheters for atrial fibrillation ablation are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. While offering the possibility of more rapid atrial fibrillation ablation, they are stiffer and necessitate the deployment of larger deflectable transseptal sheaths, and it remains to be determined if they increase the risk of cardiac perforation and vascular injury. Such potential risks would have implications for a strategy of uninterrupted peri-procedural anticoagulation.     

Vacuum sealing drainage technique in the treatment of poor healing wounds after heart valve surgery： experience in cardiac nursing

Background Poor wound healing or postoperative infection after open-heart surgery is most commonly seen. If not treated in time or the infection progresses, it can lead to sternal infection, even mediastinal and pericardial infection, causing a higher mortality rate. Vacuum sealing drainage(VSD) is a new technology to promote wound healing. We studied the use of VSD technique in poor wound healing after heart valve surgery to see if it could achieve good therapeutic efficacy. Methods From 2013 October to 2014 October in Guangdong General Hospital, 86 cases of the application of vacuum sealing drainage technique in the treatment of cardiac nonunion after valve replacement in patients with nursing observation. The treatment time, death rate and infection rate, etc were compared. Results Wound healing time of 86 patients receiving vacuum sealing drainage was 14.6 ± 3.6 days, and no patient died. Two patients came back to hospital for repair due to dehiscence of the incision after discharge. Conclusion Nursing observation and drainage management were the key of VSD. VSD technique is worthy to be popularized clinically.     

Incidence and predictors of hypophosphataemia after ferric carboxymaltose use—A 3-year experience from a single institution in Singapore

Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) administration helps reduce transfusion requirements in the perioperative situation, which improves patient outcomes and reduces healthcare costs. However, there is increasing evidence of hypophosphataemia after FCM use. We aim to determine the incidence of hypophosphataemia after FCM administration and elucidate potential biochemical factors associated with the development of subsequent hypophosphataemia. A retrospective review of anonymised data of all FCM administrations in a single institution was conducted from August 2018 to August 2021. Each unique FCM dose administered was examined to assess its effect on Hb and serum phosphate levels within the subsequent 28 days from each FCM administration. Phosphate levels were repeatedly measured within the 28-day interval and the lowest phosphate level within that period was determined. Patients' serum phosphate levels within 28 days of FCM administration were compared against normal serum phosphate levels within 2 weeks before FCM administration. The odds ratios of various pre-FCM serum markers were calculated to elucidate potential biochemical predictors of post-FCM hypophosphataemia. In 3 years, a total of 1296 doses of FCM were administered to 1069 patients. The mean improvement in Hb was 2.45 g/dL (SD = 1.94) within 28 days of FCM administration, with the mean time taken to peak Hb levels being 6.3 days (SD = 8.63), which is earlier than expected, but was observed in this study and hence reported. The incidence of hypophosphataemia <0.8 mmol/L was 22.7% (n = 186), and <0.4 mmol/L was 1.6% (n = 9). This figure is lower than the numbers reported in previously published meta-analyses given that routine checks of serum phosphate levels were not conducted initially and hence could possibly be higher. The odds of developing hypophosphataemia (<0.8 mmol/L) were 27.7 (CI: 17.3–44.2, p < 0.0001) if baseline serum phosphate was less than 1 mmol/L. The odds of developing hypophosphataemia (<0.8 mmol/L) were 1.3 (CI: 1.08–1.59, p < 0.01) if the change in Hb levels observed after FCM administration were more than 4 g/dL. Hypophosphataemia after FCM administration is significant and FCM should be used by clinicians with caution.     

Malignant lymphomas and autoimmunity—a single center experience from Hungary

Autoimmune diseases and malignant lymphomas have numerous similarities in their etiology and pathogenesis. Patients with autoimmune disorders have increased risk to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, yet little is known about the occurrence of autoimmune features within lymphoma patients. Our aim was to examine the prevalence of autoimmune diseases among patients with non-Hodgkin's (NHL) and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). We reviewed 352 patients' charts with malignant lymphomas to assess the rate of associated autoimmune diseases. Of 231 NHL patients, 30 (12.9%) had autoimmune disorders, while there were 11 patients who suffered from more than one disease entity. It was Sj?gren's syndrome that occurred in the largest number (eight cases), other frequent entities were undifferentiated connective tissue disease (seven), thyroiditis (six), rheumatoid arthritis (four), and systemic vasculitis (four). The female/male ratio was significantly different between patients with or without autoimmune diseases, while no other clinical features differed significantly between the two groups. Ten patients (33.3%) were initially diagnosed with lymphoma, 13 (43.3%) of them had already been diagnosed with autoimmune disease at the time of lymphoma occurrence. Six patients (20%) with previously diagnosed immunological disorder developed new autoimmune condition after the treatment of lymphoma. Lymphoma and autoimmune disease occurred simultaneously in one patient. Among the 121 HL patients, 14 (11.5%) had associated autoimmune disease. Ten patients developed thyroiditis after the lymphoma treatment, two had immune thrombocytopenia, and one had autoimmune hemolytic anemia. One female patient was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis 10 years before the onset of HL. Our results highlight that an increased risk for the development of autoimmune diseases should be considered in patients both with NHL and HL.