Resisting blame and managing emotion in general practice: The case of patient suicide

UK Governing bodies are imposing increased forms of regulation on General Practitioners (GPs). This paper explores one example of such governance – the audit of GP practice through Critical Incident Reviews (CIRs) following patient suicide. Drawing on interviews with 16 GPs about their involvement in a CIR of a patient's suicide, we found that the review process initially provoked strong emotions of sadness and guilt as well as fear of blame. Ultimately, however, most GPs felt comforted by the CIRs because their findings confirmed that they were not responsible for the suicide. At the same time, the GPs indicated that such comfort was tenuous due to the broader blame culture and because they foresaw many future audits as part of an inflationary spiral of surveillance and risk management. While the GPs adopted strategies to manage and resist surveillance, the effects of CIRs on patient care may be mixed, with the potential both to improve clinical practice and contribute to adverse outcomes. We argue that CIRs paradoxically contain and create anxieties about suicide among GPs and society more broadly.     

Using Respondent-Driven Sampling Methodology for HIV Biological and Behavioral Surveillance in International Settings: A Systematic Review

To determine operational and analytical characteristics of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in international settings and to explore factors that may affect recruitment of most-at-risk populations using RDS, we reviewed HIV biological and behavioral surveillance studies that used this method outside of the United States. We identified 123 eligible studies, 59 from Europe, 40 from Asia and the Pacific, 14 from Latin America, seven from Africa and three from Oceania. Studies collectively recruited 32,298 participants between 2003 and 2007; 53% of studies were conducted among injecting drug users, which generally had faster recruitment compared with studies among sex workers. All but 13 studies reached ≥90% of their intended sample size, and six studies failed to reach equilibrium for key variables. This review has shown that RDS is an effective technique, when designed and implemented appropriately, to sample most-at-risk populations for HIV biological and behavioral surveys.     

Laser Resurfacing: Usual and Unusual Complications

The use of the carbon dioxide laser for skin resurfacing was initially described in 1989. ¹ Since that time, several reports have shown it to be highly effective in the treatment of photodamaged skin and acne scarring. ^2,3,4,5 Advances in laser technology have simplified the procedure and minimized adverse sequelae. Laser skin resurfacing has become a very popular technique, and recently several patient series have been published on the use of different resurfacing lasers to treat photodamaged skin. ^3,4 However, very little has been written about its complications. Adequate patient selection, sound medical judgement, proper training with experience and knowledge of skin physiology and wound care are important factors for successful outcomes. Interested physicians across a broad range of subspecialties have expressed concern about the rate of adverse outcomes and management of complications. We report seven representative cases of complications referred to our dermatology clinics from outside physicians, in the hope of educating clinicians regarding the usual and unusual side effects of this procedure.     

Video as a strategy to evaluate and assist clinical teachers with student assessment.

The assessment of the clinical competence of nursing students requires expertise in nursing as well as skills in student assessment. The development of these student assessment skills is dependent on the preparation of the clinical teacher. The results of this pilot study indicate that video can be one successful tool in evaluating the assessment skills of clinical teachers. Video also may be useful as a staff development tool by providing a nonthreatening way for clinical teachers to familiarize themselves with clinical assessment. In turn, this will have benefits for universities and students by ensuring consistency of clinical assessment by clinical teachers.     

Vaginal 5-fluorouracil for high-grade cervical dysplasia in human immunodeficiency virus infection: a randomized trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and toxicity of topical vaginal 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) maintenance therapy against the effects of observation after standard treatment for high-grade cervical dysplasia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women and to evaluate the association between baseline CD4 count and time to recurrence. METHODS: In a phase III unmasked, randomized, multicenter, outpatient clinical trial, 101 HIV-positive women either received 6 months of biweekly treatment with vaginal 5-FU cream (2 g) or underwent 6 months of observation after standard excisional or ablative cervical treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Papanicolaou smears and colposcopy were scheduled at regular intervals during the ensuing 18 months, with the primary end point being the time at which CIN of any grade recurred. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of women developed recurrence: 14 (28%) of 50 in the 5-FU therapy group and 24 (47%) of 51 in the observation group. Treatment with 5-FU was significantly associated with prolonged time to CIN development (P = .04). Observation subjects were more likely to have high-grade recurrences, with 31% developing CIN 2-3 compared with 8% in the 5-FU treatment arm (P = .014), and disease recurred more quickly in observation subjects as well. Baseline CD4 count was related significantly to time to recurrence (P = .04), with 46% of subjects with CD4 counts less than 200 cells/mm3 developing recurrence compared with 33% of subjects with CD4 counts at least 200 cells/mm3. Disease recurred more slowly in subjects who had received antiretroviral therapy than in antiretroviral therapy-naive subjects. There were no instances of grade 3 or 4 toxicity, and compliance with 5-FU treatment was generally good. CONCLUSION: Adjunctive maintenance intravaginal 5-FU therapy after standard surgery for high-grade lesions safely and effectively reduced recurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in HIV-infected women.