Guidelines for clinical practice: development, dissemination and implementation

Clinical guidelines are one of the most promising and effective advances for defining and improving the quality of care (Journal of Nursing Care Quality 11(5) (1997) 48; Medical Care 39(8 Suppl. 2) (2001) II-46). However, their development, dissemination and implementation in practice are rarely straightforward. Within nursing practice, guidelines have the potential to ensure the clinical application of research findings, thus ensuring that the profession rejects ineffective practices while employing those shown to work. Nevertheless, the benefits and limitations of clinical guidelines should be carefully considered by practitioners, managers and consumers of health care alike.     

Interdisciplinary preoperative patient education in cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: In 1998, we carried out a study of interdisciplinary preoperative education in cardiac surgery given by nurses, physicians and health educators. Overlaps were found in gathering and providing information by physicians, nurses and health educators, and gaps were found in providing psychosocial information and emotional support. Based on these findings, an information protocol was developed. AIM: This paper reports a study examining the effects of the implementation of the information protocol on the content and process of preoperative education. METHODS: Dialogues between health educators and patients were videotaped at the preoperative clinic (n = 54) and on the day of admission (n = 53), and analysed using a checklist of 123 specific topics. RESULTS: The information given by health educators at the outpatient clinic and on the day of admission accorded with the information protocol to a large extent. There was also an increase in the number of psychosocial issues raised. Nurses raised significantly more psychosocial issues in comparison with before implementation of the protocol. After implementation, patients spent approximately 3 minutes less talking with the health educator and about 7 minutes less talking with a nurse. This suggests that on the day of admission a more time-efficient co-ordination in patient education was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the information protocol led to a better interdisciplinary division of labour. The education is tailored more to the needs of the patient, and psychosocial items are mentioned more frequently. This straightforward intervention gave very positive results. Inconsistencies, gaps and overlaps in information provision can be avoided by the unambiguous delineation of responsibilities and tasks in information provision by different health care providers.     

Implementation of a leg ulcer strategy

BACKGROUND: The care of patients with leg ulceration has developed over the past 15 years, although there is little information available to determine how these changes have affected clinical and patient defined outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To describe and evaluate the implementation of a leg ulcer strategy. PATIENTS/METHODS: This study used a pre- and postimplementation evaluation within population-based services within the boundaries of community services providing leg ulcer care. Evidence-based leg ulcer services were developed, including standardized assessment using Doppler ultrasound, rationalization of treatment using multilayer elastic high compression, development of referral criteria and acute service support. Complete ulcer healing rates, health-related quality of life and use of health resources were evaluated after 12 weeks in both pre- and postimplementation cycles. RESULTS: A total of 955 patients were evaluated (518 preimplementation, 437 postimplementation). The levels of assessment and treatment were poor prior to the change in practice with just one patient having evidence of correct assessment and 49 (11%) receiving high compression therapy. Postimplementation, this improved to 412 of 437 (94%) having evidence of measurement of the ankle brachial pressure index, and 85% receiving compression. Twelve-week healing rates preimplementation ranged between 9% and 24%, and postimplementation rose from 19% to 39%. Combined overall healing rates improved from 71 of 518 (14%) to 160 of 437 (37%), odds ratio =3.53, P < 0.001. Frequency of treatment visits reduced from a mean (SD) of 24.0 (16.1) over 12 weeks to 13.5 (8.6), P < 0.001. Intervention led to major improvements in health-related quality of life (measured using the Nottingham Health Profile), with significant improvements for energy, pain, sleep and mobility (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Rationalization of leg ulcer services through a total service change results in improvements in professional practice, better patient outcomes, and efficient use of current resources. This study highlights the importance of a multifaceted approach to improve practice focused on the needs of individual organizational settings.     

Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations

This article summarizes an extensive literature review addressing the question, How can we spread and sustain innovations in health service delivery and organization? It considers both content (defining and measuring the diffusion of innovation in organizations) and process (reviewing the literature in a systematic and reproducible way). This article discusses (1) a parsimonious and evidence-based model for considering the diffusion of innovations in health service organizations, (2) clear knowledge gaps where further research should be focused, and (3) a robust and transferable methodology for systematically reviewing health service policy and management. Both the model and the method should be tested more widely in a range of contexts.     

Using effectiveness studies for prescribing research,part 1

The process of evaluating pharmaceuticals has become highly conceptualized in contrast to the lack of formal rules for assessing effects of interventions on practice. We argue that clinical audit is a key factor prior to instigating an intervention and that randomized controlled evaluations are preferable. We discuss the need for small-scale experiments prior to full trials to validate the underlying concept of an intervention with the recognition that different approaches may be necessary. This includes open rather than blind assessments and greater emphasis on qualitative issues during development of interventions followed by quantitative appraisal of their impact.     

Monitoring medical students' professional attributes: development of an instrument and process

Purpose: To describe and evaluate the implementation of an instrument and process to assess and monitor professional attributes in medical students. Method: The instrument was developed following a survey of professional attributes of concern displayed by medical students. This was followed by development and validation, amongst medical faculty staff and students, of the instrument and its supporting process. Evaluation was by recording participation rates by staff and by determining the consistency of the instrument across dimensions and across clerkships. Implementation in practice is described by using a case study based on one school's first year of use amongst all the students. Results: In its first year of use 7,418 forms were distributed to 376 students and 6,621 forms were returned (89%). The instrument's reliability was greatest where staff were diligent in ensuring thorough implementation. The process was able to detect students of concern and provide effective remediation and ongoing monitoring. Conclusion: The process that has been developed is sensitive, robust and is able to detect, monitor and remedy attributes traditionally regarded as difficult to define and defend. The strengths of the process lie in (1) clear definitions of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, (2) reliance on observations by more than one person and over more than a single time period, (3) the ability to provide a longitudinal view of student's progress. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sláintecare implementation status in 2020: Limited progress with entitlement expansion

The Sláintecare report developed by political consensus sets out a ten year plan for achieving Universal Health Care (UHC) in Ireland. This paper evaluates the design and progress of the report to mid 2020, but with some reflection on the new COVID 19 era, particularly as it relates to the expansion of entitlements to achieve UHC. The authors explore how close Sláintecare is to the UHC ideal. They also review the phased strategy of implementation in Sláintecare that utilises a systems-thinking approach with interlinkages between entitlements, funding, capacity and implementation. Finally the authors review the Sláintecare milestones against the reality of implementation since the publication of the report in 2017, cognisant of government policy and practice. Some of the initial assumptions around the context of Sláintecare were not realised and there has been limited progress made toward expanding entitlements, and certainly short of the original plan. Nevertheless there have been positive developments in that there is evidence that Government’s Implementation Strategy and Action Plans are focussing on reforming a complex adaptive system rather than implementing a blueprint with such initiatives as integrated care pilots and citizen engagement. The authors find that this may help the system change but it risks losing some of the essential elements of entitlement expansion in favour of organisational change.     

长效可逆避孕措施在人工流产后即刻实施的效果评价

目的探究长效可逆避孕措施在人工流产后即刻实施的效果。方法从2017年7月-2018年7月,抽选在广州市增城区妇幼保健院行人工流产女性1200例,按照随机数字表法分为常规组(612例)和强化干预组(588例)。常规组给予常规流产后关爱(PAC)服务,强化干预组在常规PAC服务的基础上采用长效可逆避孕措施。对比两组长效可逆避孕措施使用情况、重复人工流产率以及避孕措施的持续时间情况。结果强化干预组的高效避孕措施使用率比常规组更高,同时重复人工流产率比常规组低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);强化干预组长效可逆避孕措施LARC(IUS/IUD)避孕术后6个月、1年使用率明显高于常规组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);复方口服避孕药优思悦(COC)避孕术后3个月、6个月、1年的使用率比常规组高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论人工流产后即刻实施长效可逆避孕措施,可提升高效避孕措施的使用率,减少意外妊娠及再次人工流产的几率,值得推广。     

The feasibility of alcohol screening and interventions in emergency care: a comparison of primary and specialised health care settings

Background: Implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention in emergency departments is inadequate and the evidence base more mixed than in primary health care (PHC). This comparison study investigates the feasibility of alcohol screening and interventions by nurses in emergency departments, seven based in PHC and two in specialised health care clinics. The aim is to analyse barriers to implementation in these two contexts.

Methods: A questionnaire was used among emergency nurses in the Kymenlaakso hospital district in Finland. The response rate was 71% (N?=?112; PHC clinics n?=?42; specialised clinics n?=?38). The statistical differences in responses were analysed using the χ² test. Open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively.

Results: The nurses in specialised clinics treated patients with alcohol-attributable conditions/traumas more often than the nurses in PHC did (p?p?p?Conclusions: The results indicate an intervention paradox in the emergency care setting: compared to nurses in PHC clinics, nurses in specialised health care clinics work more often with intoxicated patients but they are less willing to implement alcohol screening and interventions. The findings highlight the need for institutional-level support in addition to capacity building among nurses.