What should nurse teachers be doing? A preliminary study

There is little doubt that the role of the nurse teacher is complex and multifaceted in nature. The apparently conflicting demands of NHS trusts and education in the United Kingdom, at the time of integration of nurse education into the higher education sector, further complicates the role. This recognition underlines the need to capture and measure key aspects of nurse teacher function in order to maximize educational gain. Using a comprehensive literature review, focus group discussions and a small number of individual semi-structured interviews, this preliminary study explored the issue of teacher workload, from the perspective of the principal stakeholders in nurse and higher education. Competing research and clinical practice objectives for nurse teachers are identified against a background of changing health care provision, reduced availability of placements and an increased need for evidence-based practice.     

Quality of life on treatment with Metoprolol in Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Results from the MDC trial

Summary Quality of life in heart failure patients is receiving increased attention as a reflection of a treatment's potential secondary benefit of general well-being and daily functioning. The Metoprolol in Dilated Cardiomyopathy (MDC) trial was conducted as a large, multicenter trial to establish the effects of metoprolol on mortality and need for heart transplantation in patients with symptomatic idiopathic cardiomyopathy. It was found that metoprolol was well tolerated, improved symptoms and cardiac function, and prevented clinical deterioration in patients with symptomatic idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Quality of life was evaluated as a secondary endpoint in 345 out of 383 randomized patients using a disease-specific questionnaire, the Quality of Life in Heart Failure Questionnaire, depicting physical activity, somatic symptoms, emotions, and life satisfaction. In a comparison of patients treated with metoprolol or placebo, patients treated with metoprolol noted a significantly more favorable response than those treated with placebo in terms of the overall treatment evaluation (p<0.05). Additionally, an analysis of the changes from baseline to 18 months, using 95% confidence intervals, revealed that patients treated with metoprolol showed a significant improvement from baseline to 18 months in life satisfaction, physical activity, and the total score, while patients treated with placebo did not change at all. The improvement in quality of life was supported by the correlations with improvement in traditional clinical parameters.     

西雅图心绞痛调查量表对冠心病患者机体功能及生活质量的评估研究

目的对冠心病患者机体功能状态及生活质量进行评估。方法采用Ｓｐｅｔｕｓ等设计的ＳｅａｔｔｌｅＡｎｇｉｎａＱｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ问卷对１００例冠心病患者躯体活动受限程度、心绞痛稳定状态及发作情况、治疗满意程度和疾病认识程度进行测评研究。结果重复测定显示该量表有良好的重复性，心理疗法配合药物治疗组的评分明显优于单纯药物治疗组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论该量表用于我国冠心病患者有较满意的信度，同时也证实了心理疗法在冠心病治疗中的重要地位。     

Analysis of Implantation in Assisted Reproduction Through the Use of Serial Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Measurements

Purpose: Our purpose was to examine implantation of singleton pregnancies achieved following various assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) through the appearance and rising titers of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels. Methods: A total of 114 singleton pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination was analyzed. Patients were divided into five groups according to the type of ovarian stimulation protocol [gonadotropin stimulation with/without the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), long protocol, or flare-up technique] and to the day of embryo transfer (day 2 or day 3 after oocyte retrieval). Serial serum hCG levels were measured between 10 and 25 days after fertilization and log-transformed. Linear regression analyses were performed and extrapolated to hCG = 10 mIU/ml (hCG ₁₀ ), which was used as an estimate of detectable implantation. The slopes of the regression lines were used to estimate the rising speed of hCG. Results: There were no significant differences in the days of hCG in maternal serum to reach 10 mIU/ml (implantation) or in the slopes of the regression lines for all five studied groups. Conclusions: The appearance of hCG in maternal serum was used to assess the time of clinically detectable implantation. Furthermore, because hCG production is a marker of trophoblastic activity, its serum doubling time was used as an indicator of embryo quality. Results showed that in various ART protocols with and without GnRHa, there were no significant differences in implantation time or embryo quality. Embryo development in early pregnancy follows a preprogrammed-timing schedule and depends mainly on the embryonic age of the health, successfully implanted conceptus.     

Systematic Reviews on the Basis of Methodological Criteria

This paper describes a method of systematic reviewing. This method puts much emphasis on the methodological quality of the randomised clinical trials involved. Various items concerning the internal validity, precision and relevance of the studies are scored in such a way that next to the methodological quality the amount of uncertainty about it also becomes visible. These quality assessments are not only useful for systematic reviews, but also have an educational function for researchers with respect to the design and publication of a clinical trial.     

Quality of life in adult survivors of lung,colon and prostate cancer

In a cross-sectional study design, a disease free sample of 57 lung, 117 colon, and 104 prostate cancer survivors who represented short, intermediate and long-term survivors completed a detailed assessment of quality of life (QOL) and rehabilitation needs using the CAncer Rehabilitation Evaluation System (CARES). Demographic and medical data, social support, and a global QOL rating were also assessed. Lung cancer patients showed no differences in QOL with respect to their period of survival. QOL improved for survivors of colon cancer as they lived for longer periods, but declined with time for survivors of prostate cancer. The best predictor of QOL for all groups was KPS, although other variables such as type of hospital, gender, and work status were predictive for survivors of colon cancer. For survivors of prostate cancer comorbidity with other medical illnesses, time since diagnosis and comorbidity due to psychiatric difficulties were predictive of QOL. All groups had significant rehabilitation problems in the domains of physical, psychosocial, sexual, medical interaction, and marital relationships. Lung cancer survivors had more problems than the other cancer survivors. We conclude that patients who survive cancer do not return to a state of normal health. They demonstrate a variety of difficulties with which they must cope as they continue to survive. Greater efforts need to be made early in diagnosis and treatment to understand rehabilitation problems and target interventions in the hope of reducing later sequelae.Currently in private practice, Glendale, CaliforniaC. A. C. Schag was supported in part by Veterans Administration Health Research and Development Grant 83-002 and in part by Cares Consultants, 2210 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 359, Santa Monica, CA 90403.Address requests for Information about CARES to: CARES Consultants, 2210 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 359, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA. Tel: (+1) 310-450-7410; Fax: (+1) 310-399-0016     

Art in medical education: Especially plastic surgery

The importance of art studies in the training of plastic surgeons has not been well recognized. Presently, very few medical schools offer courses on art or include it in the humanities. Because the study of art is a great experience that helps to develop the trained eye, the inclusion of art in medical education is recommended. For plastic and aesthetic surgeons, art knowledge can greatly add to the development of surgical skill. Courses in drawing, modeling, and casting are recommended along with lectures or seminars on art appreciation.Delivered as the Nojarova Lecture at the New York Academy of Medicine, the New York Regional Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, March 3, 1990. Also given at the Italian-American Conference of Plastic Surgeons, Venice, Italy, September 23, 1990     

江门市乡镇集中式供水卫生现状分析

为加强乡镇集中式供水卫生管理，进一步普及与提高农村的改水工作，我们按统一的调查方案，于１９９４￣１９９５年在全国范围内开展乡镇自来水厂调查登记和水质监测工作。据统计全市建成投产乡镇水厂６８座，普及率７７．３％，受益人口１４９．０９万，占农村总人口６２．５％，调查结果显示，水源总污染率为８．８２％，在监测项目中主查细菌学指标合格率不高，丰、枯水期水源水平均合格率分别为４０．０％和８８．９％，而出厂水     

Development of quality of care indicators for Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major cause of disability. To date, there have been no large-scale efforts to measure the quality of PD care because of a lack of quality indicators for conducting an explicit review of PD care processes. We present a set of quality indicators for PD care. Based on a structured review of the medical literature, 79 potential indicators were drafted. Through a two-round modified Delphi process, an expert panel of seven movement disorders specialists rated each indicator on criteria of validity, feasibility, impact on outcomes, room for improvement, and overall utility. Seventy-one quality indicators met validity and feasibility thresholds. Applying thresholds for impact on outcomes, room for improvement, and overall utility, a subset of 29 indicators was identified, spanning dopaminergic therapy, assessment of functional status, assessment and treatment of depression, coordination of care, and medication use. Multivariable analysis showed that overall utility ratings were driven by validity and impact on outcomes (P < 0.01). An expert panel can reach consensus on a set of highly rated quality indicators for PD care, which can be used to assess quality of PD care and guide the design of quality improvement projects.