Perception of the Quality of Communication With Physicians Among Relatives of Dying Residents of Long-term Care Facilities in 6 European Countries: PACE Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveTo examine how relatives evaluate the quality of communication with the treating physician of a dying resident in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and to assess its differences between countries.DesignA cross-sectional retrospective study in a representative sample of LTCFs conducted in 2015. Relatives of residents who died during the previous 3 months were sent a questionnaire.Settings and participants761 relatives of deceased residents in 241 LTCFs in Belgium, England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland.MethodsThe Family Perception of Physician-Family Communication (FPPFC) scale (ratings from 0 to 3, where 3 means the highest quality) was used to retrospectively assess how the quality of end-of-life communication with treating physicians was perceived by relatives. We applied multilevel linear and logistic regression models to assess differences between countries and LTCF types.ResultsThe FPPFC score was the lowest in Finland (1.4 ± 0.8) and the highest in Italy (2.2 ± 0.7). In LTCFs served by general practitioners, the FPPFC score differed between countries, but did not in LTCFs with on-site physicians. Most relatives reported that they were well informed about a resident's general condition (from 50.8% in Finland to 90.6% in Italy) and felt listened to (from 53.1% in Finland to 84.9% in Italy) and understood by the physician (from 56.7% in Finland to 85.8% in Italy). In most countries, relatives assessed the worst communication as being about the resident's wishes for medical treatment at the end of life, with the lowest rate of satisfied relatives in Finland (37.6%).ConclusionThe relatives' perception of the quality of end-of-life communication with physicians differs between countries. However, in all countries, physicians' communication needs to be improved, especially regarding resident's wishes for medical care at the end of life.ImplicationsTraining in end-of-life communication to physicians providing care for LTCF residents is recommended.     

PBL教学法在临床心肺复苏术教学中的应用分析

目的 分析重症医学科PBL教学法在临床心肺复苏术教学中的应用效果.方法 本次实验的开展基础数据选择2016年9月—2018年7月进入医院重症医学科实习学生64例,按照学生自身意愿以及学校安排将参与实验学生分为均数相同的两个小组(对照组、观察组),每组实验人数均为32例,其中对照组(n=32)采用传统教学方法 ,观察组(n=32)则应用PBL教学法教学,对比两组学生在学期结束后整体的学习质量情况和教学满意率.结果 观察组学生经过测试后理论知识和专业技能得分均对比对照组更高,教学效果更加理想,观察组学生对于教学的满意率评价更高,P<0.05.结论 重症医学科临床心肺复苏术教学中应用PBL教学法,将理论与实践进行结合,对教学方法 进行改进,全面提升学生的思维理解能力,培养良好的动手能力,促进理论教学与实践的结合,为学生以后的职业生涯提供更加理想的条件.     

PBL与CBL教学法在留学生实验诊断教学的应用探讨

目的探讨PBL与CBL教学法在留学生实验诊断教学的应用效果。方法将PBL联合案例教学法(CBL)应用于临床医学本科留学生实验诊断教学,与大班传统讲授教学方法(对照组)相比较,通过问卷调查和成绩分析学习效果。结果试验组在激发学习兴趣和培养临床思维能力方面均高于对照组,理论知识的成绩和实习的成绩也是试验组优于对照组,P<0.05。结论PBL与CBL教学联合应用于实验诊断教学中能够有效提高教学质量,并受到学生的认可和喜爱。     

Effectiveness of a nurse-led multidisciplinary self-management program for patients with coronary heart disease in communities: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveTo examine the effectiveness of a nurse-led multidisciplinary self-management program (NMSP) on self-management behaviors, self-efficacy, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and unplanned health service utilization (HSU) among Chinese patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in communities.MethodsA randomized controlled trial with repeated measurements was used. A convenience sample of 144 participants was recruited from a community health center in China. All participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 72) in the newly developed NMSP or a control group (n = 72) in routine care. Outcome measurement was performed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months using Coronary Artery Disease Self-Management Scale (CADSs), Self-efficacy for Chronic Disease 6-item Scale (SECD6), and Short Form-12 health survey questionnaire (SF-12).ResultsOver the six months, the two groups reported significant differences in disease medical and emotional management of CADSs, confidence in symptom and disease management of SECD6, physical and mental component summary of SF-12, as well as emergency and outpatient visits of unplanned HSU.ConclusionsThe NMSP improves self-management behaviors, self-efficacy, HRQoL and reduces unplanned HSU among CHD patients in communities.Practice implicationsThis study provides an effective approach to empower CHD patients with emphasizing on collaboration support of health professionals in communities.     

Impact of new technologies on diabetes care

Technologies for diabetes management, such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, have improved remarkably over the last decades. These developments are impacting the capacity to achieve recommended hemoglobin A1c levels and assisting in preventing the development and progression of micro- and macro vascular complications. While improvements in metabolic control and decreases in risk of severe and moderate hypoglycemia have been described with use of these technologies, large epidemiological international studies show that many patients are still unable to meet their glycemic goals, even when these technologies are used. This editorial will review the impact of technology on glycemic control, hypoglycemia and quality of life in children and youth with type 1 diabetes. Technologies reviewed include CSII, CGM systems and sensor-augmented insulin pumps. In addition, the usefulness of advanced functions such as bolus profiles, bolus calculators and threshold-suspend features will be also discussed. Moreover, the current editorial will explore the challenges of using these technologies. Indeed, despite the evidence currently available of the potential benefits of using advanced technologies in diabetes management, many patients still report barriers to using them. Finally this article will highlight the importance of future studies tailored toward overcome these barriers to optimizing glycemic control and avoiding severe hypoglycemia.     

Avanzando en la sistematización del benchmarking en servicios de salud pública

Continuous management improvement should be an aspiration for all public sector organizations. External comparison or benchmarking identifies good practices in similar organizations. For public health services, it is not easy to obtain such indicators. The objectives of this paper are to describe the process of conducting a benchmarking exercise for a public health agency, and to share its results. For this purpose, agencies that may be compared were identified, and their websites were searched for annual reports or other documents with indicators of the activities or results of public health services. Limitations and contextual aspects of the indicators of the different organizations were identified, as well as ways to improve their comparability. Finally, a set of 19 indicators is proposed, as an initial core for quality management comparisons.     

The development and validation of the Score for the Prediction of Postoperative Respiratory Complications (SPORC-2) to predict the requirement for early postoperative tracheal re-intubation: a hospital registry study

Postoperative pulmonary complications are associated with an increase in mortality, morbidity and healthcare utilisation. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends risk assessment for postoperative respiratory complications in patients undergoing surgery. In this hospital registry study of adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery between 2005 and 2017 at two independent healthcare networks, a prediction instrument for early postoperative tracheal re-intubation was developed and externally validated. This was based on the development of the Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications. For predictor selection, stepwise backward logistic regression and bootstrap resampling were applied. Development and validation cohorts were represented by 90,893 patients at Partners Healthcare and 67,046 patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, of whom 699 (0.8%) and 587 (0.9%) patients, respectively, had their tracheas re-intubated. In addition to five pre-operative predictors identified in the Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications, the final model included seven additional intra-operative predictors: early post-tracheal intubation desaturation; prolonged duration of surgery; high fraction of inspired oxygen; high vasopressor dose; blood transfusion; the absence of volatile anaesthetic use; and the absence of lung-protective ventilation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the new score was significantly greater than that of the original Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications (0.84 [95%CI 0.82–0.85] vs. 0.76 [95%CI 0.75–0.78], respectively; p < 0.001). This may allow clinicians to develop and implement strategies to decrease the risk of early postoperative tracheal re-intubation.     

Effectiveness of various methods of formaldehyde neutralization using monoethanolamine

Formaldehyde is the most commonly used fixative chemical for the preservation of human cadavers used for educational purposes in the United States. Formaldehyde is also a known carcinogenic agent whose exposure level is regulated by guidelines of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Various methods for formaldehyde neutralization exist, yet many donations programs do not take any steps to neutralize the formaldehyde in embalmed donor bodies. The effectiveness of monoethanolamine (MEA) in neutralizing formaldehyde is well documented when used as a final injection during embalming. The purpose of this study is to report the effectiveness of several post‐embalming techniques of formaldehyde neutralization. Twenty‐four donor bodies were assigned to four experimental groups of six. For the three experimental groups, the techniques tested involve delivery of a 20:1 dilution of deionized water:MEA via recannulization and gravity flow infusion, compartment injection, and alternate wetting solution containing four percent MEA. Our results indicated that spray bottle delivery was not effective in neutralization of formaldehyde compared to the control group, but that formaldehyde levels decreased when recannulization or compartment injection were used. The most effective method of formaldehyde neutralization was compartment injection of MEA solution (P < 0.01). The results of this study indicate that, in situations where MEA is not used as a final infusion during embalming, compartment injection of MEA solution is an effective method of formaldehyde neutralization. Clin. Anat. 28:449–454, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.