Engaging Radiology Nurses in Quality Improvement Projects in a Women's Specialty Hospital

Measuring outcomes in health care have become mandatory as regulatory agencies, institutional guidelines, employers, and consumer groups advocate for quality health care focusing on improving patient outcomes. System-level quality departments often provide a framework for performance improvement (PI) that supports the organizational PI plan. However, nurses must learn to lead and be actively involved in projects in the radiology department to ensure key performance indicators are developed with on-the-ground quality management to improve patient outcomes, system performance, and professional development. This article explores such efforts at a large women’s specialty hospital in the Southern United States.     

探讨中西医护理改善老年高血压患者生活质量的效果

目的探讨中西医结合护理改善老年高血压患者心理状态及生活质量的效果。方法在医院2018年1月—2018年6月就诊的老年高血压患者中选出60例,按照随机数字法的原则,分成研究组(n=30)和参考组(n=30)。参考组采用单一西医护理,研究组在此之外联合中医护理,比较两组患者的临床疗效。结果入院时研究组与参考组SAS、SDS、SF-6评分差异不显著(P>0.05),护理后1月、3月与参考组相比,研究组SAS、SDS评分显著降低(P<0.05),SF-6评分显著升高(P<0.05);研究组患者对中西结合护理满意度为96.67%,参考组患者对西医护理满意度为73.33%,研究组满意度较参考组高,差异显著(P<0.05)。结论中西医结合护理能够有效改善老年高血压患者的心理状态,提高生活质量。     

Advancing primary and community care for persons with spinal cord injury: Key findings from a Canadian summit

Context: Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience significant challenges when they access primary care and community services.

Design: A provincial summit was held to direct research, education, and innovation for primary and community care for SCI.

Setting: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Participants: Key stakeholders (N?=?95) including persons with SCI and caregivers, clinicians from primary care, rehabilitation, and specialized care, researchers, advocacy groups, and policy makers.

Methods: A one-day facilitated meeting that included guest speakers, panel discussions and small group discussions was held to generate potential solutions to current issues related to SCI care and to foster collaborative relationships to advance care for SCI. Perspectives on SCI management were shared by primary care, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, and members of the SCI community

Outcome Measures: Discussions were focused on five domains: knowledge translation and dissemination, application of best practices, communication, research, and patient service accessibility.

Results: Summit participants identified issues and prioritized solutions to improve primary and community care including the creation of a network of key stakeholders to enable knowledge creation and dissemination; an online repository of SCI resources, integrated health records, and a clinical network for SCI care; development and implementation of strategies to improve care transitions across sectors; implementation of effective care models and improved access to services; and utilization of empowerment frameworks to support self-management.

Conclusions: This summit identified priorities for further collaborative efforts to advance SCI primary and community care and will inform the development of a provincial SCI strategy aimed at improving the system of care for SCI.     

Differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with CT radiomics features

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT)-based machine learning of radiomics features could help distinguish autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Materials and MethodsEighty-nine patients with AIP (65 men, 24 women; mean age, 59.7 ± 13.9 [SD] years; range: 21–83 years) and 93 patients with PDAC (68 men, 25 women; mean age, 60.1 ± 12.3 [SD] years; range: 36–86 years) were retrospectively included. All patients had dedicated dual-phase pancreatic protocol CT between 2004 and 2018. Thin-slice images (0.75/0.5 mm thickness/increment) were compared with thick-slices images (3 or 5 mm thickness/increment). Pancreatic regions involved by PDAC or AIP (areas of enlargement, altered enhancement, effacement of pancreatic duct) as well as uninvolved parenchyma were segmented as three-dimensional volumes. Four hundred and thirty-one radiomics features were extracted and a random forest was used to distinguish AIP from PDAC. CT data of 60 AIP and 60 PDAC patients were used for training and those of 29 AIP and 33 PDAC independent patients were used for testing.ResultsThe pancreas was diffusely involved in 37 (37/89; 41.6%) patients with AIP and not diffusely in 52 (52/89; 58.4%) patients. Using machine learning, 95.2% (59/62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8–100%), 83.9% (52:67; 95% CI: 74.7–93.0%) and 77.4% (48/62; 95% CI: 67.0–87.8%) of the 62 test patients were correctly classified as either having PDAC or AIP with thin-slice venous phase, thin-slice arterial phase, and thick-slice venous phase CT, respectively. Three of the 29 patients with AIP (3/29; 10.3%) were incorrectly classified as having PDAC but all 33 patients with PDAC (33/33; 100%) were correctly classified with thin-slice venous phase with 89.7% sensitivity (26/29; 95% CI: 78.6–100%) and 100% specificity (33/33; 95% CI: 93–100%) for the diagnosis of AIP, 95.2% accuracy (59/62; 95% CI: 89.8–100%) and area under the curve of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.936–1.0).ConclusionsRadiomic features help differentiate AIP from PDAC with an overall accuracy of 95.2%.     

运用PDCA循环改进居家养老护理文件书写质量

目的运用PDCA循环的质量管理方法,改进居家养老护理文件书写质量。方法对现存的护理质量不合格项目进行原因分析、制定改进计划、组织实施、效果评价。结果改进后的居家养老护理文件书写合格率达到98%。结论通过应用PDCA循环质量管理工具进行护理质量管理,使该中心居家养老护理文件书写水平得到大幅度提高,同时促进了该中心护理管理质量的提升。     

国内外护理学本科生毕业考核现状与分析

教育测量与评价对实现教育目标具有重要作用。科学的教育评价既促进学生学习,又为教育决策提供依据,以实现持续质量改进。"健康中国2030"的整体目标、医学科学的发展及人民的健康需求,对新时代护理人才的培养提出了更高、更具体的要求。高等护理院校应以国家和社会对护理人才需求、院校培养目标为导向,以测量理论为基础,制定完善的学业评定标准,科学地开展毕业考核,保证人才"出口"质量。毕业考核作为终结性评价,测试内容在评价质量中起核心作用,应符合国家护理学专业培养标准,并与院校培养目标、课程目标契合。院校应关注护理本科生毕业考核质量,在保障测试信度的同时,做到实施公平、评价适当、标准一致,以确保测试的效度。教育管理部门及各院校应优化评价体系,加强对护理本科生毕业管理,在充分开展系统调查与分析的基础上,基于胜任力导向和结果导向,建立综合性评价体系,在教学过程中进行全方位反馈评价管理。文章结合国内外护理学专业本科生毕业考核的现状,从考核目的、内容、方式、评价主体、质量控制等方面进行综述与分析,为我国加强护理学本科教育,完善护理学专业本科生毕业评价体系建设提供借鉴。