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Nurses' knowledge and beliefs on pain management practices with hospitalised persons living with dementia: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Aim

To understand nurses' knowledge, beliefs and experiences affect pain management practices in hospitalised persons living with dementia (PLWD).

Design

Naturalistic inquiry using qualitative descriptive design.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 registered nurses who worked in one acute care hospital in Southern California from October to November 2022. Data were analysed using content analysis to identify themes.

Results

Two themes were developed: improvising pain assessment, which included how pain was documented, and administration hesitancy referring to nurse's concerns about PLWD's confusion. Nurses described the challenges of assessing pain in hospitalised PLWD particularly if they were non-verbal and/or demonstrating responsive behaviours. Nurse's years of experience, dementia stigma, and their unconscious biases affected nurses' pain management practices.

Conclusions

The study findings highlight the complex challenges of pain management in hospitalised PLWD that are exacerbated by nurses' knowledge deficits, negative stereotypical beliefs, dementia stigma and unconscious biases towards older people that contributes to undermanaged pain in hospitalised PLWD.

Implications

A comprehensive strategy using an implementation framework is needed to address nurse's knowledge gaps, unconscious bias, dementia stigma and techniques that enhance communication skills is suggested. Building a foundation in these areas would improve pain management in hospitalised PLWD.

Impact

Improving pain management in hospitalised PLWD would improve the quality of life, decrease hospital length of stay, prevent readmissions, and improve nurse satisfaction.

Reporting Method

The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

Patient Contributions

Improving pain management in hospitalised PLWD would prevent long term confusion, episodes of delirium and improve quality of life as they recover from their acute illness for which they required hospital care.

Documentación de las heridas quirúrgicas en los registros de enfermería. Un estudio observacional

Objetivo. Describir los registros enfermeros sobre heridas quirúrgicas en pacientes intervenidos en una unidad de Cirugía General y Digestiva. Metodología. Estudio descriptivo transversal. Se revisaron las historias clínicas electrónicas de adultos hospitalizados en una Unidad de Cirugía General y Digestiva que tuvieron una herida quirúrgica durante su estancia en el hospital. Se revisó la documentación de las heridas quirúrgicas en el registro específico de heridas, las notas de los evolutivos de enfermería, los planes de cuidados y el informe de continuidad de cuidados (alta de enfermería). Resultados: muestra de 200 pacientes con una edad media de 58,24 (±17,12) años. En ningún caso se documentó la herida quirúrgica utilizando el registro específico. Las heridas sí se documentaron en las notas del evolutivo de enfermería, con comentarios sobre realización de curas en el 85,5% de los pacientes y sobre el estado o valoración de la herida en el 41%. En el plan de cuidados no se programó ninguna actividad sobre el cuidado de la herida quirúrgica en el 48% de los casos y en el informe de continuidad de cuidados no se refleja la evaluación de la herida quirúrgica en el 85,5% de los casos. Discusión. El registro de las heridas quirúrgicas se realiza de forma incompleta, desigual y poco sistemática, sin utilizar registros específicos estructurados. Detectando las deficiencias de los registros enfermeros sobre las heridas quirúrgicas podemos plantear estrategias para mejorarlos y así incrementar la calidad y seguridad de los cuidados postquirúrgicos.

ABSTRACT

Objective. To describe nursing records of surgical wounds in patients who underwent surgery in a General and Digestive Surgery Department. Methodology. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Electronic medical records of adult inpatients admitted to a General and Digestive Surgery Department who had a surgical wound during their hospital stay were reviewed. Documentation of surgical wounds in the specific wound register, nursing progress notes, care plans and continuity of care reports (nursing discharge reports) were reviewed. Results. 200 patients with a mean age of 58.24 (±17.12) years were analyzed. There were no surgical wounds documented using the specific register. However, they were documented in the nursing progress notes, with comments on wound/dressing management and wound status or assessment in 85.5% and 41% of patients, respectively. No activity on surgical wound care was scheduled in the 48% of care plans, and surgical wound assessment was not included in the 85,5%m of the continuity of care reports. Discussion. Surgical wound documentation is performed in a incomplete, inconsistent and unsystematic way, without using specific structured registers. By identifying deficiencies in nursing records of surgical wounds, we would be able to suggest strategies to improve them and, therefore, to increase the quality and safety of post-surgery care.

Sex-specific Impact of the first COVID-19 Lockdown on Age Structure and Case Acuity at Admission in a Patient Population in southwestern Germany: a retrospective comparative Study in Neuroradiology

Por: Reder · S. R. · Herrlich · N. · Grauhan · N. F. · Othman · A. E. · Müller-Eschner · M. · Brockmann · C. · Brockmann · M. A.
Objectives

A hard lockdown was presumed to lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, resulting in higher acuity at admission. This should be elaborated based on the estimated acuity of the cases, changes in findings during hospitalisation, age structure and biological sex.

Design

Retrospective monocentric cross-sectional study.

Setting

German Neuroradiology Department at a .

Participants

In 2019, n=1158 patients were admitted in contrast to n=884 during the first hard lockdown in 2020 (11th–13th week).

Main outcome measures

Three radiologists evaluated the initial case acuity, classified them into three groups (not acute, subacute and acute), and evaluated if there was a relevant clinical deterioration. The data analysis was conducted using non-parametric methods and multivariate regression analysis.

Results

A 24% decrease in the number of examinations from 2019 to 2020 (p=0.025) was revealed. In women, the case acuity increased by 21% during the lockdown period (p=0.002). A 30% decrease in acute cases in men was observable (in women 5% decrease). Not acute cases decreased in both women and men (47%; 24%), while the subacute cases remained stable in men (0%) and decreased in women (28%). Regression analysis revealed the higher the age, the higher the acuity (p

Conclusion

The lockdown led to a decrease in neuroradiological consultations, with delays in seeking medical care. In women, the number of most severe cases remained stable, whereas the mean case acuity and age increased. This could be due to greater pandemic-related anxiety among women, however, with severe symptoms they were seeking for medical help. In contrast in men, the absolute number of most severe cases decreased, whereas the mean acuity and age remained nearly unaffected. This could be attributable to a reduced willingness to seek for medical consultation.

Infiltration of CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in association with inflammation and survival in pancreatic cancer

by Gerik W. Tushoski-Alemán, Kelly M. Herremans, Patrick W. Underwood, Ashwin Akki, Andrea N. Riner, Jose G. Trevino, Song Han, Steven J. Hughes

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) have heterogeneous tumor microenvironments relatively devoid of infiltrating immune cells. We aimed to quantitatively assess infiltrating CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in a treatment-naïve patient cohort and assess associations with overall survival and microenvironment inflammatory proteins.

Methods

Tissue microarrays were immunohistochemically stained for CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and quantitatively assessed using QuPath. Levels of inflammation-associated proteins were quantified by multiplexed, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay panels on matching tumor and tissue samples.

Results

Our findings revealed a significant increase in both CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes populations in PDAC compared with non-PDAC tissue, except when comparing CD8+ percentages in PDAC versus intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) (p = 0.5012). Patients with quantitatively assessed CD3+ low tumors (lower 50%) had shorter survival (median 273 days) compared to CD3+ high tumors (upper 50%) with a median overall survival of 642.5 days (p = 0.2184). Patients with quantitatively assessed CD8+ low tumors had significantly shorter survival (median 240 days) compared to CD8+ high tumors with a median overall survival of 1059 days (p = 0.0003). Of 41 proteins assessed in the inflammation assay, higher levels of IL-1B and IL-2 were significantly associated with decreased CD3+ infiltration (r = -0.3704, p = 0.0187, and r = -0.4275, p = 0.0074, respectively). Higher levels of IL-1B were also significantly associated with decreased CD8+ infiltration (r = -0.4299, p = 0.0045), but not IL-2 (r = -0.0078, p = 0.9616). Principal component analysis of the inflammatory analytes showed diverse inflammatory responses in PDAC.

Conclusion

In this work, we found a marked heterogeneity in infiltrating CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and individual inflammatory responses in PDAC. Future mechanistic studies should explore personalized therapeutic strategies to target the immune and inflammatory components of the tumor microenvironment.

Understanding nurses' experience of climate change and then climate action in Western Canada

Abstract

Aim

To understand nurses' personal and professional experiences with the heat dome, drought and forest fires of 2021 and how those events impacted their perspectives on climate action.

Design

A naturalistic inquiry using qualitative description.

Method

Twelve nurses from the interior of British Columbia, Canada, were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was employed. No patient or public involvement.

Results

Data analysis yielded three themes to describe nurses' perspective on climate change: health impacts; climate action and system influences. These experiences contributed to nurses' beliefs about climate change, how to take climate action in their personal lives and their challenges enacting climate action in their workplace settings.

Conclusions

Nurses' challenges with enacting environmentally responsible practices in their workplace highlight the need for engagement throughout institutions in supporting environmentally friendly initiatives.

Impact

The importance of system-level changes in healthcare institutions for planetary health.

The role of nursing care continuity report in predicting length of hospital stay in older people: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background

The Nursing Care Continuity Report (NCCR) is a tool for evaluating the quality of nursing care during hospital admission.

Aim

To explore the role of the NCCR in predicting longer length of stay (LOS) in older adults (≥65 years) admitted to a tertiary hospital and determine possible clinical differences at discharge between patients who had a short LOS (≤7 days) and a prolonged LOS (>7 days).

Research Design and Setting

A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all patients with a completed NCCR admitted to the hospital between 2015 and 2019. Sociodemographic data, risk of pressure injuries, level of dependence, presence and intensity of pain, and presence and type of pressure injury were the variables registered in the NCCR.

Results

A total of 41,354 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 78 years, of whom 47% were female. At admission, 21% of patients were at potential risk of developing pressure ulcers. Age, admission to the internal or respiratory medicine unit, and having at least medium risk of developing pressure ulcers were the predictors of prolonged LOS using a random sample of 950 patients. At discharge, patients with prolonged LOS presented higher risk of pressure ulcers and a higher level of dependency and were more likely to present hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.

Conclusions

Older adults from the internal or respiratory medicine unit who exhibited higher risk of pressure ulcers were related to a prolonged LOS, a higher level of dependency, and hospital-acquired ulcers at hospital discharge.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Identifying clinical data that have a greater relationship with LOS could be a useful tool for nursing management and for the implementation of strategies to prevent adverse events during hospitalisation.

No Patient or Public Contribution

No direct patient contact was made during the data collection.

Quantitative changes in the corneal endothelium and central corneal thickness during anterior chamber inflammation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

by Germán Mejía-Salgado, Paula Tatiana Muñoz-Vargas, Carlos Cifuentes-González, Gabriela Flórez-Esparza, Rebeca Paquentín-Jiménez, Miguel Ángel Castro-Monreal, Naomi Medina-Galindo, Gilma Norella Hernández-Herrera, Luz Elena Concha-del-Río, Alejandra de-la-Torre

Purpose

To establish the effects of anterior chamber inflammation (ACI) on the corneal endothelium parameters and central corneal thickness (CCT).

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive literature review using medical databases (PubMed, EMBASE, VHL, and medRxiv) on March 8, 2023, for studies that included patients with ACI who had undergone specular microscopy or pachymetry. Case series with >10 patients, cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies were included. The risk of bias was assessed using CLARITY tools and validated scales such as those by Hassan Murad et al. and Hoy et al. A narrative synthesis and a quantitative standardized mean difference meta-analysis, I2 heterogeneity assessment, and publication bias tests were conducted. The study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023420148) and approved by the Universidad del Rosario ethical committee (DVO005 2277- CV1712).

Results

Thirty-four studies, encompassing 1,388 eyes with ACI, were included. Compared with healthy controls, overall, ACI eyes show significant mean differences in endothelial parameters (endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), and hexagonality (HEX)) (P Conclusion

ACI leads to significant alterations in endothelial parameters and CCT. The primary contributors to these changes are increased IOP, uveitis duration, and intraocular surgeries. Further studies are needed to explore the impact of ACI etiology on the endothelium, potential biases in IOP measurements during acute ACI episodes, and the potential necessity for monitoring the endothelial parameters and CCT in patients with chronic ACI.

Effectiveness of CO-OP group intervention for children with developmental coordination disorder: single-case experimental design study protocol

Por: Madieu · E. · Therriault · P.-Y. · Cantin · N. · Baghdadli · A.
Introduction

With the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach, children with developmental coordination disorder learn to use a problem-solving strategy to deal with their motor difficulties and perform daily activities of their choice. Therapists use guided discovery to enable children to find their own solutions. Although CO-OP is recommended in a group setting, studies are needed to support its effectiveness.

Methods and analysis

A single-case study design with multiple baselines across participants and four systematic replications will be used. In each of the five groups, four children (aged 8–12 years) will be randomly included at the baseline. The baseline includes 5–8 measurements, and the CO-OP intervention stage is comprised of 10 sessions. The follow-up stage includes five measurements. Prior to baseline, each child in each of the five groups will choose five activities of which three will be carried out during the intervention sessions. Children’s performance in each of these activities will be scored using the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) as the main measure. Three secondary measures will be collected: perceived activity performance using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, quality of life using the Kidscreen-27 and spontaneous motor rhythm using a computerised typing task. Graphed data will be analysed visually at the individual level with the Visual Aid Implying an Objective Rule (VAIOR) protocol which provides a colour code based on the level and trend of two consecutive phases, facilitating an objective visual analysis. Statistics will be performed for PQRS scores at the individual level and at the group level.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol has been approved by the Comité de protection des personnes Sud-Est I (CPP 2021070) and the Comité d’éthique de la recherche avec les êtres humains de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (CER-22-294-07.03). Results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Trial registration number

NCT05231486.

A high-fat and fructose diet in dogs mirrors insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction characteristic of impaired glucose tolerance in humans

by Justin M. Gregory, Guillaume Kraft, Chiara Dalla Man, James C. Slaughter, Melanie F. Scott, Jon R. Hastings, Dale S. Edgerton, Mary C. Moore, Alan D. Cherrington

This study examined the impact of a hypercaloric high-fat high-fructose diet (HFFD) in dogs as a potential model for human impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The HFFD not only led to weight gain but also triggered metabolic alterations akin to the precursors of human T2DM, notably insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. Following the HFFD intervention, the dogs exhibited a 50% decrease in insulin sensitivity within the first four weeks, paralleling observations in the progression from normal to IGT in humans. Calculations of the insulinogenic index using both insulin and C-peptide measurements during oral glucose tolerance tests revealed a significant and sustained decrease in early-phase insulin release, with partial compensation in the later phase, predominantly stemming from reduced hepatic insulin clearance. In addition, the Disposition Index, representing the β-cell’s capacity to compensate for diminished insulin sensitivity, fell dramatically. These results confirm that a HFFD can instigate metabolic changes in dogs akin to the early stages of progression to T2DM in humans. The study underscores the potential of using dogs subjected to a HFFD as a model organism for studying human IGT and T2DM.

Preventing chronic malnutrition in children under 2 years in rural Angola (MuCCUA trial): protocol for the economic evaluation of a three-arm community cluster randomised controlled trial

Por: Martin-Canavate · R. · Custodio · E. · Trigo · E. · Romay-Barja · M. · Herrador · Z. · Aguado · I. · Ramirez · F. · Faria · L. M. · Silva-Gerardo · A. · Lima · J. C. · Iraizoz · E. · Marques · T. · Vargas · A. · Gomez · A. · Puett · C. · Molina · I.
Introduction

Chronic malnutrition is a serious problem in southern Angola with a prevalence of 49.9% and 37.2% in the provinces of Huila and Cunene, respectively. The MuCCUA (Mother and Child Chronic Undernutrition in Angola) trial is a community-based randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition supplementation plus standard of care intervention and a cash transfer plus standard of care intervention in preventing stunting, and to compare them with a standard of care alone intervention in southern Angola. This protocol describes the planned economic evaluation associated with the c-RCT.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness analysis nested within the MuCCUA trial with a societal perspective, measuring programme, provider, participant and household costs. We will collect programme costs prospectively using a combined calculation method including quantitative and qualitative data. Financial costs will be estimated by applying activity-based costing methods to accounting records using time allocation sheets. We will estimate costs not included in accounting records by the ingredients approach, and indirect costs incurred by beneficiaries through interviews, household surveys and focus group discussions. Cost-efficiency will be estimated as cost per output achieved by combining activity-specific cost data with routine data on programme outputs. Cost-effectiveness will be assessed as cost per stunting case prevented. We will calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios comparing the additional cost per improved outcome of the different intervention arms and the standard of care. We will perform sensitivity analyses to assess robustness of results.

Ethics and dissemination

This economic evaluation will provide useful information to the Angolan Government and other policymakers on the most cost-effective intervention to prevent stunting in this and other comparable contexts. The protocol was approved by the República de Angola Ministério da Saúde Comité de Ética (27C.E/MINSA.INIS/2022). The findings of this study will be disseminated within academia and the wider policy sphere.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT05571280).

Point-of-care haemoglobin accuracy and transfusion outcomes in non-cardiac surgery at a Canadian tertiary academic hospital: protocol for the PREMISE observational study

Por: Brousseau · K. · Monette · L. · McIsaac · D. I. · Workneh · A. · Tinmouth · A. · Shaw · J. · Ramsay · T. · Mallick · R. · Presseau · J. · Wherrett · C. · Carrier · F. M. · Fergusson · D. A. · Martel · G.
Introduction

Transfusions in surgery can be life-saving interventions, but inappropriate transfusions may lack clinical benefit and cause harm. Transfusion decision-making in surgery is complex and frequently informed by haemoglobin (Hgb) measurement in the operating room. Point-of-care testing for haemoglobin (POCT-Hgb) is increasingly relied on given its simplicity and rapid provision of results. POCT-Hgb devices lack adequate validation in the operative setting, particularly for Hgb values within the transfusion zone (60–100 g/L). This study aims to examine the accuracy of intraoperative POCT-Hgb instruments in non-cardiac surgery, and the association between POCT-Hgb measurements and transfusion decision-making.

Methods and analysis

PREMISE is an observational prospective method comparison study. Enrolment will occur when adult patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery require POCT-Hgb, as determined by the treating team. Three concurrent POCT-Hgb results, considered as index tests, will be compared with a laboratory analysis of Hgb (lab-Hgb), considered the gold standard. Participants may have multiple POCT-Hgb measurements during surgery. The primary outcome is the difference in individual Hgb measurements between POCT-Hgb and lab-Hgb, primarily among measurements that are within the transfusion zone. Secondary outcomes include POCT-Hgb accuracy within the entire cohort, postoperative morbidity, mortality and transfusion rates. The sample size is 1750 POCT-Hgb measurements to obtain a minimum of 652 Hgb measurements

Ethics and dissemination

Institutional ethics approval has been obtained by the Ottawa Health Science Network—Research Ethics Board prior to initiating the study. Findings from this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant scientific conferences. Social media will be leveraged to further disseminate the study results and engage with clinicians.

Predictors of outcome in sciatica patients following an epidural steroid injection: the POiSE prospective observational cohort study protocol

Por: Stynes · S. · Snell · K. I. · Riley · R. D. · Konstantinou · K. · Cherrington · A. · Daud · N. · Ostelo · R. · O'Dowd · J. · Foster · N. E.
Introduction

Sciatica can be very painful and, in most cases, is due to pressure on a spinal nerve root from a disc herniation with associated inflammation. For some patients, the pain persists, and one management option is a spinal epidural steroid injection (ESI). The aim of an ESI is to relieve leg pain, improve function and reduce the need for surgery. ESIs work well in some patients but not in others, but we cannot identify these patient subgroups currently. This study aims to identify factors, including patient characteristics, clinical examination and imaging findings, that help in predicting who does well and who does not after an ESI. The overall objective is to develop a prognostic model to support individualised patient and clinical decision-making regarding ESI.

Methods

POiSE is a prospective cohort study of 439 patients with sciatica referred by their clinician for an ESI. Participants will receive weekly text messages until 12 weeks following their ESIand then again at 24 weeks following their ESI to collect data on leg pain severity. Questionnaires will be sent to participants at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after their ESI to collect data on pain, disability, recovery and additional interventions. The prognosis for the cohort will be described. The primary outcome measure for the prognostic model is leg pain at 6 weeks. Prognostic models will also be developed for secondary outcomes of disability and recovery at 6 weeks and additional interventions at 24 weeks following ESI. Statistical analyses will include multivariable linear and logistic regression with mixed effects model.

Ethics and dissemination

The POiSE study has received ethical approval (South Central Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee 21/SC/0257). Dissemination will be guided by our patient and public engagement group and will include scientific publications, conference presentations and social media.

Determinants of practice for providing decision coaching to facilitate informed values-based decision-making: protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review

Por: Berger-Höger · B. · Lewis · K. B. · Cherry · K. · Finderup · J. · Gunderson · J. · Kaden · J. · Kienlin · S. · Rahn · A. C. · Sikora · L. · Stacey · D. · Steckelberg · A. · Zhao · J.
Introduction

Decision coaching is a non-directive approach to support patients to prepare for making health decisions. It is used to facilitate patients’ involvement in informed values-based decision-making and use of evidence-based health information. A recent systematic review revealed low certainty evidence for its effectiveness with and without evidence-based information. However, there may be opportunities to improve the study and use of decision coaching in clinical practice by systematically investigating its determinants of practice. We aim to conduct a systematic review to identify and synthesise the determinants of practice for providing decision coaching to facilitate patient involvement in decision-making from multiple perspectives that influence its use.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a mixed-methods systematic review guided by the Cochrane’ Handbook of Systematic Reviews. We will include studies reporting determinants of practice influencing decision coaching with or without evidence-based patient information with adults making a health decision for themselves or a family member. Systematic literature searches will be conducted in Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL and PsycINFO via Ovid and CINAHL via EBSCO including quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods study designs. Additionally, experts in the field will be contacted.

Two reviewers will independently screen and extract data. We will synthesise determinants using deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis and a coding frame developed specifically for this review based on a taxonomy of barriers and enablers of shared decision-making mapped onto the major domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. We will assess the quality of included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required as this systematic review involves only previously published literature. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at scientific conferences and disseminated to relevant consumer groups.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022338299.

Cohort profile: recruitment and retention in a prospective cohort of Canadian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Por: Cherry · N. · Adisesh · A. · Burstyn · I. · Durand-Moreau · Q. · Galarneau · J.-M. · Labreche · F. · Ruzycki · S. M. · Zadunayski · T.
Purpose

Healthcare workers were recruited early in 2020 to chart effects on their health as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved. The aim was to identify modifiable workplace risk factors for infection and mental ill health.

Participants

Participants were recruited from four Canadian provinces, physicians (medical doctors, MDs) in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and healthcare aides (HCAs) in Alberta and personal support workers (PSWs) in Ontario. Volunteers gave blood for serology testing before and after vaccination. Cases with COVID-19 were matched with up to four referents in a nested case-referent study.

Findings to date

Overall, 4964/5130 (97%) of those recruited joined the longitudinal cohort: 1442 MDs, 3136 RNs, 71 LPNs, 235 PSWs, 80 HCAs. Overall, 3812 (77%) were from Alberta. Prepandemic risk factors for mental ill health and respiratory illness differed markedly by occupation. Participants completed questionnaires at recruitment, fall 2020, spring 2021, spring 2022. By 2022, 4837 remained in the cohort (127 had retired, moved away or died), for a response rate of 89% (4299/4837). 4567/4964 (92%) received at least one vaccine shot: 2752/4567 (60%) gave postvaccine blood samples. Ease of accessing blood collection sites was a strong determinant of participation. Among 533 cases and 1697 referents recruited to the nested case-referent study, risk of infection at work decreased with widespread vaccination.

Future plans

Serology results (concentration of IgG) together with demographic data will be entered into the publicly accessible database compiled by the Canadian Immunology Task Force. Linkage with provincial administrative health databases will permit case validation, investigation of longer-term sequelae of infection and comparison with community controls. Analysis of the existing dataset will concentrate on effects on IgG of medical condition, medications and stage of pregnancy, and the role of occupational exposures and supports on mental health during the pandemic.

Estrategias comunicativas entre profesionales sanitarios y personas con pérdida de audición

Caso: Hombre de 30 años con pérdida de audición bilateral progresiva y percepción de vulnerabilidad ante el riesgo de dependencia para la comunicación con los demás. Objetivo principal: Conocer las diferentes estrategias comunicativas, basadas en la evidencia, para mejorar la calidad asistencial entre el personal sanitario y las personas con pérdida de audición. Metodología: Búsqueda de evidencias siguiendo el modelo PRAXIS. Resultados principales: Recomendaciones de buena práctica: (a) adquirir conocimientos sobre el método de comunicación más apropiado para el paciente; (b) facilitar el acceso a las personas en los centros sanitarios y consultas; (c) buscar apoyo en otros recursos para evitar su exclusión; (d) conocer las competencias lingüísticas para comunicarse con personas sordas; (e) emplear intérpretes en las unidades de salud; y (f) asegurarse de la comprensión de la información aportada. Prácticas de autocuidado: Concienciarse de que la sordera es una discapacidad que tiene ciertas soluciones, conocer los derechos y recursos de los que dispone y pedir ayuda siempre que la necesite debido al desconocimiento por parte de los profesionales sanitarios sobre la comunicación con las personas sordas.  

Cambio social y transformación del cuidado en la familia

A pesar de los cambios sociales: ¿se sigue erigiendo la familia como una institución cuidadora?, ¿cómo ha cambiado su estructura?, ¿se han debilitado los lazos familiares o se están transformando? En este texto, se analiza la evolución de la familia desde las teorías sociológicas más clásicas hasta los pensadores posmodernos. Se reflexiona sobre las implicaciones de un cambio social y si las transformaciones del presente se han hecho permeables a la dinámica familiar y la función cuidadora de la misma. Como conclusión, se vislumbra que, tanto la familia como sus habilidades cuidadoras, son el espejo de una sociedad en continuo cambio. Está emergiendo un nuevo espacio que, en forma de resistencia, permite hacer uso de los modos de hacer heredados con una visión renovada.

La esperada historia de las matronas

Dolores Ruiz-Berdún es suficientemente conocida, tanto entre los compañeros que cultivan la Historia de las Matronas, la Historia de la Enfermería y la Historia de la Ciencia; pero conviene recordar algunos aspectos de su biografía para aquellos que no estén al tanto de su vida académica [Fragmento de texto].

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