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Comunidad compasiva para la inclusión social y calidad de vida de las personas con esclerosis múltiple y sus cuidadores familiares.

Objetivo: evaluar cualitativamente la experiencia de pacientes con esclerosis múltiple (PEM) y cuidadores familiares (CFPEM) vinculados al programa de esclerosis múltiple del Hospital Universitario Nacional de Colombia (PrEM-HUNC), durante la formación y consolidación de una comunidad compasiva (CC), para la inclusión social y promoción de calidad de vida. Materiales y Método: estudio cualitativo interpretativo, con entrevistas a profundidad a nueve colaboradores. Con el método de análisis de espiral de Creswell y Poth, emergieron cuatro categorías y un tema. Resultados: el tema “Un nido comunitario de crecimiento y transformación” señala el proceso de conformación de la CC como una experiencia que posibilitó cambios de significados en torno a la enfermedad, la situación personal y familiar; revela un proceso de descubrimiento y aprendizaje de conformación de diferentes relaciones y roles. Conclusiones: La CC es una opción para construcción de redes de apoyo, fortalecimiento de las capacidades personales y familiares, una forma para hacer frente a los diferentes impactos y retos que implica vivir con esclerosis múltiple, se constituye en una alternativa para la promoción de la calidad de vida y la inclusión social.

Violencia en pareja en personas seropositivas: una revisión sistemática

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo, caracterizar la violencia en pareja en personas con seropositividad (prevalencia, tipos de acciones violentas, variables de riesgo/ protectoras y consecuencias), para lo cual se realizó una revisión sistemática a través del protocolo PRISMA. La búsqueda de artículos se realizó en Scopus, Web of Science, Eric, Scielo y Pubmed publicados hasta 2021. Se encontraron 113 artículos, de los cuales 22 cumplieron con los criterios de elegibilidad. Los resultados indican que la violencia en pareja en personas seropositivas, además de manifestarse de manera física, psicológica, patrimonial, sexual y verbal, se puede presentar a través del uso del VIH para ejercer la violencia. La prevalencia varía en función del contexto geográfico en un intervalo del 19,6% al 43,1%; la cual es superior en población migrante y en hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) mujeres seropositivas, parejas no heterosexuales y en parejas en la que ambos miembros son seropositivos. Las variables de riesgo/protectoras identificadas se asociaron con las dimensiones: informativas, motivacionales, de habilidades conductuales, sociodemográficas, culturales, de salud, sociofamiliares y políticas. Asimismo, se evidenciaron consecuencias sociales, económicas y de salud.

Beliefs and practices of the nursing team related to pressure injury preventive measures: A analysis of social representations

Abstract

Aims and Objectives

To analyse the process of elaborating social representations about pressure injury preventive measures by the nursing team (nurses and nurse technicians) and how this process relates to preventive practices for hospitalized patients.

Design

Qualitative study, with the application of the theory of social representations in its procedural methodological approach.

Methods

The study was carried out in an inpatient clinic of a public hospital in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Totally, 28 nursing professionals in the medical clinic sectors who had worked directly with patient care for more than 6 months participated. The data were collected between July and September 2021 via in-depth interviews with the application of a semi-structured instrument. Analysis was carried out with the help of ALCESTE software, which performed a lexicographic analysis, and also via thematic analysis. The COREQ guided the presentation of the research report.

Results

The social representations were developed based on the professionals' symbolic beliefs about the visibility/invisibility of the results of applying preventive care. These symbolic constructions mobilized positive and negative feelings among the nursing team, which guided the classification of prevention practices as being of greater or lesser priority among other care activities. There were favourable attitudes among professionals, which included applying prevention measures in their daily routines, and unfavourable attitudes of non-adherence to the institution's protocol for preventing pressure injuries.

Conclusions

The nursing team's perception of pressure injury prevention is influenced by symbolic, affective, values, and social dimensions. Non-adherence behaviours are attributed to the belief in the invisibility of prevention outcomes, resulting in a reluctance to implement preventive measures.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Understanding the subjective logic that explains the thinking and actions of the nursing team suggests the need to incorporate discussions on beliefs, values, sentiments, and attitudes of nursing professionals into educational programs on pressure injury prevention.

Patient or Public Contribution

No public contribution.

Prevalence and impact of sarcopenia in individuals with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (the SARC-HF study): A prospective observational study protocol

by Pablo Marino Corrêa Nascimento, Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Junior, Mauro Felippe Felix Mediano, Valéria Gonçalves da Silva, Bernardo Rangel Tura, Fabio César Sousa Nogueira, Gilberto Domont, Adriana Bastos Carvalho, Antônio Carlos Campos de Carvalho, Taís Hanae Kasai-Brunswick, Claudio Tinoco Mesquita, Humberto Villacorta Junior, Helena Cramer Veiga Rey

Sarcopenia, a clinical syndrome primarily associated with reduced muscle mass in the elderly, has a negative impact on quality of life and survival. It can occur secondarily to other diseases such as heart failure (HF), a complex clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality. The simultaneous occurrence of these two conditions can worsen the prognosis of their carriers, especially in the most severe cases of HF, as in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, due to the heterogeneous diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, estimates of its prevalence present a wide variation, leading to new criteria having been recently proposed for its diagnosis, emphasizing muscle strength and function rather than skeletal muscle mass. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia and/or dynapenia in individuals with HF with reduced LVEF according to the most recent criteria, and compare the gene and protein expression of those patients with and without sarcopenia. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the association of sarcopenia and/or dynapenia with the risk of clinical events and death, quality of life, cardiorespiratory capacity, ventilatory efficiency, and respiratory muscle strength. The participants will answer questionnaires to evaluate sarcopenia and quality of life, and will undergo the following tests: handgrip strength, gait speed, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respiratory muscle strength, cardiopulmonary exercise, as well as genomic and proteomic analysis, and dosage of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and growth differentiation factor-15. An association between sarcopenia and/or dynapenia with unfavorable clinical evolution is expected to be found, in addition to reduced quality of life, cardiorespiratory capacity, ventilatory efficiency, and respiratory muscle strength.

Impact effects of COVID‐19 pandemic on chronic disease patients: A longitudinal prospective study

Abstract

Aims

To assess the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on clinical variables as part of the routine clinical monitoring of patients with chronic diseases in primary care.

Design

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in primary care centres of the Andalusian Health Service.

Methods

Data were recorded before the pandemic (T1), during the declaration of the state of emergency (T2) and in the transition phase (T3). The Barthel index and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) were used to analyse functional and cognitive changes at the three time points. HbA1c, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, BMI and lipid levels were assessed as clinical variables. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric chi-square test were used for analysis. STROBE checklist was used for the preparation of this paper.

Results

A total fo148 patients with chronic conditions were included in the analysis. Data analysis revealed in T2 only significant reductions in BMI, total levels of cholesterol and HDL during the onset of the pandemic. Barthel Index, SPMSQ, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsened in T2, and the negative effects were maintained in T3. Compared to pre-pandemic values, HbA1c levels improved in T3, but HDL levels worsened.

Conclusions

COVID-19 has drastically disrupted several functional, cognitive and biological variables. These results may be useful in identifying clinical parameters that deserve closer attention in the case of a new health crisis. Further studies are needed to assess the potential impacts of each specific chronic condition.

Impact

Cognitive and functional status, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsen in short term, maintaining the negative effects in medium-term.

Institutional capacity assessment in the lens of implementation research: Capacity of the local institutions in delivering WASH services at Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh

by Mahbubur Rahman, Mahbub-Ul Alam, Sharmin Khan Luies, Sharika Ferdous, Zahidul Mamun, Musarrat Jabeen Rahman, Debashish Biswas, Tazrina Ananya, Asadullah, Abul Kamal, Ritthick Chowdhury, Eheteshamul Russel Khan, Dara Johnston, Martin Worth, Umme Farwa Daisy, Tanvir Ahmed

Background

The influx of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) has left the Southwest coastal district of Cox’s Bazar with one of the greatest contemporary humanitarian crises, stressing the existing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources and services. This study aimed to assess the existing capacity of local institutions involved in delivering WASH services and identify relevant recommendations for intervention strategies.

Methods

We used a qualitative approach, including interviews and capacity assessment workshops with institutions engaged in WASH service delivery. We conducted five key informant interviews (KII) with sub-district level officials of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) to have a general idea of WASH service mechanisms. Seven capacity assessment workshops were organized with the relevant district and sub-district level stakeholders from August 2019 to September 2019. These workshops followed three key areas: i) knowledge of policy, organizational strategy, guidelines, and framework; ii) institutional arrangements for service delivery such as planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and reporting; and iii) availability and management of human, financial and infrastructural resources. Data were categorized using thematic content analysis.

Results

The majority of stakeholders lacked awareness of national WASH policies. Furthermore, the top-down planning approaches resulted in activities that were not context-specific, and lack of coordination between multiple institutions compromised the optimal WASH service delivery at the local level. Shortage of human resources in delivering sustainable WASH services, inadequate supervision, and inadequate evaluation of activities also required further improvement, as identified by WASH stakeholders.

Conclusion

Research evidence suggests that decision-makers, donors, and development partners should consider learning from the WASH implementers and stakeholders about their existing capacity, gaps, and opportunities before planning for any WASH intervention in any particular area.

Mental health and risk of death and hospitalization in COVID–19 patients. Results from a large-scale population-based study in Spain

by Aida Moreno-Juste, Beatriz Poblador-Plou, Cristina Ortega-Larrodé, Clara Laguna-Berna, Francisca González-Rubio, Mercedes Aza-Pascual-Salcedo, Kevin Bliek-Bueno, María Padilla, Concepción de-la-Cámara, Alexandra Prados-Torres, Luis A. Gimeno-Feliú, Antonio Gimeno-Miguel

The COVID–19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for health care systems globally. This study aimed to explore the presence of mental illness in a Spanish cohort of COVID-19-infected population and to evaluate the association between the presence of specific mental health conditions and the risk of death and hospitalization. This is a retrospective cohort study including all individuals with confirmed infection by SARS-CoV-2 from the PRECOVID (Prediction in COVID–19) Study (Aragon, Spain). Mental health illness was defined as the presence of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, anxiety, cognitive disorders, depression and mood disorders, substance abuse, and personality and eating disorders. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the likelihood of 30-day all-cause mortality and COVID–19 related hospitalization based on baseline demographic and clinical variables, including the presence of specific mental conditions, by gender. We included 144,957 individuals with confirmed COVID–19 from the PRECOVID Study (Aragon, Spain). The most frequent diagnosis in this cohort was anxiety. However, some differences were observed by sex: substance abuse, personality disorders and schizophrenia were more frequently diagnosed in men, while eating disorders, depression and mood, anxiety and cognitive disorders were more common among women. The presence of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia spectrum and cognitive disorders in men, and depression and mood disorders, substance abuse, anxiety and cognitive and personality disorders in women, increased the risk of mortality or hospitalization after COVID–19, in addition to other well-known risk factors such as age, morbidity and treatment burden. Identifying vulnerable patient profiles at risk of serious outcomes after COVID–19 based on their mental health status will be crucial to improve their access to the healthcare system and the establishment of public health prevention measures for future outbreaks.

The relevance of the contribution of psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology and psychology of reasoning and decision making to nursing science: A discursive paper

Abstract

Aim

Patients' death or adverse events appear to be associated with poor healthcare decision-making. This might be due to an inability to have an adequate representation of the problem or of the connections among problem-related elements. Changing how a problem is formulated can reduce biases in clinical reasoning. The purpose of this article is to explore the possible contributions of psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI) and psychology of reasoning and decision-making (PRDM) to support a new nursing theoretical frame.

Design

Discursive paper.

Method

This article discusses the main assumptions about nursing and nurses' ability to face patient's problems, suggesting a new approach that integrates knowledge from PNEI and PRDM. While PNEI explains the complexity of systems, highlighting the importance of systems connections in affecting health, PRDM underlines the importance of the informative context in creating a mental representation of the problem. Furthermore, PRDM suggests the need to pay attention to information that is not immediately explicit and its connections.

Conclusion

Nursing recognizes the patient–nurse relationship as the axiom that governs care. The integration of PNEI and PRDM in nursing theoretics allows the expansion of the axiom by providing essential elements to read a new type of relationship: the relationship among information. PNEI explains the relationships between biological systems and the psyche and between the whole individual and the environment; PRDM provides tools for the nurse's analytical thinking system to correctly process information and its connections.

Impact on Nursing Practice

A theoretical renewal is mandatory to improve nursing reasoning and nursing priority identification. Integrating PNEI and PRDM into nursing theoretics will modify the way professionals approach patients, reducing cognitive biases and medical errors.

No Patient or Public Contribution

There was no patient or public involvement in the design or writing of this discursive article.

Early sepsis care with the National Early Warning Score 2-guided Sepsis Hour-1 Bundle in the emergency department: hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation pilot stepped wedge randomised controlled trial (NEWS-1 TRIPS) protocol

Por: Lam · R. P. K. · Hung · K. K. C. · Lui · C. T. · Kwok · W. S. · Lam · W. W. T. · Lau · E. H. Y. · Sridhar · S. · Ng · P. Y. T. · Cheng · C. H. · Tsang · T. C. · Tsui · M. S. H. · Graham · C. A. · Rainer · T. H.
Introduction

Early sepsis treatment in the emergency department (ED) is crucial to improve patient survival. Despite international promulgation, the uptake of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) Hour-1 Bundle (lactate measurement, blood culture, broad-spectrum antibiotics, 30 mL/kg crystalloid for hypotension/lactate ≥4 mmol/L and vasopressors for hypotension during/after fluid resuscitation within 1 hour of sepsis recognition) is low across healthcare settings. Delays in sepsis recognition and a lack of high-quality evidence hinder its implementation. We propose a novel sepsis care model (National Early Warning Score, NEWS-1 care), in which the SSC Hour-1 Bundle is triggered objectively by a high NEWS-2 (≥5). This study aims to determine the feasibility of a full-scale type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial on the NEWS-1 care in multiple EDs.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a pilot type 1 hybrid trial and prospectively recruit 200 patients from 4 public EDs in Hong Kong cluster randomised in a stepped wedge design over 10 months. All study sites will start with an initial period of standard care and switch in random order at 2-month intervals to the NEWS-1 care unidirectionally. The implementation evaluation will employ mixed methods guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework, which includes qualitative and quantitative data from focus group interviews, staff survey and clinical record reviews. We will analyse the 14 feasibility outcomes as progression criteria to a full-scale trial, including trial acceptability to patients and staff, patient and staff recruitment rates, accuracy of sepsis screening, protocol adherence, accessibility to follow-up data, safety and preliminary clinical impacts of the NEWS1 care, using descriptive statistics.

Ethics and dissemination

The institutional review boards of all study sites approved this study. This study will establish the feasibility of a full-scale hybrid trial. We will disseminate the findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and educational activities.

Trial registration number

NCT05731349.

Validation of a web-based self-administered test for cognitive assessment in a Swedish geriatric setting

by Einar Rystedt, Jakob Morén, Johan Lindbäck, Vitor Tedim Cruz, Martin Ingelsson, Lena Kilander, Nuno Lunet, Joana Pais, Luis Ruano, Gabriel Westman

Computerized cognitive tests have the potential to cost-effectively detect and monitor cognitive impairments and thereby facilitate treatment for these conditions. However, relatively few of these tests have been validated in a variety of populations. Brain on Track, a self-administered web-based test, has previously been shown to have a good ability to differentiate between healthy individuals and patients with cognitive impairment in Portuguese populations. The objective of this study was to validate the differential ability and evaluate the usability of Brain on Track in a Swedish memory clinic setting. Brain on Track was administered to 30 patients with mild cognitive impairment/mild dementia and 30 healthy controls, all scheduled to perform the test from home after one week and after three months. To evaluate the usability, the patient group was interviewed after completion of the testing phase. Patients scored lower than healthy controls at both the first (median score 42.4 vs 54.1, p

Integrating factors associated with complex wound healing into a mobile application: Findings from a cohort study

Abstract

Complex, chronic or hard-to-heal wounds are a prevalent health problem worldwide, with significant physical, psychological and social consequences. This study aims to identify factors associated with the healing process of these wounds and develop a mobile application for wound care that incorporates these factors. A prospective multicentre cohort study was conducted in nine health units in Portugal, involving data collection through a mobile application by nurses from April to October 2022. The study followed 46 patients with 57 wounds for up to 5 weeks, conducting six evaluations. Healing time was the main outcome measure, analysed using the Mann–Whitney test and three Cox regression models to calculate risk ratios. The study sample comprised various wound types, with pressure ulcers being the most common (61.4%), followed by venous leg ulcers (17.5%) and diabetic foot ulcers (8.8%). Factors that were found to impair the wound healing process included chronic kidney disease (U = 13.50; p = 0.046), obesity (U = 18.0; p = 0.021), non-adherence to treatment (U = 1.0; p = 0.029) and interference of the wound with daily routines (U = 11.0; p = 0.028). Risk factors for delayed healing over time were identified as bone involvement (RR 3.91; p < 0.001), presence of odour (RR 3.36; p = 0.007), presence of neuropathy (RR 2.49; p = 0.002), use of anti-inflammatory drugs (RR 2.45; p = 0.011), stalled wound (RR 2.26; p = 0.022), greater width (RR 2.03; p = 0.002), greater depth (RR 1.72; p = 0.036) and a high score on the healing scale (RR 1.21; p = 0.001). Integrating the identified risk factors for delayed healing into the assessment of patients and incorporating them into a mobile application can enhance decision-making in wound care.

RELEASE-HF study: a protocol for an observational, registry-based study on the effectiveness of telemedicine in heart failure in the Netherlands

Por: van Eijk · J. · Luijken · K. · Jaarsma · T. · Reitsma · J. B. · Schuit · E. · Frederix · G. W. J. · Derks · L. · Schaap · J. · Rutten · F. H. · Brugts · J. · de Boer · R. A. · Asselbergs · F. W. · Trappenburg · J. C. A. · RELEASE-HF Investigators · Jan Borleffs · Dalen · Erol-Yilmaz
Introduction

Meta-analyses show postive effects of telemedicine in heart failure (HF) management on hospitalisation, mortality and costs. However, these effects are heterogeneous due to variation in the included HF population, the telemedicine components and the quality of the comparator usual care. Still, telemedicine is gaining acceptance in HF management. The current nationwide study aims to identify (1) in which subgroup(s) of patients with HF telemedicine is (cost-)effective and (2) which components of telemedicine are most (cost-)effective.

Methods and analysis

The RELEASE-HF (‘REsponsible roLl-out of E-heAlth through Systematic Evaluation – Heart Failure’) study is a multicentre, observational, registry-based cohort study that plans to enrol 6480 patients with HF using data from the HF registry facilitated by the Netherlands Heart Registration. Collected data include patient characteristics, treatment information and clinical outcomes, and are measured at HF diagnosis and at 6 and 12 months afterwards. The components of telemedicine are described at the hospital level based on closed-ended interviews with clinicians and at the patient level based on additional data extracted from electronic health records and telemedicine-generated data. The costs of telemedicine are calculated using registration data and interviews with clinicians and finance department staff. To overcome missing data, additional national databases will be linked to the HF registry if feasible. Heterogeneity of the effects of offering telemedicine compared with not offering on days alive without unplanned hospitalisations in 1 year is assessed across predefined patient characteristics using exploratory stratified analyses. The effects of telemedicine components are assessed by fitting separate models for component contrasts.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee 2021 of the University Medical Center Utrecht (the Netherlands). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at (inter)national conferences. Effective telemedicine scenarios will be proposed among hospitals throughout the country and abroad, if applicable and feasible.

Trial registration number

NCT05654961.

Physical activity among older adults with multimorbidity: Evidence from a population-based health survey

by Bruno Holanda Ferreira, Ricardo Goes de Aguiar, Edige Felipe de Sousa Santos, Chester Luiz Galvão Cesar, Moisés Goldbaum, Camila Nascimento Monteiro

Introduction

The promotion of physical activity has been recognized as an important component in the management and prevention of multimorbidity, a condition that is increasing prevalent worldwide, including in Brazil. However, there is a scarcity of studies exploring the disparity in physical activity levels between individuals with and without multimorbidity. Therefore, the study aimed to estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity and physical activity among older adults, as well as analyze the relationship of a sufficient level of physical activity and multimorbidity, while considering sociodemographic characteristics of residents in São Paulo, Brazil.

Materials and methods

Data from 1.019 participants aged 60 years or older (59.7% female; mean age 69.7±7.7) were collected from the Health Survey (ISA-Capital, 2015) conducted in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. We defined multimorbidity as the presence of two or more chronic conditions, and for physical activity, classified a sufficient level (≥150 min/week). Prevalence Ratios (PR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI) were estimated using univariate and multivariate Poisson regression to examine the relationship between multimorbidity and sufficient level of physical activity.

Results

67.7% of the participants lived with multimorbidity, while 30.1% had achieved a sufficient level of physical activity. There was a higher prevalence of sufficient level of physical activity among older adults with two (PR = 1.38; 95%CI 1.02–1.88) and four (PR = 1.37; 95%CI 1.00–1.87) chronic conditions. Older adults with multimorbidity who were 70 years or older (PR = 1.77; 95%IC 1.13–2.77), female (PR = 1.65; 95%CI 1.16–2.36), without a partner (PR = 1.43; 95%IC 1.03–1.99), and had a per capita income of 1 to 2.5 (PR = 1.83; 95%IC 1.00–3.33) were more likely to achieve a sufficient level of physical activity compared to their peers without multimorbidity.

Conclusions

The study highlights sociodemographic disparities in the sufficient level of physical activity among multimorbidity, suggesting the importance of considering these factors when planning public policies aimed at promoting physical activity.

Influence of scanbody design and intraoral scanner on the trueness of complete arch implant digital impressions: An <i>in vitro</i> study

by Priscila Ceolin Meneghetti, Junying Li, Paulo Sérgio Borella, Gustavo Mendonça, Luiz Henrique Burnett Jr

This study aimed to compare the accuracy of full-arch digital implant impressions using seven different scanbodies and four intraoral scanners. A 3D-printed maxillary model with six implants and their respective multi-unit abutments was used for this study. Seven scanbodies (SB1, SB2, SB3, SB4, SB5, SB6, and SB7) and four intraoral scanners (Primescan®, Omnican®, Trios 3®, and Trios 4®) were assessed. Each combination group was scanned ten times and a dental lab scanner (D2000, 3Shape) was used as a reference. All scans were exported as STL files, imported into Convince software (3Shape) for alignment, and later into Blender software, where their 3D positions were analyzed using a Python script. The 3D deviation, angular deviation, and linear distance between implants #3 and #14 were also measured. Accuracy was measured in terms of “trueness” (scanbody 3D deviation between intraoral scan and desktop scan). Kruskal-Wallis followed by the Bonferroni correction was used to analyze the data (⍺ = .05). The study found statistically significant differences in digital impression accuracy among the scanners and scanbodies (p

Tackling upcoming projects: The development and efficacy of event previews an experimental study

by Eveline Schollaert, Shana Mertens, Frederik Anseel, Tom Kluijtmans, Marie Servaes, Saskia Crucke

Traditional performance management systems are increasingly seen as ill-conceived for today’s dynamic organizational landscape. Researchers and practitioners advocate for agile PM systems that emphasize continuous monitoring, learning, and feedback. We present the ‘event preview’, a novel approach that is designed to address several shortcomings of traditional performance management practices. Event previews consist of five fixed questions, which are discussed among team members before an event, instigating a detailed reflection and mental simulation of upcoming events or projects in order to achieve the desired outcomes. In doing so, event previews support teams to utilize their projects as learning opportunities. This study provides the theoretical basis for the event preview and empirically tests its effectiveness. A sample of 119 teams participated in the experiment in which they were asked to solve as many puzzles as possible within a fixed time frame. One condition conducted an event preview beforehand, the other condition did not. Our findings, which were based on a comparison of the averages of the two conditions, suggest that the event preview holds promise for improving team performance and communication. As such, the event preview presents an additional instrument to the changing performance management landscape. This simple practice can be incorporated in the performance management cycle, emphasizing adaptability and continuous improvement in organizations.

Establishment of oral microbiome in very low birth weight infants during the first weeks of life and the impact of oral diet implementation

by Pedro A. R. Vanzele, Luiz Gustavo Sparvoli, Patricia P. de Camargo, Carla R. Tragante, Glenda P. N. S. Beozzo, Vera L. J. Krebs, Ramon V. Cortez, Carla R. Taddei

Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, mostly preterm, have many barriers to feeding directly from the mother’s breast, and need to be fed alternatively. Feeding is a major influencer in oral microbial colonization, and this colonization in early life is crucial for the promotion of human health. Therefore, this research aimed to observe the establishment of oral microbiome in VLBW infants during their first month of life through hospitalization, and to verify the impact caused by the implementation of oral diet on the colonization of these newborns. We included 23 newborns followed during hospitalization and analyzed saliva samples collected weekly, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We observed a significant decrease in richness and diversity and an increase in dominance over time (q-value Streptococcus. Our results indicate that although time is related to significant changes in the oral microbial profile, oral feeding benefits genera that will remain colonizers throughout the host’s life.

Analysis of uterine evacuation methods in postabortion care after implementation of a surveillance network (CLAP MUSA-Network) at a university hospital

by Nelio N. Veiga-Junior, Caroline Eugeni, Beatriz D. Kajiura, Priscilla B. F. Dantas, Caroline B. Trabach, Aline A. Junqueira, Carina C. Nunes, Luiz F. Baccaro

Background

Management of uterine evacuation is essential for increasing safe abortion care. Monitoring through surveillance systems tracks changes in clinical practice and provides information to improve equity in abortion care quality.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) and medical abortion (MA), and identify the factors associated with each uterine evacuation method after surveillance network installation at a Brazilian hospital.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included women admitted for abortion or miscarriage to the University of Campinas Women’s Hospital, Brazil, between July 2017 and November 2020. The dependent variables were the use of MVA and MA with misoprostol. The independent variables were the patients’ clinical and sociodemographic data. The Cochran–Armitage, chi-square, and Mann–Whitney U tests, as well as multiple logistic regression analysis, were used to compare uterine evacuation methods.

Results

We enrolled 474 women in the study, 91.35% of whom underwent uterine evacuation via uterine curettage (78.75%), MVA (9.46%), or MA (11.54%). MVA use increased during the study period (Z = 9.85, p Conclusion

MVA use increased following the installation of a surveillance network for good clinical practice. Being part of a network that encourages the use of evidence-based methods provides an opportunity for healthcare facilities to increase access to safe abortions.

Definition and clinical management of haemodialysis central venous catheter local infections (exit site and tunnel infection): An international consensus assessment

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the relevance of signs and symptoms for the clinical identification of ESI and TI in HD-CVC, by means of international expert consensus, and to reach a consensus on a definition and clinical management (CM) for these infections.

Background

A recent systematic review showed a high heterogeneity in the signs/symptoms used for determining exit site infection (ESI) and tunnel infection (TI) of haemodialysis central venous catheter (HD-CVC).

Design

A modified Delphi ranking process was carried out between November 2020 and March 2021, consisting of four rounds using an online questionnaire with a panel of 26 experts from 12 countries.

Methods

Experts responded on the level of relevance for the identification of ESI and TI, based on a list of 22 signs/symptoms obtained from a previous systematic review, using a 4-point Likert-type scale. After reaching consensus on the signs/symptoms, they followed the same method to reach consensus on the CM. The STROBE Checklist was used to report this study.

Results

A high degree of consensus was reached to identify the presence of ESI based on nine signs/symptoms: presence of pain at the exit site (ES) during interdialysis period, with fever ≥38°C do not suspect other cause, local signs at the ES (inflammation, induration, swelling, hyperemia/erythema ≥2 cm from ES) and obvious abscess or purulent exudate at ES; and of TI. Likewise, 5 cm were agreed upon.

Conclusion

This Delphi study provides international expert consensus definitions of ESI and TI in HD-CVC, laying the groundwork for the validation of an HD-CVC ES clinical assessment scale for early identification of ESI.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

In addition, this study provides a series of attitudes to consensual clinics regarding signs/symptoms of local infections in HD-CVC, which may be useful as expert opinion in clinical practice guidelines, when there is insufficient scientific evidence.

Reseña de Pasión por la enfermería de Ana L. Velandia Mora

Resumen: Luis Cibanal escribe una reseña sobre el libro de Ana : Velandia Mora: Pasión por la enfermería”.

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