Conectar
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a broad range of diseases associated with abnormalities/degeneration of retinal cells. We aimed to identify the top 10 Australian research priorities for IRDs to ultimately facilitate more meaningful and potentially cost-effective research.
We conducted a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership that involved two Australian-wide surveys and online workshops.
Australia-wide.
Individuals aged 16 years or older were eligible to participate if they had an IRD, were caregivers of an individual with an IRD or were health professionals providing care to this community.
In Survey 1, we gathered participants’ unanswered questions about IRDs. We grouped these into summary questions and undertook a literature review to verify if they were truly unanswered (ie, evidence uncertainties). In Survey 2, participants voted for the uncertainties that they considered a priority. Top-ranked uncertainties progressed for discussion and final prioritisation in two workshops.
In Survey 1, we collected 223 questions from 69 participants. We grouped these into 42 summary questions and confirmed 41 as evidence uncertainties. In Survey 2, 151 participants voted, with the 16 uncertainties progressing to final prioritisation. The top 10 priorities, set by the 24 workshop participants, represented (1) treatment/cure; (2) symptoms and disease progression; (3) psychosocial well-being and (4) health service delivery. The #1 priority was for treatment to prevent, slow down or stop vision loss, followed by the #2 priority to address the psychological impact of having an IRD.
The top 10 research priorities highlight the need for IRD research that takes a whole-person, systems approach. Collaborations to progress priorities will accelerate the translation of research into real-world benefits.
To systematically summarise evidence related to the use of non-sterile gloves when preparing and administering intravenous antimicrobials.
Scoping review.
A rigorous scoping review was undertaken following Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework and the modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping review guidelines (2018). Five databases and grey literature were included in the search. Literature published between 2009 and 2024 was included.
Five databases (Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science) and the grey literature were searched in February 2024.
Three studies were included; however, none directly addressed correct non-sterile glove use during intravenous antimicrobial preparation or administration in clinical practice.
We found no evidence to support the use of non-sterile gloves in intravenous antimicrobial preparation. There is an urgent need for rigorous research to inform the development of clear guidelines on non-sterile glove use to underpin evidence-based decision-making in nursing and other health professional education, improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and promote environmental sustainability in healthcare.
Inappropriate use of non-sterile gloves for preparing and administering intravenous antimicrobials hinders correct hand hygiene practices and increases healthcare-associated infections, healthcare costs and waste.
A critical gap in the existing evidence was a key finding of this review, highlighting the urgency for evidence-based guidelines to improve patient safety outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and promote environmental sustainability in healthcare.
This scoping review adhered to the relevant EQUATOR guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting checklist.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/QY4J2).
To determine the association between patient characteristics, techniques, and technologies with first-time peripheral intravenous catheter insertion in paediatric acute care.
Single-centre, prospective cohort study.
Data on patient, provider, and peripheral intravenous catheter insertion characteristics were collected at a large quaternary paediatric hospital in Queensland, Australia. Inpatients aged 0 to ≤ 18 years requiring a peripheral intravenous catheter or who had one inserted in the last 24 h, were eligible. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used. Generalised linear regression with modified Poisson regression assessed associations between patient variables (e.g., age) and first-time insertion success, along with technique (e.g., inserting clinician) and technology (e.g., ultrasound) variables. Models were adjusted for confounding variables identified through direct acyclic graphs.
199 children required 250 peripheral intravenous catheters (July 2022–September 2023). In the adjusted model, each year of age increase and every 5-kg increase in weight were associated with higher first-time insertion success. Children with a history of prematurity had an increased risk of first-time insertion failure. Vascular access specialists were more likely to succeed on the first attempt, as was ultrasound-guidance when adjusted for difficult intravenous access risk.
We identified techniques (expert clinicians) and technologies (ultrasound guidance) that improve first-time insertion success in paediatric patients.
A multi-faceted approach combining technique (clinician), technology (ultrasound guidance), and standardised policy can improve first-time peripheral intravenous catheter insertion. These strategies minimise patient discomfort, trauma, and emotional distress, enhancing the overall healthcare experience for children and their families.
This study emphasises the need to standardise healthcare policies and training, incorporating clinician expertise and ultrasound guidance to improve first-time insertion success, particularly for high-risk patients.
The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE).
No Patient or Public Contribution.
Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12622000034730
Investigate the perception of male accessibility to the fields of nursing practice by those studying or teaching nursing in England.
Cross-sectional survey.
Online questionnaire with three closed-scale questions and two open-text questions designed to elicit perceptions on the accessibility of men to the fields of nursing practice. The questionnaire was distributed to the staff and students at 61 nursing schools in England. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the closed questions data and inductive content analysis was used to analyse open-text questions data.
Students (n = 52) and staff (n = 51) responded to the survey. Adult (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2) and mental health (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2) were perceived as the most accessible fields of nursing practice to men, and child (Mdn = 4, IQR = 2) the least. Specialised practice areas in acute and emergency (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2), education (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2), leadership (Mdn = 7, IQR = 1), prison services (Mdn = 7, IQR = 1), and research (Mdn = 7, IQR = 2) were rated the most accessible to men and neonatal care (Mdn = 3, IQR = 3) the least. Societal stereotyping and stigma were seen as barriers to men entering the nursing profession. The perception that nursing is a feminised profession persists and a distrust of men is associated with child nursing. Men were viewed as progressing to leadership roles with greater ease than women.
Societal level stereotyping and stigma are perceived as prevalent in nursing practice areas considered less accessible to men entering the nursing profession.
This study adds insight into the gendered nature of nursing and highlights the barriers to men entering a profession with a workforce crisis.
STROBE cross-sectional studies guidelines. COREQ guidelines for content analysis.
No patient or public contribution.
by Drew Gorenz, Norbert Schwarz
People hear jokes live and pre-recorded in a variety of settings, from comedy clubs, bars, outdoor venues, cafes, to their own home or car. While a lot of research has analyzed the significance of the content of jokes, we know less about the significance of the setting one hears them in. Some settings can have interfering background noise or poor acoustics, reducing an audience’s ease of processing heard jokes. Would this affect how funny the jokes seem? Two experiments with audio clips of stand-up comedy performances show that participants found jokes less funny when background noise interfered with their listening.
Cluster analysis, a machine learning-based and data-driven technique for identifying groups in data, has demonstrated its potential in a wide range of contexts. However, critical appraisal and reproducibility are often limited by insufficient reporting, ultimately hampering the interpretation and trust of key stakeholders. The present paper describes the protocol that will guide the development of a reporting guideline and checklist for studies incorporating cluster analyses—Transparent Reporting of Cluster Analyses.
Following the recommended steps for developing reporting guidelines outlined by the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research Network, the work will be divided into six stages. Stage 1: literature review to guide development of initial checklist. Stage 2: drafting of the initial checklist. Stage 3: internal revision of checklist. Stage 4: Delphi study in a global sample of researchers from varying fields (n=) to derive consensus regarding items in the checklist and piloting of the checklist. Stage 5: consensus meeting to consolidate checklist. Stage 6: production of statement paper and explanation and elaboration paper. Stage 7: dissemination via journals, conferences, social media and a dedicated web platform.
Due to local regulations, the planned study is exempt from the requirement of ethical review. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. The checklist with explanations will also be made available freely on a dedicated web platform (troca-statement.org) and in a repository.
Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) describes a cluster of ongoing symptoms experienced by a large proportion of patients previously admitted to critical care. Despite a large rise in survival following critical care, interventions to support recovery and combat PICS are lacking. It has been suggested that the use of digital tools such as virtual reality (VR) may play a useful role in the development of recovery-supporting interventions. We engaged with people with lived experience of critical care admission to coproduce a VR intervention (ViRtual REality to AiD recoverY post ICU (VR READY)). Here, we present a protocol for the initial feasibility and acceptability testing of this intervention.
This is a single-arm, single-site, non-randomised feasibility trial of VR READY. Up to 25 participants recently admitted to critical care will be recruited to use the VR READY intervention for at least 5 min per day for a period of 14 days. Participants must have capacity to consent and be free from ongoing delirium in order to participate. Outcomes relating to sleep and well-being will be measured at baseline and at day 14 after intervention delivery. The primary outcome is feasibility, which will be assessed according to prespecified criteria. Participants will complete a qualitative interview to assess acceptability of the intervention, trial design and outcomes approximately 1 month after completing the intervention period. No formal statistical analysis of outcomes will be conducted, but these will be summarised descriptively. Interviews will be subjected to reflexive thematic analysis.
This study received a favourable ethical opinion by North-East York Research Ethics Committee (Ref 23/NE/0113) in June 2024. Study results will be disseminated through the peer review literature, ISRCTN registry and directly to participants, which will be facilitated by the study public and patient involvement steering group.
Poor chest health is the leading cause of early mortality in children with cerebral palsy (CP). It is also the most common reason to seek healthcare, accruing significant costs and reducing quality-of-life for children and families. Clinical trials examining chest health interventions in CP are characterised by inconsistent outcome measures, limiting the capacity for evidence synthesis to inform clinical application. The study aims to develop a core outcome set (COS) and related measurement instruments to assess, monitor and evaluate chest health in children with CP, both in research and routine clinical practice. The COS will reflect the views of children, young people, parent/carers, clinicians and researchers, emphasising under-represented groups in research and those at risk of poorer chest health.
A 3-phase methodology will be conducted in line with the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) Initiative. (1) Candidate outcomes will be identified through a qualitative evidence synthesis and interviews with key stakeholders. Findings will be mapped to COMET-taxonomy, generating a list of candidate outcomes. (2) An international e-Delphi survey will invite stakeholders to rate the importance of each outcome, followed by a consensus meeting to ratify the COS. (3) A structured review, guided by health measurement taxonomy, will evaluate relevant instruments, with a final meeting to agree on recommended measures for each COS domain.
Ethical approval was provided by the University of Plymouth Research Ethics Committee for the qualitative interview study (ID5116), e-Delphi study and consensus meeting (ID5636). Study findings will be published open access in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant national and international conferences.
COMET registration: 2590 (https://www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/2590)
CRD42024562735.
To explore the lived experiences of nurses and patients co-producing evidence-based care for long-term conditions, and to understand how they make sense of this process within relational, emotional and organisational contexts.
A qualitative study using the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach.
Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 participants, comprising 11 registered nurses and 9 adult patients living with at least one Long-Term Condition. Participants were recruited from primary and secondary care settings across the Midlands, England. Data were collected between February and August 2023 and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Approach's iterative and inductive framework.
Five experiential themes were identified: (1) weaving together different knowledges, (2) the relational foundations of co-production, (3) organisational pressures and misalignments, (4) shifting identities and power dynamics and (5) emotional and ethical complexity in co-producing care. Participants described co-production as a deeply relational and negotiated process, shaped by trust, vulnerability and shared decision-making.
Co-producing evidence-based care in Long-Term Condition management involves more than implementing guidelines. It is a relational, emotional and contextual practice that requires shared interpretation of evidence, deep listening and responsiveness to individual lives. Findings suggest a need to reframe evidence-based practice as a co-creative process grounded in relational ethics and contextual awareness.
Findings emphasise the centrality of relational competence and organisational flexibility in enabling co-produced care. Findings call for educational and policy reforms that value emotional labour, professional humility and patient knowledge as essential to evidence-based nursing. Internationally, this work provides a grounded model for integrating person-centred approaches into chronic care delivery and policy.
The study offers a relational model of evidence-based practice that moves beyond protocol-driven care to one shaped through dialogue, empathy and contextual negotiation, offering practical insights for transforming professional roles and health systems globally.
Patient representatives contributed to study design, development of interview guides and interpretation of findings to ensure alignment with lived experiences.
This study follows the SRQR guideline.
by Okkeun Jung, Angelene Soto, Andrew L. Wolfe, Shahana S. Mahajan
KRAS mutations, which induce proliferative signaling driving many human cancers, are detectable in a small subset of osteosarcoma patients. The recently developed pan-KRAS inhibitor daraxonrasib, also known as RMC-6236, is capable of targeting a wide array of KRAS mutations and shows promise against pancreatic and lung cancers. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of action of daraxonrasib in osteosarcoma (OS) remain unclear. We evaluated the effects of daraxonrasib on the viability, proliferation, and metastatic potential of wild-type and KRAS mutant OS cells. We assayed the effects of treatment on downstream targets using qPCR, immunoblotting, and activity assays to explore the underlying mechanism by which daraxonrasib selectively suppresses the metastatic potential of KRAS mutant osteosarcoma. Finally, we investigated how the increased prevalence of GTP-bound KRAS enhanced the sensitivity of KRAS wild-type osteosarcoma cells to daraxonrasib using siRNA targeting RASA1. Daraxonrasib selectively attenuated the proliferation and migratory ability of KRAS mutant HOS-143B cells without affecting KRAS wild-type controls. Additionally, daraxonrasib suppressed the expression of the matrix metalloproteases MMP9 and MMP1, which promote cell motility and metastasis. Daraxonrasib selectively inhibited the AKT/ETS1 pathway in HOS-143B cells, whereas no such effect was observed in HOS cells. HOS cells were sensitized to daraxonrasib by knocking down the GTPase-activating protein RASA1. In osteosarcoma, KRAS inhibition decreased MMP1, MMP9, and AKT/ETS1 signaling. Daraxonrasib is a promising agent for treating osteosarcoma with KRAS mutations.
Advanced cancer not only affects the physical, psychological, and social functions of patients, but it also impacts their adolescent children. There is a dearth of information regarding the understanding of family functioning and specific needs of patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children.
This qualitative study aimed to explore the experience and needs regarding family functioning of patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children, as well as understanding potential approaches for maintaining positive family functioning.
A descriptive qualitative study was employed.
This study was conducted at three tertiary hospitals in Changsha, China, from January to September 2023. Purposive sampling was adopted to recruit participants. 17 stage III and IV patients with cancer and 11 adolescent children were interviewed.
Face-to-face individual interviews were conducted among patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children. The data analysis employed Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis method. The McMaster family functional model theoretical framework was utilised to facilitate the identification and organisation of topics, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of the data.
Six themes were identified: communication challenges; impaired family role functioning; positive/negative feelings; over-involvement; change of behaviour control pattern; Needs for medical and psychological support. Both patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children expressed collective views and needs regarding family functioning.
The findings of this study reveal an understanding of family functioning and needs among patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children. The identified themes provide valuable insights for designing and implementing targeted intervention strategies.
Nursing interventions should focus on helping patients with advanced cancer and their adolescent children improve family functioning and communication skills. The findings indicate that communication challenges are a significant aspect of impaired family functioning, necessitating targeted interventions to enhance communication. Healthcare providers should be trained to recognise the diverse communication needs of families, which include providing resources for age-appropriate communication, counselling, and guidance on maintaining family routines. Enhancing the communication skills of patients and their children is crucial for addressing problem-solving needs and mitigating negative feelings, thereby fostering a more supportive family environment.
SARS-CoV-2 is now endemic and expected to remain a health threat, with new variants continuing to emerge and the potential for vaccines to become less effective. While effective vaccines and natural immunity have significantly reduced hospitalisations and the need for critical care, outpatient treatment options remain limited, and real-world evidence on their clinical and cost-effectiveness is lacking. In this paper, we present the design of the Canadian Adaptive Platform Trial of Treatments for COVID in Community Settings (CanTreatCOVID). By evaluating multiple treatment options in a pragmatic adaptive platform trial, this study will generate high-quality, generalisable evidence to inform clinical guidelines and healthcare decision-making.
CanTreatCOVID is an open-label, individually randomised, multicentre, national adaptive platform trial designed to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of therapeutics for non-hospitalised SARS-CoV-2 patients across Canada. Eligible participants must present with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, confirmed by PCR or rapid antigen testing (RAT), within 5 days of symptom onset. The trial targets two groups that are expected to be at higher risk of more severe disease: (1) individuals aged 50 years and older and (2) those aged 18–49 years with one or more comorbidities. CanTreatCOVID uses numerous approaches to recruit participants to the study, including a multifaceted public communication strategy and outreach through primary care, outpatient clinics and emergency departments. Participants are randomised to receive either usual care, including supportive and symptom-based management, or an investigational therapeutic selected by the Canadian COVID-19 Outpatient Therapeutics Committee. The first therapeutic arm evaluates nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid), administered two times per day for 5 days. The second therapeutic arm investigates a combination antioxidant therapy (selenium 300 µg, zinc 40 mg, lycopene 45 mg and vitamin C 1.5 g), administered for 10 days. The primary outcome is all-cause hospitalisation or death within 28 days of randomisation.
The CanTreatCOVID master protocol and subprotocols have been approved by Health Canada and local research ethics boards in the participating provinces across Canada. The results of the study will be disseminated to policy-makers, presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals to ensure that findings are accessible to the broader scientific and medical communities. This study was approved by the Unity Health Toronto Research Ethics Board (#22-179) and Clinical Trials Ontario (Project ID 4133).
To explore the prescribing practices and behaviours of Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) and pharmacist prescribers in Singapore, assess their confidence in key prescribing competencies, examine their use of information sources, and understand their views on the consequences of prescribing errors.
Cross-sectional national survey.
A census survey of all registered APN and pharmacist prescribers in Singapore was conducted from February to May 2024 using a validated 96-item instrument. The survey assessed prescribing practices, confidence in prescribing competencies, use of information sources, and prescribing safety. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.
Ninety-one prescribers (54 APNs, 37 pharmacists) responded (32% response rate), most of whom worked in public medical/surgical settings. Prescribing comprised a median of 75% of their practice. Most time was spent prescribing continued medications, with less on initiating new medicines. Participants reported high confidence in communication, therapeutic partnerships, and working within professional standards. Greatest confidence was seen in educating patients, legal prescribing, and monitoring treatment response. Lower confidence was noted in complementary medicine-related tasks. Professional literature and colleagues were the most valued information sources. Most participants acknowledged the serious consequences of prescribing errors, though many believed such errors would likely be intercepted.
APNs and pharmacists demonstrate strong competencies in safe, holistic prescribing. However, cultural factors may limit patient engagement, highlighting the need to strengthen shared decision-making and collaborative practice.
Refining governance structures, adopting tiered prescriber autonomy, and enhancing training in complex prescribing are essential. Standardising deprescribing, improving access to decision-support tools, and promoting interprofessional collaboration and patient involvement can strengthen care quality and team-based delivery.
This study offers the first national insight into Singapore's Collaborative Prescribing Framework and informs training, policy, and workforce development for non-physician prescribers locally and in similar international contexts.
STROBE checklist.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
The purpose of this study was to describe the strategies older adults use to maintain their balance and prevent themselves from falling in the hospital.
The Expanded Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this qualitative descriptive study.
Audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 (N = 15) older adults (female 53.3%), mean age of 77 (SD 9.9) admitted to a rural community hospital in the United States. Each transcript was analysed independently by two researchers using content analysis before reaching consensus. Sample size was guided by thematic saturation. Trustworthiness was ensured by using the criteria outlined by Lincoln and Guba.
Four main themes emerged: My Balance Problem is My Personal Responsibility, Self-efficacious Common-Sense Balance Management Strategies, Hospital Staff as Contributors or Disruptors of My Balance Management, and My Needs for Balance Management Support. The older adults used extensive mental efforts in planning and executing personal strategies to maintain balance and viewed this as their personal responsibility. Their self-efficacious balance management strategies included observing the environment, assessing furniture and equipment, staying focused, and moving slowly. Assistance from hospital staff members either supported or disrupted the older adults' balance management efforts. The older adults desired to learn more about fall prevention in the hospital. The older adults found physical guidance, demonstration and verbal guidance to be the preferred method of learning.
Rurally hospitalised older adults employ independent, self-efficacious balance management strategies.
Older adults' personal balance management strategies must be recognised by healthcare workers.
Future inpatient fall prevention interventions and policies must focus on exploring hospitalised older adults' optimal and suboptimal balance management behaviours to develop patient-centred fall prevention interventions to decrease inpatient falls among older adults.
The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.
No patient or public contribution.
Breastfeeding is beneficial to the health of both the mother and infant. Despite recommendations to breastfeed by organisations including the WHO and the American Academy of Pediatrics, rates of breastfeeding remain below public health goals. The Mother and Infant Metabolome and Microbiome (MIMM) study is a prospective cohort study of healthy mother-term infant dyads designed to comprehensively assess the perinatal, maternal, neonatal and infant factors that are associated with breastfeeding outcomes and human milk composition.
MIMM participants were recruited from two medical centres in Boston, Massachusetts, from 2019 to 2023 and are followed for 2 years. Dyads were included if the mother delivered a singleton infant at ≥37 weeks’ gestation, was discharged home 2 and infant gestational age was 39.3 weeks. Approximately 43% of infants were born via caesarean delivery, and 45.5% were female.
MIMM study procedures include longitudinal (1) collections of maternal blood, vaginal swab, stool and milk and infant blood and stool samples and (2) assessments of breastfeeding status, child neurodevelopment and growth and maternal health at birth, 6 weeks and 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Data collection through 18 months is complete. The overall objective of the MIMM study is to identify potential targets to improve breastfeeding outcomes, human milk composition and ultimately, maternal and child health. Preliminary analyses, reported in conference presentations (with ongoing analyses and results manuscripts pending), have found that (1) mothers with higher levels of stress were less likely to be exclusively breastfeeding their infants at 6 weeks; (2) higher breastfeeding intensity was associated with greater postpartum weight loss at 6 weeks; (3) feeding type was a more relevant predictor of feeding frequency and volume compared with feeding mode; (4) infants who received exclusive human milk had higher food enjoyment compared with those who received any formula; and (5) infants of mothers with obesity had higher average feeding volume per feed.
Data collection for the final 24-month visit is expected to be completed by August 2025. We expect that all sample assays will be completed by December 2025. Findings will continue to be submitted for presentation at scientific conferences, and we expect to publish the first findings from this cohort in manuscript format in 2025.
Closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) with foam dressings has received broad recognition for its ability to support incision healing for a variety of surgical procedures. Over time, these dressings have evolved to include linear and ‘area’ shapes to better conform to different incision types and surface geometries. To address new studies on these configurations and provide guidance for dressing selection, an international, multidisciplinary panel of experts was convened. The panel reviewed recent publications on ciNPT with reticulated open cell foam (ROCF) dressings, shared their cases and experiences and engaged in roundtable discussions on benefits, drawbacks and technical challenges. Topics were ranked by importance and refined into potential consensus statements. These were shared for anonymous feedback, requiring 80% agreement for consensus. This manuscript establishes 12 consensus statements regarding risk factors supporting the use of ciNPT, conditions supporting preference of linear or area ciNPT dressings and tips for practical application of ciNPT with ROCF dressings. While this consensus panel expands on previous publications to aid clinicians' decision-making, further research is needed to refine recommendations and identify the strengths and limitations of ciNPT. Continued multidisciplinary collaboration will ensure ciNPT remains vital for improving surgical outcomes and patient care.
Delay in detecting acute deterioration in older adults in care homes is associated with avoidable hospitalizations and adverse outcomes, including premature death.
Underpinned by the Knowledge to Action Framework, this study aimed to understand the barriers and enablers to direct care staff detecting and responding to the early signs of acute deterioration in care home residents.
Online focus groups or interviews with regulated (registered and enrolled nurses) and unregulated (assistants in nursing and personal care workers) direct care staff from participating care homes were conducted. Homes were recruited using disproportionate stratified random sampling to include metropolitan, inner regional, and outer regional care homes. Interview and focus group recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Eighty direct care staff (n = 48 regulated; n = 32 unregulated) from eight care homes participated. Fifteen focus groups (n = 7 unregulated staff, n = 8 regulated staff) and two interviews (n = 1 regulated staff, n = 1 unregulated staff) were conducted between July 2021 and October 2022. Four themes related to the barriers and enablers of detecting and responding to acute deterioration were generated: decision-making within the scope of practice; resource availability; streamlined communication; and teamwork.
Findings highlight the challenges direct care staff encounter in being able to detect early signs of acute deterioration and implement appropriate care pathways. Perceived barriers and enablers highlighted in this study need to be considered when developing and implementing programs to optimize the timely detection of, and response to, acute deterioration in care homes.
Workforce knowledge, experience, and confidence deficits are significant barriers to detecting acute deterioration, while the unique workforce mix in care homes poses additional challenges for the accurate detection of early signs of acute deterioration. Knowing the resident, working as a team, and valuing the contribution of aged care staff and families in managing acute deterioration are enablers to achieving better outcomes for residents experiencing acute deterioration.
To provide a description of nurses' experiences related to moral injury, including Potentially Morally Injurious Events and factors related to the impact of those events.
Reflexive thematic analysis of nurse interviews.
Nurses were recruited from an ongoing study within a large academic medical centre. Nurses who enrolled in the present study participated in semi-structured individual interviews using an interview guide based on Litz's conceptualisation of moral injury. Themes were identified in the recorded and transcribed interviews.
Interviews were conducted with 12 nurses in May and June 2023 and coded for themes within three broad categories: (a) Nursing Values, (b) Experiences of Potentially Morally Injurious Events and (c) Stressors and Supports. Within these categories, we pinpointed 8 themes and 3 subthemes, which highlight the nurses experience of potentially morally injurious events related to challenging care, strained relationships with physicians, and treatment inequity, which conflict with their nursing values. We identified team and organisational factors, including senior leadership behaviours, team dynamics and access to resources that appear to intensify or lessen the impact of these events.
Potentially Morally Injurious Events contribute to the occupational stress experienced by nurses, particularly when systemic organisational factors and demands prevent them from providing the value-driven and ethically necessary healthcare. Limiting Potentially Morally Injurious Events and providing supportive environments following stressors requires organisational-level changes within healthcare environments to prevent and alleviate nurses' occupational stress.
This research highlights the need for healthcare organisations to implement systemic interventions aimed both at reducing Potentially Morally Injurious Events and creating system and team-level supports to lessen the impact of unavoidable events. These results pinpoint specific areas for prevention, intervention and support.
No Patient or Public Contribution.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Community Care Program, which was the amalgamation of three outreach services—post-acute care, Residential In-Reach, and the Hospital Admission Risk Program—into a single integrated care model. Specifically, we assessed its effects on unplanned hospital readmissions and emergency department re-presentations at 30-, 60- and 90-days post-enrolment.
A pragmatic, real-world, population-based observational study was conducted using an interrupted time series analysis. The study included 4708 adult patients across two periods: pre-amalgamation (November 2014–October 2016), and post-amalgamation (May 2017–October 2018). Data were sourced from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing Data Platform, with statistical analyses conducted using Generalised Least Squares models to account for autocorrelation.
The study observed a significant increase in quarterly program enrolments post-amalgamation, from 578 to 1011 per quarter. The 30-day readmission rate decreased from 11.8% to 8.52% post-amalgamation. However, interrupted time series analysis revealed no statistically significant changes in the slopes of readmission and emergency department re-presentation rates after the program's amalgamation. The program did not result in significant changes in 60- or 90-day outcomes.
The amalgamation of post-acute care, Residential In-Reach, and the Hospital Admission Risk Program into the Community Care Program led to increased service utilisation without a significant impact on reducing unplanned hospital readmissions or emergency department re-presentations. Although the program amalgamation demonstrated improved accessibility, its longer-term impact remains inconclusive, highlighting the need for continuous refinement and further evaluation to optimise system efficiency. No patient or public contribution occurred in this study.
This study adhered to the STROBE guidelines for observational research.
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