Orthopaedic Ward Research Articles

Effect of Multi-Dose Dispensing on Medication Regimen Complexity: A Real-World Study.

(1) Background: Older patients frequently require dosing aids, such as multi-dose medication dispensing (MMD) when they experience medication regimen complexity (MRC) with increased drug use. However, the evaluations of the efficacy of MMD alterations remain limited. (2) Methods: A total of 1120 patients were included in the study who were discharged from hospital during the study period of January to March 2019. The Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) score, a validated 65-item tool in Korea (MRCI-K), was used to quantify MRC. The original MRCI-K scores, representing the typical administration based on prescription information, were compared to recalculated MRCI-K scores measured following MMD during the hospital dispensing period. Differences in MRCI-K across the top four wards based on the numbers of discharge prescription medications were assessed, and the overall scores were categorized into quartiles to identify MMD's impact within each group. We confirmed the effect of MMD based on the patient's admission diagnosis depending on MRCI. (3) Results: The mean (standard deviation) of original MRCI scores was 26.2 (13.4), which decreased to 18.9 (8.8) after applying MMD. The decrease in MRCI scores after MMD was statistically significant in all four wards, with the Orthopedic Surgery ward showing the biggest decrease. The patients with MRCI scores in the highest quartile group demonstrated the greatest improvement as a result of the implementation of MMD. Respiratory diseases exhibited the highest baseline MRCI scores due to formulation complexity, and ear, nose, and throat patients demonstrated the most significant reduction in MRC after MMD, depending on the diagnostic criteria at administration. (4) Conclusions: We confirmed the reduction in MRC after applying MMD, as a significant decrease in MRCI-K scores. This study highlights the need to deliver effective pharmacist-led services to identify patients who would benefit from MMD.

The relationship between extent of mobilisation within the first postoperative day and 30-day mortality after hip fracture surgery

Objective To determine the association between the extent of mobilisation within the first postoperative day and 30-day mortality after hip fracture. Design Cohort study Setting Acute orthopaedic hospital ward Participants Consecutive sample of 701 patients, 65 years of age or older, 80% from own home, 49% with a trochanteric fracture, and 61% with an American Society of Anesthesiology grade > 2. Intervention n/a Main measures Cumulated ambulation score (CAS) (0-6 points) on the first postoperative day and 30-day postoperative mortality. A CAS = 0 reflects no functional mobility (bedridden), while a CAS = 6 reflects independent out-of-bed-transfer, chair-stand, and indoor walking status. Results Overall, 86% of patients were mobilised to standing or seated in chair (CAS ≥ 1) on the first postoperative day. A CAS of 0, 1–3, and 4–6 was observed for 97 (14%), 519 (74%), and 85 (12%) patients, respectively. Overall, 61 (8.7%) patients died within 30 days with the highest mortality (23.7%, n = 23) seen for those not mobilised (CAS = 0). Only one patient (1.2%) with a CAS of 4–6 points died. Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, residential status, pre-fracture CAS, fracture type, and American Society of Anesthesiology grade, showed that a one-unit increase in CAS was associated with a 38% lower risk of 30-day mortality (Hazard Ratio = 0.63, 95%Confidence Interval, 0.50–0.78). Conclusion Mobility on the first postoperative day was associated with 30-day postoperative mortality, with a lower risk observed for those completing greater mobility. National registries may consider extending collection of mobility on the first postoperative day from a binary indicator to the CAS which captures the extent of mobility achieved.

In-label, off-label prescription, efficacy and tolerability of dalbavancin: report from a National Registry

PurposeAlthough dalbavancin is currently approved for the treatment of ABSSIs, several studies suggest its efficacy and tolerance as long-term therapy for other off-label indications requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotic administration.MethodsWe conducted a prospective nationwide study of dalbavancin use in real-life settings for both approved and off-label indications analysing for each case the clinical and microbiological characteristics of infection the efficacy and safety of treatments.ResultsDuring the study period (from December 2018 to July 2021), the ID specialists from 14 different centres enrolled 223 patients treated with dalbavancin [141 males (63%) and 82 females (37%); male/female ratio 1.72; mean age 59 (SD 17.2) years, (range 15–96). Most patients in the study population (136/223; 61.0%) came from community rather than health care facilities and most of them were visited in Infectious Diseases wards (93/223; 41.7%) and clinics (55/223; 24.7%) even though some patients were cured in other settings, such as surgery wards (18/223; 8.1%), orthopaedic wards (11/223; 4.9%), Emergency Rooms (7/223; 3.1%) and non-surgical other than ID wards (6/223; 2.7%). The most common ID diagnoses were osteomyelitis (44 cases/223; 19.7%; of which 29 acute and 15 chronic osteomyelitis), cellulitis (28/223; 12.5%), cutaneous abscess (23/223; 10.3%), orthopaedic prosthesis-associated infection (22/223; 9.9%), surgical site infection (20/223; 9.0%) and septic arthritis (15/223; 6.7%).ConclusionIn conclusion, by virtue of its PK/PD properties, dalbavancin represents a valuable option to daily in-hospital intravenous or outpatient antimicrobial regimens also for off-label indications requiring a long-term treatment of Gram-positive infections.

Remote vision-based digital patient monitoring of pulse and respiratory rates in acute medical wards.

Remote Vision-Based digital Patient Monitoring (VBPM) of pulse (PR) and respiratory rate (RR) was set up in six single rooms in an acute medical and an orthopaedic ward. We compared 102 PR and 154 RR VBPM measurements (from 27 patients) with paired routine nurse measurements. VBPM measurements of RR were validated by reviewing video footage. Nurse measurements of RR were often 16-18 breaths/minute, and did not match VBPM RR (overestimating at low RR and underestimating at high RR). Nurse measurements of pulse were on average 3.9 beats per minute greater than matched VBPM measurements. VBPM was unobtrusive and well accepted.

Insights into the Microbiome and Antibiotic Resistance Genes from Hospital Environmental Surfaces: A Prime Source of Antimicrobial Resistance.

Hospital environmental surfaces are potential reservoirs for transmitting hospital-associated pathogens. This study aimed to profile microbiomes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from hospital environmental surfaces using 16S rRNA amplicon and metagenomic sequencing at a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. Samples were collected from patient sinks and healthcare staff counters at surgery and orthopaedic wards. The samples' DNA were subjected to 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun sequencing to identify bacterial taxonomic profiles, antibiotic resistance genes, and virulence factor pathways. The bacterial richness was more diverse in the samples collected from patient sinks than those collected from staff counters. Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia dominated at the phylum level, while Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter dominated at the genus level. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were prevalent on sinks while Bacillus cereus dominated the counter samples. The highest counts of ARGs to beta-lactam were detected, followed by ARGs against fosfomycin and cephalosporin. We report the detection of mcr-10.1 that confers resistance to colistin at a hospital setting in Malaysia. The virulence gene pathways that aid in antibiotic resistance gene transfer between bacteria were identified. Environmental surfaces serve as potential reservoirs for nosocomial infections and require mitigation strategies to control the spread of antibiotic resistance bacteria.

Interactions that support older inpatients with cognitive impairments to engage with falls prevention in hospitals: An ethnographic study.

To explore the nature of interactions that enable older inpatients with cognitive impairments to engage with hospital staff on falls prevention. Ethnographic study. Ethnographic observations on orthopaedic and older person wards in English hospitals (251.25 h) and semi-structured qualitative interviews with 50 staff, 28 patients and three carers. Findings were analysed using a framework approach. Interactions were often informal and personalised. Staff qualities that supported engagement in falls prevention included the ability to empathise and negotiate, taking patient perspectives into account. Although registered nurses had limited time for this, families/carers and other staff, including engagement workers, did so and passed information to nurses. Some older inpatients with cognitive impairments engaged with staff on falls prevention. Engagement enabled them to express their needs and collaborate, to an extent, on falls prevention activities. To support this, we recommend wider adoption in hospitals of engagement workers and developing the relational skills that underpin engagement in training programmes for patient-facing staff. Interactions that support cognitively impaired inpatients to engage in falls prevention can involve not only nurses, but also families/carers and non-nursing staff, with potential to reduce pressures on busy nurses and improve patient safety. The paper adheres to EQUATOR guidelines, Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. Patient/public contributors were involved in study design, evaluation and data analysis. They co-authored this manuscript.

The effect of a post-anaesthesia high-care unit (PAHCU) admission on mobilization, length of stay and in-hospital mortality post-surgery in low energy neck of femur fracture patients

Purpose/aimWith an ageing population and an increase in fragility fractures of the hip (FFH), the role of an anaesthetist is evolving to include more peri-operative care. A post-anaesthesia high-care unit (PAHCU) should enhance care in post-operative patients. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have investigated the effect of a PAHCU admission on post-operative outcomes after FFH. This study aimed to compare post-operative outcomes of FFH patients admitted to PAHCU versus a standard post-operative orthopaedic ward (POOW).MethodologyA retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with FFH who underwent surgery between January 2019 and December 2020 at our institution. Data were sourced from electronic medical records. SPSS version 28 was used to analyse data.ResultsA total of 231 patients were included. The PAHCU group (n = 35) displayed a higher burden of chronic illness and higher peri-operative risk scores as compared to the POOW group (n = 196). Median time to mobilize (TTM) in PAHCU was 84 h vs. 45 h in POOW group (p = 0.013). Median length of stay (LOS) in PAHCU was 133 h vs. 94 h in POOW (p = 0.001). The in-hospital mortality was 2.9% (n = 1) for PAHCU and 3.6% (n = 7) for POOW (p = 1). The 30-day mortality was 11.8% (n = 4) for PAHCU and 10.1% (n = 19) in POOW.ConclusionPAHCU admission resulted in delayed time to surgery and TTM, together with prolonged LOS, compared to those managed in POOW. However, these mortality rates remained comparable in both groups. This study contributes valuable insights into post-operative care of FFH patients in a resource-poor setting.

Incidence and characteristics of ligamentous knee injuries accompanying a femur shaft fracture and their association with injury mechanism and fracture characteristics: A prospective-observational study in a low-middle-income country.

This study aims to elaborate the incidence, types, and characteristics of ligamentous knee injuries accompanying femoral-shaft fractures and their association with demographic data, fracture characteristics, and injury mechanism. This multi-center-prospective-observational study examined patients in the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute of Trauma and Civil Hospital orthopedic wards. Using the consecutive sampling technique, 146 patients with femoral-shaft fractures were recruited, and scrutinized to determine the presence of ligamentous knee injury, through an evaluation form encompassing patients' demographic data, fracture characteristics, knee examinations, and confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging. Knee injuries were detected intra-operatively under regional/general anesthesia and post-operatively utilizing diagnostic maneuvers (varus/valgus stress, Lachman, anterior/posterior drawer, external rotation recurvatum, and McMurray tests) by 2-3 surgeons and confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging was exclusively employed in suspected false positive/negative cases, and when a titanium implant was utilized, that is, 131 cases (89.7%). Chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between incidence and type of ligamentous knee injury with demographic data, injury mechanism, and fracture characteristics. Among the 146 patients with femoral-shaft fractures, 78% and 22% were males and females, with 37% experiencing associated ligamentous knee injury. Medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament were the commonest types of ligamentous injuries accompanying femoral-shaft fractures, at 44% and 33%. The Chi-square revealed a statistically significant association between the incidence of ligamentous knee injury accompanying femoral-shaft fracture with demographic data, injury mechanism, and fracture characteristics (p-value < 0.05), and was noted to be higher among males (55.6%), participants aged 18-25 years (66.7%), involved in a road traffic accident (88.9%), resulting in a complex (77.8%) and close fracture (88.9%). A similar association was seen between medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament injuries with age, injury mechanism, and fracture characteristics (p-value < 0.05). Our study revealed the unaddressed fact that Pakistan has a significant incidence of ligamentous knee injuries accompanying femoral-shaft fractures. These insights can empower clinicians/surgeons to understand and manage this condition effectively.

Students' perceptions of and satisfaction with their Orthopaedic posting learning environment by using the Healthcare Education Micro-Learning Environment Measure (HEMLEM) questionnaire.

The learning environment in medical education is crucial for student development, encompassing social, psychological, and physical aspects that significantly affect learning. This study aimed to assess undergraduate medical students' perception of the orthopaedic ward's learning environment and examine the factors influencing their overall satisfaction during clinical rotation. This cross sectional quantitative study was conducted in a private medical college in Pakistan. Data was collected through a pre-validated questionnaire, "The Healthcare Education Micro-Learning Environment Measure (HEMLEM)." Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23 software. A total of 205/300 students (response rate 68.33%) [103 (50.2%) males and 102(49.85) females] participated in this survey. Notably, 116 (56.6%) appreciated the ward's welcoming, friendly, and open atmosphere, and 114(55.6%) of the respondents appreciated the ward culture where they felt free to ask questions or comment. Additionally, 111(54.7%) appreciated the faculty's enthusiasm for teaching. A comparison between male and female students showed significantly higher satisfaction among males regarding staff attitudes and behaviours (p < .019). Undergraduate students held a predominantly positive view of the orthopaedic ward's learning environment, with differences observed based on gender and year of study. The study highlights the importance of both staff attitude and teaching quality in shaping the educational experience. It suggests that medical institutions should focus on enhancing teaching skills among clinicians to improve learning experiences and ultimately benefit patient care and the healthcare system.

Comparison of different intervention methods to reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism: study protocol for a cluster-randomized, crossover trial

BackgroundVenous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a priority challenge among orthopedic trauma patients. It is crucial to further improve the prophylaxis against VTE in routine orthopedic treatment. This study aims to compare the efficacy of two low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) regimens and additional intermittent pneumatic compression in preventing VTE among orthopedic trauma patients.Methods and analysisThis is a cluster-randomized crossover clinical study conducted in four hospitals in Shanghai from December 2019 to December 2023. The unit of randomization is orthopedic wards, and each ward will define a cluster. All clusters will implement four diverse intervention measures and one control measure in a given random sequence. Perioperative orthopedic trauma patients aged ≥ 18 years with stable vital signs, Caprini score > 2, and no contraindication of anticoagulation or intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices will be eligible. The sample size will be determined to be 2590, considering cluster effect, period effect, and interactions. We will generally use the intention-to-treat (ITT) at the subject level for each outcome. For the primary outcome of the study, the incidence of VTE will be presented as risk ratio and 95% CIs. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) will be deployed to compare differences and adjust cluster effect, period effect, and interaction among interventions and periods if applicable.DiscussionVTE is a complication that cannot be underestimated after major orthopedic surgery. Early identification, early assessment, and early prevention can significantly reduce the incidence of VTE. Most guidelines recommend both medical and physical prevention, and we hope to demonstrate how they would affect the incidence among perioperative orthopedic patients. We want to explore if there is a difference between the two types of LWMH with or without an IPC device to provide more evidence for future guidelines and prevent more patients from the threat of VTE.Ethics and disseminationThe study received approval from the IRB of the coordinating center and all participating hospitals. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registrationChiCTR1900027659. Registered on 17 November 2019

Improving Completion Rates of Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) in a London Teaching Hospital: A Quality Improvement Study.

Background Treatment escalation plans (TEPs) provide enhanced clarity in planning appropriate decision-making in the management of deteriorating patients by explicitly defining a limit of care. These decisions are discussed with patients or their relatives and mutually agreed upon. We aimed to improve staff adherence to the completion of TEPs upon the admission of patients to the orthopedics wards in a London teaching hospital. Methods This study employed the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology to investigate the efficacy of interventions implemented within a hospital setting for adult inpatients receiving orthopedic treatment. The approach adopted was cross-sectional, where a comprehensive audit was conducted on all adult inpatients admitted to the hospital. The initial cycle of the study was conducted in March 2022, followed by the implementation of interventions in the form of an internal algorithm. Subsequently, the second cycle of the study was conducted in November 2022. Results We sampled a total of 50 patients (PDSA 1, n=27; PDSA 2, n=23). Following the implementation of a designated local TEP pathway, the proportion of patients with incomplete TEPs fell from 30.4% (n=7, PDSA Cycle 1) to 11.76% (n=2, PDSA Cycle 2). Conclusions The study has demonstrated that interventions such as institutional algorithms and departmental meetings can be useful in improving the adherence of staff to complete TEPs. Ongoing training and education can help overcome some of the barriers to TEP completion.

Talking about falls: a qualitative exploration of spoken communication of patients’ fall risks in hospitals and implications for multifactorial approaches to fall prevention

BackgroundInpatient falls are the most common safety incident reported by hospitals worldwide. Traditionally, responses have been guided by categorising patients’ levels of fall risk, but multifactorial approaches are now recommended....

DELAYED DISCHARGE OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED NON-ACCIDENTAL INJURY

Child abuse is an essential discussion within society and poses many challenges. The international literature describes patient and family based risk factors and suspicious injuries. We have created a protocol for the identification and investigation of children with suspected non-accidental injuries. The paediatric orthopaedic ward experiences many children being delayed in the ward once fit for discharge. This study aimed to quanitify those delayed discharges and describe the demographics and risk factors for abuse within the local population.After obtaining ethics clearance, we conducted a retrospective review of records from the Teddy Bear Clinic, as well as admission records. The study examined demographic characteristics, family, injury characteristics and referral to Child Welfare. The delay of discharge from hospital was quantified and was compared to those characteristics.Records were collected from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2021. Seventy-nine complete records were included. There were 40 males and 39 females with an average age of 20 months. 75.9% were under 36 months old. 94.1% of the cases sustained lower limb fractures. Fifty-two cases had a delayed discharge. The delay ranged from 1 to 233 days. There was an association between an age less than 36 months and delayed discharge. There were no significant correlations between caregiver characteristics and delayed discharge. The later the completion of investigations, the more likely there would be a delay. There was also a significant correlation between referral to Child Welfare and delayed discharge.Children under 36 months on this remain at highest risk for non-accidental injury. Delayed discharge was associated with age less than 36 months, upper limb fractures and referral to Child Welfare.Despite the delayed discharge, most children returned to the same home environments

Prevalence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Orthopedic Patients in Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex during 2018-2019: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the most common postoperative complaints of the patients that affects the surgical outcome, quality of life, length of hospital stay, and costs. The prevalence of nausea and vomiting is estimated at 52% and 25% within the first 24 hours after surgery. Many risk factors have been identified for PONV, including female gender, being a non-smoker, young age, general anesthesia, use of volatile anesthetics and Nitrous Oxide, and duration of anesthesia. Following receiving reports indicating an unusually high prevalence of PONV in the male orthopedic ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex despite applying regional techniques, the present study was conducted to investigate its prevalence and possible reasons.&#x0D; Methods: After obtaining informed consent, 300 patients admitted to male and female orthopedic wards of Imam Khomeini Hospital complex that had undergone surgery within the past 48 hours were interviewed in person and their medical records were reviewed.&#x0D; Results: Of 300 patients, 61 (20.3%) had nausea and 39 (13%) had vomiting. Three patients (1%) experienced recurrence of PONV after treatment. The risk factors associated with PONV were female gender, history of motion sickness, general anesthesia with sodium thiopental, atracurium, IV lidocaine, isoflurane, neostigmine, and postoperative administration of ciprofloxacin.&#x0D; Conclusion: The prevalence of PONV was lower than other studies, which was in contrast to reports received from the ward, indicating a reduction in PONV following the use of regional techniques.

Prevalence of Pressure Ulcer in Orthopaedic Bedridden Patients With a Higher Braden Pressure Ulcer Score in a Tertiary Care Government Hospital in Jammu

In this research, our primary objective was to determine the prevalence of pressure ulcers (PU) in bedridden patients with risk of higher Braden Pressure Ulcer scores who were admitted to the orthopaedic wards at the tertiary care government hospital in Jammu. Methodology To achieve this, we conducted a cross-sectional point prevalence study utilising the Braden Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale and the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) grading scale and data form. Our research sample consisted of 180 bedridden patients with higher Braden scores admitted to the orthopaedic ward of the selected facility. We monitored these patients using an observational checklist based on the established EPUAP minimal dataset form and grading scale. We conveniently selected patients who had moderate to severe Braden Pressure Ulcer Risk scores. Result Our findings revealed that 22.8% of the bedridden patients with moderate to high-risk Braden pressure ulcer scores developed pressure ulcers. Among the respondents, the majority (67.78%) were categorised as high risk, followed by severe risk (18.89%) and moderate risk (13.33%). Of those who developed pressure ulcers, 28 had Grade 1 ulcers and 12 had Grade 2 ulcers. The most common locations for these ulcers were the sacrum (40%), followed by the iliac region (35%), and the buttocks (25%). We did not observe any significant association between clinical variables and the incidence of pressure ulcers, except for skin turgor.

Effect of application of short-form video health education on the health knowledge and satisfaction with nursing care of patients with lower extremity fractures

BackgroundVideo health education has been increasingly adopted in the clinic to expand patient guidance and improve perioperative outcomes. To date, however, it is unclear whether the use of short-form videos and web-based clinician-created forums actually improve the perioperative experience of patients.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of application of short-form video health education on the health knowledge and satisfaction with nursing care of patients with lower extremity fractures.MethodsThis study is a quasi experimental study, using convenient sampling method and grouping according to historical control., one hundred and twenty-two patients admitted with lower limb fractures to the orthopedic ward of a tertiary first-class general hospital in Fujian, China were enrolled in this study. Based on their admission order, patients admitted from September 2021 to November 2021 were enrolled into the control group (n = 61) and patients admitted from December 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled in the intervention group (n = 61). Both groups received identical admission-based patient education, perioperative care, and discharge rehabilitation instructions. The control group received the traditional education method while the intervention group received a short-form educational video in addition to the traditional education method. Patient perioperative health knowledge and patient satisfaction with nursing care during treatment of lower limb fractures were compared across the two groups.ResultsPreoperative health knowledge in the intervention group was 95.1%, compared to 82.0% in the control group (χ2 = 3.954, P<0.05). The Newcastle satisfaction with nursing scales score in the intervention group was (80.902 ± 7.016) points, compared to (78.131 ± 8.213) points in the control group. These group differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe application of a short-form educational video during the perioperative care of patients with lower limb fractures may improve patients’ understanding of perioperative health and increase satisfaction with nursing care.

Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in orthopaedic inpatient: a hospital based cross-sectional study

Background: Identification of a psychiatric problem should be a necessity part of treatment planning in orthopedic practice, and prompt referral for diagnosis and treatment should be made for better outcome. There have been very few studies in Nepal that has assessed the presence of psychiatric disorders in injured inpatients. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with injury admitted to the orthopedic ward of CMC teaching hospital. Methods: The study was carried out among 150 randomly selected patients of age group 18-60 years from the orthopedic ward suffering from any orthopedic injury. The study design is a hospital based cross sectional descriptive study. Diagnosis of psychiatric Disorders were made using ICD10 criteria. Data entry and analysis was done using the SPSS software version 21.0. Results: The prevalence of psychiatric disorder in patients with orthopedic injury was found to be 32% with depressive disorders being the most common diagnosis (12.1%) followed by anxiety disorder (8%) and somatoform disorder(6%). Psychiatric disorders were significantly associated with age, age group and gender. Psychiatric disorders were the most commonly found in those with patients with road traffic accident (52.1%) and those with lower limb injury (47.9%). Conclusions: Since, there is presence of psychopathology in orthopedic injured patients, early referral by the orthopedic surgeons to the psychiatric department is necessary for early evaluation and treatment.

Empowering health care workers with personalized data-driven feedback to boost hand hygiene compliance

Achieving high hand hygiene compliance among health care workers is a challenge, requiring effective interventions. This study investigated the impact of individualized feedback on hand hygiene compliance using an electronic monitoring system. A quasi-experimental intervention design with pretest-post-test was conducted in an orthopedic surgical ward. Participants served as their own controls. A 3-month baseline was followed by a 3-month intervention period. Hand hygiene events were recorded through sensors on dispensers, name tags, and near patient beds. Health care workers received weekly email feedback reports comparing their compliance with colleagues. Nineteen health care workers (17 nurses, 2 doctors) were included. Hand hygiene compliance significantly improved by approximately 15% (P<.0001) across all rooms during the intervention. The most substantial improvement occurred in patient rooms (17%, P<.0001). Compliance in clean and contaminated rooms increased by 10% (P=.0068) and 5% (P=.0232). The average weekly email open rate for feedback reports was 46%. Individualized feedback via email led to significant improvements in hand hygiene compliance among health care workers. The self-directed approach proved effective, and continuous exposure to the intervention showed promising results.

312 Paying attention to daily delirium screening in an acute hospital setting, an audit of implementation on orthopaedic wards

Abstract Background Delirium is highly prevalent, yet two-thirds of cases remain undetected. Irish national guidance recommends daily delirium screening for all acute hospital in-patients at risk of delirium, including older patients. In this audit, we aimed to assess efficacy of implementation of a Delirium Care Bundle (DCB), incorporating delirium screening, risk factor assessment, and management, on two Orthopaedic wards. Methods Following a detailed feasibility assessment by a multidisciplinary group, the RADAR (Recognising Acute Delirium As part of your Routine) was chosen for daily delirium screening locally. This was incorporated into a DCB and an online training module was developed. Online training of staff was supplemented by in-person training on the wards. Three months post-implementation on two Orthopaedic wards, we audited DCB use. Additionally, we reviewed if patients were screened for delirium on admission (4AT) in the Emergency Department (ED), also recommended in national algorithms. Results Of 57 inpatients on the wards, eight were excluded (seven were too young to meet screening criteria; one was in theatre), leaving 49 patients eligible for audit. Seven (16.6%) patients had been screened in the ED at presentation. Thirty-five patients (71.4%) patient had the DCB commenced. Despite awareness, although the RADAR should be administered twice daily, we estimate that it was completed to 46% of target utilisations. Eleven (22.4%) patients had a positive RADAR at some point, four of whom had a negative 4AT screen in the emergency department. In those with a positive RADAR, documentation of consequent actions and preventative strategies was suboptimal. Conclusion The DCB was commenced appropriately in most patients. This audit identified that the RADAR use can be improved and that action steps following a positive screen were not being taken. Next steps include identifying barriers and facilitators to the use of the DCB and enhancing staff training in its use.

Attitude and preventive practices of pressure ulcers among orthopedic nurses in a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Pressure ulcers (PUs), which affect millions of people worldwide, are among the five most prevalent hospitalized cases causing adverse impairment. Nevertheless, pressure ulcers are largely preventable, and their management depends on their severity. The authors, therefore, explored the attitude and preventive practices of pressure ulcers among orthopedic nurses in a tertiary hospital in Ghana. An exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was employed for this study to help researchers explore the attitude and practices toward PU (Pressure Ulcer). Purposive sampling approach was employed, and data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. The sample size for this study was 30 which was obtained based on saturation. Participants were engaged in face-to-face interviews which were transcribed verbatim. Two themes and eight subthemes were generated from the analysis of this study. The two themes were preventive practices and attitude towards PU. The study identified that there were no specific protocols illustrated on the wards for managing pressure ulcers. Nevertheless, the study participants were keen on preventing pressure ulcers and hence engaged in practices such as early patients' ambulation, early identification of PU signs, removing creases and crumps from patient beds, nutritional management for PU prevention, and dressing of PU wounds. Practices of pressure ulcer management were highly valued by the orthopedics nurses. Hence, the nurses recommended the need for accepted guidelines on pressure ulcer management to be illustrated in the various orthopedic wards in the country.