Recommendations For Best Practices Research Articles

Theoretical Research into Leadership for Sustainability

Given the social and environmental challenges facing all organizations, there is a need for new leadership models, methods, and tools for implementing organizational change for sustainable development. Thus, throughout this article, it is reviewed the current approaches to leadership for sustainability in terms of their conceptual frameworks and extant research, which all advocate a balanced stakeholder approach to leadership to address the social and environmental issues related to sustainability and sustainable development. Being drawn from spiritual and centered on leadership theories, the article offers a Global Leadership for Sustainability model that incorporates and extends the conceptual domain beyond current approaches to leadership for sustainability. Spirituality, through the qualities of self-transcendence and interconnectedness, is critical for sustainability and fundamental for Global Leadership for Sustainability. The article also emphasizes the importance of cultivating a Global Mindset for Sustainability, which incorporates two ethical principles—an ethic of remote moral responsibility and an ethic of care and compassion. As a result, global leaders for sustainability become more committed to moving beyond satisfying stakeholders’ demands for economic returns, towards a more sustainable, triple-bottom line, balanced approach. Finally, we discuss implications for theory, research, and practice. Global leaders for sustainability are consequently more dedicated to adopting a triple-bottom-line, balanced approach that goes beyond meeting stakeholders' needs for financial gains. To change the paradigm of leadership and develop leaders who can cooperate to tackle difficult sustainability challenges, sustainability education is crucial. An up-to-date and broadened understanding of leadership is what ‘leadership for sustainability' means, putting sustainable values into practice, leading from a paradigm of living processes, and developing an inclusive, collaborative, and reflective leadership style. To make recommendations for best practices in leadership development, this study reviews and integrates literature on leadership, leadership development, and sustainability education. The following are some recommended pedagogical strategies for developing leaders: self-observation and awareness, contemplation, inquiry into various and ecological viewpoints, experiential learning, and community engagement.

Guidelines for neuroprognostication in adults with traumatic spinal cord injury

BackgroundTraumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) impacts patients and their families acutely and often for the long term. The ability of clinicians to share prognostic information about mortality and functional outcomes allows patients and their surrogates to engage in decision-making and plan for the future. These guidelines provide recommendations on the reliability of acute-phase clinical predictors to inform neuroprognostication and guide clinicians in counseling adult patients with tSCI or their surrogates.MethodsA narrative systematic review was completed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. Candidate predictors, including clinical variables and prediction models, were selected based on clinical relevance and presence of an appropriate body of evidence. The Population/Intervention/Comparator/Outcome/Timing/Setting question was framed as “When counseling patients or surrogates of critically ill patients with traumatic spinal cord injury, should < predictor, with time of assessment if appropriate > be considered a reliable predictor of < outcome, with time frame of assessment >?” Additional full-text screening criteria were used to exclude small and lower quality studies. Following construction of an evidence profile and summary of findings, recommendations were based on four Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria: quality of evidence, balance of desirable and undesirable consequences, values and preferences, and resource use. Good practice recommendations addressed essential principles of neuroprognostication that could not be framed in the Population/Intervention/Comparator/Outcome/Timing/Setting format. Throughout the guideline development process, an individual living with tSCI provided perspective on patient-centered priorities.ResultsSix candidate clinical variables and one prediction model were selected. Out of 11,132 articles screened, 369 met inclusion criteria for full-text review and 35 articles met eligibility criteria to guide recommendations. We recommend pathologic findings on magnetic resonance imaging, neurological level of injury, and severity of injury as moderately reliable predictors of American Spinal Cord Injury Impairment Scale improvement and the Dutch Clinical Prediction Rule as a moderately reliable prediction model of independent ambulation at 1 year after injury. No other reliable or moderately reliable predictors of mortality or functional outcome were identified. Good practice recommendations include considering the complete clinical condition as opposed to a single variable and communicating the challenges of likely functional deficits as well as potential for improvement and for long-term quality of life with SCI-related deficits to patients and surrogates.ConclusionsThese guidelines provide recommendations about the reliability of acute-phase predictors of mortality, functional outcome, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade conversion, and recovery of independent ambulation for consideration when counseling patients with tSCI or their surrogates and suggest broad principles of neuroprognostication in this context.

Biomarker array for prediction of acute kidney injury after percutaneous coronary intervention for patients who had acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is associated with poor outcomes. AKI is diagnosed by the dynamic change of serum Cr, but it could not predict AKI. This study aimed to evaluate a biomarker array that may fulfill this shortage. Setting: Cardiology Department, Tanta University Hospital. Design: Prospective interventional study included 280 acute STEMI patients who underwent emergency PCI. Serial samples of blood and urine were obtained at the time of admission to the hospital (T0) and PCI unit (T1) and at 12 h and 72 h (T12 and T72) after coronary revascularization to estimate levels of serum Cr, creatine phosphokinase, and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) and calculation of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and urinary liver-type FABP (L-FABP). AKI was diagnosed according to the recommendations of the European Renal Best Practice as the times of increased serum Cr concerning baseline level. 85 patients developed AKI. Regression analyses defined a high NLR ratio in the T0 sample as the most significant predictor for early AKI diagnosed at T1 time, while high NLR and serum H-FABP levels in T1 samples as the significant predictors for AKI defined at T12 time. However, high urinary L-FABP levels in T12 samples and high NLR are significant predictors for AKI at T72 time. Combined estimations of serum H-FABP and urinary L-FABP with the calculation of NLR could predict the oncoming AKI and discriminate its pathogenesis. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethical Committee at Tanta Faculty of Medicine by approval number: 35327/3/22. For blindness purposes, the authors will be blinded about the laboratory results till the end of 72 h after revascularization and the clinical pathologist will be blinded about the indication for the requested investigations.

Robust evidence for bats as reservoir hosts is lacking in most African virus studies: a review and call to optimize sampling and conserve bats.

Africa experiences frequent emerging disease outbreaks among humans, with bats often proposed as zoonotic pathogen hosts. We comprehensively reviewed virus-bat findings from papers published between 1978 and 2020 to evaluate the evidence that African bats are reservoir and/or bridging hosts for viruses that cause human disease. We present data from 162 papers (of 1322) with original findings on (1) numbers and species of bats sampled across bat families and the continent, (2) how bats were selected for study inclusion, (3) if bats were terminally sampled, (4) what types of ecological data, if any, were recorded and (5) which viruses were detected and with what methodology. We propose a scheme for evaluating presumed virus-host relationships by evidence type and quality, using the contrasting available evidence for Orthoebolavirus versus Orthomarburgvirus as an example. We review the wording in abstracts and discussions of all 162 papers, identifying key framing terms, how these refer to findings, and how they might contribute to people's beliefs about bats. We discuss the impact of scientific research communication on public perception and emphasize the need for strategies that minimize human-bat conflict and support bat conservation. Finally, we make recommendations for best practices that will improve virological study metadata.

Lessons from the pandemic: Teacher educators’ use of digital technologies and pedagogies in Vietnam before, during and after the Covid-19 lockdown

This article reports on responses from an online survey designed to explore the before, during and after lockdown experiences of higher education teacher educators in Vietnam (n = 145) who were required to use digital technologies and pedagogies exclusively in their teaching during the 2020/21 lockdown. The data is interpreted using the TPACK framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009) which enables analysis of the participants’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge in relation to teaching online using digital tools. The findings indicate mixed responses and experiences of teacher educators during this period with many having struggled with new technologies and unfamiliar pedagogical strategies whilst others enjoyed the opportunity to develop new approaches to their teaching. The paper concludes with key recommendations for best practice in this sector going forward post pandemic including the development of national and institutional e-learning policies, improvements in IT infrastructure and increased provision of professional training.

Monetary Incentives of Tax Whistleblower Programs: On Their Design and Implementation

The instant contribution discusses the monetary incentives established in tax whistleblower programs. The latter have been already designed and implemented in some developed OECD countries. Tax policy makers in Bulgaria are also considering mandatory awards for whistleblowers from proceeds collected from evaded taxes and/or social security contributions. However, the monetary incentives built-in to a possible tax whistleblower program have sparked controversy in Bulgaria, a country with past experience in whistleblowing due mainly to political and/or ideological reasons. Nevertheless, tax evasion is widespread in this country with a tax gap of BGN 2,0 -2,2 billion. Therefore, in order to improve tax compliance and collection, a tax whistleblowing program in Bulgaria should be considered and designed with regard to the public-private partnership framework. It has been also suggested in this paper that the awards paid by the tax authority to the whistleblowers in Bulgaria should be exempt from personal income taxation. The whistleblower program in this country may become a productive, although non-conventional tool for tax policy, given that its monetary incentives are aligned with the recommendations of the international good practice.

Participatory action research: Developing a collaborative approach to modern slavery research with survivors of exploitation

This paper offers best practice guidance on participatory action research (PAR) methods in modern slavery studies, through sharing the experiences of survivors of modern slavery as active project consultants. By using participatory approaches and engaging in an action learning set model, this paper aims to understand how to meaningfully engage survivors of modern slavery as co-researchers. Inclusion was at the heart of this research study, and thus, this paper was co-produced by survivors of modern slavery. Through their voices, and by engaging in reflexivity, we share the challenges of engaging in meaningful peer research methods, lessons learned as well as the benefits of adopting this approach to provide creative, engaging and empowering opportunities for participation in research and skill development. We share some examples of challenges and successes in our approach to understand what meaningful peer research methods look like, addressing conservative and more liberal views including academic expertise, safeguarding and empowerment. In concluding this paper, we provide some recommendations for best practice, recognising a continual need to reflect and adapt peer research approaches that suits the needs of the peer researchers as well as the subject to be studied. The overwhelming sentiment, is that social science research must look to engage in peer research methods, recognising the expertise of lived experience, and the potential for research to empower others while also creating meaningful change.

Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals on the Management and Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Cancer in the UK: Results From the KNOW-OC Survey

AimsNew treatment options for advanced ovarian cancer have the potential to significantly change the treatment pathway in the UK. Understanding the structures and responsibilities of multidisciplinary teams/tumour boards (MDT) and regional variations will enable services to adapt more effectively to these changes. Materials and methodsThe KNOW-OC survey was conducted in 2020 to understand the views of a selected group of 66 healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in advanced ovarian cancer care in UK hospitals. ResultsThe results showed that MDT involvement in the management of advanced ovarian cancer varied depending on pathway stage and line of relapse, with 98.5% of HCPs responding that the MDT was involved in decisions at initial presentation, but only 40.9% for patients with multiple relapses. The MDT was mostly responsible for determining whether the patients would undergo primary or interval cytoreductive surgery according to 75.8% of respondents, and most HCPs (80.3%) stated that tumour dissemination patterns were the most important factor influencing this decision. The most commonly assessed biomarkers at the time of the survey were CA125, gBRCA and tBRCA. Homologous recombination deficiency was viewed as the second most important factor for determining prognosis, but few centres had access to testing at the time of survey completion. The use of active surveillance was expected to decrease in favour of first-line targeted therapies. Nearly all (98.5%) HCPs agreed there is a role for secondary cytoreductive surgery for the treatment of recurrence (for carefully selected patients). ConclusionsThe results highlighted UK-specific geographical variation in the views of HCPs on MDT involvement and specific practices, such as molecular biomarker testing, and the overall treatment approach. Together, these findings improve the understanding of reported clinical practice across the UK for ovarian cancer and provide insight into decision-making associated with updates to recommendations for best practice (e.g. European Society for Medical Oncology/European Society of Gynaecological Oncology consensus statements) and the introduction of new treatment options.

Interaction coding in leadership research: A critical review and best-practice recommendations to measure behavior

Leadership scholars increasingly acknowledge the shortcomings of using questionnaires. Consequently, there is a trend towards more behavior-based research, with interaction coding as one promising method. By precisely analyzing recordings of leader–follower interactions, interaction coding helps quantify verbal and non-verbal behavioral patterns that unfold between leaders and their followers, thereby providing access to the behavioral dynamics that are at the core of leadership. Yet, analyzing leader–follower interactions is much less straightforward than it might appear. Bold claims like “objective data” and “actual behavior” frequently used in such studies tend to paint a somewhat tainted picture of the opportunities and challenges associated with interaction coding. To synthesize the existing empirical knowledge concerning the use of interaction coding in leadership research, we present the findings from a critical review of the current research landscape. This review highlights that questions related to observer inference, standards for observer agreement, and the validity of interaction coding are often not sufficiently addressed in empirical work. Drawing on these findings, we identify questionable research practices and juxtapose these with best-practice recommendations. Finally, we provide a discussion and outlook on how behavior-based methods can move the leadership field forward by facilitating theoretical advancements and deriving actionable guidance for practitioners.

Simplified rules-based tool to facilitate the application of up-to-date management recommendations in cardio-oncology

BackgroundMillions of cancer survivors are at risk of cardiovascular diseases, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Tools to potentially facilitate implementation of cardiology guidelines, consensus recommendations, and scientific statements to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and other cardiovascular diseases are limited. Thus, inadequate utilization of cardiovascular medications and imaging is widespread, including significantly lower rates of statin use among cancer survivors for whom statin therapy is indicated.MethodsIn this methodological study, we leveraged published guidelines documents to create a rules-based tool to include guidelines, expert consensus, and medical society scientific statements relevant to point of care cardiovascular disease prevention in the cardiovascular care of cancer survivors. Any overlap, redundancy, or ambiguous recommendations were identified and eliminated across all converted sources of knowledge. The integrity of the tool was assessed with use case examples and review of subsequent care suggestions.ResultsAn initial selection of 10 guidelines, expert consensus, and medical society scientific statements was made for this study. Then 7 were kept owing to overlap and revisions in society recommendations over recent years. Extensive formulae were employed to translate the recommendations of 7 selected guidelines into rules and proposed action measures. Patient suitability and care suggestions were assessed for several use case examples.ConclusionA simple rules-based application was designed to provide a potential format to deliver critical cardiovascular disease best-practice prevention recommendations at the point of care for cancer survivors. A version of this tool may potentially facilitate implementing these guidelines across clinics, payers, and health systems for preventing cardiovascular diseases in cancer survivors.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.Gov Identifier: NCT05377320.

Long-COVID in Italy: a country perspective

Abstract Introduction In 2021 the Italian Ministry of Health, recognizing the need to improve knowledge and standardise the approach to Long-COVID nationwide, funded a project, led by the Italian National Institute of Health, with the following objectives: 1) to define the magnitude and impact of Long-COVID; 2) to identify and assess Long-COVID services nationwide; 3) to define Good Clinical Practices for the management of Long-COVID. Methods For objective 1, data of 3 Regions (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Tuscany and Apulia), covering a population of about 9 million people, were analysed, comparing service utilization in patients with previous COVID-19 over six months (from end of acute phase) and in controls matched for age, gender and comorbidities. For objective 2, a national survey was performed to map and characterize Long-COVID care services. For objective 3, an expert panel was appointed to produce good practice recommendations. Results In objective 1, COVID-19 was associated with higher rates of specialist visits (Incidence Rate Ratio, IRR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.65-2.13), hospitalizations (IRR 1.98, 95% CI 1.66-2.36), and instrumental diagnostic procedures (IRR 2.70, 95% CI 2.28-3.19) in the 6 months after acute infection. This association was stronger in individuals with infection causing hospital and/or ICU admission. For objective 2, 124 Long-COVID care centres were identified nationwide, with a high heterogeneity in services provision and organization. For objective 3, the panel issued National Good Practice Recommendations for Long-COVID, with 17 statements that provide key principles on services organization and patient management. Conclusions Results of this project can be used nationally to put in place appropriate measures targeting Long-COVID. Additional ongoing activities include the implementation of a surveillance system for Long-COVID and the development of activities aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge of citizens and health professionals about Long-COVID.

Designing and planning natural experimental evaluations with good practice recommendations

Abstract Background There have been significant developments in methods, infrastructure, and data availability for natural experimental evaluations. The rise in the use of natural experimental approaches means it is important that researchers, public health practitioners, funders, and users of intervention research understand the phases involved when designing and planning a natural experimental evaluation and are aware of good practice considerations. Methods Guidance was developed from three international workshops and an online consultation with researchers, journal editors and end users of natural experimental evaluations. The project team comprised researchers with expertise in natural experimental evaluations. The project included an oversight group and an advisory group of independent experts. Results The design and planning of an evaluation involves understanding the definition of a natural experiment, being aware of opportunities for a natural experimental evaluation and the relevance of a systems perspective and mixed methods approaches. The practicalities of planning an evaluation involve assessing the evaluability and feasibility of the evaluation and identifying and involving stakeholders throughout the process. Good practice considerations include understanding the evaluation design and planning processes, engaging stakeholders, and recognising the respective strengths of different analytical approaches. Recommendations for policymakers, public health practitioners and commissioners of evaluations include recognising and using high quality evaluations and incorporating evaluation plans into the implementation of new policies and programmes. Conclusions Understanding the processes involved in designing and planning a natural experimental evaluation are important to successfully conducting and evaluating natural experiment interventions.

Nutrition Care after Hospital Discharge in Singapore: Evidence-Based Best-Practice Recommendations.

The nutritional status of hospitalised patients is often at risk or compromised and predisposed to further deterioration after discharge, leading to poor clinical outcomes, high healthcare costs, and poor quality of life. This paper aims to provide evidence-based best-practice recommendations to address this, supported by a national survey of healthcare professionals in Singapore and reviewed by a multidisciplinary expert panel under the Sarcopenia Interest Group of Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Singapore (SingSPEN). We advocate screening all patients with a validated tool which includes a disease activity/burden component, an easily accessible dietitian referral pathway for patients at risk of malnutrition, and an individualised nutrition care plan formulated and delivered using a multidisciplinary team approach for patients at risk or with malnutrition. A comprehensive team would include not only dietitians but also physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, and medical social workers working together towards a common goal. Information on why nutrition is important for good health and how it can be achieved should also be provided to all patients and their caregivers before and after hospital discharge. With the above recommendations, we seek to improve upon the current nutrition care processes at discharge for healthcare institutions in Singapore.

Application of facial neuromuscular electrical stimulation (fNMES) in psychophysiological research: Practical recommendations based on a systematic review of the literature

Facial neuromuscular electrical stimulation (fNMES), which allows for the non-invasive and physiologically sound activation of facial muscles, has great potential for investigating fundamental questions in psychology and neuroscience, such as the role of proprioceptive facial feedback in emotion induction and emotion recognition, and may serve for clinical applications, such as alleviating symptoms of depression. However, despite illustrious origins in the 19th-century work of Duchenne de Boulogne, the practical application of fNMES remains largely unknown to today’s researchers in psychology. In addition, published studies vary dramatically in the stimulation parameters used, such as stimulation frequency, amplitude, duration, and electrode size, and in the way they reported them. Because fNMES parameters impact the comfort and safety of volunteers, as well as its physiological (and psychological) effects, it is of paramount importance to establish recommendations of good practice and to ensure studies can be better compared and integrated. Here, we provide an introduction to fNMES, systematically review the existing literature focusing on the stimulation parameters used, and offer recommendations on how to safely and reliably deliver fNMES and on how to report the fNMES parameters to allow better cross-study comparison. In addition, we provide a free webpage, to easily visualise fNMES parameters and verify their safety based on current density. As an example of a potential application, we focus on the use of fNMES for the investigation of the facial feedback hypothesis.

Insight into best practices: a review of long-term monitoring of the rocky intertidal zone of the Northeast Pacific Coast

On the shores of the Northeast Pacific Coast, research programs have monitored the rocky intertidal zone for multiple decades across thousands of kilometers, ranking among the longest-term and largest-scale ecological monitoring programs in the world. These programs have produced powerful datasets using simple field methods, and many are now capitalizing on modern field-sampling technology and computing power to collect and analyze biological information at increasing scale and resolution. Considering its depth, breadth, and cutting-edge nature, this research field provides an excellent case study for examining the design and implementation of long-term, large-scale ecological monitoring. I curated literature and interviewed 25 practitioners to describe, in detail, the methods employed in 37 community-level surveys by 18 long-term monitoring programs on the Northeast Pacific Coast, from Baja California, México, to Alaska, United States of America. I then characterized trade-offs between survey design components, identified key strengths and limitations, and provided recommendations for best practices. In doing so, I identified data gaps and research priorities for sustaining and improving this important work. This analysis is timely, especially considering the threat that climate change and other anthropogenic stressors present to the persistence of rocky intertidal communities. More generally, this review provides insight that can benefit long-term monitoring within other ecosystems.

Psychological treatment of PTSD with comorbid substance use disorder (SUD): expert recommendations of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS)

ABSTRACT Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) are often comorbid and difficult to treat. The availability of evidence-based treatment guidelines is very limited and there is significant uncertainty about what best practice looks like. Objective: This paper describes the methodology used to develop expert recommendations for the assessment and psychological treatment of PTSD and comorbid SUD and presents the final recommendations. Methodology: A small committee of experts in the field of PTSD and SUD was formed on behalf of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) Board. The committee developed recommendations based on a two-stage process. In the first stage a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of psychological interventions aimed at treating PTSD-SUD comorbidity was completed, and other recent relevant reviews systematic were also considered. To complement the recommendations based on systematic review, the second stage involved the review and collation of existing guidance, good practice and consensus recommendations made in methodologically rigorous clinical practice guidelines. Results: The two-stage process resulted in 9 recommendations related to assessment and 21 recommendations related to treatment planning and delivery. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to provide expert recommendations based on a systematic review of the literature and through collation of guidance provided in other authoritative and reliable sources. These expert recommendations will provide helpful guidance to clinicians and service providers in both addiction and mental health settings about appropriate clinical care for those with PTSD SUD comorbidity.

The stress of nursing: exploring communicatively restricted organizational stress (CROS), effort-reward imbalance, and organizational support among a sample of U.S. working nurses

BackgroundNurses experience a constellation of negative outcomes such as lost productivity, based on their high levels of organizational stress. Following recommendations for best practices in health communication can dramatically improve the organizational climate for nurses and can have a significant effect on patient outcomes. In this study, we evaluate the impact of Communicative Restricted Organizational Stress (CROS) and effort-reward imbalance (ERI).MethodsA mixed-methods approach was employed. A professional survey research vendor was contracted to obtain an appropriate national sample (N = 299) of working nurses in the United States of America. Participants completed an online closed-ended questionnaire for the quantitative portion of the study. Qualitative data were gathered from member-checking follow-up interviews.ResultsResults of the quantitative analysis indicated that nurses experience CROS, that these experiences are distressing, that CROS functions as an effort in the effort-reward-imbalance model, and that CROS and ERI contribute to negative outcomes such as insomnia, productivity lost, and poor general health. Specifically, a moderated moderation model accounted for 53% of the variance [F (7,290) = 47.363, p < .001] indicating that nurses with high levels of CROS distress and low levels of organizational support experienced the highest level of ERI in the presence of high nursing stress, t (296) = 3.05, p = .03, 95% CI [0.0038, 0.0178]. These findings were validated through member-checking qualitative interviews and specific overarching themes were explicated.ConclusionsCROS is an important variable in understanding the experience of nursing stress. Furthermore, CROS serves as an effort in the ERI Model and serves to exacerbate nursing stress. We recommend practical implications for the improvement of psychosocial stress in an occupational environment for nurses.

FIGO good practice recommendations on surgical techniques to improve safety and reduce complications during cesarean delivery.

FIGO is actively contributing to the global effort to reduce maternal morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide. Cesarean delivery rates are increasing globally, without signs of slowing down. Bleeding associated with cesarean delivery has become an important cause of hemorrhage-related maternal deaths in many low- and middle-income countries. Correct surgical techniques to improve safety and reduce complications of cesarean delivery is of the utmost importance. This article presents FIGO's good practice recommendations for effective surgical techniques to reduce cesarean complications. Evidence-based information is included where data are available. An expanded WHO Surgical Safety Checklist for maternity cases is suggested. Different incision techniques through the layers of the abdominal wall with appropriate indications are discussed. Hysterotomy through a transverse incision is described, as are indications for low vertical and classical incisions. Important precautions when extracting the fetus are explained. Uterine closure includes a safe method ensuring adequate reapproximation of the upper segment if a vertical incision is made. The paper concludes with the management of two common bleeding problems following delivery of the placenta.

Intravenous iron administration in Home Hospitalization Units: Good practice recommendations

Intravenous iron administration in Home Hospitalization Units: Good practice recommendations

FIGO good practice recommendations for cesarean delivery: Prep-for-Labor triage to minimize risks and maximize favorable outcomes.

Cesarean delivery is an abdominal surgical procedure performed for child delivery when the vaginal route is not feasible or desired due to maternal/fetal indications. All childbirth facilities should be able to safely perform a cesarean, which is not the current reality. For planned cesarean delivery, the facility must be prepared for the patient. In contrast, for unplanned arrivals at the facility, FIGO's Prep-for-Labor triage method allows rapid decision-making on whether cesarean delivery can be safely performed on site or whether transfer to an advanced care center is needed. A checklist of staff/tools for safe on-site cesarean delivery is provided to enable timely decision-making. Maternal complications following cesarean are three-fold higher than vaginal delivery. To prevent nonmedically indicated cesarean by favoring vaginal delivery, up-to-date safe and effective guidance is provided, defining labor, second stage length, and status before an arrested labor is confirmed. Whether cesarean delivery is planned or emergency, the Misgav Ladach simplified procedure is proposed as it is suitable for both low- and high-risk cases, including twins, thereby reducing both operative morbidity and postoperative recovery. A trial of labor after first cesarean (TOLAC) should be pursued when feasible, for which the indications, contraindications, safeguards, and steps of safe labor induction are delineated. Implementation of these good practice recommendations will improve childbirth by reducing excessive nonindicated cesareans, while precisely defining the resources and postoperative care required for safe performance on site. Enabling safe childbirth by cesarean and TOLAC, even at sites with low rates currently, will significantly improve maternal and fetal outcomes.