BACKGROUND:Most current triage tools have been tested among hospital nurses groups but there are not similar studies in university setting.In this study we analyzed if a course on a new fourlevel triage model,triage e...BACKGROUND:Most current triage tools have been tested among hospital nurses groups but there are not similar studies in university setting.In this study we analyzed if a course on a new fourlevel triage model,triage emergency method(TEM),could improve the quality of rating in a group of nursing students.METHODS:This observational study was conducted with paper scenarios at the University of Parma,Italy.Fifty students were assigned a triage level to 105 paper scenarios before and after a course on triage and TEM.We used weighted kappa statistics to measure the inter-rater reliability of TEM and assessed its validity by comparing the students' predictions with the triage code rating of a reference standard(a panel of five experts in the new triage method).RESULTS:Inter-rater reliability was K=0.42(95%Cl:0.37-0.46) before the course on TEM,and K=0.61(95%CI:0.56-0.67) after.The accuracy of students' triage rating for the reference standard triage code was good:81%(95%Cl:71-90).After the TEM course,the proportion of cases assigned to each acuity triage level was similar for the student group and the panel of experts.CONCLUSION:Among the group of nursing students,a brief course on triage and on a new inhospital triage method seems to improve the quality of rating codes.The new triage method shows good inter-rater reliability for rating triage acuity and good accuracy in predicting the triage code rating of the reference standard.展开更多
Objective: Cancer is one of the most common diagnoses in elderly patients. Of all types of abdominal cancer, colorectal cancer(CRC) is undoubtedly the most frequent. Median age at diagnosis is approximately 70 years o...Objective: Cancer is one of the most common diagnoses in elderly patients. Of all types of abdominal cancer, colorectal cancer(CRC) is undoubtedly the most frequent. Median age at diagnosis is approximately 70 years old worldwide. Due to the multiple comorbidities affecting elderly people, frailty evaluation is very important in order to avoid over- or undertreatment. This pilot study was designed to investigate the variables capable of predicting the long-term risk of mortality and living situation after surgery for CRC.Methods: Patients with 70 years old and older undergoing elective surgery for CRC were prospectively enrolled in the study. The patients were preoperatively screened using 11 internationally-validated-frailty-assessment tests. The endpoints of the study were long-term mortality and living situation. The data were analyzed using univariate Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis to verify the predictive value of score indices in order to identify possible risk factors.Results: Forty-six patients were studied. The median follow-up time after surgery was 4.6 years(range, 2.9-5.7 years) and no patients were lost to follow-up. The overall mortality rate was 39%. Four of the patients who survived(4/28, 14%) lost their functional autonomy. The preoperative impaired Timed Up and Go(TUG), Eastern Cooperative Group Performance Status(ECOG PS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(IADLs), Vulnerable Elders Survey(VES-13) scoring systems were significantly associated with increased long term mortality risk.Conclusion: Simplified frailty-assessing tools should be routinely used in elderly cancer patients before treatment in order to stratify patient risk. The TUG, ECOG-PS, IADLs and VES-13 scoring systems are potentially able to predict long-term mortality and disability. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the preliminary data in order to improve management strategies for oncogeriatric surgical patients.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND:Most current triage tools have been tested among hospital nurses groups but there are not similar studies in university setting.In this study we analyzed if a course on a new fourlevel triage model,triage emergency method(TEM),could improve the quality of rating in a group of nursing students.METHODS:This observational study was conducted with paper scenarios at the University of Parma,Italy.Fifty students were assigned a triage level to 105 paper scenarios before and after a course on triage and TEM.We used weighted kappa statistics to measure the inter-rater reliability of TEM and assessed its validity by comparing the students' predictions with the triage code rating of a reference standard(a panel of five experts in the new triage method).RESULTS:Inter-rater reliability was K=0.42(95%Cl:0.37-0.46) before the course on TEM,and K=0.61(95%CI:0.56-0.67) after.The accuracy of students' triage rating for the reference standard triage code was good:81%(95%Cl:71-90).After the TEM course,the proportion of cases assigned to each acuity triage level was similar for the student group and the panel of experts.CONCLUSION:Among the group of nursing students,a brief course on triage and on a new inhospital triage method seems to improve the quality of rating codes.The new triage method shows good inter-rater reliability for rating triage acuity and good accuracy in predicting the triage code rating of the reference standard.
文摘Objective: Cancer is one of the most common diagnoses in elderly patients. Of all types of abdominal cancer, colorectal cancer(CRC) is undoubtedly the most frequent. Median age at diagnosis is approximately 70 years old worldwide. Due to the multiple comorbidities affecting elderly people, frailty evaluation is very important in order to avoid over- or undertreatment. This pilot study was designed to investigate the variables capable of predicting the long-term risk of mortality and living situation after surgery for CRC.Methods: Patients with 70 years old and older undergoing elective surgery for CRC were prospectively enrolled in the study. The patients were preoperatively screened using 11 internationally-validated-frailty-assessment tests. The endpoints of the study were long-term mortality and living situation. The data were analyzed using univariate Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis to verify the predictive value of score indices in order to identify possible risk factors.Results: Forty-six patients were studied. The median follow-up time after surgery was 4.6 years(range, 2.9-5.7 years) and no patients were lost to follow-up. The overall mortality rate was 39%. Four of the patients who survived(4/28, 14%) lost their functional autonomy. The preoperative impaired Timed Up and Go(TUG), Eastern Cooperative Group Performance Status(ECOG PS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(IADLs), Vulnerable Elders Survey(VES-13) scoring systems were significantly associated with increased long term mortality risk.Conclusion: Simplified frailty-assessing tools should be routinely used in elderly cancer patients before treatment in order to stratify patient risk. The TUG, ECOG-PS, IADLs and VES-13 scoring systems are potentially able to predict long-term mortality and disability. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the preliminary data in order to improve management strategies for oncogeriatric surgical patients.
