Potassium variability during hospitalization and outcomes after discharge in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND The variability of metabolic biomarkers has been determined to provide incremental prognosis information,but the implications of electrolyte variability remained unclear.METHODS We investigate the relationships between electrolyte fluctuation and outcomes in survivors of acute myocardial infarction(n=4386).Ion variability was calculated as the coefficient of variation,standard deviation,variability independent of the mean(VIM)and range.Hazard ratios(HR)were estimated using the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional regression method.RESULTS During a median follow-up of 12 months,161(3.7%)patients died,and heart failure occurred in 550(12.5%)participants after discharge,respectively.Compared with the bottom quartile,the highest quartile potassium VIM was associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality(HR=2.35,95%CI:1.36–4.06)and heart failure(HR=1.32,95%CI:1.01–1.72)independent of cardiac troponin I(c Tn I),N terminal pro B type natriuretic peptide(NT-pro BNP),infarction site,mean potassium and other traditional factors,while those associations across sodium VIM quartiles were insignificant.Similar trend remains across the strata of variability by other three indices.These associations were consistent after excluding patients with any extreme electrolyte value and diuretic use.CONCLUSIONS Higher potassium variability but not sodium variability was associated with adverse outcomes post-infarction.Our findings highlight that potassium variability remains a robust risk factor for mortality regardless of clinical dysnatraemia and dyskalaemia.

Survey on the Readiness for Hospital Discharge and Its Influencing Factors among Patients with Cardiac Valve Replacement

Background: There are about 200,000 patients in China who need to undergo valve replacement surgery each year. With the promotion and application of the Fast-Track Surgery concept and the increase in hospital bed turnover rate, the average hospital stay of patients undergoing CVR surgery has been significantly shortened, and thus the patients are still in the recovery stage rather than fully recovered when they are discharged from the hospital. Good preparation for discharge can improve patients’ post-discharge self-care ability, reduce the risk of re-admission, and save medical resources. Objective: To describe the status of readiness for hospital discharge among postoperative patients that have undergone CVR, and to explore its influencing factors. Methods: The general information questionnaire, the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale and the Quality of discharge Teaching Scale were utilized to investigate 130 post-CVR patients admitted to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department of a tertiary A-Class hospital in Guangzhou from July 2019 to October 2020. Results: The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale was at a moderate level with a total score of 163.88 ± 39.082, while the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale was also at a moderate level with a total score of 194.09 ± 40.643. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the quality of discharge guidance, gender, and occupation were the influencing factors of CVR patient’s readiness for hospital discharge. These three variables jointly explained 45.8% of the total variation. Conclusion: The level of CVR patients’ readiness for hospital discharge is at a moderate level, and the quality of discharge guidance positively affects patients’ readiness for discharge. Therefore, in clinical work, attention should be paid to patient discharge guidance. Personalized health education should be implemented to improve the quality of patient guidance.

Development and pilot implementation of a patient-oriented discharge summary for critically Ill patients

BACKGROUND Patients leaving the intensive care unit(ICU)often experience gaps in care due to deficiencies in discharge communication,leaving them vulnerable to increased stress,adverse events,readmission to ICU,and death.To facilitate discharge communication,written summaries have been implemented to provide patients and their families with information on medications,activity and diet restrictions,follow-up appointments,symptoms to expect,and who to call if there are questions.While written discharge summaries for patients and their families are utilized frequently in surgical,rehabilitation,and pediatric settings,few have been utilized in ICU settings.AIM To develop an ICU specific patient-oriented discharge summary tool(PODS-ICU),and pilot test the tool to determine acceptability and feasibility.METHODS Patient-partners(i.e.,individuals with lived experience as an ICU patient or family member of an ICU patient),ICU clinicians(i.e.,physicians,nurses),and researchers met to discuss ICU patients’specific informational needs and design the PODS-ICU through several cycles of discussion and iterative revisions.Research team nurses piloted the PODS-ICU with patient and family participants in two ICUs in Calgary,Canada.Follow-up surveys on the PODS-ICU and its impact on discharge were administered to patients,family participants,and ICU nurses.RESULTS Most participants felt that their discharge from the ICU was good or better(n=13;87.0%),and some(n=9;60.0%)participants reported a good understanding of why the patient was in ICU.Most participants(n=12;80.0%)reported that they understood ICU events and impacts on the patient’s health.While many patients and family participants indicated the PODS-ICU was informative and useful,ICU nurses reported that the PODS-ICU was“not reasonable”in their daily clinical workflow due to“time constraint”.CONCLUSION The PODS-ICU tool provides patients and their families with essential information as they discharge from the ICU.This tool has the potential to engage and empower patients and their families in ensuring continuity of care beyond ICU discharge.However,the PODS-ICU requires pairing with earlier discharge practices and integration with electronic clinical information systems to fit better into the clinical workflow for ICU nurses.Further refinement and testing of the PODS-ICU tool in diverse critical care settings is needed to better assess its feasibility and its effects on patient health outcomes.

Role of nurses in improving patient safety: Evidence from surgical complications in 21 countries

Objectives: To analyze the role of nurse staffing in improving patient safety due to reducing surgical complications in member countries of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).Methods: The number of practicing nurses' density per 1000 population and five surgical complications indicators including foreign body left in during procedure (FBL),postoperative pulmonary embolism (PPE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after hip and knee replacement,postoperative sepsis after abdominal surgery (PSA) and postoperative wound dehiscence (PWD) were collected in crude rates per 100,000 hospital discharges for age group of 15 years old and over within 30 days after surgery based on surgical admission-related and all admission-related methods.The observations of 21 OECD countries were collected from OECD Health Statistics during 2010-2015 period.The statistical technique of panel data analysis including unit root test,co-integration test and dynamic long-run analysis were used to estimate the possible relationship between our panel series.Results: There were significant relationships from nurse-staffing level to reducing FBL,PPE,DVT,PSA and PWD with long-run magnitudes of-2.91,-1.30,-1.69,-2.81 and-1.12 based on surgical admission method as well as-6.12,-14.57,-7.29,-1.41 and-0.88 based on all admission method,respectively.Conclusions: A higher proportion of nurses is associated with higher patient safety resulting from lower surgical complications and adverse clinical outcomes in OECD countries.Hence,we alert policy makers about the risk of underestimating the impact of nurses on improving patient safety as well as the quality of health care services in OECD countries.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese Version of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale for people living with HIV

Objective:The study was conducted to validate the reliability and factor structure of the Chinese version of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale(RHDS-CH)for people living with HIV(PLWH).Methods:From May 2017 to November 2017,a cross-sectional survey was performed in two AIDS inpatient departments located in two cities in Hunan,China.Reliability was evaluated by examining the internal consistency and split-half reliability of the items.A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the factor structure of the RHDS-CH,and the model was revised according to the modification index.Results:Cronbach'sαfor the RHDS-CH was 0.912,and the split-half reliability of the total scale was 0.831.Initially,the results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the sample did not fit this four-factor model and its 23 items well(x2/df=3,GFI=0.772,TLI=0.823,CFI=0.844,RMSEA=0.100).To improve the model fit indices,we performed model modification with the guidance of modification indices.Finally,the model fit indices showed an acceptable fit to the data(x2/df=2.141,GFI=0.844,TLI=0.899,CFI=0.915,RMSEA=0.075).Coefficients of corrected item-total correlation of the RHDS-CH ranged from 0.435 to 0.726.Conclusion:This study is the first to examine the psychometric properties of the RHDS-CH for PLWH.Our findings showed good reliability and confirmed the four-factor structure model for PLWH.

Predictors of readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants: The role of stress, self-efficacy and perceived social support

Objective:To determine the predictive role of stress,self-efficacy,and perceived social support on readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants.Methods:The present cross-sectional,descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 120 mothers of preterm infants admitted to hospitals affiliated to Lorestan University of Medical Sciences,Iran in 2019.Participants were selected by a convenience sampling method and based on inclusion criteria.Data collection tools included the demographic questionnaire of mothers and infants,parent perceptions of their child's hospital discharge,parental stressor scale:neonatal intensive care unit,perceived maternal parenting,and multidimensional scale of perceived social support.Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and stepwise regression at the significance level of 0.05.Results:Infant behavior and appearance,situational belief,and family support achieved the highest mean score from parents'stress,self-efficacy,and perceived social support dimensions,respectively.There was a significant relationship between stress,self-efficacy,and perceived social support with readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants(P<0.001).The score of mothers'readiness for discharge decreased by 0.07 per 1-point increase in stress score,and the score of readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants rose by 0.35 and 0.43,respectively,for a unit increase in the scores of self-efficacy and perceived social support.Conclusions:Stress,self-efficacy,and perceived social support can be considered as predictors of readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants.It is suggested that nurses in neonatal intensive care units provide a better platform for the readiness for discharge in mothers of preterm infants by reducing stressors and increasing maternal self-efficacy and social support.

The Paediatric Observation Priority Score: A System to Aid Detection of Serious Illness and Assist in Safe Discharge

The Paediatric Observation Priority Score (POPS) is a bespoke assessment tool for use in Paediatric Emergency Departments incorporating traditional physiological parameters alongside more subjective observational criteria. Initial performance characteristics of POPS were analysed in a convenience sample of 936 presentations to ED. Triage on the basis of gut instinct parameters identified an additional 261 patients deemed of lowest acuity compared to analysis by physiology scores. Resource consumption increased with increasing acuity on presentation. POPS shows promise in assisting in the assessment process of children presenting to Emergency Departments. Inclusion of subjective triage criteria helps contextualise the physiological parameter scoring by using the experience of staff conducting triage. Initial interpretation of presenting physiology gives a more informed assessment of initial acuity, and thus is better able to identify a child who can be safely managed in the community. The system also allows for rapid detection of those most unwell.