Investigation of the Clinical Diagnostic Significance of the T-Cell Test for Tuberculosis combined with Erythrocyte Sedimentation Test in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Objective:To investigate the clinical diagnostic significance of peripheral blood T-cell test(T-spot test)for tuberculosis(TB)infection combined with erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR)in pulmonary TB.Methods:41 patients with a clinical diagnosis of TB during hospitalization from January 2020 to April 2023 in our hospital were selected as the experimental group,and 45 patients without TB(bronchopneumonia patients)were selected as the control group.The diagnostic specificity,sensitivity,and accuracy of the T-spot TB test,ESR test,and the combined test of the two were calculated respectively.Results:The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of the T-spot TB test combined with ESR for the diagnosis of TB in the experimental group were significantly higher than the individual results of the T-spot TB test and ESR test alone(P<0.05).Conclusion:The T-spot TB test combined with the ESR test for TB diagnosis has greater clinical value than carrying out the tests individually.

Clinical Investigation and Experience with Distal phalanx Replantation

Objective： To explore the measures and methods for improving distal phalanx replantation. Methods： One hundred and forty-eight cases with distal phalanx replantation from Sep 2004 to Sep 2007 were investigated. The indication for surgery and the operative program was determined by the trauma type and the degree of injury. As many microcirculation pathways as possible were reconstructed during the operation, and postoperative tissue decompression was also performed. Results： The survival rate of distal phalanx replantation was 89.9% （169/148）. Conclusion： To improve the survival rate of distal phalanx replantation it is essential to reconstruct an effective local blood circulation, determine the degree of injury in cases with ecchymosis, and employ comprehensive postoperative measures.

Clinical investigation results of cave trapped victims in acute phase after being rescued: Data on case of 2018 cave crisis in Thailand

Dear Editor, Being trapped in difficult situation is considered as an important crisis that requires rescue. The good example is being trapped in cave. In July 2018, there was a worldwide news about 13 persons trapped in the cave in northern region of Thailand. Finally, those persons were able to be successfully rescued by the rescue team after more than 10 days trapped period. The interesting issue is on the clinical management of these persons in acute phase after being rescued. In fact, acute management of those who are rescued from difficult places is an interesting issue in acute disease management. Focusing on the case of being trapped in the cave, there was a similar case of being trapped in underground mine in Chile(1)In the present Thai situation, all victims were immediately sent to hospital for management. All cases recieved primary care and obtained immunization.

A three-year clinical investigation of a Chinese child with craniometaphyseal dysplasia caused by a mutated ANKH gene

BACKGROUND Craniometaphyseal dysplasia(CMD)is a rare genetic disorder.Autosomal dominant CMD(AD-CMD)is caused by mutations in the ANKH gene.Affected individuals typically have distinctive facial features including progressive thickening of the craniofacial bones.Treatment for AD-CMD primarily consists of surgical intervention to release compression of the cranial nerves and the brain stem/spinal cord.To alleviate progression of the clinical course and improve the quality of life in children waiting to undergo the necessary surgery,we investigated clinical changes in a diagnosed patient with AD-CMD over three years.CASE SUMMARY A 17-mo-old boy presented with progressive nasal obstruction,snoring and hearing loss symptoms.Physical examination showed enlargement of the head circumference and clinical features such as wide nasal bridge,paranasal bossing,widely spaced eyes with an increased bizygomatic width,and a prominent mandible.The patient underwent otolaryngological examination,endoscopy,hearing test,laboratory examination of phosphorus and bone metabolism,cranial and femoral computed tomography,X-ray and next-generation sequencing.The patient was diagnosed with AD-CMD due to p.Phe377 deletion(c.1129_1131del)on exon 9 of the ANKH gene.After adherence to a prescribed low-calcium diet,the boy’s alkaline phosphatase(ALP)levels continuously decreased to within the normal range.However,after 14 mo of dietary intervention,his parents altered his diet to an intermittent low-calcium diet to include milk and eggs.The patient’s ALP was slightly higher than normal after the dietary change but remained close to the normal range.His serum osteocalcin changed to within normal levels after dietary regulation for 33 mo.His serum combined beta C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen also continuously decreased after the nutritional intervention,although still slightly higher than normal levels.Despite fluctuating blood test results,the boy’s nasal symptoms were markedly relieved and steadily improved after dietary intervention.No significant changes were found in the craniofacial bones by cranial radiography.Close monitoring of clinical features is still ongoing.Calcitriol treatment is currently under consideration and a surgical procedure is planned as necessary in the future.CONCLUSION We herein report the first Chinese case of AD-CMD with heterozygous mutation of p.Phe377 deletion(c.1129_1131del)on the ANKH gene.Biochemical alterations were significantly improved after dietary intervention indicating that a lowcalcium diet may be applied in pediatric AD-CMD patients with ANKH mutations to help alleviate phenotypic manifestations and improve the quality of life before surgical intervention.Further large scale studies are needed to replicate these findings and to establish the appropriate timing for nutritional and surgical interventions。

Investigation and analysis of clinical trial research nurse to perform standard operating procedures

Objective： The aim of this study was to investigate the situations and factors that cause nurses not to follow standard operating procedures （SOPs） during the clinical trial process. Methods： Five cases involving patients enrolled in a clinical trial were divided into two groups, pre-SOP training and post-SOP training, to compare and observe the process problems and whether nurses fol- lowed SOPs in clinical trials. The causes of problems were analyzed and corrective measures were proposed. Results： Our results indicate significant improvement in compliance with SOPs after training. There were three occurrences of irregular behavior after training compared with 21 occurrences of irregular behavior before training. Conclusions： The quality of clinical trials can be improved if nurses strictly follow SOPs.

Clinical classification of chronic prostatitis:a preliminary investigation

Aim: To propose a practical clinical classification for the chronic prostatitis (CP). Methods: The clinical fea-tures and the findings in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) in 804 cases of CP patients were retrospectively ana-lyzed. Results: Four types of CP were identified based on the clinical manifestations and the amounts of whiteblood cells (WBC) and lecithin in EPS. They were the latent type (85 cases; 10.6%), the common type (423 cases;52.6%), the persisting type (104 cases; 12.9%), and the active type (192 cases, 23.9%). The therapeutic efficacyfor these 4 subtypes were 40.4%, 76.8%, 30.8% and 37%, respectively; a statistical difference was noticed be-tween the common type and the persisting type (P < 0.01 ). Conclusion: The method of classification proposed bythe authors may help clinicians in the diagnosis and predicting the prognosis of CP. (Asian J Androl 2000 Dec; 2:311-313)

S-adenosylmethionine in treatment of cholestasis after total parenteral nutrition: laboratory investigation and clinical application

Objective: To observe the effects of S-adenosylmethio-nine (SAMe) in the treatment of cholestasis after totalparenteral nutrition (TPN).Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided intocontrol group, hypercalorie group, hypercalorie+SAMegroup, sepsis group and sepsis+SAMe group to com-pare their states of cholestasis. Sixteen patients re-ceived SAMe because of cholestasis after prolongedTPN, and the therapeutic efficacy was observed.Results: Bile flow was obviously decreased and theserum levels of total bile acid and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase(γ-GT) were markedly increased in thehypercalorie and sepsis groups. Meanwhile, hepatocytefatty degeneration, dilatation of cholangioles, and bilesludge could be seen microscopically. SAMe adminis-tration in the hypercalorie+SAMe and sepsis+SAMegroups could increase the bile flow, decrease theserum levels of total bile acid and γ-GT, reduce thepathological damage to the liver, and clear the bilesludge in the cholangioles. Cholestasis and abnormalliver function were the main manifestations of the 16patients before SAMe administration. After SAMe treat-ment for 3 weeks, serum levels of total bilirubin, al-kaline phosphatase(AKP), γ-GT, alanine aminotrans-ferase(ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were obviously decreased, and normalized in the 4thweek.Conclusion: SAMe could prevent and treat cholestasiswithout discontinuation of TPN.

Development of liposomal formulations: From concept to clinical investigations

Liposome is one of the most successful drug delivery systems applying nanotechnology topotentiate the therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicities of conventional medicines. Sincethe first doxorubicin-loaded liposome reached the market, numerous researches have beencarried out to develop new liposomal formulations over the past decade and have givenbirth to a series of commercial products. Therapeutic agents, most of which are anti-cancerdrugs, are encapsulated in the aqueous core or lipid bilayers of liposomes to improve theirdelivery to the targeted tissue. There are several liposomal formulations, such as EndoTAG-1 (paclitaxel-loaded cationic liposomes), Lipoplatin (cisplatin-loaded long circulating liposomes) and Stimuvax (a cancer vaccine), showing promising therapeutic value in clinicalstudies. Besides, new designs including environmentally sensitive liposomes, liposomaldrug combinations and liposomal vaccines are now tested in clinical trials.

An Investigation on the Molecular Characteristics and Intracellular Growth Ability among Environmental and Clinical Isolates of Legionella pneumophila in Sichuan Province, China

Objective To investigate the molecular characteristics and intracellular growth ability of Legionella pneumophila(L. pneumophila) strains from 1989 to 2016 in Sichuan Province, China. Methods Seventy-nine isolates of L. pneumophila were collected from environmental and clinical sources, including cooling towers, hot springs, bath water, fountains, and patients, and identified with 16 S rRNA gene analysis and serum agglutination assay. The isolates were then typed by Sequence-Based Typing(SBT), and Genotyping of forty-two LP1 strains were analyzed by means of multiple-locus VNTR analysis with 8 loci(MLVA-8). All strains were further analyzed for two virulence genes: Legionella vir homologue(lvh) and repeats in structural toxin(rtx A). The intracellular growth ability of 33 selected isolates was determined by examining their interaction with J774 cells. Results All isolates were identified to L. pneumophila including 11 serogroups, among which the main serogroup were LP1, accounting for 54.43%. Thirty-three different sequence types(STs) from five main clonal groups and five singletons were identified, along with 8 different MLVA patterns. Both the lvh and rtx A loci were found in all 79 strains. Thirty isolates showed high intracellular growth ability in J774 cells. Conclusion L. pneumophila is a potential threat to public health, and effective control and prevention strategies are urgently needed.

An Analysis of the Application of the Suggestions of Clinical Practice Guideline for Ostomy Care in China:A Cross-Sectional Investigation

Background:Clinical practice guidelines refer to the guidance provided by the expert system to help medical staff and patients decide on appropriate treatments for a specific clinical situation,mainly including guidelines based on expert consensus and evidence-based guidelines.Since there is no research and clinical application of a specific stoma guidance in China.It is of great significance to understand the application status of the recommended guidelines and the influencing factors in promoting the development of stoma care.Purpose:To investigate the application status of recommended clinical practice guidelines for stoma nursing in China,and to analyse the reasons for the knowledge and application of recommendations.Methods:The Questionnaire on the Application of Recommendations in Clinical Practice Guidelines for Ostomy Nursing was adopted.Results:We collected 195 questionnaires and 183 valid questionnaires were available.(1)The average knowledge rate of a total of 31 recommendations was 73.65%.The main reasons for unknown were insufficient dissemination and lack of training.(2)The average application rate of the 31 recommendations was 58.08%.The overall satisfaction rate of people who used them was high.The main reasons for not applying recommendations were complex.Conclusions:Different levels of recommendations awareness and application are different.There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines for clinical practice in ostomy nursing in the field of stoma care in China,which limits the scientific development of stoma care to a certain extent.However,this study provides reference for the future construction of a guidebook adapted to our country’s localization.

Investigation and Analysis on the Management Standard of Blood Glucose Monitoring for Clinical Nurses in Nyingchi Region of Tibet

Background: In participating in the medical support work in the Nyingchi area of Tibet, the author found that the medical education resources in this area are scarce, and the clinical nurses in this area have relatively insufficient knowledge about blood glucose monitoring and management. Accurately understanding the knowledge-attitude/belief-practice (KAP) level of nurses in Nyingchi area on blood glucose management is of great significance to the development of blood glucose monitoring management guidance for nurses in this area. Therefore, this study investigated the current status of the management of blood glucose monitoring management standards for clinical nurses in Nyingchi, Tibet. Objective: To investigate and analyze the current situation of clinical nurses in Nyingchi region of Tibet to grasp the regulation of blood glucose monitoring and guide the implementation of the norm of blood glucose monitoring for clinical nurses. Methods: The research survey was carried out from March to April 2020. Random sampling method was used to select 134 clinical in-service nurses in Nyingchii, Tibet. The self-designed knowledge-attitude/belief-practice survey questionnaire for clinical nurses’ blood glucose monitoring and management in Tibet was used. Nurses’ blood glucose monitoring management “KAP” scores and related influencing factors are analyzed. Results: Blood sugar monitoring and management knowledge score is (36.78 ± 6.80), attitude dimension is (42.48 ± 6.42), practice dimension is (61.87 ± 10.24) and total score is (304.73 ± 36.24). The nurse’s department and whether to participate in diabetes training are the main influencing factors of the blood glucose monitoring management norms, knowledge and behavior (both P < 0.05). Conclusion: The standard knowledge of blood glucose monitoring and management of clinical nurses in Nyingchi region of Tibet is at the middle level, positive attitude and unsatisfactory behavior. Nursing managers should conduct standardized training for clinical nurses in blood glucose monitoring, develop the training mode of diabetes specialty nursing talents in Nyingchi area, and construct a complete management system of diabetes specialty nursing.

Investigation on Psychological Health and Resilience of Clinical Nursing Students in “Post-Pandemic Era”

The study aims to learn about the psychological health and counseling situation of nursing students in the post-pandemic era through investigation on the psychological health, resilience and counseling demand of nursing students by randomly selecting clinical nursing students interned in a Grade III Level A hospital in Guangzhou from June 2020 to January 2021 as the objects of study. The internship can be divided into three stages: initial (1st - 3rd month), middle (4th - 7th month) and final (8th - 12th month). The investigator educated the nursing students about psychological health in the initial stage to improve their adaptability to clinical practice. Then they were given questionnaires including Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and general questionnaires. And this study further completed difference analysis on psychological health and resilience in gender, educational background, internship stages and non-only/only children. It turned out that all factors scored above the national norm except anxiety in nine symptom clusters and three dimensions of CD-RISC. As for the scores of four factors of somatization, interpersonal relationship, hostility and bigotry and three dimensions of tenacity, optimism and strength in the CD-RISC, the difference was considered to indicate statistical significance (P < 0.001). Among factors affecting the psychological health of clinical nursing students, score differences involving somatization and compulsion (P < 0.001, P < 0.05) under different educational backgrounds showed statistically significant. With regard to different clinical stages, there were significant differences in somatization, compulsion, tenacity and strength (P < 0.001, P < 0.05). Finally, the conclusion is drawn that, during the period of pandemic prevention and control, the overall psychological status of clinical nursing students was good, but there remain part of cases with mild psychological problems that cannot be ignored. In the post-pandemic era, it is necessary to strengthen the awareness of teaching groups of clinical hospitals to psychological counseling for nursing students.

Clinical effects investigation of continuous plasma filtration with adsorption and continuous hematodialysis on improving the immune level of patients with sepsis in ICU

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of continuous plasma filtration with adsorption and continuous hematodialysis on improving the immune level of patients with sepsis in ICU. Methods:A total of 80 patients with sepsis were randomly divided into study group and control group, 40 patients in each group. All the patients were treated by routine treatment. Patients in study group were treated by continuous plasma filtration with adsorption and patients in control group were treated by continuous hematodialysis. The blood samples were collected before and after treatment. The immune cell level, inflammatory factors level, APACHEⅡ score and death rate were compared between two groups.Results:All immune cell indexes were significantly improved in both groups. All immune cell indexes in study group were significantly better than those in control group, after treatment. All inflammatory factors were significantly decreased in both groups. All inflammatory factors in study group were significantly better than those in control group, after treatment. The APACHEⅡ in study group was significantly better than that in control group, after treatment. The death rate in study group was significantly less than that in control group.Conclusion:Continuous plasma filtration with adsorption has a great clinical efficacy on patients with sepsis in ICU, which can improve the immune level and prognosis, makes it worth for clinical application.

Assessment of Appropriateness of Diagnostic Lymph Node Tissue Collection from the Operating Theater and by Interventional Radiologist. A Clinical Audit

Background: Appropriate sample requesting, collecting and timely dispatch to the appropriate laboratory is essential in establishing diagnosis of pathologies with lesions. Much time and effort may be wasted if this is not done according to certain standards. We conducted this study to assess the route of lymph node samples from requests to reaching the laboratories. Methods: We conducted an audit over a period from 4th June until 10th Aug 2023. Data for all the procedures performed over this period on lymph node samples (was entered into and analysed using Excel. Results: A total of eighteen samples for sixteen patients were obtained during this period. Median age of the patients was 34 years (19 - 73) with a M:F ratio of 5:11. Among the IR samples, nine samples were from the neck, three from inguinal area and one from axilla. Seven samples (53.8%) were tru-cut biopsies, six samples (46.15%) were FNA. All samples were sent to the pathology laboratory fixed in formalin. Samples for TB were sent only for five cases (31.25%) and for only two cases (12.5%) were samples sent for bacterial culture. For the OR samples, none were sent for either bacterial culture or TB. Overall, eight patients (50%) were not investigated for any infectious etiologies like brucella, toxoplasmosis, CMV, EBV plus other possible causes. Repeat sampling was required for 25% of patients (within and out of the audit period). Conclusions: to avoid delays in making diagnoses, it is paramount to consider infectious etiologies as possible diagnosis for lymphadenopathy and request appropriate investigations. This requires liaising with infectious diseases/clinical microbiology experts to guide regarding types of samples, types of media and timely dispatch to the correct laboratory.

Virtual reality:The bridge between medical education and clinical practice

After perusing the paper by Kim et al,I discovered that this is an interesting manuscript and a successful study.Virtual reality(VR)is an emerging and promising technology employed in the domain of medical practice and medical education over the past decade.In the era of big data,VR is constantly progressing in the fields of medical education and clinical diagnosis and treatment.As a novel scientific and technological tool,VR not only overcomes multiple limitations of the traditional medical teaching mode but also reduces the reliance on personnel and equipment.VR can simulate the real clinical situation,stimulate the enthusiasm of young doctors and nurses for clinical study,and simultaneously safeguard and promote medical safety and doctor-patient harmony.Favorable outcomes have been attained in clinical teaching and diagnosis and treatment activities.While enhancing the training conditions of medical cosmetics and elevating the level of clinical practice and teaching,the risks resulting from improper clinical diagnosis and treatment have been circumvented.All of this is evident and comprehensible.

Comparative analysis of breast and lung cancer survival rates and clinical trial enrollments among rural and urban patients in Georgia

Objectives:Rural patients have poor cancer outcomes and clinical trial(CT)enrollment compared to urban patients due to attitudinal,awareness,and healthcare access differential.Knowledge of cancer survival disparities and CT enrollment is important for designing interventions and innovative approaches to address the stated barriers.The study explores the potential disparities in cancer survival rates and clinical trial enrollments in rural and urban breast and lung cancer patients.Our hypotheses are that for both cancer types,urban cancer patients will have longer 5-year survival rates and higher enrollment rates in clinical trials than those in rural counties.Methods:We compared breast and lung cancer patients’survival rates and enrollment ratios in clinical trials between rural(RUCC 4-9)and urban counties in Georgia at a Comprehensive Cancer Center(CCC).To assess these differences,we carried out a series of independent samples t-tests and Chi-Square tests.Results:The outcomes indicate comparable 5-year survival rates across rural and urban counties for breast and lung cancer patients,failing to substantiate our hypothesis.While clinical trial enrollment rates demonstrated a significant difference between breast and lung cancer patients at CCC,no significant variation was observed based on rural or urban classification.Conclusion:These findings underscore the need for further research into the representation of rural patients with diverse cancer types at CCC and other cancer centers.Further,the findings have considerable implications for the initiation of positive social change to improve CT participation and reduce cancer survival disparities.

Assessing the Levels of Clinical Reasoning Skills Using Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning in Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Descriptive Comparative Study

Background: Clinical reasoning is a critical cognitive skill that enables undergraduate nursing students to make clinically sound decisions. A lapse in clinical reasoning can result in unintended harm to patients. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the levels of clinical reasoning skills between third year and fourth year undergraduate nursing students. Methods: The study utilized a descriptive comparative research design, based on the positivism paradigm. 410 undergraduate nursing students were systematically sampled and recruited into the study. The researchers used the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning questionnaire to collect data on clinical reasoning skills from third- and fourth-year nursing students while adhering to ethical principles of human dignity. Descriptive statistics were done to analyse the level of clinical reasoning and an independent sample t-test was performed to compare the clinical reasoning skills of the student. A p value of 0.05 was accepted. Results: The results of the study revealed that the mean clinical reasoning scores of the undergraduate nursing students were knowledge/theory application (M = 3.84;SD = 1.04);decision-making based on experience and evidence (M = 4.09;SD = 1.01);dealing with uncertainty (M = 3.93;SD = 0.87);reflection and reasoning (M = 3.77;SD = 3.88). The mean difference in clinical reasoning skills between third- and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students was not significantly different from an independent sample t-test scores (t = −1.08;p = 0.28);(t = −0.29;p = 0.73);(t = 1.19;p = 0.24);(t = −0.57;p = 0.57). Since the p-value is >0.05, the null hypothesis (H0) “there is no significantno significant difference in clinical reasoning between third year and fourth year undergraduate nursing students”, was accepted. Conclusion: This study has shown that the level of clinical reasoning skills of the undergraduate nursing students was moderate to low. This meant that the teaching methods have not been effective to improve the students clinical reasoning skills. Therefore, the training institutions should revise their curriculum by incorporating new teaching methods like simulation to enhance students’ clinical reasoning skills. In conclusion, evaluating clinical reasoning skills is crucial for addressing healthcare issues, validating teaching methods, and fostering continuous improvement in nursing education.

High rate of clinically relevant improvement following anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND The minimal clinically important difference(MCID)is defined as the smallest meaningful change in a health domain that a patient would identify as important.Thus,an improvement that exceeds the MCID can be used to define a successful treatment for the individual patient.AIM To quantify the rate of clinical improvement following anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis.METHODS Patients were treated with the Global Unite total shoulder platform arthroplasty between March 2017 and February 2019 at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital,Denmark.The patients were evaluated preoperatively and 3 months,6 months,12 months,and 24 months postoperatively using the Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder index(WOOS),Oxford Shoulder Score(OSS)and Constant-Murley Score(CMS).The rate of clinically relevant improvement was defined as the proportion of patients who had an improvement 24 months postoperatively that exceeded the MCID.Based on previous literature,MCID for WOOS,OSS,and CMS were defined as 12.3,4.3,and 12.8 respectively.RESULTS Forty-nine patients with a Global Unite total shoulder platform arthroplasty were included for the final analysis.Mean age at the time of surgery was 66 years(range 49.0-79.0,SD:8.3)and 65%were women.One patient was revised within the two years follow-up.The mean improvement from the preoperative assessment to the two-year follow-up was 46.1 points[95%confidence interval(95%CI):39.7-53.3,P<0.005]for WOOS,18.2 points(95%CI:15.5-21.0,P<0.005)for OSS and 37.8 points(95%CI:31.5-44.0,P<0.005)for CMS.Two years postoperatively,41 patients(87%)had an improvement in WOOS that exceeded the MCID,45 patients(94%)had an improvement in OSS that exceeded the MCID,and 42 patients(88%)had an improvement in CMS that exceeded the MCID.CONCLUSION Based on three shoulder-specific outcome measures we find that approximately 90%of patients has a clinically relevant improvement.This is a clear message when informing patients about their prognosis.

Beyond statistical significance:Embracing minimal clinically important difference for better patient care

The minimal clinically important difference(MCID)represents a pivotal metric in bridging the gap between statistical significance and clinical relevance,addressing the direct impact of medical interventions from the patient's perspective.This comprehensive review analyzes the evolution,applications,and challenges of MCID across medical specialties,emphasizing its necessity in ensuring that clinical outcomes not only demonstrate statistical significance but also offer genuine clinical utility that aligns with patient expectations and needs.We discuss the evolution of MCID since its inception in the 1980s,its current applications across various medical specialties,and the methodologies used in its calculation,highlighting both anchor-based and distribution-based approaches.Furthermore,the paper delves into the challenges associated with the application of MCID,such as methodological variability and the interpretation difficulties that arise in clinical settings.Recommendations for the future include standardizing MCID calculation methods,enhancing patient involvement in setting MCID thresholds,and extending research to incorporate diverse global perspectives.These steps are critical to refining the role of MCID in patient-centered healthcare,addressing existing gaps in methodology and interpretation,and ensuring that medical interventions lead to significant,patient-perceived improvements.

Clinical competency:perceptions of nursing interns and clinical mentors

Objective:To assess the clinical competency of nursing interns and the perception of clinical nurse mentors toward student nurses'clinical competency.Methods:A study was carried out among 104 nursing interns and 26 clinical nurse mentors using the purposive sampling technique.A self-repor ted perception scale was used to collect the data.Results:In general,most nursing interns perceived themselves as clinically competent during the internship.The clinical nurse mentors too repor ted that the current internship is helping the nursing interns in becoming competent.Conclusions:Frequent clinical evaluation,buddy system,provision of stipends,good leadership,and coordination between the academic institute and hospital are repor ted as the critical motivating factors for improving the clinical competency of student interns.