Acute hospital-community hospital care bundle for elderly orthopedic surgery patients:A propensity score-matched economic analysis

BACKGROUND While Singapore attains good health outcomes,Singapore’s healthcare system is confronted with bed shortages and prolonged stays for elderly people recovering from surgery in acute hospitals.An Acute Hospital-Community Hospital(AHCH)care bundle has been developed to assist patients in postoperative rehabilitation.The core concept is to transfer patients out of AHs when clinically recommended and into CHs,where they can receive more beneficial dedicated care to aid in their recovery,while freeing up bed capacities in AHs.AIM To analyze the AH length of stay(LOS),costs,and savings associated with the AH-CH care bundle intervention initiated and implemented in elderly patients aged 75 years and above undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.METHODS A total of 8621:1 propensity score-matched patients aged 75 years and above who underwent elective orthopedic surgery in Singapore General Hospital(SGH)before(2017-2018)and after(2019-2021)the care bundle intervention period was analyzed.Outcome measures were AH LOS,CH LOS,hospitalization metrics,postoperative 30-d mortality,and modified Barthel Index(MBI)scores.The costs of AH inpatient hospital stay in the matched cohorts were compared using cost data in Singapore dollars.RESULTS Of the 862 matched elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery before and after the care bundle intervention,the age distribution,sex,American Society of Anesthesiologists classification,Charlson Comorbidity Index,and surgical approach were comparable between both groups.Patients transferred to CHs after the surgery had a shorter median AH LOS(7 d vs 9 d,P<0.001).The mean total AH inpatient cost per patient was 14.9%less for the elderly group transferred to CHs(S$24497.3 vs S$28772.8,P<0.001).The overall AH U-turn rates for elderly patients within the care bundle were low,with a 0%mortality rate following orthopedic surgery.When elderly patients were discharged from CHs,their MBI scores increased significantly(50.9 vs 71.9,P<0.001).CONCLUSION The AH-CH care bundle initiated and implemented in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery appears to be effective and cost-saving for SGH.Our results indicate that transitioning care between acute and community hospitals using this care bundle effectively reduces AH LOS in elderly patients receiving orthopedic surgery.Collaboration between acute and community care providers can assist in closing the care delivery gap and enhancing service quality.

Application effect for a care bundle in optimizing nursing of patients with severe craniocerebral injury

BACKGROUND Severe craniocerebral injury(STBI)is a critical physical trauma caused by a sudden external force acting on the head.The condition is complex and changeable,and disability and mortality rates are high.Although the life of STBI patients can be saved through treatment,the sequelae of consciousness,speech,cognitive impairment,stiffness,spasm,pain and abnormal behavior in the early rehabilitation stage can be a heavy burden to a family.In the past,routine nursing was often used to treat/manage STBI;however,problems,such as improper cooperation and untimely communication,reduced therapeutic effectiveness.AIM To investigate the effect of a proposed care bundle to optimize the first aid process and assess its effectiveness on the early rehabilitation nursing of patients with STBI.METHODS From January 2019 to December 2020,126 STBI patients were admitted to the emergency department of Chongqing Emergency Medical Center.These patients were retrospectively selected as the research participants in the current study.The study participants were then divided into a control group(61 cases)and a study group(65 cases).The control group was treated with routine nursing.The study group adopted the proposed care bundle.The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale/Score and Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)were used to evaluate neurological function before and after emergency treatment.After 3 mo of rehabilitation,experimental outcomes were assessed.These included the GCS,Barthel Index,complication rate,muscle strength grade and satisfaction.RESULTS There was no significant difference in gender,age,cause of injury and GCS between the two groups.After emergency,the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale/Score of the study group(10.23±3.26)was lower than that of the control group(14.79±3.14).The GCS score of the study group(12.48±2.38)was higher than that of the control group(9.32±2.01).The arrival time of consultation in the study group was 20.56±19.12,and the retention time in the emergency room was 45.12±10.21,which were significantly shorter than those in the control group.After 3 mo of rehabilitation management,the GCS and Barthel Index of the study group were 14.56±3.75 and 58.14±12.14,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the control group.The incidence of complications in the study group(15.38%)was significantly lower than that in the control group(32.79%).The proportion of muscle strength≥grade III in the study group(89.23%)was significantly higher than that in the control group(50.82%).The satisfaction of patients in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group.CONCLUSION Care bundles are used to optimize the nursing process.During first-aid,care bundles can effectively improve the rescue effect and improve neurological function of STBI patients as well as shorten the treatment time.In early rehabilitation,they can effectively improve the consciousness of STBI patients,improve the activities of daily living,reduce the risk of complications,accelerate the recovery of muscle strength and improve their satisfaction.

A care bundle for pressure ulcer treatment in intensive care units

Pressure ulcers(PUs)are localized injuries of the skin or underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure,exposure to shear forces or friction.PUs represent a major concern for hospitalized patients and the health professionals responsible for their wellbeing.intensive care init(ICU)patients are at high risk of PU development,and the development of PUs can significantly extend the length of time a patient must remain in the ICU.Patients with PUs experience significantly increased morbidity,mortality and financial burden.A significant amount of evidence has accumulated indicating that PU prevention is an essential component of patient care.However,standardized guidelines and protocols for PU prevention in ICUs have not been universally implemented.This review aims to describe and analyze an optimized PU prevention care bundle based on the best available evidence and existing national guidelines.We distilled the available information into five main topics important for PU prevention:Risk Assessment,Skin Assessment,Support Surfaces,Nutrition and Repositioning.Further larger scale studies are needed to clinically verify the effectiveness of the care bundle.

Improving pressure ulcer care in intensive care units:Evaluating the impact of bundled care and silver nanoparticle dressings

BACKGROUND Pressure ulcer(PU)are prevalent among critically ill trauma patients,posing substantial risks.Bundled care strategies and silver nanoparticle dressings offer potential solutions,yet their combined effectiveness and impact on patient satisfaction remain insufficiently investigated.AIM To assess the impact of bundled care along with silver nanoparticle dressing on PUs management and family satisfaction in critically ill trauma patients.METHODS A total of 98 critically ill trauma patients with PUs in intensive care unit(ICU)were included in this study.Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group(conventional care with silver nanoparticle dressing,n=49)or the intervention group(bundled care with silver nanoparticle dressing,n=49).The PU Scale for Healing(PUSH)tool was used to monitor changes in status of pressure injuries over time.Assessments were conducted at various time points:Baseline(day 0)and subsequent assessments on day 3,day 6,day 9,and day 12.Family satisfaction was assessed using the Family Satisfaction ICU 24 ques-tionnaire.RESULTS No significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between the two groups.In the intervention group,there were significant reductions in total PUSH scores over the assessment period.Specifically,surface area,exudate,and tissue type parameters all showed significant improvements compared to the control group.Family satisfaction with care and decision-making was notably higher in the intervention group.Overall family satisfaction was significantly better in the intervention group.CONCLUSION Bundled care in combination with silver nanoparticle dressings effectively alleviated PUs and enhances family satisfaction in critically ill trauma patients.This approach holds promise for improving PUs management in the ICU,benefiting both patients and their families.

Analysis of The Effect of Bundled Nursing Intervention on Lung Cancer Patients with a High Risk of PICC-Related Thrombosis

Objective: To explore the effect of bundled nursing intervention on lung cancer patients with a high risk of PICC-related thrombosis. Methods: Eighty-six PICC patients were selected and randomly divided into a control group and an observation group of 43 patients each. The control group received general nursing care and the observation group received bundled nursing intervention based on the control group. The occurrence of venous thrombosis, quality of life score, Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) score, self-rating anxiety (SAS) score, and nursing satisfaction after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results: The incidence rate of PICC-related venous thrombosis in the observation group (2/4.652%) was lower than that of the control group (13/30.231%) after nursing intervention (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the quality-of-life scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.001). After the intervention, the SDS and SAS scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.001). The nursing satisfaction rate of the observation group (41/ 4.652%) was higher than that of the control group (35/18.604%) (P < 0.05). The difference is statistically significant. Conclusion: In the care of lung cancer patients with a high risk of PICC-related thrombosis, bundled nursing care achieved better results.

Preventing surgical site infection using operating room bundle of care in patients undergoing elective exploratory laparotomy cholecystectomy surgery

Objective:Surgical procedures manifest immense risks to patients.One of the adverse events that healthcare professionals see as a threat to the patient’s health is the development of complications known as surgical site infection(SSI).Although several effor ts are being under taken to determine the proper means to reduce such complications,there is still a high incidence of SSI worldwide.Surgery requires knowledge in infection control and high precision in maintaining a clean surgical site.This study tested the effectiveness of an operating room(OR)bundle of care in preventing SSI in patients undergoing elective exploratory laparotomy cholecystectomy surgery.Methods:A quasi-experimental pretest and posttest design was utilized to determine its effectiveness.The study was composed of 60 par ticipants divided into two groups:30 subjects were selected to receive the OR bundle of care,while the other 30 subjects received the usual care.The groupings were determined through a systematic random sampling technique.The OR bundle of care had three interventions,namely:(1)maintaining perioperative normothermia,(2)no pre-operative surgical site hair removal,and(3)changing gloves before abdominal wall closure.These patients were evaluated using the standard instrument,Bates–Jensen Wound Assessment Tool(BWAT)in the post-intervention phases of the wound healing process,which are as follows:hemostasis,inflammatory,and proliferative phases.To describe the difference in the patients’wound status after implementation of the OR bundle of care in each post-intervention phase,Friedman’s test was used.To describe the difference in the patients’wound status in both groups after implementation of the OR bundle of care,the Mann–Whitney U test was used.Results:The patient’s wound status was lower,indicating a more healing process.Differences between the wound status of the control and the experimental group were observed on the third postoperative day.This indicates that the experimental group’s wound status healed much faster and more effectively than the control group based on the BWAT scoring severity scoring.A significant difference in the patient’s wound status from the hemostasis phase compared with the proliferative phase was observed.Conclusions:The OR bundle of care has been shown to be effective in preventing SSI in patients who had undergone exploratory laparotomy cholecystectomy surgery in the selected hospital,if there is uniform and consistent implementation of the said intervention.

Effect of Bundle Care on Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients Received Renal Biopsy

Objective: To explore the effect of bundle care on the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients who received renal biopsy, and provide reference for clinical care. Methods: 300 patients with nephrotic syndrome who received renal biopsy in our hospital from February 2018 to August 2020 were selected and randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, with 150 patients in each group. In the control group, patients were given routine care: informing the precautions before and after operation, observing the changes of vital signs and bleeding after operation, etc. In the observation group, patients were given bundle care intervention, including preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative routine care, ankle pump exercise, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) treatment and psychological care. The incidence of lower-limb venous thrombosis was compared between the two groups. Results: The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), 1 case (0.6%) in the observation group and 8 cases (5.3%) in the control group;the peak velocity and mean velocity of lower-limb venous blood flow in the observation group were higher than those in the control group;the average length of stay in the observation group was less than that in the control group, and the satisfaction degree in the observation group was higher than that in the control group. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For patients who received renal biopsy, bundle care can help improve the peak velocity and mean velocity of venous blood flow, reduce the incidence of VTE, the average length of stay, and social costs, relieve their pain, and improve satisfaction degree of care;moreover, it plays an important role in reducing the incidence of deep venous thrombosis.

Research Progress on the Application of Cluster Nursing Mode in ECMO-Assisted Patients

Cluster care,also known as cluster therapy,cluster intervention,or bundled therapy,is a series of evidence-based supportive joint care measures developed to improve the quality of care for specific patients or nursing issues.It is highly reliable and can effectively improve patient prognosis.This article summarized the application of cluster nursing care in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)-assisted patients and the problems faced to provide a reference for evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalized elderly patients： Time to consider a ＇MUST＇ strategy

Venous thromboembolism （VTE） is the commonest cause of preventable death in hospitalized patients. Elderly patients have higher risk of VTE because of the high prevalence of predisposing co-morbidities and acute illnesses. Clinical diagnosis of VTE in the elderly patient is particularly difficult and, as such, adequate VTE prophylaxis is of pivotal importance in reducing the mortality and morbidities of VTE. Omission of VTE prophylaxis is, however, very common despite continuous education. A simple way to overcome this problem is to implement universal VTE prophylaxis for all hospitalized elderly patients instead of selective prophylaxis for some patients only according to individual＇ s risk of VTE. Although pharmacological VTE prophylaxis is effective for most patients, a high prevalence of renal impairment and drug interactions in the hospitalized elderly patients suggests that a multimodality approach may be more appropriate. Mechanical VTE prophylaxis, including calf and thigh compression devices and/or an inferior vena cava filter, are often underutilized in hospitalized elderly patients who are at high-risk of bleeding and VTE. Because pneumatic compression devices and thigh length stockings are virtually risk free, mechanical VTE prophylaxis may allow early or immediate implementation of VTE prophylaxis for all hospitalized elderly patients, regardless of their bleeding and VTE risk. Although the cost-effectiveness of this Multimodality Universal STat （＇MUST＇） VTE prophylaxis approach for hospitalized elderly patients remains uncertain, this strategy appears to offer some advantages over the traditional ＇selective and single-modal＇ VTE prophylaxis approach, which often becomes ＇hit or miss＇ or not implemented promptly in many hospitalized elderly patients. A large clustered randomized controlled trial is, however, needed to assess whether early, multimodality, universal VTE prophylaxis can improve important clinical outcomes of hospitalized elderly patients.

Effect of Shenfu Injection(参附注射液)on Lactate and Lactate Clearance in Patients with Post-cardiac Arrest Syndrome:A Post Hoc Analysis of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To assess the effects of Shenfu Injection(参附注射液, SFI) on blood lactate, and secondarily its effect on the lactate clearance(LC) in patients with post cardiac arrest syndrome(PCAS). Methods: The present study is a post hoc study of a randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial. Patients experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest between 2012 and 2015 were included in the predefined post hoc analyses. Of 1,022 patients enrolled, a total of 978 patients were allocated to the control group(486 cases) and SFI(492 cases) group, receiving standardized post-resuscitation care bundle(PRCB) treatment or PRCB combined with SFI(100 mL/d), respectively. Patients’ serum lactate was measured simutaneously with artery blood gas, lactate clearance(LC) was calculated on days 1, 3, and 7 after admission and compared between groups. Lactate and LC were also compared between the survivors and non-survivors according to the 28-d mortality, as well as the survivors and non-survivors subgroups both in the SFI and control groups. Results: In both groups, compared with pre-treatment levels, mean arterial pressure(MAP) and PaOwere significantly improved on 1, 3, 7 d after treatment(P<0.05), while heart rate(HR) and blood glucose levels were significantly decreased on 1, 3 and 7 d after treatment(P<0.05). compared with control group, SFI treatment improved the values of MAP and PaO(P<0.05), and significantly decreased the levels of HR and the blood glucose level on 3 and 7 d after treatment(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, lactate levels decreased faster in the SFI group versus the control group on 3 and 7 d(P<0.05). From initiation of treatment and the following 3 and 7 d, SFI treatment greatly increased the LC compared with that in the control group(P<0.05). Compared with survivors, non-survivors had higher admission lactate levels(7.3±1.1 mmol/L vs. 5.5±2.3 mmol/L;P <0.01), higher lactate levels on days 1, 3 and 7(P <0.05), and LC were decreased significantly on 3 and 7 d after treatment(P<0.05). Similar results were also found both in the SFI and control groups between survivors and non-survivors subgroups. Conclusion: SFI in combination with PRCB treatment is effective at lowering lactate level and resulted in increasing LC in a targeted population of PCAS patients.

Timely completion of multiple life-saving interventions for traumatic haemorrhagic shock: a retrospective cohort study

Background:Early control of haemorrhage and optimisation of physiology are guiding principles of resuscitation after injury.Improved outcomes have been previously associated with single,timely interventions.The aim of this study was to assess the association between multiple timely life-saving interventions(LSIs)and outcomes of traumatic haemorrhagic shock patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of injured patients with haemorrhagic shock who presented to Alfered Emergency&Trauma Centre between July 01,2010 and July 31,2014.LSIs studied included chest decompression,control of external haemorrhage,pelvic binder application,transfusion of red cells and coagulation products and surgical control of bleeding through angio-embolisation or operative intervention.The primary exposure variable was timely initiation of≥50%of the indicated interventions.The association between the primary exposure variable and outcome of death at hospital discharge was adjusted for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression analysis.The association between total pre-hospital times and pre-hospital care times(time from ambulance at scene to trauma centre),in-hospital mortality and timely initiation of≥50%of the indicated interventions were assessed.Results:Of the 168 patients,54(32.1%)patients had≥50%of indicated LSI completed within the specified time period.Timely delivery of LSI was independently associated with improved survival to hospital discharge(adjusted odds ratio(OR)for in-hospital death 0.17;95%confidence interval(CI)0.03–0.83;p=0.028).This association was independent of patient age,pre-hospital care time,injury severity score,initial serum lactate levels and coagulopathy.Among patients with pre-hospital time of≥2 h,2(3.6%)received timely LSIs.Pre-hospital care times of≥2 h were associated with delayed LSIs and with in-hospital death(unadjusted OR 4.3;95%CI 1.4–13.0).Conclusions:Timely completion of LSI when indicated was completed in a small proportion of patients and reflects previous research demonstrating delayed processes and errors even in advanced trauma systems.Timely delivery of a high proportion of LSIs was associated with improved outcomes among patients presenting with haemorrhagic shock after injury.Provision of LSIs in the pre-hospital phase of trauma care has the potential to improve outcomes.