-
Stroke May 2021Ischemic stroke remains the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Nurses play a pivotal role in the care of patients throughout the continuum. With the... (Review)
Review
Care of the Patient With Acute Ischemic Stroke (Endovascular/Intensive Care Unit-Postinterventional Therapy): Update to 2009 Comprehensive Nursing Care Scientific Statement: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.
Ischemic stroke remains the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Nurses play a pivotal role in the care of patients throughout the continuum. With the advances in stroke care, including mechanical thrombectomy, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association charged the writing panel to complement the 2009 clinical practice guideline, "Comprehensive Overview of Nursing and Interdisciplinary Care of the Acute Ischemic Stroke Patient," with current evidence-based nursing care. This update is 1 of a 3-part series focusing on emergency medical services/emergency care, endovascular/intensive care unit care, and postacute care. The aim of this scientific statement is to review and present current evidence, complications, best practices, and clinical practice strategies to provide current comprehensive scientific information for nursing care in the neuroendovascular area and intensive care unit in conjunction with medical treatments, including intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy.
Topics: American Heart Association; Evidence-Based Nursing; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Ischemic Stroke; Nursing Care; Subacute Care; United States
PubMed: 33691467
DOI: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000358 -
MedEdPORTAL : the Journal of Teaching... Nov 2019Patients often transition between health care settings, such as office to hospital, hospital to nursing facility, or hospital to home. When a patient is admitted, it is...
INTRODUCTION
Patients often transition between health care settings, such as office to hospital, hospital to nursing facility, or hospital to home. When a patient is admitted, it is imperative that clinicians review prior medication lists along with new orders to reconcile any discrepancies. This process should occur in a standardized manner to reduce medication errors leading to adverse events and patient harm.
METHODS
We developed this program as an instructional method via PowerPoint to teach the importance of accurate medication reconciliation. We implemented the program in multiple grand rounds settings with students, trainees, and attending physicians in internal medicine and surgery. Approximately 150 learners attended the sessions. We assessed learners with pre/post self-efficacy assessment (74 completed precourse surveys, 39 completed posttest surveys, and 49 participated in the audience response during the course) and multiple-choice knowledge questions.
RESULTS
The results of the postcourse knowledge assessment demonstrated improvement in every question we tested, with two of the improvements reaching statistical significance. We found that 30% of attendees were not at all confident or only somewhat confident in conducting an appropriate medication reconciliation on admission to the hospital. Additionally, 82% of respondents reported that the presentation was likely or extremely likely to improve their medication reconciliation efforts.
DISCUSSION
Our educational program was successful in improving learners' knowledge in every question we tested; however, only two of the improvements were statistically significant. Our program is an organized and effective tool for teaching effective and reliable medication reconciliation.
Topics: Continuity of Patient Care; Health Care Surveys; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Internal Medicine; Medical Staff, Hospital; Medication Errors; Medication Reconciliation; Patient Discharge; Patient Transfer; Pharmacists; Safety Management
PubMed: 31934615
DOI: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10852 -
JAMA Network Open Jan 2021Malnutrition affects a considerable proportion of patients in the hospital and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Recent trials found a survival benefit among...
IMPORTANCE
Malnutrition affects a considerable proportion of patients in the hospital and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Recent trials found a survival benefit among patients receiving nutritional support.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether there is an association of nutritional support with in-hospital mortality in routine clinical practice.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This cohort study was conducted from April 2013 to December 2018 among a population of patients from Swiss administrative claims data. From 114 264 hospitalizations of medical patients with malnutrition, 34 967 patients (30.6%) receiving nutritional support were 1:1 propensity score matched to patients with malnutrition in the hospital who were not receiving nutritional support. Patients in intensive care units were excluded. Data were analyzed from February 2020 to November 2020.
EXPOSURES
Receiving nutritional support, including dietary advice, oral nutritional supplementation, or enteral and parenteral nutrition.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day all-cause hospital readmission and discharge to a postacute care facility. Poisson and logistic regressions were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and odds ratios (ORs) of outcomes.
RESULTS
After matching, the study identified 69 934 hospitalizations of patients coded as having malnutrition in the cohort (mean [SD] age, 73.8 [14.5] years; 36 776 [52.6%] women). Patients receiving nutritional support, compared with those not receiving nutritional support, had a lower in-hospital mortality rate (2525 of 34 967 patients died [7.2%] vs 3072 of 34 967 patients died [8.8%]; IRR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.75-0.84]; P < .001) and a reduced 30-day readmission rate (IRR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.91-0.98]; P = .002). In addition, patients receiving nutritional support were less frequently discharged to a postacute care facility (13 691 patients [42.2%] vs 14 324 patients [44.9%]; OR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.86-0.91]; P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
These findings suggest that nutritional support was associated with reduced mortality among patients in the medical ward with malnutrition. The results support data found by randomized clinical trials and may help to inform patients, clinicians, and authorities regarding the usefulness of nutritional support in clinical practice.
Topics: Aged; Female; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Malnutrition; Nutritional Support; Patient Readmission; Propensity Score; Subacute Care; Switzerland
PubMed: 33471118
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.33433 -
The Journal of Frailty & Aging 2021COVID-19 patients may experience disability related to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission or due to immobilization. We assessed pre-post impact on physical performance...
COVID-19 patients may experience disability related to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission or due to immobilization. We assessed pre-post impact on physical performance of multi-component therapeutic exercise for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation in a post-acute care facility. A 30-minute daily multicomponent therapeutic exercise intervention combined resistance, endurance and balance training. Outcomes: Short Physical Performance Battery; Barthel Index, ability to walk unassisted and single leg stance. Clinical, functional and cognitive variables were collected. We included 33 patients (66.2±12.8 years). All outcomes improved significantly in the global sample (p<0.01). Post-ICU patients, who were younger than No ICU ones, experienced greater improvement in SPPB (4.4±2.1 vs 2.5±1.7, p<0.01) and gait speed (0.4±0.2 vs 0.2±0.1 m/sec, p<0.01). In conclusion, adults surviving COVID-19 improved their functional status, including those who required ICU stay. Our results emphasize the need to establish innovative rehabilitative strategies to reduce the negative functional outcomes of COVID-19.
Topics: COVID-19; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Subacute Care
PubMed: 34105716
DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2021.1 -
JAMA Internal Medicine May 2019Use of postacute care is common and costly in the United States, but there is significant uncertainty about whether the choice of postacute care setting matters....
IMPORTANCE
Use of postacute care is common and costly in the United States, but there is significant uncertainty about whether the choice of postacute care setting matters. Understanding these tradeoffs is particularly important as new alternative payment models push patients toward lower-cost settings for care.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of patient outcomes and Medicare costs of discharge to home with home health care vs discharge to a skilled nursing facility.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
A retrospective cohort study used Medicare claims data from short-term acute-care hospitals in the United States and skilled nursing facility and home health assessment data from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016, on Medicare beneficiaries who were discharged from the hospital to home with home health care or to a skilled nursing facility. To address the endogeneity of treatment choice, an instrumental variables approach used the differential distance between the beneficiary's home zip code and the closest home health agency and the closest skilled nursing facility as an instrument.
EXPOSURES
Receipt of postacute care at home vs in a skilled nursing facility.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Readmission within 30 days of hospital discharge, death within 30 days of hospital discharge, improvement in functional status during the postacute care episode, and Medicare payment for postacute care and total payment for the 60-day episode.
RESULTS
A total of 17 235 854 hospitalizations (62.2% women and 37.8% men; mean [SD] age, 80.5 [7.9] years) were discharged either to home with home health care (38.8%) or to a skilled nursing facility (61.2%) during the study period. Discharge to home was associated with a 5.6-percentage point higher rate of readmission at 30 days compared with discharge to a skilled nursing facility (95% CI, 0.8-10.3; P = .02). There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality rates (-2.0 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.8-10.3; P = .12) or improved functional status (-1.9 percentage points; 95% CI, -12.0 to 8.2; P = .71). Medicare payment for postacute care was significantly lower for those discharged to home compared with those discharged to a skilled nursing facility (-$5384; 95% CI, -$6932 to -$3837; P < .001), as was total Medicare payment within the first 60 days after admission (-$4514; 95% CI, -$6932 to -$3837; P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Among Medicare beneficiaries eligible for postacute care at home or in a skilled nursing facility, discharge to home with home health care was associated with higher rates of readmission, no detectable differences in mortality or functional outcomes, and lower Medicare payments.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Health Expenditures; Home Care Agencies; Home Care Services; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Medicare; Mortality; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Patient Discharge; Patient Readmission; Retrospective Studies; Skilled Nursing Facilities; Subacute Care; United States
PubMed: 30855652
DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.7998 -
JAMA Internal Medicine Mar 2023Deprescribing is a promising approach to addressing the burden of polypharmacy. Few studies have initiated comprehensive deprescribing in the hospital setting among... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
IMPORTANCE
Deprescribing is a promising approach to addressing the burden of polypharmacy. Few studies have initiated comprehensive deprescribing in the hospital setting among older patients requiring ongoing care in a postacute care (PAC) facility.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a patient-centered deprescribing intervention among hospitalized older adults transitioning or being discharged to a PAC facility.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This randomized clinical trial of the Shed-MEDS (Best Possible Medication History, Evaluate, Deprescribing Recommendations, and Synthesis) deprescribing intervention was conducted between March 2016 and October 2020. Patients who were admitted to an academic medical center and discharged to 1 of 22 PAC facilities affiliated with the medical center were recruited. Patients who were 50 years or older and had 5 or more prehospital medications were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to the intervention group or control group. Patients who were non-English speaking, were unhoused, were long-stay residents of nursing homes, or had less than 6 months of life expectancy were excluded. An intention-to-treat approach was used.
INTERVENTIONS
The intervention group received the Shed-MEDS intervention, which consisted of a pharmacist- or nurse practitioner-led comprehensive medication review, patient or surrogate-approved deprescribing recommendations, and deprescribing actions that were initiated in the hospital and continued throughout the PAC facility stay. The control group received usual care at the hospital and PAC facility.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was the total medication count at hospital discharge and PAC facility discharge, with follow-up assessments during the 90-day period after PAC facility discharge. Secondary outcomes included the total number of potentially inappropriate medications at each time point, the Drug Burden Index, and adverse events.
RESULTS
A total of 372 participants (mean [SD] age, 76.2 [10.7] years; 229 females [62%]) were randomized to the intervention or control groups. Of these participants, 284 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis (142 in the intervention group and 142 in the control group). Overall, there was a statistically significant treatment effect, with patients in the intervention group taking a mean of 14% fewer medications at PAC facility discharge (mean ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.80-0.93; P < .001) and 15% fewer medications at the 90-day follow-up (mean ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.92; P < .001) compared with the control group. The intervention additionally reduced patient exposure to potentially inappropriate medications and Drug Burden Index. Adverse drug event rates were similar between the intervention and control groups (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.52-1.30).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Results of this trial showed that the Shed-MEDS patient-centered deprescribing intervention was safe and effective in reducing the total medication burden at PAC facility discharge and 90 days after discharge. Future studies are needed to examine the effect of this intervention on patient-reported and long-term clinical outcomes.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02979353.
Topics: Female; Humans; Aged; Deprescriptions; Subacute Care; Hospitalization; Patient Discharge; Potentially Inappropriate Medication List; Polypharmacy
PubMed: 36745422
DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.6545 -
Cureus Jul 2023Airway suctioning is routinely performed in the majority of care circumstances, including acute care, subacute care, home-based settings, and long-term care. Using an... (Review)
Review
Airway suctioning is routinely performed in the majority of care circumstances, including acute care, subacute care, home-based settings, and long-term care. Using an artificial airway to suction the patient allows for the mobilization and evacuation of secretions. When a patient can't independently remove all of the secretions from their respiratory tract, suction is used. This can occur when the body produces excessive secretion or it is not eliminated quickly enough, causing the respiratory system's upper and lower respiratory secretions to accumulate. Airway blockage and inadequate breathing may result from this. Ultimately, this leads to a shortage of oxygen and carbon dioxide from the air, both of which are necessary for ideal cellular activity. Artificial airway suctioning is one of the most crucial components of airway care and a core competency for medical professionals trying to ensure airway patency. Artificial airway suctioning is a standard treatment carried out every day globally and is frequently done in both outpatient and inpatient patients. Therefore, specialists must know the safest and most efficient ways to perform surgery and any potential side effects. In ventilated infants and children, the removal of obstructive secretions by endotracheal suctioning is frequently done. It is unknown how suctioning affects the mechanics of breathing. This study used a prospective observational clinical design to examine the immediate impact of airway resistance in endotracheal suctioning, tidal volume, and dynamic lung regulation in mechanically ventilated adult patients and mechanically ventilated pediatric patients. The preparation, process, and indications for intraoperative fusion treatment in various circumstances are covered in this systematic review.
PubMed: 37641766
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42579 -
American Journal of Physical Medicine &... Aug 2020The World Health Organization declared a pandemic due to the serious health risk posed by coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The number of infected cases is on the rise... (Review)
Review
The World Health Organization declared a pandemic due to the serious health risk posed by coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The number of infected cases is on the rise globally with escalating human, economic, and societal costs. Survivors of COVID-19 may experience a range of clinical, functional, and psychological impairments, resulting in disabilities. Many are amenable to rehabilitation intervention. The current focus of COVID-19 management is on public health measures and acute management. As patients transfer to subacute care or discharged to the community, rehabilitation services need to have a number of organizational and operational models in place to provide safe and effective care for patients and health professionals.There is need for global action by professional organizations in developing a structured rehabilitation approach for international response to disasters, including pandemics. This report proposes development of a "Rehabilitation Response Plan" to enable the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, to provide crucial leadership and governance role in liaison and coordination with the World Health Organization (and other stakeholders), to provide rehabilitation input during current and future pandemics. The key considerations include following categories: governance, coordination, communication, evaluation, and care continuum. These will strengthen rehabilitation, assist in the effective delivery of services, and provide advocacy and an international coordinated perspective.
Topics: COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Female; Global Health; Health Planning; Humans; Internationality; Male; Organizational Innovation; Pandemics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Pneumonia, Viral; Public Health; Survivors; World Health Organization
PubMed: 32452879
DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001477 -
The Journal of the American Osteopathic... Jan 2017Advances have been made in our understanding of the neuropathogenesis, recognition, and strategies for reducing the incidence of delirium in acute-care settings.... (Review)
Review
Advances have been made in our understanding of the neuropathogenesis, recognition, and strategies for reducing the incidence of delirium in acute-care settings. However, relatively little attention has been given to delirium in elderly patients in the postacute care (PAC) and long-term care (LTC) settings. The present article reviews the most relevant current research pertaining to this population. Hospital patients with delirium are often discharged to PAC settings. Delirium that develops in the LTC setting is often more insidious and subtle in presentation. Despite incorporating systematic screening tools for delirium in PAC and LTC settings, delirium prevention strategies have not yet been shown to be beneficial beyond the acute-care setting. The management of delirium combined with dementia and guidance on when it is appropriate to use antipsychotic medications is also discussed.
Topics: Aged; Delirium; Humans; Long-Term Care; Subacute Care
PubMed: 28055085
DOI: 10.7556/jaoa.2017.005