Assembly Bill 12 was passed into law for the purpose of preparing foster youth for the transition into adulthood and provided extended support services and transitional support up to the age of 21. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences and outcome of foster youth who are participating in extended care services. Key findings were identified in the areas of education, social and emotional support, and living arrangements. These key findings provide the social workers with a better understanding of the difficulties associated with the complexity involving the transition to young adulthood. The implications of key findings have resulted in potential contributions to social work at the micro level. Suggestions include: Social worker’s increase their knowledge of the supportive resources that are appropriate for the young adult foster youth and to be well versed in the requirements of AB 12. It is further suggested, at the macro level, curriculums be developed that will connect the traditional role of social work to characteristics involving coaching and mentoring.

Nosocomial outbreaks of infection due to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are rarely described. There are a few published reports that suggest that elderly patients with underlying pulmonary disease are at risk and that person-to-person spread is key to disease transmission. During the summer months of 2005, we documented an outbreak of NTHi infections in a Veterans Affairs nursing home. Thirteen patients developed conjunctivitis or lower respiratory infection involving a β-lactamase-negative biotype III NTHi isolate, with an indistinguishable SmaI macrorestriction pattern. Patients were elderly males usually with underlying cardiac and pulmonary disease. A case-control study failed to demonstrate any specific significant risk factor for NTHi infection and there was no evidence of spatial clustering of cases within the nursing home. A random throat culture survey involving nursing home patients during the outbreak showed that only one of 19 persons was colonized with NTHi. The outbreak concluded following appropriate treatment and an emphasis on universal and respiratory droplet precautions. All patients recovered and a specific inciting event for the outbreak was never defined. Literature review revealed a spectrum of responses to nosocomial NTHi infections and a lack of consensus regarding the infection control approach towards NTHi outbreaks.

Clinical evidence-based practice guidelines providing recommendations for health care decision making have become vital components of long-term health care practice in the United States. Frequently changing guidelines have complicated nurse practitioners' (NPs) efforts to implement evidence-based practice into the daily care that they provide to patients. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based practice guideline for doctoral-prepared NPs working in long-term care facilities. This project is important because practitioners use practice guidelines to provide patients with the most appropriate, evidence-based care. Kolcaba's comfort theory was used to guide this project. Kolcaba's theory holds that comfort exists in 3 forms: relief, ease, and transcendence. Comfort theory, with its emphasis on physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental aspects of comfort, will lead to a proactive, diverse, and multifaceted approach to providing patient care. A complete practice guideline was developed for doctoral-prepared NPs. For the review of the scholarly evidence, an electronic search that yielded 34 articles was completed. Twenty-six of these articles were excluded because the articles were more than 20 years old and/or focused on a specialty. Findings from the 8 articles were used to develop the practice guideline, which was reviewed by an advisory committee of 7 experts. The AGREE tool was used by the advisory committee to provide feedback on the quality of the practice guideline. Implementation of the practice guideline will take place in a facility in Indiana that currently uses 3 NPs. A doctoral-prepared NP will evaluate the practice guideline annually for patient trends including hospital readmission and infection rates.

Diante da necessidade de mudança do paradigma do sistema de saúde e uma maior coerência entre o serviço ofertado e as condições de saúde da população, vários países tem buscado a reconfiguração de seus sistemas e/ou novos modelos de organização da gestão. No Brasil, vem sendo instituídas as Redes de Atenção à Saúde (RAS) e como referencial teórico operacional de gestão nesta nova organização se destacam a Gestão da Clínica e a Clínica Ampliada. A Continuidade do Cuidado é um dos elementos principais desse novo paradigma, assim, novos modelos assistenciais surgem em resposta. Os Cuidados Continuados Integrados (CCI) é uma experiência internacional exitosa, de um novo modelo assistencial que se situa nos desenhos de atenção entre o hospital geral e a atenção primária. Está sendo implantado no Brasil, aonde assume a denominação de Cuidados Prolongados e se insere na Rede de Atenção às Urgências e Emergências. OBJETIVO: O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estudar a Unidade de Cuidados Prolongados (UCP), como uma estratégia de atenção no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), identificando o processo de trabalho de unidades de um projeto piloto, sob as referências da Gestão da Clínica e da Clínica Ampliada. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo transversal, qualitativo quanto a abordagem, descritivo e exploratório quanto aos objetivos. O trabalho foi elaborado em três etapas complementares, sendo observação (etapa 1), análise de documentos (etapa 2) e aplicação de questionário estruturado composto de 82 assertivas, dividido em 6 blocos temáticos (trabalho em equipe, fluxo do usuário, prática clínica, estrutura / ambiente / materiais, gestão da qualidade e satisfação profissional). O instrumento foi aplicado aos trabalhadores da UCP de dois municípios do Estado de São Paulo (passo 3), que concordaram em participar da pesquisa (N de 26 participantes, 13 de cada unidade em estudo). A análise de dados foi realizada para compreender a organização do fluxo de trabalho e a percepção de trabalhadores e funcionários sobre a instituição, o processo e sua satisfação. A análise das respostas foi realizada calculando a escala média (RM) para a escala de Likert, medindo o grau de concordância dos participantes, em relação ao assertivo. Atribuiuse um valor de 1 (total discordância) a 5 (total concordância) correlacionando as variáveis estudadas intra e interunidades, buscando significação nas variações. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: foram identificados o desenho assistencial desenvolvido por ambas unidades, desde o referenciamento do usuário de acordo com o modelo de atenção estudado, até seu contra-referenciamento para a atenção básica, além do processo de trabalho e organização da equipe. Através da aplicação do questionário, identificou-se que os profissionais têm a tendencia à satisfação em ii relação aos 6 blocos temáticos (3,1 a 4,3), entretanto com variações significativas em assertivas individuais, em todos os blocos. CONCLUSÃO: O modelo de atenção estudado apresenta evidências de resultados positivos que estão em alinhamento com a literatura estudada, apresentando um design funcional dentro dos princípios do SUS. A articulação deste modelo na RAS ainda é um ponto a ser melhorado. De acordo com as percepções dos profissionais que compõem o trabalho em equipe, devem ser alcançadas melhorias em todos os tópicos estudados, a fim de preencher toda a operação com as propostas de gestão clínica e a clínica ampliada. / Several countries have sought the reconfiguration of their systems and/or new management organization models when faced with the need to change the paradigm of the health system and greater coherence between the delivered services and the health conditions of the population. In Brazil, the establishing of Health Care Networks (RAS) are in course. Clinical Management and the Extended Clinic are the highlights of the theoretical concepts for the operational management of this new arrangement. Continuity of Care is one of the main elements of this new paradigm, so innovative care models emerge in response. Integrated Continuing Care (CCI) is a successful international experience of a novel care model located in the design of care between the general hospital and primary care. It has been implemented in Brazil, denominated by the name of Extended Care and it is part of the Care Network for Urgencies and Emergencies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to study the Extended Care Unit (UCP), as a care strategy in the Unified Healthcare System (SUS), identifying the workflow of pilot UCP healthcare units, under the references of Clinical Management and Extended Clinic. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study, with qualitative approach, descriptive and exploratory regarding the objectives. The work was elaborated in three complementary stages, being observation (step 1), analysis of documents (step 2) and application of structured questionnaire composed of 82 assertions, divided into 6 thematic blocks (teamwork, users\' flow, clinical practice, structure / environment / materials, quality management and professional satisfaction). The instrument was applied to UCP workers of two municipalities of the State of São Paulo (step 3), which have agreed to participate of the research (N of 26 participants, 13 of each unit under study). The data analysis was performed in order to understand the organization of the workflow and the perception of workers and staff about the institution, the process, and their satisfaction. Analysis of the responses was performed by calculating the Mean Ranking (RM) for Likert scale, measuring the degree of agreement of the participants, in relation to the assertive. It was assigned values of 1 (total disagreement) to 5 (total concordance) correlating the intra and inter-unit variables studied, seeking significance in the variations. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The design of patient assistance carried out by both units were identified, from user referral according to the model of care studied, until their counter-referral for primary care, as well as the workflow process and the team organization. Based on the application of the questionnaire, it was identified that professionals have the tendency to satisfaction in relation to the 6 thematic blocks (3,1 to 4,3), however with significant variations in individual assertives, in each block. iv CONCLUSION: The care model studied presents evidence of positive outcomes that are in alignement with the literature studied, presenting a functional design inside the SUS principles. The articulation of this model in RAS is still a point to be improved. According to the perceptions of the professionals that compose the teamwork, improvements must be achieved in every topic studied, in order to fill the whole operation with the proposals of the clinical management and the extended clinic.

Diante da necessidade de mudança do paradigma do sistema de saúde e uma maior coerência entre o serviço ofertado e as condições de saúde da população, vários países tem buscado a reconfiguração de seus sistemas e/ou novos modelos de organização da gestão. No Brasil, vem sendo instituídas as Redes de Atenção à Saúde (RAS) e como referencial teórico operacional de gestão nesta nova organização se destacam a Gestão da Clínica e a Clínica Ampliada. A Continuidade do Cuidado é um dos elementos principais desse novo paradigma, assim, novos modelos assistenciais surgem em resposta. Os Cuidados Continuados Integrados (CCI) é uma experiência internacional exitosa, de um novo modelo assistencial que se situa nos desenhos de atenção entre o hospital geral e a atenção primária. Está sendo implantado no Brasil, aonde assume a denominação de Cuidados Prolongados e se insere na Rede de Atenção às Urgências e Emergências. OBJETIVO: O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estudar a Unidade de Cuidados Prolongados (UCP), como uma estratégia de atenção no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), identificando o processo de trabalho de unidades de um projeto piloto, sob as referências da Gestão da Clínica e da Clínica Ampliada. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo transversal, qualitativo quanto a abordagem, descritivo e exploratório quanto aos objetivos. O trabalho foi elaborado em três etapas complementares, sendo observação (etapa 1), análise de documentos (etapa 2) e aplicação de questionário estruturado composto de 82 assertivas, dividido em 6 blocos temáticos (trabalho em equipe, fluxo do usuário, prática clínica, estrutura / ambiente / materiais, gestão da qualidade e satisfação profissional). O instrumento foi aplicado aos trabalhadores da UCP de dois municípios do Estado de São Paulo (passo 3), que concordaram em participar da pesquisa (N de 26 participantes, 13 de cada unidade em estudo). A análise de dados foi realizada para compreender a organização do fluxo de trabalho e a percepção de trabalhadores e funcionários sobre a instituição, o processo e sua satisfação. A análise das respostas foi realizada calculando a escala média (RM) para a escala de Likert, medindo o grau de concordância dos participantes, em relação ao assertivo. Atribuiuse um valor de 1 (total discordância) a 5 (total concordância) correlacionando as variáveis estudadas intra e interunidades, buscando significação nas variações. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: foram identificados o desenho assistencial desenvolvido por ambas unidades, desde o referenciamento do usuário de acordo com o modelo de atenção estudado, até seu contra-referenciamento para a atenção básica, além do processo de trabalho e organização da equipe. Através da aplicação do questionário, identificou-se que os profissionais têm a tendencia à satisfação em ii relação aos 6 blocos temáticos (3,1 a 4,3), entretanto com variações significativas em assertivas individuais, em todos os blocos. CONCLUSÃO: O modelo de atenção estudado apresenta evidências de resultados positivos que estão em alinhamento com a literatura estudada, apresentando um design funcional dentro dos princípios do SUS. A articulação deste modelo na RAS ainda é um ponto a ser melhorado. De acordo com as percepções dos profissionais que compõem o trabalho em equipe, devem ser alcançadas melhorias em todos os tópicos estudados, a fim de preencher toda a operação com as propostas de gestão clínica e a clínica ampliada. / Several countries have sought the reconfiguration of their systems and/or new management organization models when faced with the need to change the paradigm of the health system and greater coherence between the delivered services and the health conditions of the population. In Brazil, the establishing of Health Care Networks (RAS) are in course. Clinical Management and the Extended Clinic are the highlights of the theoretical concepts for the operational management of this new arrangement. Continuity of Care is one of the main elements of this new paradigm, so innovative care models emerge in response. Integrated Continuing Care (CCI) is a successful international experience of a novel care model located in the design of care between the general hospital and primary care. It has been implemented in Brazil, denominated by the name of Extended Care and it is part of the Care Network for Urgencies and Emergencies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to study the Extended Care Unit (UCP), as a care strategy in the Unified Healthcare System (SUS), identifying the workflow of pilot UCP healthcare units, under the references of Clinical Management and Extended Clinic. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study, with qualitative approach, descriptive and exploratory regarding the objectives. The work was elaborated in three complementary stages, being observation (step 1), analysis of documents (step 2) and application of structured questionnaire composed of 82 assertions, divided into 6 thematic blocks (teamwork, users\' flow, clinical practice, structure / environment / materials, quality management and professional satisfaction). The instrument was applied to UCP workers of two municipalities of the State of São Paulo (step 3), which have agreed to participate of the research (N of 26 participants, 13 of each unit under study). The data analysis was performed in order to understand the organization of the workflow and the perception of workers and staff about the institution, the process, and their satisfaction. Analysis of the responses was performed by calculating the Mean Ranking (RM) for Likert scale, measuring the degree of agreement of the participants, in relation to the assertive. It was assigned values of 1 (total disagreement) to 5 (total concordance) correlating the intra and inter-unit variables studied, seeking significance in the variations. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The design of patient assistance carried out by both units were identified, from user referral according to the model of care studied, until their counter-referral for primary care, as well as the workflow process and the team organization. Based on the application of the questionnaire, it was identified that professionals have the tendency to satisfaction in relation to the 6 thematic blocks (3,1 to 4,3), however with significant variations in individual assertives, in each block. iv CONCLUSION: The care model studied presents evidence of positive outcomes that are in alignement with the literature studied, presenting a functional design inside the SUS principles. The articulation of this model in RAS is still a point to be improved. According to the perceptions of the professionals that compose the teamwork, improvements must be achieved in every topic studied, in order to fill the whole operation with the proposals of the clinical management and the extended clinic.

Technological advances during the past 30 years have dramatically improved survival rates for children with life-threatening conditions (preterm births, congenital anomalies, disease, or injury) resulting in children with special health care needs (CSHCN), children who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who require health and related services beyond that required by children generally. There are approximately 10.2 million of these children in the United States or one in five households with a child with special health care needs. Care for these children is limited to home care, medical day care (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care; P-PEC) or a long term care (LTC) facility. There is very limited research examining health outcomes of CSHCN and their families. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of home care settings, P-PEC settings, and LTC settings on child health and functioning, family health and function, and health care service use of families with CSHCN. Eighty four CSHCN ages 2 to 21 years having a medically fragile or complex medical condition that required continual monitoring were enrolled with their parents/guardians. Interviews were conducted monthly for five months using the PedsQL TM Generic Core Module for child health and functioning, PedsQL TM Family Impact Module for family health and functioning, and Access to Care from the NS-CSHCN survey for health care services. Descriptive statistics, chi square, and ANCOVA were conducted to determine differences across care settings. Children in the P-PEC settings had a highest health care quality of life (HRQL) overall including physical and psychosocial functioning. Parents/guardians with CSHCN in LTC had the highest HRQL including having time and energy for a social life and employment. Parents/guardians with CSHCN in home care settings had the poorest HRQL including physical and psychosocial functioning with cognitive difficulties, difficulties with worry, communication, and daily activities. They had the fewest hours of employment and the most hours providing direct care for their children. Overall health care service use was the same across the care settings.

No description available.