O SAMU brasileiro utiliza o modelo francês e opera com uma Central Única de Regulação Médica regionalizada, hierarquizada e descentralizada na composição das equipes de socorro e unidades móveis como USBs (Unidade de Suporte Básico) e USAs (Unidade de Suporte Avançado) que variam de acordo com o tipo de gravidade do caso. Na cidade de Ribeirão Preto, o serviço do SAMU, implantado em 1996, era municipal até 2012, porém seguindo as resoluções e portarias do Ministério da Saúde houve a necessidade da transição do SAMU Municipal para o SAMU Regional, com um único número (192) para os 26 municípios do Departamento Regional de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto (DRS XIII) sendo composto/constituído por 38 (trinta e oito) USBs sendo 01 USB para cada base descentralizada, 13 USB para Ribeirão Preto, 01 (uma) equipe de motolância e mais 03 (três) USAs (unidades de suporte avançado de vida) para cada base nos municípios polos microrregionais (Ribeirão Preto, Sertãozinho e Batatais). Com base nessas informações, este estudo visou caracterizar a estrutura e funcionamento do SAMU Municipal e sua Central de Regulação de Urgência e a transição para a regionalização nos seus aspectos estruturais, recursos humanos, tecnológicos e principalmente a viabilidade financeira, considerando o repasse tripartite (estado - união e município) insuficientes. Para a viabilidade financeira foi instituído o Consórcio CIS-AVH (consórcio intermunicipal de saúde - Aquífero guarani, Vale das cachoeiras e Horizonte verde). Os Consórcios Intermunicipais de Saúde (CISs) são importantíssimos instrumentos de cooperação e gestão entre municípios integrados, com 9interesses comuns definidos através do Plano Anual de Trabalho descritos pelos gestores municipais, conselhos e entidades públicas que estabelecem as prioridades e necessidades de determinado local e região. O objetivo foi criar soluções para problemas comuns, racionalizando a ação governamental a partir da realização conjunta de atividades de promoção, proteção e recuperação da saúde. Observa-se o fortalecimento da co-gestão compartilhada em saúde, em especial para os municípios de menor porte, cujas capacidades de investimento no setor são reduzidas em razão do limitado orçamentos disponível, as crescentes necessidades dos cidadãos, o avanço do aparato tecnológico e seus custos e principalmente o ganho por meio de editais de aquisição, compras ou contratação em escala seja de serviços, exames ou insumos. / The Brazilian SAMU uses the French model and operates with a regionalized, hierarchical and decentralized Single Regulated Medical Regulation Center in the composition of rescue teams and mobile units such as USBs (Basic Support Unit) and USAs (Advanced Support Unit) that vary according to with the type of severity of the event. In the city of Ribeirão Preto, the SAMU service, implemented in 1996, was municipal until 2012, but following the resolutions and ordinances of the Ministry of Health, there was a need to transition from SAMU Municipal to SAMU Regional, with a single number (192) for the 26 municipalities of the Regional Health Department of Ribeirão Preto (DRS XIII) consisting of 38 (thirty-eight) USBs, with 1 USB for each decentralized base, 13 USB for Ribeirão Preto, 01 (one) motolance team and more 03 (three) USAs (advanced life support units) for each base in the microregional poles municipalities (Ribeirão Preto, Sertãozinho and Batatais). Based on this information, this study aimed to characterize the structure and functioning of the Municipal SAMU and its Central Emergency Regulation and the transition to regionalization in its structural aspects, human resources, technological and mainly financial viability, considering the tripartite pass-through insufficient. (2013 to 2016). For the financial viability, the CIS-AVH Consortium (inter-municipal health consortium - Aquifer, Guaraní, Vale das cachoeiras and Horizonte verde) was instituted. The Intermunicipal Health Consortiums (CISs) are very important instruments of cooperation and 11management among integrated municipalities, with common interests defined through the Annual Work Plan described by municipal managers, councils and public entities that establish the priorities and needs of a given place and region. With the objective of creating a solution to common problems, rationalizing government action through joint activities to promote, protect and recover health. The strengthening of shared co-management in health is observed, especially for smaller municipalities, whose investment capacities in the sector are reduced due to the limited budgets available, the growing needs of the citizens, the advancement of the technological apparatus and its costs, and especially the gain through purchase, purchase or scale calls for services, examinations or inputs.

[pt] Este estudo constitui-se num esforço de reflexão sobre o tema da humanização no que tange a sua relação com a prática do assistente social que atua no cenário da assistência hospitalar. Atualmente o tema da humanização vem se mostrando como um tema de grande relevância pública nas práticas de saúde no Brasil ao indicar uma necessária e premente reflexão sobre a qualidade das relações estabelecidas entre profissionais e os sujeitos que demandam cuidados de saúde. Tal reflexão situa-se no âmbito da ética, exigindo um re-pensar sobre os comportamentos de despersonalização e alheamento em relação ao outro, historicamente enraizados na cultura institucional hospitalar. Sendo o assistente social um profissional que lida na relação direta com os sujeitos no cotidiano da assistência hospitalar, o debate da humanização apresenta- se como um desafio, tendo em vista a qualidade de sua ação como expressão do seu compromisso ético com a construção de relações recíprocas, livres, democráticas, justas e solidárias. Deste modo, o entendimento da humanização da prática do assistente social que se pretende expressar neste estudo tem como fundamento a visão compreensiva da ação profissional com-os-outros como possibilidade de desvelar novas formas de ser e estar no mundo. A reflexão sobre a dimensão relacional da prática do assistente social é, deste modo, o eixo central deste estudo. Busca-se conceber a humanização da ação profissional como um processo ético- político-pedagógico que envolve a permanente construção de atitudes que possam levar ao reconhecimento das demandas do outro através do respeito à autonomia inerente a sua condição de pessoa-sujeito. O estudo apresenta uma pesquisa realizada com sete assistentes sociais que atuam num hospital público. O objetivo da investigação foi compreender os principais motivos que orientam os assistentes sociais em sua prática cotidiana quando da relação com o tema da humanização. / [en] This study is constitued in a effort refection on the theme of the humanization in what it concern your relationship with the social worker practice that acts in the scenery of the hospital assistence. Nowadays this theme becaming with great public relevance in the practices of health in Brazil. It happened when it had indicated a necessary one and prassing reflection about the quality of the established relationships among the professionals and subjects that demanded cares of helth. Such reflection location in the ambit of the ethics, demand to rethink of behaviors alienation in relation to the other, historically deep-rooted in the institutional hospitalar culture. Being the social worker, a profissional that get a direct relationship with the subjects in the daily of the hospital assistance, the humanization debats come as a challenge ,tends in view your expression quality action of your ethical commitent with the construction of reciprocal relations like freedom, democraticy, fairly and solidarity. This way the understanding of the social worker humanization practice that is needed to express in this study have the compreensive vision about the professional action as a possibility to unveil new forms of be and to be in this world. The reflection about the relational dimension of the social worker practice, is this way, the principal theme of this study. It is looked for conceive the professional action humanization as an ethical-political-pedagogic process that permanently enfold the attitude developiment that can take the recognition of wich other demands through the respect to your inherent autonomy and the condition of the subject-person. The study presents the research acconplished with seven social workers that acts at the public hospital. The principal investigation meaning was understand the principal reasons that guide the social workers in your daily practice in relation with the humanization theme.

According to recommendations from the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a common engineering approach to isolation room design is to maintain the air ventilation rate at a minimum of 12 air changes per hour (ACH) for mixing and dilution, and a negative pressure in the room to direct airflow inwards, instead of leaking outwards. / In collaborations with physicians in the Respiratory Division and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a series of experiments were carried out to verify the ventilation performance of an All room at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). Experiments investigated the effects of ACH, the control of airflow direction, the air tightness of the automatic swing door and the application of positive pressure ventilation procedures, such as high flow rate oxygen masks, jet nebulizers and NPPV. These were extensively tested in two different isolation rooms of the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) and PMH, under common clinical circumstances and environmental conditions. / Many patients with severe respiratory infection require supportive therapy for respiratory failure. Common interventions involve supplemental oxygen to improve tissue oxygenation. In the worst scenario, mechanical ventilation via non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) may be required. Since a large amount of aerosols is generated during these interventions, there is a great risk of spreading infectious aerosols from the respiratory tract of the patient to the surrounding environment. / The aerodynamic data in this thesis infonns architects and engineers on how to improve the hospital ward ventilation design so as to avoid aerosol and ventilation leakage. Ultimately, it is hoped that this work may play a role in preventing devastating nosocomial outbreaks in the future. / The design of airborne infection isolation (AII) room has become one of the major research domains following the emergence of the global concern of acute respiratory diseases in this century. These include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, H5N1 avian influenza, and pandemic influenza H1N1 in 2009. All of which have claimed thousands of lives. Even with the current stringent design and practice guidelines, nosocomial infection of healthcare workers (HCWs) and inpatients continues to occur. This implies that there might be limitations in current isolation ward designs. / The experiments implemented a high-fidelity human patient simulator (HPS) which could be programmed with different lung breathing conditions and oxygen flow rate settings. The patient exhaled air dispersion distances and airflow patterns were captured in detail with a non-intrusive, laser light sheet, smoke particle scattering technique, designed for this thesis. Thin laser light sheets were generated by a high energy YAG laser with custom cylindrical optics. Smoke concentration in the patient exhaled air and leakage jets was estimated from the intensity of light scattered, which was then expressed as nonnalized particle concentration contours using computer programs developed for this study. / The study quantitatively revealed the distinctive patient exhaled airflow patterns and the extent of bioaerosol, generated directly from the patient source with the application of different oxygen delivery interventions for different patient lung conditions and oxygen flow rates. It was found that contamination was more critical during the administration of oxygen therapies, which is common in clinical circumstances. Source control is therefore the most efficient and effective approach to the reduction and even elimination of patient exhaled bioaerosol contaminants. Thus, when working in an isolation room environment, full preventive measure should be taken and it is essential to consider the location of mechanical vents and the patient exhaled airflow patterns. It has also been shown in experiment that applications of bacterial viral filter could be a solution to the problem. / Chow, Ka Ming. / Advisers: Puay Peng Ho; Jin Yeu Tsou. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-09(E), Section: A. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-147). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

A administração de medicamentos se constitui num processo multidisciplinar e um multissistema e seus riscos podem ser reduzidos de forma significativa por meio da implantação de processos reconhecidos para melhoria da segurança. Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos (MPP) são medicamentos que possuem maior risco de provocar danos significativos aos pacientes. O gerenciamento de risco em saúde é um processo complexo que associa várias áreas do conhecimento e que tem como objetivo prevenir erros e eventos adversos advindos dos procedimentos e produtos utilizados na assistência, em relação aos MPP, é imprescindível implantar barreiras específicas para gerenciar os riscos envolvidos. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o gerenciamento de risco de MPP em instituições hospitalares. Estudo transversal, quantitativo, não experimental, realizado em quatro unidades de Terapia Intensiva de hospitais gerais, sendo um público, dois privados com fins lucrativos e um privado beneficente. Foi utilizado um instrumento do tipo questionário, com questões fechadas, elaborado pelo pesquisador, validado para face e conteúdo por cinco juízes e quanto a aplicabilidade por meio de um piloto aplicado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Os participantes foram todos os membros da equipe de enfermagem das unidades de terapia intensiva pesquisadas e todos os farmacêuticos das instituições pesquisadas. Os resultados apontaram que a participação total foi de 76% da população proposta para o estudo. Todos os medicamentos que compunham o instrumento eram considerados como MPP, entretanto, nenhum foi apontado por 100 % dos participantes como MPP, 17 deles foram apontados como utilizados por 95% ou mais dos entrevistados. Desses, o cloreto de potássio, foi o medicamento mais reconhecido como MPP (99%) e o tramadol o menos reconhecido como perigoso (46%). O medicamento apontado como menos utilizado nas unidades pesquisadas foi o hidrato de cloral (14%), reconhecido como MPP por 78%. O medicamento apontado como menos perigoso foi a água estéril em soluções superiores a 100 ml, reconhecida como MPP por 27% dos entrevistados e utilizada por 90%. Itens considerados rotineiros não foram considerados MPP, dentre eles a solução parenteral prolongada, lidocaína, glicose hipertônica de 25 ou 50%, cloreto de sódio e a enoxaparina, considerados como MPP por 61, 61, 69, 72 e 74% dos entrevistados, respectivamente. Os enfermeiros foram os que mais reconheceram a existência de barreiras de prevenção (96%), já os farmacêuticos os que menos reconheceram (78%). Em média, 84% dos profissionais reconheceram a existência de medidas de prevenção na administração de MPP. A barreira mais reconhecida pelos profissionais foi a de acesso restrito aos MPP (79%). Outra barreira foi a verificação dos certos da terapia medicamentosa, que mesmo sendo uma prática recomendada na administração de todos os medicamentos, foi reconhecida somente por 56% dos entrevistados. O reconhecimento dos MPP, assim como as medidas de prevenção de danos relacionados à esta classe de medicamentos ainda é frágil nas instituições de saúde. A adoção de medidas isoladas ou agrupadas de prevenção de riscos não constituem um sistema de gerenciamento de risco institucional, tampouco em relação aos MPP. A constituição dos comitês de segurança do paciente, além de ser uma obrigação legal pode ser um caminho importante para a efetivação do gerenciamento de risco nas instituições. Diante deste contexto, cabe às instituições de ensino melhorar a qualidade da formação profissional em relação à farmacologia, abordando o tema dos MPP, e aos serviços de saúde implementar programas de educação permanente robustos nos ambientes de trabalho, aplicar barreiras de prevenção baseadas em evidencia de forma sistemática e, finalmente, instituir uma política de incentivo à cultura de segurança do paciente por meio de estratégias educativas, estimulando ações não punitivas ao lidar com os erros / The administration of drugs constitutes a multidisciplinary and multi-system process and its risks can be reduced significantly by implementing recognized processes to improve security. High-Alert Medications (HAM) are drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing harm to the patients. The risk management in healthcare is a complex process that associates several areas of knowledge and aims to prevent errors and events that may come from procedures and products used in assistances. Regarding HAM, it is essential to implement specific barriers in order to manage the risks involved. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk management for HAM in hospital institutions. This study is transversal, quantitative, non-experimental and it was performed in four Intensive Care Units from general hospitals, one of them being public, two of them private for-profit, and one of them a charitable hospital. A questionnaire type instrument containing closed questions made by the researcher was used. Its face and content validation were performed by five judges and its applicability validated by a pilot applied in a pediatric intensive care unit. The participants were the entire nursing staff of the researched intensive care units and the entire pharmacists staff of the researched institutions. The results show that the participants were 76% of the proposed populations for the study. All drugs that formed part of the instrument were HAM, however, none of them were pointed out as HAM by 100% of participants and 17 of them were pointed out as being used by at least 95% of the interviewed. Of these, the potassium chloride was the drug that was most recognized as HAM (99%) and the tramadol was the least recognized as being hazardous (46%). The least used drug in the researched units was the chloral hydrate (14%), it was recognized as HAM by 78% of the participants. The drug pointed out as being the least hazardous was the sterile water in solutions superior to 100mL, recognized as HAM by 27% of the interviewed and used by 90% of them. Routine items were not considered HAM; among them, long-term parenteral, lidocaine, hypertonic glucose 25% or 50%, sodium chloride and enoxaparin were considered HAM by 61, 61, 69, 72 and 74% of the interviewed respectively. The nurses were the ones that most recognized the existence of prevention barriers (96%), whereas the pharmacists were the ones that least recognized them (78%). On average, 84% of the professionals recognized the existence of prevention measures in the administration of HAM. The barrier most recognized by the professionals was the restrict access to HAM. Checking the rights of medication administration was another barrier, recognized only by 56% of the interviewed despite the fact that it is recommended when administering all types of drugs. Recognizing HAM as well as the harm prevention measures regarding this type of medicine is still feeble in healthcare institutions. The adoptions of risk prevention measures, isolated or in group, do not constitute an institutional risk management system, let alone regarding HAM. The constitution of patient security committees, besides being a legal obligation, can be an important path to implement risk management in institutions. In face of this, educational institutions need to improve professional training quality in relation to pharmacology, addressing the HAM theme, and, in relation to healthcare services, they need to implement solid permanent educational programs, apply prevention barriers based on systematic evidence and, finally, institute a patient security culture incentive policy through educational strategies, stimulating non-punitive actions when dealing with errors

A administração de medicamentos se constitui num processo multidisciplinar e um multissistema e seus riscos podem ser reduzidos de forma significativa por meio da implantação de processos reconhecidos para melhoria da segurança. Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos (MPP) são medicamentos que possuem maior risco de provocar danos significativos aos pacientes. O gerenciamento de risco em saúde é um processo complexo que associa várias áreas do conhecimento e que tem como objetivo prevenir erros e eventos adversos advindos dos procedimentos e produtos utilizados na assistência, em relação aos MPP, é imprescindível implantar barreiras específicas para gerenciar os riscos envolvidos. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o gerenciamento de risco de MPP em instituições hospitalares. Estudo transversal, quantitativo, não experimental, realizado em quatro unidades de Terapia Intensiva de hospitais gerais, sendo um público, dois privados com fins lucrativos e um privado beneficente. Foi utilizado um instrumento do tipo questionário, com questões fechadas, elaborado pelo pesquisador, validado para face e conteúdo por cinco juízes e quanto a aplicabilidade por meio de um piloto aplicado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Os participantes foram todos os membros da equipe de enfermagem das unidades de terapia intensiva pesquisadas e todos os farmacêuticos das instituições pesquisadas. Os resultados apontaram que a participação total foi de 76% da população proposta para o estudo. Todos os medicamentos que compunham o instrumento eram considerados como MPP, entretanto, nenhum foi apontado por 100 % dos participantes como MPP, 17 deles foram apontados como utilizados por 95% ou mais dos entrevistados. Desses, o cloreto de potássio, foi o medicamento mais reconhecido como MPP (99%) e o tramadol o menos reconhecido como perigoso (46%). O medicamento apontado como menos utilizado nas unidades pesquisadas foi o hidrato de cloral (14%), reconhecido como MPP por 78%. O medicamento apontado como menos perigoso foi a água estéril em soluções superiores a 100 ml, reconhecida como MPP por 27% dos entrevistados e utilizada por 90%. Itens considerados rotineiros não foram considerados MPP, dentre eles a solução parenteral prolongada, lidocaína, glicose hipertônica de 25 ou 50%, cloreto de sódio e a enoxaparina, considerados como MPP por 61, 61, 69, 72 e 74% dos entrevistados, respectivamente. Os enfermeiros foram os que mais reconheceram a existência de barreiras de prevenção (96%), já os farmacêuticos os que menos reconheceram (78%). Em média, 84% dos profissionais reconheceram a existência de medidas de prevenção na administração de MPP. A barreira mais reconhecida pelos profissionais foi a de acesso restrito aos MPP (79%). Outra barreira foi a verificação dos certos da terapia medicamentosa, que mesmo sendo uma prática recomendada na administração de todos os medicamentos, foi reconhecida somente por 56% dos entrevistados. O reconhecimento dos MPP, assim como as medidas de prevenção de danos relacionados à esta classe de medicamentos ainda é frágil nas instituições de saúde. A adoção de medidas isoladas ou agrupadas de prevenção de riscos não constituem um sistema de gerenciamento de risco institucional, tampouco em relação aos MPP. A constituição dos comitês de segurança do paciente, além de ser uma obrigação legal pode ser um caminho importante para a efetivação do gerenciamento de risco nas instituições. Diante deste contexto, cabe às instituições de ensino melhorar a qualidade da formação profissional em relação à farmacologia, abordando o tema dos MPP, e aos serviços de saúde implementar programas de educação permanente robustos nos ambientes de trabalho, aplicar barreiras de prevenção baseadas em evidencia de forma sistemática e, finalmente, instituir uma política de incentivo à cultura de segurança do paciente por meio de estratégias educativas, estimulando ações não punitivas ao lidar com os erros / The administration of drugs constitutes a multidisciplinary and multi-system process and its risks can be reduced significantly by implementing recognized processes to improve security. High-Alert Medications (HAM) are drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing harm to the patients. The risk management in healthcare is a complex process that associates several areas of knowledge and aims to prevent errors and events that may come from procedures and products used in assistances. Regarding HAM, it is essential to implement specific barriers in order to manage the risks involved. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk management for HAM in hospital institutions. This study is transversal, quantitative, non-experimental and it was performed in four Intensive Care Units from general hospitals, one of them being public, two of them private for-profit, and one of them a charitable hospital. A questionnaire type instrument containing closed questions made by the researcher was used. Its face and content validation were performed by five judges and its applicability validated by a pilot applied in a pediatric intensive care unit. The participants were the entire nursing staff of the researched intensive care units and the entire pharmacists staff of the researched institutions. The results show that the participants were 76% of the proposed populations for the study. All drugs that formed part of the instrument were HAM, however, none of them were pointed out as HAM by 100% of participants and 17 of them were pointed out as being used by at least 95% of the interviewed. Of these, the potassium chloride was the drug that was most recognized as HAM (99%) and the tramadol was the least recognized as being hazardous (46%). The least used drug in the researched units was the chloral hydrate (14%), it was recognized as HAM by 78% of the participants. The drug pointed out as being the least hazardous was the sterile water in solutions superior to 100mL, recognized as HAM by 27% of the interviewed and used by 90% of them. Routine items were not considered HAM; among them, long-term parenteral, lidocaine, hypertonic glucose 25% or 50%, sodium chloride and enoxaparin were considered HAM by 61, 61, 69, 72 and 74% of the interviewed respectively. The nurses were the ones that most recognized the existence of prevention barriers (96%), whereas the pharmacists were the ones that least recognized them (78%). On average, 84% of the professionals recognized the existence of prevention measures in the administration of HAM. The barrier most recognized by the professionals was the restrict access to HAM. Checking the rights of medication administration was another barrier, recognized only by 56% of the interviewed despite the fact that it is recommended when administering all types of drugs. Recognizing HAM as well as the harm prevention measures regarding this type of medicine is still feeble in healthcare institutions. The adoptions of risk prevention measures, isolated or in group, do not constitute an institutional risk management system, let alone regarding HAM. The constitution of patient security committees, besides being a legal obligation, can be an important path to implement risk management in institutions. In face of this, educational institutions need to improve professional training quality in relation to pharmacology, addressing the HAM theme, and, in relation to healthcare services, they need to implement solid permanent educational programs, apply prevention barriers based on systematic evidence and, finally, institute a patient security culture incentive policy through educational strategies, stimulating non-punitive actions when dealing with errors

This is an exploratory follow-up study of the clientele of the Psychiatric Crisis Unit, a short-term, crisis-oriented inpatient psychiatric ward. The main objective of the research was to test the following null hypothesis: there are no significant differences between those individuals who attempt to gain aftercare treatment as opposed to those individuals who do not following discharge from the Crisis Unit. A sample of fifty-one voluntary patients who consented to participate in the study was used in testing this hypothesis. Each subject completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (M.M.P.I.) and a sociological questionnaire while in the Crisis Unit, and a follow-up questionnaire was administered via telephone or personal contact approximately one month after discharge. The follow-up information was used to determine whether the subject fell into the "aftercare” or “no-aftercare” group. Data collection lasted from July 1, 1970 to December 15, 1970. The data revealed that there were significant differences between the groups and, thus, the null hypothesis was rejected. The ten M.M.P.I. scales revealed no significant differences between the groups on the individual scales. However, when examined collectively, the aftercare group scored higher than the no-aftercare group on all scales except Self-Sufficiency (which is scored in the opposite direction, corroborating the tendency in the other scales). A discriminant function correctly classified seventy-three percent of the subjects. These results indicate that the aftercare subjects probably viewed themselves as “needing” more help. The significant predictor variables found included prior familial and personal experiences similar to those bringing the subject to the Unit, employment status, age, diagnostic designation, length of hospitalization, referral planning, and self-ratings on a mood scale which was administered upon discharge from the Crisis Unit. These variables were obtained with less effort than the psychological test data. It was found that the aftercare group (compared to the other group) was younger, had a higher rate of unemployment, and had a higher rate of familial and prior personal experiences. They were also diagnosed more frequently as psychotic, with depression ranking second, and rated themselves lower on the mood scale scores. However, the difference between the before and after mood scale scores revealed that these subjects felt they had “gained” more than the no-aftercare subjects. The no-aftercare group was diagnosed more frequently as depressed, with behavior/character disorders ranking second. They tended to rate themselves higher on the mood scale scores. However, the differences between the before and after mood scale scores revealed that they had not “progressed” as much as the aftercare subjects. Although not statistically significant, it was found that the aftercare subjects were hospitalized two days longer than the subjects of the no-aftercare group. More significant is the fact that the aftercare group had a higher rate of rehospitalization than the no-aftercare group. Data collected concerning the referral process revealed that aftercare subjects were more frequently referred for treatment than were subjects of the no-aftercare group. It was speculated that those subjects who perceived themselves and/or were perceived as being "sicker" would seek further help after discharge from the Crisis Unit. The findings also suggested that not all patients need or perceived themselves as needing further help.

The current literature suggests one of the challenges of nursing today is to meet the health care needs of the growing older population, people over the age of 65. Quality of nursing is important for acutely ill older people who are the largest group of patients in terms of hospital admissions. The ageing population is a major focus for social and economic planners and policy makers. There is an increasing need for health systems to change their focus to more closely assess strategies used to manage the acutely ill older hospital population. The main aim of this study was to improve the quality of nursing care for older, acutely ill, hospitalised medical patients. The study used a mixed method triangulated approach that utilised quantitative and qualitative methods to survey perceived needs of older patients, their family members/carers and the nursing staff, in the process of developing, implementing and evaluating a new model of care using a participatory action research (PAR) process. There were three specific objectives. The first was to evaluate which aspects of nursing care were considered most important for older patients during acute hospitalisation from the perspective of older patients, their family members/carers and their nurses. The second was to develop and implement a model of care that addressed the identified nursing care needs and priorities of older patients through the PAR process. The third was to determine whether employing a PAR process, the chosen model of care addressed the identified nursing care needs and priorities and resulted in increased patient satisfaction and improved health care for older patients. This study demonstrated the implementation of a PAR process to motivate nursing staff, utilising an evidence-based model of care approach, resulted in changes to clinical nursing practice that impacted positively on older patients’ and nursing staff’s satisfaction with care provided, patient knowledge and final health outcomes. It is recommended that the findings of this study be applied to develop guidelines for acutely hospitalised medical patients, particularly for issues relating to educational sessions to increase the patient’s functional activities and knowledge levels of their medication regimes prior to discharge. / Master of Health Science (Hons)

Since women dominate the health care system as consumers, it is important to understand how women want to be treated by medical staff, and the factors that contribute to satisfactory hospital experiences. The present research comprised two separate but integrated studies exploring these issues. The first study adopted an atheoretical approach. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to examine the importance of hospital experiences in the lives of women, and the role of power within those experiences. Closed answer items about hospital experiences were completed by 124 women who had had a hospital stay of at least one night. In addition, ten of the women provided open-ended oral and written comments about their hospital experiences, which were used as the basis of the qualitative data. The majority of the women were satisfied with their hospital stay, but a small group recalled experiences of powerlessness associated with the non-medical aspects of their treatment, such as behaviours on the part of health professionals that influenced participants� sense of control as hospital inpatients. The qualitative data reflected similar issues to the quantitative data and provided �process� information by demonstrating how health professionals� behaviour could contribute to patients� feelings of powerlessness. The results suggested that hospital experiences were a salient part of these women�s lives. The richness of the qualitative data suggested that qualitative methodology would be a productive way to further study this area. The second study was an extension of the first via in-depth interviews with 19 women who perceived their hospital experiences as life-altering. The interview content and the analysis were based on a narrative approach that used the theoretical framework of McAdams� (1993) Life Story Model of Identity. Using McAdams� methodology enabled the researcher to evaluate how women constructed meaning from their hospital experiences, and the main issues they faced. The life story interview also proved a useful way to explore issues of loss and self-growth in the face of traumatic hospital experiences. Transcripts of descriptions of positive and negative experiences were analysed according to McAdams� themes of agency (sense of power and control) and communion (relationships with others), and sequences of redemption and contamination. Redemption sequences involve the storyline moving from a bad, affectively negative life scene, to a good, affectively positive life scene. In a contamination sequence, the narrator describes a change from a good, affectively positive life scene, to a subsequently bad, affectively negative life scene (McAdams & Bowman, 2001). Participants also rated their experiences according to Hermans� (Hermans & Oles, 1999) list of affects. There was strong agreement between McAdams� coding of agency and communion and Hermans� agentic and communal indices: the women�s hospital stories strongly emphasised the negative or opposite of McAdams� agentic theme �Self Mastery through Control�, which indicated powerlessness, and Hermans� affects, which involved low self-enhancement. It may be useful for future studies to conceptualise McAdams� themes as bipolar by incorporating currently coded themes and their reverse; in particular, by expanding ideas of agency to incorporate powerlessness, as this theme was pervasive in women�s hospital experiences. The rating of affects added to the findings as this showed a latent dimension of communion manifested as isolation. The common agency and communion themes were apparent in the two distinct but related aspects of hospitalisation that affect patients� sense of control: the medical condition and the manner in which patients are treated by medical staff. The findings of the main study built on the pilot study by showing how ideas of control and powerlessness can inform better practice. For example, respectful, dignified and fair treatment by health professionals played a part in determining redemption sequences; women also indicated this was how they wanted to be treated. Due to the vulnerability of the �sick role�, disrespectful or offhand treatment by health professionals had particularly distressing effects evident in contamination sequences, such as negative changes to sense of self and attitudes toward the health care system. In some cases, such treatment led to participants� avoiding subsequent interactions with doctors and to sustained feelings of helplessness. The present thesis demonstrates that doctors, nurses and other health professionals need to allow time to attend to the affective as well as the medical aspects of the encounter. Health professionals need a good bedside manner, compassion, and communication skills, as these characteristics play a part in maintaining female patients� sense of self and their faith in and satisfaction with the health care system.

In the past few years, many people with an Islamic background have settled in Australia. Within the health care context, this means that health care providers must modify the care provided to ensure it meets the needs of this culturally diverse population. Little nursing research has focused on understanding the perceptions and experiences of Muslim people within health care systems, particularly in Australia. This study provided an opportunity to explore, and document the experience of the hospitalisation for Islamic people and thereby advance the available information upon which important nursing care decisions that relate to this group can be more informatively made. This study aims to explore and interpret the lived experience of thirteen Muslim patients who had been hospitalised in an Australian hospital. The hermeneutic phenomenology of Heidegger (1967/1996), the philosophical hermeneutics of Gadamer (1989), and the ideas of van Manen (1990/1996) underpin this study. The meaning and understanding of the everyday experience of Muslim patient in a non-Islamic hospital is achieved through interpretation of the participants’ stories. Data were generated using unstructured audio-taped interviews from participants. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed, then interpreted using phenomenological methods. The two themes to emerge from the participants’ experiences are: Being-thrown-into-an-un-everyday-world and living-Islam-in-the-un-everyday-world. The theme of Being-thrown-into-an-un-everyday-world arose from the sub-themes of the awareness of self and Being an outsider. The theme living-Islam-in-the-un-everyday-world was drawn from the three sub-themes of Being the same and different, hindrances to being Muslim, and adapting-to-the-un-everyday-world. The findings of this study provide an insight into the experience of Muslims being cared for in Australian hospitals. It is hoped that this interpretation will make a significant contribution to the care of Muslim patients by having health professionals consider how this group could be cared for in a culturally sensitive manner. It is not intended as a prescription for care but draws the reader to reflect on aspects of the Muslim faith and how this may impact on individuals experience when in hospital. The scope of this study and the dearth of available research in this area conclude that much more research needs to be undertaken. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1317115 / Thesis(Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2008

<p>Within the ambulance care in Uppsala County a vacuum splint is used to immobilize fractures on extremities. The research available on which method of immobilizing to prefer during pre-hospital treatment is limited.</p><p> </p><p>The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the perceptions of the ambulance personal in Uppsala County on the issue of usability of SAM-splint and vacuum splint when immobilizing extremities. The project was also aimed at researching if SAM-splint could be seen as an alternative or a complement to vacuum splint, and to get an apprehension on any evident differences in patients’ perceived pain when treated with the two different approaches.</p><p> </p><p>A descriptive comparative study was carried out. All patients, regardless of age and sex, with the need of immobilizing supposed fractures, were included.  Patients with suspected femur fracture, collum fracture, or where pre-hospital care was not possible or in question, was excluded. The collection of data was done using a questionnaire designed by the students responsible for the project. The ambulance personal completed the questionnaire after having concluded the treatment.</p><p> </p><p>The result showed that all patients with fractures to their extremities were immobilized. There were no evident differences in how the personal experienced the application of the two methods of immobilizing, but rather they were generally both perceived as easy to use. In Uppsala, where the paramedics had access to both SAM-splint and vacuum splint, the SAM-splint was the predominant choice.</p><p> </p><p>Based on this pilot study it can be established that the ambulance personal experienced the methods for immobilizing as easy in the event of fractures to the extremities. The SAM-splint is to be seen as a complement to the vacuum splint. Any difference in perceived patient rated pain connected to the different methods of immobilizing was not to deduce.</p> / <p>Inom ambulanssjukvården i Uppsala län används vakuumsplint för immobilisering av extremitetsfrakturer. Forskning och kunskap om vilken immobiliseringsmetod som är att föredra vid prehospital handläggning av extremitetsfrakturer är begränsad.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Syftet med detta pilotprojekt var att i Uppsala län undersöka ambulanspersonalens uppfattning om användarvänligheten av vakuumsplint och SAM-splint vid immobilisering. Målet med projektet var även att ta reda på om SAM-splint kunde ses som alternativ eller komplement till vakuumsplintar samt om det fanns några uppenbara skillnader i patientskattad smärta mellan de olika immobiliseringsmetoderna.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>En deskriptiv komparativ studie genomfördes där alla patienter oavsett ålder och kön i behov av immobilisering av misstänkta extremitetsfrakturer inkluderas. Patienter med misstänkt femurfraktur, collumfraktur eller där prehospital immobilisering ej varit möjlig eller aktuell exkluderades. Insamling av data har skett med hjälp av ett frågeformulär utformat av projektansvariga studenter. Frågeformuläret besvarades av vårdansvarig ambulanspersonal efter avslutat vårdtillfälle.</p><p> </p><p>Resultatet visade att samtliga patienter med extremitetsfrakturer immobiliserades. Det fanns ingen uppenbar skillnad gällande personalupplevd applicering mellan de olika immobiliseringsmetoderna utan generellt uppfattades de enkla att använda. I Uppsala där ambulanspersonalen hade tillgång till både SAM-splint och vakuumsplint valdes övervägande SAM-splint.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Med detta pilotprojekt som grund kan sägas att ambulanspersonalen ansåg att immobiliseringsmetoderna var enkla att använda vid extremitetsfrakturer. SAM-splint kan ses som komplement till vakuumsplinten. Någon skillnad i patientskattad smärta mellan de båda immobiliseringsmetoderna framkom ej.</p>